Jim and Sean McKean hold the most Pro World Speed Records of any racing family in the world. Jim McKean set World records 10 times in 10 years, 1972 to 1982. Sean McKean has set World records 9 times in 6 years, 1992 to 1998.

Jim McKean's family, from Valley Ranch, TX, races under the name Lone Star Racing. His son, Sean, racing in boat number T4, holds the current record for the fastest hydroplane in the world, with a World record of 126 mph in 500cc Hydroplane.

Jim McKean is not just a world record holding outboard race driver. Jim is a medaled veteran. Jim McKean graduated from the Air Force Academy in 1963. He was a jet fighter in Viet Nam and won the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medals for Bravery for his service to his country.

(Picture of O. F. Christner & Jim McKean at Lakeland, FL boat races in 1981.) Jim McKean was born in Iowa. While in junior high school, Jim and some friends modified a fishing boat and motor to make it run faster so they could ski with it. Jim soon talked his parents into letting him build a runabout to go with a 15 hp Evinrude, but high school activities of football and basketball were priorities back then. Jim entered the Air Force and was a jet fighter pilot from 1964 to 1969. After graduating from the Air Force Academy in 1963, Jim was sent to the Lubbock, Texas, air force base. Jim took a Speedliner boat with a Mercury motor with him and began competing at races around Texas in his time off. He soon bought a more competitive outfit and began racing regularly in 1964. When Jim was sent to England by the Air Force, he bought a laydown Schultz hydro and a B Konig and raced throughout Europe. Upon leaving the service, Jim became a commercial airline pilot and took up boat racing again. In 1972 Jim won the Pro Western Divisionals. During his vast racing career, Jim McKean set World Records 10 times in 10 years. Jim is now crew chief for his son Sean's successful race team.

Lee Sutter, Ray Rodda & Alan Ishii assist Jim McKean at Depue, IL. Jim was running a C Konig. (Photo courtesy of Alan Ishii.)

In 1975 Jim McKean obtained the US distributorship rights for Yamato outboard race engines.

Sean McKean races for the family's Lone Star Racing Team out of Valley Ranch, Texas, under boat number T-4. Sean started racing at the age of 12 and soon started to win races. In 2000 Sean experienced a serious boat racing accident, his boat flipping over and pinning him. He was advised that he would not be able to race again. However, a determined Sean McKean made it back into boat racing in 2003 and went on to win more races and set more records. Sean holds several World speed records : 250cc (107 mph), 350cc Hydro (113.4 mph), and 700cc Hydro (121.9 mph) - in total he has set 13 APBA World Speed records and 4 UIM World records. Sean has also won 9 National Championships and has been inducted into the APBA Hall of Champions. His crew chief is his father, Jim McKean.

This picture of Sean and his bride, Lorraine, was taken at Lake Wales, FL in March of 2008.

Sean McKean holds 5 APBA Speed Records: 250cc Hydro set in 1992, 350cc Hydro set in 1996, 500cc Hydro set in 1998, 700cc Hydro set in 2009 and 1100cc Hydro set in 2009.

T-shirt celebrating Sean's kilo speed record of 130 mph set in 2009 in 700cc Hydro.

Photo courtesy of Farah Johnson of TX.

Photo courtesy of Farah Johnson of TX.

Photo courtesy of Farah Johnson of TX.