Inside The Inspirational New Shootout Hall Of Fame Class

From being part of the 2018 class to helping announce the first Bob Morgan Memorial Lake of the Ozarks Shootout Hall of Fame class roughly seven years ago (and every one since) on speedonthewater.com, it’s clear that I have a deep appreciation for the event’s unique Hall of Fame. And the fact that the distinction isn’t just limited to event champions and participants—this journalist is proof of that as is every volunteer, photographer and past organizer who has been included in the esteemed group since 2013—makes the event’s tribute, which is recognized on an impressive brick wall featuring a bust of the late Bob Morgan at the Captain Ron’s Bar & Grill property that has hosted the Shootout since 2008, that much more extraordinary.

This year Myrick Coil, center, is set to join Lake of the Ozarks Shootout Hall of Fame members (from right) John Cosker, Don Onken and Brett Manire and Mark Waddington of Performance Boat Center. Photo by Jason Johnson

This year’s class is exceptional once again. Ron Duggan, owner of Captain Ron’s and de facto lead organizer of the Shootout, sent an email out to various media outlets on Thursday afternoon announcing the five inductees into the eighth class of the esteemed Hall of Fame—Myrick Coil, Brad Harrington, Tim Kowalski, Tiffany Maasen and Bob Teague. This is by far the earliest the Shootout has announced its upcoming class, but in this case, with the well-deserved and well-rounded group being honored, there was no reason to delay the news after the decision was finalized.

I’ve long championed for the first person mentioned above, Performance Boat Center’s Myrick Coil, to be in the Hall of Fame; he really deserves the recognition. Ask Duggan—he gets nomination suggestions from me every year whether he likes it or not. I’ve been making recommendations long before Duggan surprised me with a phone call Father’s Day weekend two years ago to inform me I was going to be honored amongst the people who have made the event I’ve spent the better part of two decades covering what it is today.

Upon hearing the news, Coil was my first congratulatory phone call. I mean the locally based world champion offshore racer deserved to have his name on the wall way before I did. As a young adult 20 years ago, Coil came to the lake with his family—they had a 24-foot Formula at their lake house—and went to Shooters 21 to see what all the Shootout fuss was about. Long story short, he thought it was coolest thing he’d ever seen and upon returning home to Illinois he decided to go to tour a tech school to become a marine mechanic based on his mother’s suggestion and encouragement and enrolled the next day. The rest is history.

Inside The Inspirational New Shootout Hall Of Fame Class

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