Serious News
01-22-2017, 01:01 AM
A complete boat racing program will return to Evansville's riverfront for the first time since 2009. Instead of the unlimited “hairdryers on the Ohio,” inboard piston hydroplanes will step to the forefront on Sept. 1-3 as part of the Evansville HydroFest, labeled “Roar on the River.”
Evansville will host the 2017 American Power Boat Association’s North American Championships for up to 14 classes of inboard boats during the three-day event on the 1.25-mile course.
“We are very excited to see the rebirth of the sport in Evansville,” said Scott Pierce, who won the 1991 Thunder on the Ohio in the cockpit of Miss Budweiser. He is currently a Grand Prix boat owner. “There was not a lot of noise with the turbines. Six to eight of these boats on the course will blow you away.”
All eligible APBA boats use inboard powerplants, as opposed to outboard motors. They use contemporary car engines while the unlimiteds use Vietnam-era jet turbine helicopter engines creating a whining sound, sarcastically referred to as “hairdryers.” The notable exception is Ed Cooper’s piston-powered U-3, which uses World War II-era aircraft engines and gave Thunder on the Ohio its name.
The fastest boats who have confirmed they will come to Evansville are the Grand Prix hydros, which are minimum of 23 feet in length and hit a record 170.620 mph on the straightaway, set by 65-year-old former unlimited driver Jerry Hopp. Unlimiteds max out at 200 mph.
Plus the additional noise, “Roar on the River” will be much less expensive at $10 per person for the 3-day weekend. The average temperature for Labor Day Weekend is 85 degrees, said Randy Lientz, a member of HydroFest’s Executive Organizing Committee, citing a 25-year study. Oftentimes during Thunder on the Ohio in late June, temperatures often skyrocketed to the upper 90s.
Thunder was held from 1979 to 2009, but dwindling attendance and financial problems caused the race to disband.
“Thunder on the Ohio drew great crowds to Evansville’s riverfront,” said Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke at Thursday’s news conference at the Pagoda.
He noted that enough time has lapsed that young people in the Tri-State have forgotten about boat racing on Evansville’s riverfront.
“Now, a whole new generation will have the opportunity to watch boat racing in Evansville,” Winnecke said. “It should bring thousands of people to the riverfront and will have a great economic impact.”
In meeting with a downtown planning group, they told him more action was needed on the riverfront and HydroFest will certainly help fill that void.
The Evansville HydroFest is scheduled for Labor Day weekend, 2017. Courtesy Evansville Hydrofest
http://www.courierpress.com/story/sports/2017/01/19/evansville-hydrofest-set-labor-day-weekend/96653066/
Evansville will host the 2017 American Power Boat Association’s North American Championships for up to 14 classes of inboard boats during the three-day event on the 1.25-mile course.
“We are very excited to see the rebirth of the sport in Evansville,” said Scott Pierce, who won the 1991 Thunder on the Ohio in the cockpit of Miss Budweiser. He is currently a Grand Prix boat owner. “There was not a lot of noise with the turbines. Six to eight of these boats on the course will blow you away.”
All eligible APBA boats use inboard powerplants, as opposed to outboard motors. They use contemporary car engines while the unlimiteds use Vietnam-era jet turbine helicopter engines creating a whining sound, sarcastically referred to as “hairdryers.” The notable exception is Ed Cooper’s piston-powered U-3, which uses World War II-era aircraft engines and gave Thunder on the Ohio its name.
The fastest boats who have confirmed they will come to Evansville are the Grand Prix hydros, which are minimum of 23 feet in length and hit a record 170.620 mph on the straightaway, set by 65-year-old former unlimited driver Jerry Hopp. Unlimiteds max out at 200 mph.
Plus the additional noise, “Roar on the River” will be much less expensive at $10 per person for the 3-day weekend. The average temperature for Labor Day Weekend is 85 degrees, said Randy Lientz, a member of HydroFest’s Executive Organizing Committee, citing a 25-year study. Oftentimes during Thunder on the Ohio in late June, temperatures often skyrocketed to the upper 90s.
Thunder was held from 1979 to 2009, but dwindling attendance and financial problems caused the race to disband.
“Thunder on the Ohio drew great crowds to Evansville’s riverfront,” said Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke at Thursday’s news conference at the Pagoda.
He noted that enough time has lapsed that young people in the Tri-State have forgotten about boat racing on Evansville’s riverfront.
“Now, a whole new generation will have the opportunity to watch boat racing in Evansville,” Winnecke said. “It should bring thousands of people to the riverfront and will have a great economic impact.”
In meeting with a downtown planning group, they told him more action was needed on the riverfront and HydroFest will certainly help fill that void.
The Evansville HydroFest is scheduled for Labor Day weekend, 2017. Courtesy Evansville Hydrofest
http://www.courierpress.com/story/sports/2017/01/19/evansville-hydrofest-set-labor-day-weekend/96653066/