1987 | Bill Chilcott
Chilcott of Carmichael, CA, joined APBA in 1961 after two years as a limited Inboard driver. A professional engineer, Chilcott studied racing accidents; and analyzed life jackets, helmets and other racing gear, as well as cockpits and controls. He conducted tests where he reconstructed accidents.
For over 15 years his tests supplied countless data that often refuted longstanding theories. His goal was to make race boat driving safer without sacrificing speed. Chilcott's approaches were discussed at Annual Meetings for many years by drivers, designers, crew chiefs and officials.