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Racers compete in leg two of Maryland Cup at Thunder on the Narrows
By MICHAEL DRISCOLL, For The Capital
Powerboat racing has been a tradition on Kent island for over half a century, but interest has really soared in recent years thanks to an event that draws racers from all along the East Coast.
The 16th annual Thunder on the Narrows powerboat races will be held tomorrow and Sunday. Sponsored by the Kent Island Yacht Club, the boats will roar by on a special course in front of the clubhouse.
"Thunder" is the second leg of powerboat racing's own "Triple Crown " in Maryland. Better known as The Maryland Cup, the first leg, the Cambridge Classic, was held last weekend. The third leg, Ragin' On The River, will be held at Port Deposit during the Labor Day weekend.
Former Baltimore police officer and semi-retired racer Mel Utz of Chester said Thunder on the Narrows "was originally called the Kent Island Regatta and run on Cox Neck Creek."
But with interest declining in 1991, local businessman Wheeler Baker of Baker's Liquors and others revived the race by moving it to Kent Narrows.
This weekend, 60 to 65 racers are expected to compete and about 2,500 fans - including as many as 700 watching from their boats - will come for two days of heat, gut-pounding noise, hard physical labor, spectacle, excitement and fun.
Fun, in this context, seems to be defined as being strapped into a small boat that is half torpedo, half ICBM. Drivers strain to keep from entirely flying into the air as they travel around a 1 1/4 mile course.
In this semi-professional event, the racers run once to qualify and once for bragging rights. However, there will be a $1,500 cash prize for the 5-litre class.
Mr. Baker also said that the satisfaction comes not just from winning, but from the challenging of building your own boats, maintaining them and socializing with fellow racers.
Despite the danger - some of the boats top 100 mph - Mr. Utz, a powerboat veteran, calls powerboat racing "a good family sport," as long as you respect the risks involved.
"It's something that I enjoy," he said. "My wife comes along, so does my son and daughter, who works as part of my crew."
Mr. Utz also calls powerboat racing a great spectator sport, thanks to its potential unpredictably.
"You don't know what's going to happen from one minute to the next," he said. "All the boats could be running fine, and the next thing you know, one could be straight up in the air or upside down."
He declined to compare it to stock car racing since there are different aerodynamic concerns, as well as humidity and wind conditions. Cars touch the ground, but "if the boat is running right, there's only about six inches of the back of the boat in the water, the rest of it is all air running beneath you."
"This is the 51st year that we've been blessed with the opportunity to just mess around with boats," said Mr. Baker, a nationally ranked racer.
His fellow racers include major Eastern Shore players such as Kenny McMullin, Larry Lauterbach, Chris Oliver Jr. and Sr., all of Stevensville, and Sandy Thompson of Cambridge. They have more than 300 years of combined racing experience.
"It's a lot of work and a lot of coordination that goes into doing" powerboat racing, Mr. Utz said. It costs about $70,000 each year to put on this event, and planning for the next year begins literally the day after the current event is over.
Mr. Baker says "the best part of the sport is working on your own boats and then running them. Of course, watching them run is pretty good, too, and we've got the best place in the area for that" at the Kent Island Yacht Club.
The boats are all powered by adapted car engines. They are 16- to 18-feet long and weigh less than 1,000 pounds. They are built from composite materials used by the aerospace industry, which gives the boats strength while saving weight.
Mr. Utz said that each race is "five miles. Four laps at a mile and a quarter, or five laps at a mile."
Mr. Utz no longer races himself due to injuries and his advancing years, but he will have a boat in the water piloted by Mr. McMullin.
"He's a two-time national champion," Mr. Utz said. "But the only reason he's driving for me is that he doesn't have his boat ready."
As a safety measure, Larry Lauterbach of Lauterbach Custom Boats arranges for two 80-foot barges to act as a breakwater and as a safety barrier. There also will be emergency and rescue services standing by just in case.
Gates open at 10 am both days, and racing starts at noon. Among the classes racing are 1 litre Modified, 1 ½ Stock, 2 ½ Stock, 2 ½ Modified 5 litre, National Modified, Jersey Speed Skiff, Pro Stock and Super Stock.
By MICHAEL DRISCOLL, For The Capital
Powerboat racing has been a tradition on Kent island for over half a century, but interest has really soared in recent years thanks to an event that draws racers from all along the East Coast.
The 16th annual Thunder on the Narrows powerboat races will be held tomorrow and Sunday. Sponsored by the Kent Island Yacht Club, the boats will roar by on a special course in front of the clubhouse.
"Thunder" is the second leg of powerboat racing's own "Triple Crown " in Maryland. Better known as The Maryland Cup, the first leg, the Cambridge Classic, was held last weekend. The third leg, Ragin' On The River, will be held at Port Deposit during the Labor Day weekend.
Former Baltimore police officer and semi-retired racer Mel Utz of Chester said Thunder on the Narrows "was originally called the Kent Island Regatta and run on Cox Neck Creek."
But with interest declining in 1991, local businessman Wheeler Baker of Baker's Liquors and others revived the race by moving it to Kent Narrows.
This weekend, 60 to 65 racers are expected to compete and about 2,500 fans - including as many as 700 watching from their boats - will come for two days of heat, gut-pounding noise, hard physical labor, spectacle, excitement and fun.
Fun, in this context, seems to be defined as being strapped into a small boat that is half torpedo, half ICBM. Drivers strain to keep from entirely flying into the air as they travel around a 1 1/4 mile course.
In this semi-professional event, the racers run once to qualify and once for bragging rights. However, there will be a $1,500 cash prize for the 5-litre class.
Mr. Baker also said that the satisfaction comes not just from winning, but from the challenging of building your own boats, maintaining them and socializing with fellow racers.
Despite the danger - some of the boats top 100 mph - Mr. Utz, a powerboat veteran, calls powerboat racing "a good family sport," as long as you respect the risks involved.
"It's something that I enjoy," he said. "My wife comes along, so does my son and daughter, who works as part of my crew."
Mr. Utz also calls powerboat racing a great spectator sport, thanks to its potential unpredictably.
"You don't know what's going to happen from one minute to the next," he said. "All the boats could be running fine, and the next thing you know, one could be straight up in the air or upside down."
He declined to compare it to stock car racing since there are different aerodynamic concerns, as well as humidity and wind conditions. Cars touch the ground, but "if the boat is running right, there's only about six inches of the back of the boat in the water, the rest of it is all air running beneath you."
"This is the 51st year that we've been blessed with the opportunity to just mess around with boats," said Mr. Baker, a nationally ranked racer.
His fellow racers include major Eastern Shore players such as Kenny McMullin, Larry Lauterbach, Chris Oliver Jr. and Sr., all of Stevensville, and Sandy Thompson of Cambridge. They have more than 300 years of combined racing experience.
"It's a lot of work and a lot of coordination that goes into doing" powerboat racing, Mr. Utz said. It costs about $70,000 each year to put on this event, and planning for the next year begins literally the day after the current event is over.
Mr. Baker says "the best part of the sport is working on your own boats and then running them. Of course, watching them run is pretty good, too, and we've got the best place in the area for that" at the Kent Island Yacht Club.
The boats are all powered by adapted car engines. They are 16- to 18-feet long and weigh less than 1,000 pounds. They are built from composite materials used by the aerospace industry, which gives the boats strength while saving weight.
Mr. Utz said that each race is "five miles. Four laps at a mile and a quarter, or five laps at a mile."
Mr. Utz no longer races himself due to injuries and his advancing years, but he will have a boat in the water piloted by Mr. McMullin.
"He's a two-time national champion," Mr. Utz said. "But the only reason he's driving for me is that he doesn't have his boat ready."
As a safety measure, Larry Lauterbach of Lauterbach Custom Boats arranges for two 80-foot barges to act as a breakwater and as a safety barrier. There also will be emergency and rescue services standing by just in case.
Gates open at 10 am both days, and racing starts at noon. Among the classes racing are 1 litre Modified, 1 ½ Stock, 2 ½ Stock, 2 ½ Modified 5 litre, National Modified, Jersey Speed Skiff, Pro Stock and Super Stock.
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