Auto Racer Wins, Then Is Told of Death of Grandson, 2 : Tragedy: An Anaheim man and his son are jubilant after victory in cross-country event, then are told a short while later of a tragic boating accident.

A victory celebration for an Anaheim father and son who won a $50,000, cross-country auto race was shattered by tragedy when they learned shortly after crossing the finish line that the older man’s 2-year-old grandson had been killed in a boating accident.

“The race is like nothing,” said Frank Currie, 61, who along with his son, Raymond, won the Ninth Annual Great American Race on Thursday. “It’s totally meaningless.”

While father and son were celebrating their victory at the end of the race in Seattle on Thursday, the elder Currie’s 2-year-old grandson, Ryan, was killed in a boating accident on the Colorado River about 20 miles south of Bullhead City, Ariz.

Ryan’s maternal grandfather, William Wagner, 64, of Brea, was also killed in the accident during a Fourth of July outing at the Curries’ vacation place along the river.

Mohave County authorities said Ryan and Wagner died when their Seadoo, a motorized water-recreational vehicle, collided with a 21-foot motorboat driven by Cal Hill, 31, of Whittier.

The accident occurred at 4 p.m., about two hours after Frank and Raymond Currie crossed the finish line in the Great American Race.

On Friday, the close-knit Currie family--all of whom live on East Martella Lane in Anaheim--gathered at the home of Ryan’s parents to console one another.

“We had no idea what was happening even as we were being congratulated by fellow racers and interviewed” by the media after the race, said Raymond Currie, 30.

The 4,280-mile race began in Norfolk, Va., on June 22, went through 44 cities in 14 states and took 13 days to complete, the Curries said. The 90 teams, composed of drivers and their navigators in antique cars, had to follow routes and speeds set by computers.

The Curries ran a near-perfect race but not without difficulties, they said, talking about the competition as they comforted other family members.

For 13 days, they drove through torrential downpours and stifling heat, overcoming engine problems that almost forced them to drop out.

When they crossed the finish line in Seattle in their 1919 Packard Special, they completed the race just 51 seconds from a perfect time, according to Great American Race officials.

For two hours, father and son reveled in the winner’s circle. Then, they called their vacationing family to tell them the good news.

“We wanted to tell them to watch for us on ESPN,” Frank Currie recalled.

Instead, his daughter-in-law, Nancy, told him, “Bill and Ryan have been in an accident.” And she immediately hung up, promising to call back.

“We were all sitting there, shaking,” he said. “She called us back shortly and told us they had died, and we were in horrible shape, looking at each other, saying nothing.”

All thoughts of their victory dissipated and the Curries flew home without attending Friday’s awards banquet and receiving the winners’ honors.

“We had a couple hours of being champions,” Raymond Currie said, his voice breaking through tears. “It was a wonderful, miraculous victory. . . . From that great victory to this disaster. . . . If we could trade it back, we’d do it in a minute.”

Ryan’s father, Charles, 30, has suffered a great deal, Frank Currie said. Charles lost an arm in a motorcycle accident four months ago in Mexico, he said.

“Now, he’s lost his only son and it’s so unfair,” the older Currie said.

Ryan’s mother, Nancy Currie, turned 30 Friday.

“Today is her birthday,” Raymond Currie said, “and she and Charles are out preparing funeral arrangements.”