TOP GRAND-AM RACER MEMO GIDLEY TAKES HIS WINNING WAYS TO THE WATER WITH HIS FIRST OUTLAW JET SKI CHAMPIONSHIP
It's not unusual this time of year that racing driver Memo Gidley is crowned a champion in one or another of the many forms of competition in which he participates… but this is something out of the ordinary, even for someone whose resume runs the gamut from karts to open wheel cars to his familiar #77 Doran Racing Grand-Am prototype.
Gidley, who calls Novato, California home, won 5 times this year in route to earning the season championship in the Super 800 class in the DJSA Outlaw Jet Ski Series.
“I was born on the water, raised on the water, and it feels really cool to now win a championship on the water!” said Gidley, Win he did as the Muscle Milk extreme athlete. An avid stand up jet skier for a number of years for training purposes, this was Gidley’s first year racing a full season in jet skis and going for a championship. “I set my goal at the beginning of the year to try to hit as many races as possible, and even more important, to raise my personal level and push myself in all aspects to be better and stronger on my ski and go for the championship,” said Gidley. “It feels great to know that all those days of running race buoys in the bay with my friends, the countless numbers of squats and lunges, and all the work that comes with winning a championship paid off.”
“Even though people have come to know me as a racer of anything, they were always still shocked whenever they first heard I was racing stand up jet skis.” said Gidley. “But the neat thing about it was as soon as they figured out that I was not joking them, they were completely stoked on it and wanted to know when and where they could go to watch!”
The DJSA Outlaw Series is a 12 race series that runs throughout Northern California. “I definitely want to thank Jim Lambert and his crew of the DJSA Series for giving us an awesome place to race!” said Gidley. “Racing in the DJSA has been such a great experience, great tracks, awesome competitors, and just a ton of fun. The only negative for me on a DJSA weekend is I’m so excited that I can’t sleep the night before a race!”
“I also want to thank all my sponsors that support me in my racing and the exciting life I live.” said Gidley. “Not only do feel lucky, but it is so much fun to have my friends and sponsors along with me on this awesome ride!”
What is next for Memo Gidley? “I have one more race this year, the shifter kart Super Nationals in Las Vegas,” said Gidley. “I am in full go-kart mode and gearing up for this race with my long time go-kart sponsor, Trackmagic Karts. This is the biggest kart race in the US and the competition is fierce. I am very excited and confident.”
As far as Memo’s car racing plans for next year, things look good. “This time of year it is real easy to get stressed out as a driver wondering about a car ride for the next season,” said Gidley. “I will do what I always do which is to keep my mind and body in racing shape and not worry too much about other stuff…it will sort itself out like it always does. But even though nothing is for sure, things look very positive and I am really excited for next year!”
