Driver Stats
35
Race entered
0
Race wins
9
Heat wins
12
Podiums
0
Championships
0
Gold Cup
Biography
Date birth
15/05/1985
Place of birth
Washington
Social media
Jamie Nilsen transitioned to Unlimited Hydroplane racing after a successful career in Inboard Hydroplanes, where he captured the 2013 5-Liter National Championship and multiple Grand Prix titles.
He made his Unlimited debut in 2010 with Billy Schumacher’s U-37 “Miss Peters & May,” officially qualifying as an Unlimited driver in 2013 aboard the U-21 Go Fast Turn Left Racing entry. In 2014, he earned his first Unlimited heat victory at the Madison Regatta.
In 2025, Nilsen returns to the series driving the U-11 under the banner of Flav-R-Pac, bringing his experience, consistency, and calm command of the course to one of the sport’s most recognized teams.
Nilsen is also a member of the Central Washington University Hall of Fame and holds the highest career batting average in school history (.399). He batted .365 as a freshman, .372 as a sophomore, .391 as a junior, and a school-record.468 as a senior. Over his career, Nilsen posted 61 doubles, 13 triples, 29 home runs and 183 RBI. A two-time GNAC Player of the Year and four-time All-GNAC first-team selection, Nilsen was also named a first-team NCAA Division II All-American in 2008 and earned honorable mention All-American honors in 2006. He signed professionally and played one year in the Kansas City Royals’ minor league system.
Career results
| YEAR | EVENT NAME | FINISH | U# | BOAT NAME | OWNER |
| 2024 | APBA Gold Cup | 3rd | U-11 | Miss Mercurys Coffee | Unlimited Racing Group |
| 2024 | Apollo Mechanical Cup | 2nd | U-11 | Miss Mercurys Coffee | Unlimited Racing Group |
| 2024 | Apollo Columbia Cup | 5th | U-11 | Miss Mercurys Coffee | Unlimited Racing Group |
| 2024 | Madison Regatta | 4th | U-11 | Miss Mercurys Coffee | Unlimited Racing Group |
| 2024 | Guntersville Lake Hydrofest | 2nd | U-11 | Miss Mercurys Coffee | Unlimited Racing Group |
| 2024 | Preseason Test | TEST | U-11 | Miss Mercurys Coffee | Unlimited Racing Group |
| 2023 | APBA Gold Cup | 5th | U-11 | Legend Yacht Transport/Old Cannery | Unlimited Racing Group |
| 2023 | Columbia Cup | 6th | U-11 | Legend Yacht Transport/Truss Co. | Unlimited Racing Group |
| 2023 | Madison Regatta | 2nd | U-11 | Legend Yacht Transport | Unlimited Racing Group |
| 2023 | Guntersville Hydrofest | 3rd | U-11 | Legend Yacht Transport | Unlimited Racing Group |
| 2023 | Pre-Season Testing | TEST | U-11 | Legend Yacht Transport | Unlimited Racing Group |
| 2022 | HomeStreet Bank Bayfair | 4th | U-11 | Legend Yacht Transport | Unlimited Racing Group |
| 2022 | HomeStreet Bank Cup | 4th | U-11 | Miss Old Cannery Furniture Warehouse | Unlimited Racing Group |
| 2022 | HAPO Columbia Cup | 3rd | U-11 | Miss Joker’s Casino | Unlimited Racing Group |
| 2022 | Madison Regatta | 3rd | U-11 | Miss Colleen | Unlimited Racing Group |
| 2022 | APBA Gold Cup | 3rd | U-11 | Miss Colleen | Unlimited Racing Group |
| 2021 | San Diego Bayfair | 5th | U-11 | J & D’s | Unlimited Racing Group |
| 2021 | HAPO Columbia Cup | 4th | U-11 | J & D’s | Unlimited Racing Group |
| 2021 | Madison Regatta APBA Gold Cup | 4th | U-11 | J & D’s | Unlimited Racing Group |
| 2021 | Guntersville Lake Hydrofest | 5th | U-11 | J & D’s | Unlimited Racing Group |
| 2021 | Pre-Season Testing | TEST | U-11 | J & D’s | Unlimited Racing Group |
| 2019 | HomeStreet Bank Bayfair | 6th | U-11 | J & D’s/Reliable Diamond Tools | Unlimited Racing Group |
| 2019 | HomeStreet Bank Cup | 3rd | U-11 | J & D’s/Reliable Diamond Tools | Unlimited Racing Group |
| 2019 | HAPO Columbia Cup | 10th | U-11 | J & D’s/Reliable Diamond Tools | Unlimited Racing Group |
| 2014 | HAPO Columbia Cup | 6th | U-21 | Lakeridge Paving | Go Fast Turn Left Racing |
| 2014 | Indiana Governor’s Cup | 5th | U-21 | Go Fast Turn Left Racing (1) | Go Fast Turn Left Racing |
| 2013 | Albert Lee Cup | 7th | U-48 | Snoqualmie Casino (2) | Go Fast Turn Left Racing |
| 2010 | Oryx Cup UIM World Championship | TESTING | U-37 | Peters & May (2) | Billy Schumacher |
| 2010 | Albert Lee Cup | TESTING | U-37 | Peters & May (2) | Billy Schumacher |
| 2010 | Lamb Weston Columbia Cup | TESTING | U-37 | Peters & May (2) | Billy Schumacher |
Fast facts
- Began racing J-Stock outboard hydroplanes at 12 years of age.
- Has been an APBA National Champion driver 17 times!
- 2013 5-liter inboard hydro National Champion and 2018 Grand Prix North America Hydroplane Champion.
- Inducted into the ABPA Hall of Champions in 2000 and 2002.
- First H1 Unlimited “drive” was 2010 at the Seattle Seafair for Schumacher Racing (Peters and May). Scott Raney was his Crew Chief at the time.
- First qualified as an H1 Unlimited driver in 2013 for Greg O’Farrell and GFTL Racing. Posted his first heat victory in 2014 at Madison, Indiana.
- Jamie had 2 second place finishes (Guntersville, Alabama, and Seattle, Washington) in the U-11 during the 2024 racing season.
- A shortstop on the baseball diamond, Jamie spent time in the Kansas City Royals farm system after graduating from Central Washington University (Ellensburg, WA.).
- Jamie had a career .399 batting average at Central Washington University and is a member of the Central Washington University Hall of Fame. Jamie finished his senior year with a school record .467 batting average.
- Jamie Nilsen has won a race as a driver in every category of closed course APBA boat racing except for Unlimited. J, Stock, Mod, Pro, OPC, Inboard, GP.
NEXT DRIVER VICTORY: It would be Jamie’s first win.
Hulls driven
HULL # 2000-100 | 2010
2010 Oryx Cup UIM World Championship TESTING U-37 Peters & May (2)
2010 Albert Lee Cup TESTING U-37 Peters & May (2)
2010 Lamb Weston Columbia Cup TESTING U-37 Peters & May (2)
HULL # 1996-100 | 2013
Seattle, WA 2013 Albert Lee Cup 7th U-48 Snoqualmie Casino (2)
HULL # 2007-21 | 2014
2014 HAPO Columbia Cup 6th U-21 Lakeridge Paving
2014 Indiana Governor’s Cup 5th U-21 Go Fast Turn Left Racing (1)
HULL # 1994-01 | 2021-2022
2022 HomeStreet Bank Bayfair 4th U-11 Legend Yacht Transport
2022 HomeStreet Bank Bayfair Showdown 4th U-11 Legend Yacht Transport
2022 HomeStreet Bank Cup 4th U-11 Miss Old Cannery Furniture Warehouse
2022 HomeStreet Bank Cup Showdown 5th U-11 Miss Old Cannery Furniture Warehouse
2022 HAPO Columbia Cup 3rd U-11 Miss Joker’s Casino
2022 Madison Regatta 3rd U-11 Miss Colleen
2022 Madison Regatta Showdown 5th U-11 Miss Colleen
2022 APBA Gold Cup 3rd U-11 Miss Colleen
2022 Pre-Season Test (VAN) TEST U-11 J & D’s
2021 HomeStreet Bank Bayfair 5th U-11 J & D’s
2021 HAPO Columbia Cup 4th U-11 J & D’s
2021 Madison Regatta APBA Gold Cup 4th U-11 J & D’s
2021 Guntersville Lake Hydrofest 5th U-11 J & D’s
2021 Pre-Season Testing TEST U-11 J & D’s
HULL # 2009-25 | 2019, 2023-24
2024 APBA Gold Cup 3rd U-11 Miss Mercurys Coffee
2024 Apollo Mechanical Cup 2nd U-11 Miss Mercurys Coffee
2024 Apollo Columbia Cup 5th U-11 Miss Mercurys Coffee
2024 Madison Regatta 4th U-11 Miss Mercurys Coffee
2024 Guntersville Hydrofest 2nd U-11 Miss Mercurys Coffee
2024 Preseason Test TEST U-11 Miss Mercurys Coffee
2023 APBA Gold Cup 5th U-11 Legend Yacht Transport
2023 Columbia Cup DNF U-11 Legend Yacht Transport
2023 Madison Regatta 2nd U-11 Legend Yacht Transport
2023 Guntersville Hydrofest 3rd U-11 Legend Yacht Transport
2023 Preseason Testing TEST U-11 Legend Yacht Transport
2019 HomeStreet Bank Bayfair 6th U-11 J & D’s/Reliable Diamond Tools
2019 HomeStreet Bank Cup 3rd U-11 J & D’s/Reliable Diamond Tools
2019 HAPO Columbia Cup 10th U-11 J & D’s/Reliable Diamond Tools
Photos & videos
