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Article published Jul 12, 2007
National boat races at Dillon this weekend
By DAVE WEIDIG
Staff Writer
LICKING TOWNSHIP - Dillon State Park has hosted power boat racing for the past four years.
But those events haven't been near the size of this one.
The American Power Boat Association (APBA) has selected Dillon Lake for the 2007 Modified Outboard National Championships, to be held this Friday and Saturday. According to race director Mike Marshall of Dresden, this is the first time a national championship competition has been held there.
The Indiana Outboard Association will conduct the races and host as many as 200 competitors from across the nation and Canada.
"The National Championships are the APBA's premier Modified Outboard racing event of the season, and this year's competition will likely be the largest outboard race in the entire country," Marshall said. "Some classes of these runabouts and hydroplanes will reach speeds of nearly 100 mph."
On Friday and Saturday, there will be 22 classes of outboard racing from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The races are free and open to the public, with racing for just about everyone's interest. There will be two classes for boys and girls ages 9-14, nine classes of stock/junior hydroplanes competing for the North American Championships, and a full card of 13 classes of Modified outboard hydroplanes and racing runabouts.
"These will range from the small 12-cubic inch motors up to the screaming 50-cubic inch Modified hydroplanes that will reach over 90 mph on the straights," Marshall explained.
"Dillon Lake has become a hotbed of outboard racing in recent years," he added. "It is a circuit favorite among outboard racing's finest competitors because of the protected waters, the flat beach area used for the pits, and the amenities offered by Dillon State Park. The terrace area up above is perfect for spectators, and the hills protect the water from getting too rough. And Zanesville is relatively close to a lot of motels and restaurants.
"It's been dry, but Clifton Kilpatrick has done everything he can," Marshall said. "It (Dillon Lake) is 14 to 18 inches above summer pool, just about perfect. It's as good as we could have hoped for. Dillon State Park, the Army Corps of Engineers and Ohio Division of Watercraft have done so much to accomodate us."
Racers have been arriving early to test and tune their boats in anticipation of the big event.
"The testing and tuning is Wednesday and Thursday, but I had people showing up Monday morning," Marshall said. "By Tuesday, we already had 10 boats from California, four from Louisiana, another guy from Texas, seven more from Wisconsin, and former national champion Ron France from Canada."
Marshall had a lot of thanks for the main sponsors: Century National Bank, Zemba Brothers, Zanesville Aviation, Capital City Group, Delta Marine of Columbus and Paul's Marine of Delaware. Race equipment will be auctioned off Friday night, and a big awards banquet is planned for Saturday night.
"It costs us about $14,000 to run this, and entry fees only cover about $7,000 of that," Marshall said. "So we can't thank the sponsors enough."
Audio Slide Show
Article published Jul 12, 2007
National boat races at Dillon this weekend
By DAVE WEIDIG
Staff Writer
LICKING TOWNSHIP - Dillon State Park has hosted power boat racing for the past four years.
But those events haven't been near the size of this one.
The American Power Boat Association (APBA) has selected Dillon Lake for the 2007 Modified Outboard National Championships, to be held this Friday and Saturday. According to race director Mike Marshall of Dresden, this is the first time a national championship competition has been held there.
The Indiana Outboard Association will conduct the races and host as many as 200 competitors from across the nation and Canada.
"The National Championships are the APBA's premier Modified Outboard racing event of the season, and this year's competition will likely be the largest outboard race in the entire country," Marshall said. "Some classes of these runabouts and hydroplanes will reach speeds of nearly 100 mph."
On Friday and Saturday, there will be 22 classes of outboard racing from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The races are free and open to the public, with racing for just about everyone's interest. There will be two classes for boys and girls ages 9-14, nine classes of stock/junior hydroplanes competing for the North American Championships, and a full card of 13 classes of Modified outboard hydroplanes and racing runabouts.
"These will range from the small 12-cubic inch motors up to the screaming 50-cubic inch Modified hydroplanes that will reach over 90 mph on the straights," Marshall explained.
"Dillon Lake has become a hotbed of outboard racing in recent years," he added. "It is a circuit favorite among outboard racing's finest competitors because of the protected waters, the flat beach area used for the pits, and the amenities offered by Dillon State Park. The terrace area up above is perfect for spectators, and the hills protect the water from getting too rough. And Zanesville is relatively close to a lot of motels and restaurants.
"It's been dry, but Clifton Kilpatrick has done everything he can," Marshall said. "It (Dillon Lake) is 14 to 18 inches above summer pool, just about perfect. It's as good as we could have hoped for. Dillon State Park, the Army Corps of Engineers and Ohio Division of Watercraft have done so much to accomodate us."
Racers have been arriving early to test and tune their boats in anticipation of the big event.
"The testing and tuning is Wednesday and Thursday, but I had people showing up Monday morning," Marshall said. "By Tuesday, we already had 10 boats from California, four from Louisiana, another guy from Texas, seven more from Wisconsin, and former national champion Ron France from Canada."
Marshall had a lot of thanks for the main sponsors: Century National Bank, Zemba Brothers, Zanesville Aviation, Capital City Group, Delta Marine of Columbus and Paul's Marine of Delaware. Race equipment will be auctioned off Friday night, and a big awards banquet is planned for Saturday night.
"It costs us about $14,000 to run this, and entry fees only cover about $7,000 of that," Marshall said. "So we can't thank the sponsors enough."
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