Hydroplane Family Relishes Life After `Scary, Scary Time'

STEVE WOOMER, owner of Smokin' Joe's, lived his life as fast and furious as an unlimited hydroplane race. But after he and his wife, Nancy, were diagnosed with health problems this year, the Woomers have shifted priorities. -----------------------------------------------------------------

The greatest things in the world to Steve Woomer?

Beating Bernie Little. Beating Fred Leland and Dave Villwock. Working hard, going fast and beating anyone who challenged him in hydroplane racing or business or a fistfight.

At least those used to be among his top thrills.

Now put waking up in the morning at the top of the list.

"I'm smelling the roses," Woomer, 56, said. "That's probably the biggest thing. I tell people I made a lot of money but just about didn't get to spend any."

Woomer, owner of the Smokin' Joe's unlimited hydro racing team that will race this weekend on Lake Washington, endured an offseason worse than any winless boat racing he ever went through - and perhaps greater than any championship season.

After a rare doctor visit in January for what he thought were flu symptoms, doctors discovered Woomer had severe blockage in his heart and immediately admitted him to Providence Medical Center. Under the supervision of the famous Dr. Lester Sauvage, Woomer's cousin by marriage, he underwent quadruple bypass surgery Jan. 19 and has since made a complete recovery.

But just as Woomer regained full strength, his wife of 34 years, Nancy, was diagnosed with lung cancer. A routine mammogram turned up a lump (found to be benign) and the requisite chest X-ray revealed the cancer.

After several tests, she underwent surgery May 23 to remove one-third of one lung. She also has since recovered fully and hasn't needed chemotherapy or radiation treatment.

"We've had a rough first part of the year," Nancy, 52, said.

Yet one filled with incredible good fortune.

"It could have so easily gone the other way for both of us," she said. "It was a scary, scary time."

It was a time that marked a new beginning for the Kent couple, who were neighbors growing up in south Seattle and high-school sweethearts.

"I think there's been a big change in our whole family in general," said their youngest of three sons, Ken, 28. "Everybody kind of takes things for granted, and you don't realize how precious life is. . . . It's drawn the family closer together."

Particularly Mom and Dad. "I think we're a lot closer," Nancy said. "We were always close before, but we make sure we always have a certain amount of time together."

The most visible change of all appears to be in Steve, who for the past decade has played the boisterous foil to Bernie Little and his annually dominant Miss Budweiser team.

Hard-working, hard-living, loud and brash, Steve Woomer was the prototype of the competitive racing owner. Between work as owner and president of Competition Specialties Inc. in Auburn and his work at the Kent race shop, his typical work day was 16 hours and typical work week seven days.

Since the surgery, he has turned over the business to Ken and works only until noon each day. He walks four miles per day. And he said he doesn't get as upset at things anymore. "You figure there's more to life than that one precise moment," he said. "I might have yelled, screamed or punched you if I didn't like something. . . . I was pretty hyper."

Mark Tate, who has driven Woomer's boat for six seasons, said Woomer seems just as competitive at the race course but said he's noticed subtle differences in the owner.

Off the course as well as at the course. "Steve enjoyed the cocktail parties and enjoyed the social aspects of boat racing," Tate said.

Steve and Nancy both have quit smoking, too. Each happened to quit only weeks before surgery, although they're quick to say they don't think smoking necessarily had anything to do with their health problems.

Steve's condition was largely hereditary, he said. Both his father and grandfather died of heart attacks. And Nancy said, "I don't think just because you smoke, you're going to get lung cancer."

The only problem these days for Steve Woomer is sticking to his newfound mellow demeanor at the boat race that means more to him than any other.

"I want to win this one - I ain't never won it," he said. "This is about the only one I haven't won, and it's my home race. I have all my family and have lots of friends here."

And if this past offseason has taught him anything, it's that he doesn't have much longer to claim a Seattle victory.

He said he plans to retire at 60. "There's a lot of places I want to go and fishing I want to do," he said.

Of course, if this past offseason has taught him anything else, it's that even if he never smells victory in Seattle, he'll still have the roses.