pictured L-R: Iceman, Cougar, Hollywood, Viper, Merlin

After a slow start in its first season on the Pro Circuit, the Austin, TX based Team Top Gun won the last two races of the year and finished second overall in the Barefoot Central Racing Cup Series points total. The one secret to their success that they will gladly pass on..."We're a bunch of guys that get along great and just go out and have fun. If somebody makes a mistake, it's no big deal. He's defintely not gonna get cussed out for it!"

Brent "Viper" Schroeder - Viper is the founder of the original Team Top Gun, which "competed" (if you can say that) for several years at the Austin Dam-to-Dam. He and current team co-owner Brent "Merlin" Keadle typically skied about 70-80 percent  of the race themselves. Viper got his start footin on the lakes around Columbia, SC but caught the endurance bug when he moved to Austin. 15 second passes are for wussies...Viper recently footed for 30 minutes straight, in 86 degree water!!!

Brent "Merlin" Keadle - Merlin ("Because it's magic how I ski over the rough water") is the co-owner of Team Top Gun. He made some noise on the pro racing circuit last year by coming straight from the hospital and his 2-day old son to the start line of the Dam-to-Dam to lead off and put his team in front, taking the "Last Man Standing" award in the process. Later in the same race, during his second turn on the water, you can hear his teammate tell the driver to "drop to 50mph" as they come up on some rough water. He started barefooting at age 11 (29 years ago now) in N.C. but "never did much more than a tumbleturn, a one-foot, and some pretty high flyin starts til I moved to Texas and met the guys in the Austin Barefoot club!"  You might watch out for Merlin on the Figrue 8 circuit too. He recently placed 2nd in his first figure 8 comptetion and reportedly caught that bug too.

Heath "Hollywood" Cooper - "Naked Back Deep!" That's all the description most people in the barefooting community need to hear..."ohhhh, yeah, that guy."  But Hollywood is more than just that naked back barefoot guy...and no his wife did not make him quit the naked back deep. He may not have the best endurance on the team, but he has feet of steel and skies more comfortably at 50mph than he does 40. You never hear of him quitting because his feet got sore and his top (sustainable) speed is a closely guarded team secret. Oh, yeah, and he's a pretty good boat mechanic!!!!!!!!!

Blake "Cougar" Ehlers - Cougar is by far the most accomplished footer on the team, recently placing second in men's open wakes in the South Central Region. And is a pretty good endurance skier when he isn't in "let go in 15 seconds" mode. Before he became Cougar, and before the pro racers started dominating the race, Blake was on teams that won the Austin Dam-to-Dam several times. 

Chris "Iceman" Rowley - "You'll get whatever speed I give you, and you'll like it!" He says it in jest, but Team Top Gun's driver often knows what speed his teammates can handle better than they do. And you don't have to tell him twice to speed up! Before switching to the driver's seat, Iceman may have had one of the shortest runs ever in the Dam-to-Dam. But that's okay, the team wouldn't trade his driving for a supercharged 8.1Liter ("uh, hmmm?")  

Past Top Guns:
Phil Gustafson - Loaned Top Gun his boat and drove in Tin Top last year! Provided invaluable experience and expertise!
Matt "Sundowner" Michalski - helped Top Gun to a 2nd place finish last year in St Louis.
John Valcore - helped Top Gun to a 2nd place finish last year in St Louis.
Chris Jones - competed with Top Gun in past Dam-to-Dam races
Brad Gray - competed with Top Gun in past Dam-to-Dam races
John Kane  - competed with Top Gun in past Dam-to-Dam races