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NBRA National Championship Boat Racing
Ponca City, July 18, 2004
Dan Crummett
1 1 1 1
PONCA CITY—Sixteen-year-old John Matthews, Pineville, La., took home the top spot in the National Boat Racing Association’s National Championship 102s Hydroplane class here Sunday, in the final of three days of racing on Lake Ponca. The 102s class was the race’s largest competition.
Matthews led a 12-boat field in the first official heat of the competition after race referees forced a rerun of the original heat because of a host of drivers “jumping the clock” in the race’s running timed start. Matthews came back later in the afternoon with another first, to lead Bryan Tharp, Choctaw, Okla., and Matt Schultz, Cedar Rapids, Ia. Rick Miller, Grove, Okla., was forth in the 102s Hydroplane class.
Over three days of eliminations and championship racing, Lake Ponca was home to drivers from Minnesota, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi. Overall, 54 drivers piloted 85 boats in the three-day competition.
In other competition, Choctaw’s Bryan Tharp won NBRA’s championship in the C Hydroplane class, Rick Miller, Grove, won top honors in A Hydroplane, Steve Talley, Tulsa, was top in the B-1 Hydroplane class. Dave Guadanoli, Deville, La. won B Hydroplane.
Keith Kampen, Hazelwood, Mo. was champion in C Runabout; Kevin McAfee, Columbia, Mo., won D Hydroplane; and Ralph Cook, Vicksburg, Miss., was the 2004 champion in E Runabout and SE Runabout competition.
Vernon Barfield, Wellsville, Kan., won both E Hydroplane and Super E Hydroplane titles for the year, and Ty Hebert, Louisiana, was top driver in B Runabout.
Kayla Lund, 9, San Antonio, Texas, won her second NBRA National Championship in the Novice Class in racing Friday.
The Ponca City race was one of two NBRA sanctioned events in Oklahoma this year, says Rick Miller, president of the Oklahoma Boat Racing Association. “We had an excellent race in June in Okmulgee, and the racers were very pleased to come back to Oklahoma for the Ponca City event.”
Miller says both venues are planning races again next season.
END
Ponca City, July 18, 2004
Dan Crummett
1 1 1 1
PONCA CITY—Sixteen-year-old John Matthews, Pineville, La., took home the top spot in the National Boat Racing Association’s National Championship 102s Hydroplane class here Sunday, in the final of three days of racing on Lake Ponca. The 102s class was the race’s largest competition.
Matthews led a 12-boat field in the first official heat of the competition after race referees forced a rerun of the original heat because of a host of drivers “jumping the clock” in the race’s running timed start. Matthews came back later in the afternoon with another first, to lead Bryan Tharp, Choctaw, Okla., and Matt Schultz, Cedar Rapids, Ia. Rick Miller, Grove, Okla., was forth in the 102s Hydroplane class.
Over three days of eliminations and championship racing, Lake Ponca was home to drivers from Minnesota, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi. Overall, 54 drivers piloted 85 boats in the three-day competition.
In other competition, Choctaw’s Bryan Tharp won NBRA’s championship in the C Hydroplane class, Rick Miller, Grove, won top honors in A Hydroplane, Steve Talley, Tulsa, was top in the B-1 Hydroplane class. Dave Guadanoli, Deville, La. won B Hydroplane.
Keith Kampen, Hazelwood, Mo. was champion in C Runabout; Kevin McAfee, Columbia, Mo., won D Hydroplane; and Ralph Cook, Vicksburg, Miss., was the 2004 champion in E Runabout and SE Runabout competition.
Vernon Barfield, Wellsville, Kan., won both E Hydroplane and Super E Hydroplane titles for the year, and Ty Hebert, Louisiana, was top driver in B Runabout.
Kayla Lund, 9, San Antonio, Texas, won her second NBRA National Championship in the Novice Class in racing Friday.
The Ponca City race was one of two NBRA sanctioned events in Oklahoma this year, says Rick Miller, president of the Oklahoma Boat Racing Association. “We had an excellent race in June in Okmulgee, and the racers were very pleased to come back to Oklahoma for the Ponca City event.”
Miller says both venues are planning races again next season.
END
It wasn't Ralph's motor that broke. His turn fin bracket broke while he was going through the first turn 
of the first lap of the first heat. He was in first place at the time - after starting third or fourth. 
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