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Mike Krier and I are very pleased to announce the 2006 Winner of the ZAK Award is Brian Payn. Brian won the award this year by compiling the most points in the 125CC Runabout class in the US Title Series 2006 race schedule. CONGRATULATIONS BRIAN.
As some of you might know, the award in Harry Pasturcsak's name has become one of the more prestigous awards won in yearly USTS competition. The award is presented to a class that Mike and I feel, by looking at the previous years participation of all the classes run in USTS, might need a little help insofar as participation of numbers of boats. The thought and driving force behind the award is the fact that Harry (AKA and more commonly known as ZAK) would never fail to help anyone, anywhere, anytime, to improve their performance on the race course. This held true whether the person being helped had Harry for a motor builder or not, or even if he didn't even know the person that well. He was the epitome of the "gracious giver".
We thought the same type of "giving" might help to energize a new class just starting out in USTS, or give a boost to one that might have suffered for participants for one reason or another. It seems to be working, as the years the award has been presented, have always shown an increase in participation in the class chosen.
He was this way with his time, not only with individual drivers, but to the PRO Category as a whole for many years. He pulledthe rescue boat and associated equipment such as clock and bouys needed to put on a race. He did this for quite a while at his own expense so his friends and drivers could have a good time and play with their toys at race venues all over the US. Many still have his little "notes" sent along with your engines or parts when he returned them to you after blessing them with his "Polish" or as he called it his polish, pronouncedlike what you do to a shoe. He was one of a kind, and is still greatly missed by all. Many drivers including myself owe championships and other honors won in boat racing to his deft touch with a Konig or Yamato racing engine. He also was the chief inspector at the PRO Nationals for many years starting in the 70's and going until his death in the early 90's.
The award in the years that it has been given consists of a large traveling trophy that stays with the winner for that next calender year, along with a smaller trophy that is kept for good. The large trophy is a one of a kind built by Mike Krier and is beautiful with the same workmanship that goes into the boats he builds. In addition to the trophy's, the winner receives additional cash and merchandise donations given by individuals that knew Harry and were also helped by him. Over the years that the award has been presented, those awards have totaled in excess of $15,000.00 so if you can get a boat racer to part with that kind of money that doesn't go for something to hang in his trailer or attach to his boat, you know the person whose name and memory the award has been donated for was a pretty special person, as Harry was.
Congratulations again Brian. I know of very few awards presented in sports today that go with the feeling that this one does by the people who make it possible every year.
Mike and I will be reviewing the class participation this year in the various USTS classes and an announcement what class the ZAK award for 2007 will be for will be announced at the USTS Banquet in Chicago in November.
As some of you might know, the award in Harry Pasturcsak's name has become one of the more prestigous awards won in yearly USTS competition. The award is presented to a class that Mike and I feel, by looking at the previous years participation of all the classes run in USTS, might need a little help insofar as participation of numbers of boats. The thought and driving force behind the award is the fact that Harry (AKA and more commonly known as ZAK) would never fail to help anyone, anywhere, anytime, to improve their performance on the race course. This held true whether the person being helped had Harry for a motor builder or not, or even if he didn't even know the person that well. He was the epitome of the "gracious giver".
We thought the same type of "giving" might help to energize a new class just starting out in USTS, or give a boost to one that might have suffered for participants for one reason or another. It seems to be working, as the years the award has been presented, have always shown an increase in participation in the class chosen.
He was this way with his time, not only with individual drivers, but to the PRO Category as a whole for many years. He pulledthe rescue boat and associated equipment such as clock and bouys needed to put on a race. He did this for quite a while at his own expense so his friends and drivers could have a good time and play with their toys at race venues all over the US. Many still have his little "notes" sent along with your engines or parts when he returned them to you after blessing them with his "Polish" or as he called it his polish, pronouncedlike what you do to a shoe. He was one of a kind, and is still greatly missed by all. Many drivers including myself owe championships and other honors won in boat racing to his deft touch with a Konig or Yamato racing engine. He also was the chief inspector at the PRO Nationals for many years starting in the 70's and going until his death in the early 90's.
The award in the years that it has been given consists of a large traveling trophy that stays with the winner for that next calender year, along with a smaller trophy that is kept for good. The large trophy is a one of a kind built by Mike Krier and is beautiful with the same workmanship that goes into the boats he builds. In addition to the trophy's, the winner receives additional cash and merchandise donations given by individuals that knew Harry and were also helped by him. Over the years that the award has been presented, those awards have totaled in excess of $15,000.00 so if you can get a boat racer to part with that kind of money that doesn't go for something to hang in his trailer or attach to his boat, you know the person whose name and memory the award has been donated for was a pretty special person, as Harry was.
Congratulations again Brian. I know of very few awards presented in sports today that go with the feeling that this one does by the people who make it possible every year.
Mike and I will be reviewing the class participation this year in the various USTS classes and an announcement what class the ZAK award for 2007 will be for will be announced at the USTS Banquet in Chicago in November.
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