July 17, 2009
Pasco, WA. --Twenty years ago Dr. Greg Frodel never imagined he’d see the name of his dental practice emblazoned on the side of a hydroplane. But if all goes well for the Our Gang Racing Team at next week’s Lamb Weston Columbia Cup, tens of thousands of people will see the West Pasco Family Dental Clinic logo fly by at speeds in excess of 180 miles per hour.
Dr. Frodel, a Pasco native and avid boater, met Nate Brown owner of the Our Gang Racing Team while taking a fiberglass repair class on the west side. “This racing team has an inspiring story. Owned by a veteran hydro racer… driven by his nephew who has grown up in the sport… and made up of friends and family members who simply have a passion for the sport,” explains Dr. Frodel. “I admire their ingenuity and drive in building their own team and putting a boat together from scratch.”
So when Frodel heard that the boat had lost its sponsor for the Columbia Cup, he immediately contacted Brown. ”There was a time, not so long ago, that people were nervous we might lose the Columbia Cup,” Dr. Frodel recalls. “It’s been a tough year and I wanted to do my part to ensure the Columbia Cup will be around for my grandson to experience – it’s part of what makes the Tri-Cities so special.”
Kip Brown, driver for the U-17 Miss West Pasco Family Dental was named hydro racing’s 2008 Rookie Driver of the Year. Brown’s first official race was last year’s Columbia Cup. Dr. Frodel is hopeful the Columbia will bring Kip another first this year, perhaps a trophy that says the same. In order to keep up his racing license, Nate Brown will be testing and qualifying the boat and will drive the first heat in competition. “I saw what another driver had to do in Detroit to re-establish his qualification and to avoid all the extra laps and starting on the outside I need to run a complete heat this year. The Tri-Cities is a great venue to do this and it is also a great time to get some extra performance data on the equipment.”
West Pasco Family Dental has been caring for area residents since 1981. In 2006 the clinic moved to a new high-tech clinic located on Road 68 in Pasco, next to Starbucks. This state of the art clinic utilizes the latest in equipment and techniques to deliver exceptional dental care and sleep apnea therapy for its patients. For more information on West Pasco Family Dental visit www.westpascofamilydental.com.
Our Gang Racing, LLC
www.ourgangracing.com PO Box 622, Preston, WA 98050
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