J. Michael Kelly – U-8 Beacon Electric, Strong Racing

Michael Kelly piloted the U-1 Beacon Electric for the Strong Racing team in 2024, following a standout 2023 season where he earned his second National Championship and his first "U-1" hull designation. Over his impressive career, Kelly has won 2 APBA Gold Cups, 2 H1 Unlim-ited National Championships, and holds 26 World Records across various classes. He is a 14-time National Champion, a 10-time APBA Hall of Champions inductee, and a 17-time H1 Un-limited race winner.

Kelly captured his first H1 Unlimited hydroplane victory at the 2009 inaugural U.I.M. World Championship Oryx Cup in Doha, Qatar. With two race wins in 2021 (Guntersville and San Di-ego), he secured his first Driver’s High Points Championship and repeated the feat in 2023 while also clinching the Team National Championship. With a career spanning 21 years, Kelly stands among the most seasoned and accomplished drivers on the circuit.

When not racing, Kelly works as a lead carpenter in the Pacific Northwest. A graduate of Kent Meridian High School in Kent, WA, he lives in Bonney Lake, WA, with his wife Angela and their sons Brennen, Carson, and Asher.