Bernie Little (born inMcComb, Ohio, USA c. 1926 - died April 25, 2003) was the most successful owner in UnlimitedHydroplane racing history. HisMiss Budweiser team won 134 of the 354hydroplane races they entered. They won the high points championship 22 years in 40 years ofcompetition, and theGold Cup 14 times. His first victory came on theColumbia River nearKennewick,Washington in 1966 for theColumbia Cup. The winning driver, Bill Brow, won in theMiss Budweiser with a winning speed greater than 98 mph.
Little's team is also known for making an enclosed driver's cockpit to improve driver safety, after driverDean Chenoweth was killed in a crash inKennewick,Washington during qualification for a race in 1982.
His team employed some of the biggest names in their field, including boat designer Ron Jones, aeronautical engineer D.J. Nolan, Sr. of Bloomfield Hills, MI and driversChip Hanauer, Jim Kropfeld, andDave Villwock.
Little has been inducted into theFlorida Sports Hall of Fame, and was inducted into theMotorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1994.[1] Chenoweth, Hanauer, and another driver for Little,Tom D'Eath, are also in the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America.