and it’s renewable. It offers nothing but positives as
a marine fuel.”
His agricultural heritage is one reason Onken was happy
to partner with Growth Energy when the association
approached him about a sponsorship opportunity.
“Growth Energy has been great to work with,” Onken
noted. “They’re all farm-oriented people.” Farming
remains a part of the Onken family, with Don’s brother
and his son now running the farming operation.
Onken appreciates the value ethanol brings to American
agriculture. “When I was growing up on the farm, a lot
of farmers barely made a living,” he recalled. “Without
ethanol, they would be making a lot less right now.
That’s another reason we’re loyal to the ethanol brand.”
With four engines powered by E85, Onken’s boat tied
the speed record for a piston-engine boat at the 2015
Shootout—208 mph—and took home the Top Gun title.
The boat recorded a Top Gun repeat in 2016, this time
with a top speed of 217 mph.
“We couldn’t have done it without ethanol,” Onken
stated. “After we took Top Gun for two years, we’re
seeing a lot more boats moving to ethanol.”
SUMMER 2017
Photo courtesy of George Denny Photography
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