Craig Wood, owner of Hi-Tide Boat Lifts, has always had a passion for motorsports. As a sponsor of the JDC Miller-Motorsports team, the Road To Indy racing series, and the non-profit organization Kids on Track, the Hi-Tide team is proud of its relationship to motorsports.
With May being the most iconic month for racing, what better time to dive in and answer the question, “Why motorsports?”
Wood was first introduced to the racing world through motocross as a child. Later on, he worked as a data engineer in IMSA, which fueled his interest in motorsports. He quickly caught on to the similarities among people who love racing and those who love boating. In fact, he began to see just how many racing legends also happen to be boat enthusiasts as well.
It all began with Rick Mears, one of the three men to have won the Indianapolis 500 four times. Hi-Tide Boat Lifts put in a lift for Mears, which sparked conversation between Wood and Mears about their love for the sport.
“He was so nice and genuine,” said Wood. “I could tell he was a regular guy who applied himself to get where he wanted to be. This is something I admire and value about the sport of racing. After our conversation, I knew I wanted to continue to support racing through Hi-Tide.”
Hi-Tide eventually got involved in racing by sponsoring South Florida-based Road To Indy driver Kyle Connery in early 2015. Wood was ecstatic to see the Hi-Tide logo on the car and to help out a young driver. While other opportunities for similar sponsorships came and went, Wood made it apparent that he would not miss another chance to support an up-and-coming driver.
The sponsorship of Connery, combined with Hi-Tide’s desire to build community connections, especially those dedicated to supporting kids, led them to create the Kids on Track non-profit. Kids on Track creates opportunities of inspiration for children throughout the U.S. by providing them with unique experiences, such as free access to the Road To Indy on NTT IndyCar Series event weekends.
IndyCar perfectly captures all the values Wood wants to pass on to the next generation: The idea that with dedication, teamwork and perseverance, anything is possible. IndyCar and other racing events also capture the wonder and excitement of the kids Hi-Tide is trying to reach.
“Hi-Tide is constantly striving to stay connected and involved within communities across the country, eager to give back in any way we can,” Wood said. “Kids on Track gives us the chance to engage our nation’s youth in a unique experience, with hopes to inspire them to chase their dreams and ‘lift’ their spirits to go above and beyond in their life endeavors.”
Overall, the passion and values behind the motorsports world closely mirror those often found in boating. It’s an industry that reflects the hardworking and driven approach of the entire Hi-Tide family, and we’re proud to take part in such an exciting sport.
Find out more about our non-profit organization Kids on Track.
This article was originally published on Open-Wheels.
Few experiences are filled with as much pure joy and awe as a kid visiting the race track for the first time. The sights, the smells, the sounds and the speed cannot be replicated on television, and for children in particular, it can be mesmerizing.
In an era where the auto racing fan base continues to age with little interest from young viewers, the Florida-based Kids on Track initiative not only lets kids see what is going on at the track – it gives them the chance to experience a race weekend from the inside.
Kids on Track, founded by Hi-Tide Boat Lifts owner Craig Wood in 2015, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that partners with local charities to provide children with unique experiences that include driver meet-and-greets, behind the scenes tours of race tracks and team operations and more during a Road to Indy race weekend.
Wood found a connection with motorsports early in life, wheeling motorcycles as a youth before working as a data engineer in IMSA during the 1990’s.
In 2015, the South Florida businessman returned to his racing roots by sponsoring former Road to Indy driver Kyle Connery. That partnership would eventually spark what is now known as Kids on Track.
While the original plan in 2015 was to bring potential Hi-Tide Boat Lifts clients to the track for hospitality purposes, the company found it difficult to align schedules and logistics in order to make the most out of these experiences. Eventually, Wood nixed the idea of bringing clients to the track and brought kids into the equation.
“I said, ‘Hey, we are already set with this and we are already on the program. Let’s bring kids to the track. Kids would love to do this,’’ explained Wood. “Andersen Promotions already had the stuff set up and it just flowed very easily, so that’s kind of how we got going in (the Road to Indy).”
Interestingly enough, the partnership with Dan Andersen’s promotional firm came when Andersen purchased a boat lift from Wood’s company.
Since 2015, Kids on Track has offered over 400 unique experiences for children by partnering with 30 local charities and kid’s organizations around the country, such as Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Ronald McDonald House.
In 2019, Kids on Track will bring these unique experiences to children at each Road to Indy race weekend.
“For me, it was about trying to show kids that there is more to creating something that usually meets the eye,” explains Wood. “Particularly with race cars, what’s flashy is the driver and the cars are fast and the driver (is the one) who speaks. But there’s a whole network of structure behind that, where the real nuts and bolts of the work goes on in order for that driver to speed around the track and hopefully get the checkered flag. The driver doing what he does is the culmination of a whole bunch of work.
“There are engineers, there are logistics people, there are all kinds of stuff behind the scenes where you can be in and amongst and part of that passion. You can even become key personnel in making that driver achieve what he’s trying to achieve. That’s really a similar theme across business and a lot of other things that you do. Even in the most individual sports in the world, there’s such a large support structure – particularly the higher up in skill level that you get. The support structure gets much more honed and much more intense, and so that was one of the things that I wanted to expose the kids to.”
Despite a background in two-wheel racing as well as sports cars, Wood’s decision to align with Andersen Promotions and the Road to Indy was far from a mistake. Wood explains how motivating it is to work in the ladder series on a race weekend where IndyCar Series professionals work alongside the Road to Indy.
“It’s like ‘Okay, you’re here now but you get to see where you’re going,’’ says Wood. “You’re working right next to those other individuals and those other teams, so the whole thing kind of fit with the theme of presenting an opportunity by looking forward and seeing where things can go. It can all kind of happen at the track on that (particular) weekend, so that’s how we selected (the Road to Indy).”
Beginning this year, Kids on Track has partnered with CoForce to make the race weekend experience even more enjoyable for children. CoForce is a digital media marketing and video production agency founded by former Road to Indy driver Anders Krohn and RTI executive Jonny Baker. In addition to supporting Kids on Track, CoForce’s passion for supporting nonprofit organizations has helped grow the reach of the IndyCar Ministry as well as The Children’s TherAplay Foundation over the last several years.
By partnering with CoForce, Kids on Track looks to have an even greater impact in 2019.
In speaking with Open-Wheels, CoForce client services representative Kate Jensen explained how seeing the experiences provided by Kids on Track can truly change lives for children looking for that spark of inspiration.
“I think that behind the scenes aspect of (Kids on Track) is such a big part of it,” Jensen explains. “One of my favorite testimonials from the program came from a mentor from Big Brothers Big Sisters Milwaukee talking about how his little brother is interested in engineering, and through the Kids on Track experience he got to see the whole behind the scenes aspect and how it could be something that he wants to do in the future.
“That’s where giving these kids new experiences can open them up to opportunities and inspire them in ways that they can’t otherwise be inspired.”
In 2019, Kids on Track and CoForce will look to expand on their involvement with Road to Indy race weekends with even bigger and better experiences at the track. By bringing in CoForce to generate new ideas and handle some of the day-to-day operations, Wood now has greater freedom to generate funding that will allow the program to prosper through the next five years.
“One of my main goals is to start some fundraising and some awareness (initiatives) so this whole thing will perpetuate,” says Wood. “In addition to the growth we want to see this thing continue on, so we’re going to have a fair amount of fundraising and that type of thing this year.”
In the near future, Wood would like to see the program branch out to other forms of competition, including auto racing disciplines such as motocross and sports car racing, but also unique settings such as thoroughbred horse racing.
“I’d love to see all those other things come together, and in five years that’s not an unreasonable goal,” Wood says confidently. “I would love to partner with some other organizations as well as there are opportunities for that. I haven’t quite gone that direction yet though – I’m relying on CoForce for a lot of this – but I have faith. A lot of faith.”
To learn more about Kids on Track or support the cause you can visit Hi-Tide.com/Kids-On-Track or give them a follow on Twitter here. The first event for Kids on Track in 2019 will coincide with the NTT IndyCar Series season opener on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida from March 8-10.
501(c)(3) program to benefit children across the United States
FORT PIERCE, Fla. (November 15, 2017) – Hi-Tide Boat Lifts, the leading boat lift manufacturer in the industry, is excited to announce that it is creating opportunities through its Kids on Track program by becoming a 501(c)(3) non-profit.
Dedicated to lifting the spirits of children by providing them with unique access to Mazda Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires racing events in conjunction with the Verizon IndyCar Series, Kids on Track partners with other charitable groups across the nation that benefit children, such as Big Brothers Big Sisters, Youth Alliance, Hometown Heroes, and Ronald McDonald House Charities. Throughout 2017, Kids on Track worked with these charitable groups in cities where Mazda Road to Indy races were held to grant children free access to racing events, behind-the-scenes tours of racetracks, meet-and-greets with drivers and more. The non-profit’s objective is to inspire children and youth by exposing them to opportunities and people in a unique and personal way.
Prior to becoming a non-profit, Kids on Track was 100 percent funded by Hi-Tide Boat Lifts. The boat lift manufacturer elected to make Kids on Track a 501(c)(3) in an effort to expand the organization and inspire even more children.
“Since its start in 2015, Kids on Track has created opportunities of inspiration for more than 250 children throughout the nation,” said Craig Wood, owner of Hi-Tide Boat Lifts and founder of Kids on Track. “Now that we have become an official non-profit organization, we are looking forward to continuing to partner with Andersen Promotions and the Mazda Road to Indy to grow the program. In order to do that, we are laying the groundwork for the participation of other individuals and organizations.”
Kids on Track’s 2018 season will begin in March on the streets of St. Petersburg, Fla., and will continue through the end of the year at each Mazda Road to Indy racing event (race schedule can be viewed here).
Additional information is available at hi-tide.com/kids-on-track.
About Hi-Tide Boat Lifts:
Hi-Tide Boat Lifts is a pioneer in the boat lift industry, as the first manufacturer to design a product of corrosion-resistant aluminum made specifically for the marine environment. As the leaders and innovators in the boat lift industry, the company also developed and patented a direct gear box, the Gear Drive, that is only available from Hi-Tide.
About Andersen Promotions:
Andersen Promotions has a long and successful background in promoting open-wheel championships and has also owned multiple race teams, including an Indy Lights team, in the past. The company relaunched the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda in 2010, which it operated from 1992 through 2001. In December of 2012, Andersen Promotions founded the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires to replace the void left by the Star Mazda Series which ceased operations after 22 years. On July 12, 2013, it was announced that Andersen Promotions would take over the licensing and operation of the Indy Lights Series from INDYCAR and now operates all three levels of the Mazda Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires. For additional information, please visit www.indylights.com, www.promazda.com and www.usf2000.com.
About Mazda, Mazda Motorsports: Mazda Motorsports boasts the most comprehensive auto racing development ladder system of any auto manufacturer in the world. The Mazda Road to 24 program offers a number of scholarships to advance drivers up the sports car racing ladder, beginning with the Global MX-5 Cup series and culminating with the Mazda Prototype team. The Mazda Road to Indy is a similar program that includes Mazda-powered categories of USF2000, Pro Mazda and Indy Lights. In grassroots road racing, more Mazdas race on any given weekend in North America than any other manufacturer. Mazda is also the title sponsor of the renowned Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, Calif. Follow all of the latest news at MazdaMotorsports.com, @MazdaRacing on Twitter, and MazdaMotorsports on Instagram and Facebook.
About Cooper Tire & Rubber Company: Cooper Tire & Rubber Company is the parent company of a global family of companies that specializes in the design, manufacture, marketing and sale of innovative, great-performing tires that you can count on to last for thousands of miles, getting you where you need to go, and back again. Cooper is proud to be the spec tire for all three levels of the Mazda Road to Indy presented by Cooper Tires, a development program within the Verizon IndyCar Series. Cooper tires can also be seen on the track as a sponsor in the short course off-road TORC Series. Headquartered in Findlay, Ohio, Cooper, with its subsidiaries, has manufacturing, sales, distribution, technical and design operations in more than one dozen countries around the world. To connect with Cooper, visit www.coopertire.com, www.facebook.com/coopertire or www.twitter.com/teamcoopertire.
