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Andy now grew deeper into boat racing as the next year he picked up a capsule. And drove it to his first 2nd at Pleasant Prairie, a place without a fond memory, and finished that year in 2nd in the USTS high points for 500R. Another great memory for Andy is being able to race side by side with my grandpa and dad where I took 3rd at the nationals in 1100H right behind my grandpa with a 2nd. Andy is looking for more next year as he has purchased a konny 500 from the Steve Litzell collection and has now purchased a new 500 konny, from Mike Thirlby Labor Day weekend this year and man is it a ride. Due to Covid, there was a big delay in getting parts here from Konny so he couldn’t run his capsule, but it will be out next year. Andy’s favorite class right now is 500 runabout. He calls it his bread and butter. He likes how competitive the class is and the power to handling ratio. He loves that you can really drive the boat into the corner with a handful of pipe, dump the pipe, crank the wheel, and grab the pipe again. 700 is a little more of a handful, yet a lot of fun. Andy and his Grand Father Dan have been the mechanics on the motors and Andy is slowly pulling that duty in his new shop up at home in Michigan. He also has been repairing and taking care of the Kirts fleet of boats. Andy has two degrees in Automotive Science and Applied Science of High Performance
Andy says he loves the competition and says that his toughest competitor is the great Jason Sailer who happens to be a 5th generation driver, handling runabout duties in 500/700’1100R classes. More on the Eldredge/Sailer family to come. I asked Andy what he is thinking when he hears 30 to the 3 and he said, he runs through his check list of is the fuel cap tight, did we refuel, did we blow it up, right, and as soon as the gun goes off, it all goes away and then it is focusing on getting a good start. I’ve always said, if you offered a million dollars to the drivers sitting in their boats to spit right before the gun went off, everyone would go home broke. In Andy’s case, not so sure.
Being a Michigander Andy says his favorite racecourse would have to be Constantine, Mi. Andy says it takes some strategy running there being one of our narrower courses and an even more narrow first turn. Constantine is almost like a home course to Andy as he really likes a lot of things about the atmosphere with the American Legion sponsorship, and the dinner, the breakfast and bar karaoke going on each weekend we are there. Andy said he thinks he gets a lot of drive from his dad and grandpa. When he was young, he was his dads right hand man. Turning wrenches either fixing boats, building engines or sending him off into the next heat. Andy says his Grandfather Dan Kirts is one of the greatest out there and Andy looks up to him. Andy treasures his relationship with Grandpa Dan, as he calls me at Andy at least once a week to ask what he’s working on, did he get the broken stuff fixed, what time am is he leaving for the race.
Andy says he had two great memories one his Dad taking him for a ride in the 500R when he was about six years old and them starting his Grandpa’s 500H as a youngster. Can’t imagine what it must have been like to look at the greatness that surrounded young Andy with a Dad, a Grandpa, and Uncles winning races all over the world. That view has brought this young man to this point and I think we will be hearing that name for some time to come..
Andy says he loves the competition and says that his toughest competitor is the great Jason Sailer who happens to be a 5th generation driver, handling runabout duties in 500/700’1100R classes. More on the Eldredge/Sailer family to come. I asked Andy what he is thinking when he hears 30 to the 3 and he said, he runs through his check list of is the fuel cap tight, did we refuel, did we blow it up, right, and as soon as the gun goes off, it all goes away and then it is focusing on getting a good start. I’ve always said, if you offered a million dollars to the drivers sitting in their boats to spit right before the gun went off, everyone would go home broke. In Andy’s case, not so sure.
Being a Michigander Andy says his favorite racecourse would have to be Constantine, Mi. Andy says it takes some strategy running there being one of our narrower courses and an even more narrow first turn. Constantine is almost like a home course to Andy as he really likes a lot of things about the atmosphere with the American Legion sponsorship, and the dinner, the breakfast and bar karaoke going on each weekend we are there. Andy said he thinks he gets a lot of drive from his dad and grandpa. When he was young, he was his dads right hand man. Turning wrenches either fixing boats, building engines or sending him off into the next heat. Andy says his Grandfather Dan Kirts is one of the greatest out there and Andy looks up to him. Andy treasures his relationship with Grandpa Dan, as he calls me at Andy at least once a week to ask what he’s working on, did he get the broken stuff fixed, what time am is he leaving for the race.
Andy says he had two great memories one his Dad taking him for a ride in the 500R when he was about six years old and them starting his Grandpa’s 500H as a youngster. Can’t imagine what it must have been like to look at the greatness that surrounded young Andy with a Dad, a Grandpa, and Uncles winning races all over the world. That view has brought this young man to this point and I think we will be hearing that name for some time to come..
