Paul Bosnich III returns to racing in DePue, wins national title

After missing all of the 2024 racing season due to a shoulder injury, DePue native Paul Bosnich III returned to racing in his hometown in grand fashion Saturday.

Bosnich III raced to victory in the 250 Runabout, claiming his first national championship in more than a decade.

“It’s an amazing feeling,” Bosnich III said. “It was just a great two heats. Being able to race in front of my friends, family and hometown is like none other. It has been 11 years since we have won, and it was nice to get that monkey off our backs.”

Bosnich III credited his crew from Prop Riders Racing for the victory.

“The key to victory was my team,” Bosnich III said. “They busted their butts all week to find speed and just to be in the fight. [Retired racer] Jerry Davids told me earlier this week, ‘Always be in the fight.’ I knew it’d take two good starts, and just let everything else fall where it falls. I wasn’t the fastest at all, but we just put together enough for the win.

“I can’t thank my team Prop Riders Racing enough. They truly were the key to winning that championship.”

Due to inclement weather in the morning that delayed the start of racing Saturday, all classes were cut down to two heats from the traditional three.

Saturday’s racing began with the conclusion of C Racing Hydro, which started Friday but wasn’t completed as the races were ended with four heats left to contend due to three accidents and impending darkness.

Ryan Gowin raced to victory in the C Racing Hydro.

K-Pro Runabout and 500 Runabout were not completed Friday, but did have two heats run. The two Friday heats were used to determine the champion.

Harper Kelly-Moer won both Friday heats to claim K-Pro Runabout, while Dustin Pearson won 500 Runabout.

After having engine troubles in the 500 Hydro on Friday, Doug Hall came back Saturday to win the 700 Hydro.

The Nydahl family took three of the top four spots in the 350 Hydro as Kurtis Nydahl won with Amy Nydahl in third and Pete Nydahl in fourth.

Also Saturday, Allen Thorsen won C Racing Runabout, Justin Gibson claimed C Service Hydro, Jerzee Holman took the crown in 700 Runabout and Ryder Burks won K-Pro Hydro.

Bosnich III wasn’t the only Prop Riders Racing driver to claim a title.

On Friday, Spring Valley’s Joseph Perez swept the three heats to win the 125 Runabout, claiming his second national title in the class.

“Everyone in my whole family coming down to watch me gave me the win,” Perez said. “They were cheering me on. They were always right by the start gun. When I was going by, I saw everyone standing at the end of the fence every time.”

Perez won the title in 2023 but finished runner-up last summer.

“I got runner-up last year, so it gave me something to fight back for,” said Perez, who will be a junior at Hall.

In the first heat, Perez had a strong start to build a big lead that he maintained throughout the race.

“It went better than I expected,” Perez said. “My starts are what really saved me.

“Memorization and knowing your path [are key to good starts]. It takes years of coming out here and practicing.”

Perez also won the second heat to give him a cushion entering the final heat.

“I was very calm,” he said. “I kind of played it safe. I played the outside and tried not to do something stupid.”

In the final heat, Brady Brinkman stalled, and Perez passed him for the lead on the backstretch of the third lap and cruised to the victory.

“It took all the weight off me,” Perez said about passing Brinkman. “Because there was no one else left to really stop me, so all I had to do was just finish.”

Carson Kelly swept the three heats to win OSY-400, and Ike Yoder swept the three heats to take the crown in 500 Hyrdo.

Doug Martin won the first two heats and finished second in the final heat to win C-Service Runabout. Tyler Keller edged Ethan Fox in the final heat to win 175 Hydro, his first national title.

Friday’s racing was ended around 7 p.m. with four heats left to contest due to three accidents that sent drivers to the hospital and darkness looming.

“We still had about 40 minutes left of racing, and with everything that’s going on today and the accidents we had, we just figured it was safer to end it,” race director Paul Bosnich Jr. said.

The first accident of the day came in the second heat of OSY-400 when Tara Cook and Brady Wyant collided in turn two. Wyant was transported to the hospital.

Three drivers had their boats flip in the second session of the day. Doug Martin flipped in the second heat of C-Service Hydro, Jackson Hall’s boat overturned in an elimination heat in 500 Runabout, and Dustin Pearson’s boat flipped in the final heat of 500 Runabout.

Hall and Pearson were taken to the hospital.