Serious News
06-21-2016, 10:30 AM
BURLEY | More than 60 teams from across the country are expected to let their engines roar along the Snake River at Burley for this year’s 41st Idaho Regatta.
The annual boat race launches Friday, Saturday and Sunday from the Burley Golf Course Marina and will feature teams competing in up to 10 different engine classes.
Glen Dilworth of Burley, one of the four original founders of the Idaho Regatta, finds it hard to believe how big of a tradition the annual event has become.
“I didn’t ever think it would be this big or we’d be racing here 40 some years later,” Dilworth said.
Dilworth along with race founders, Don Moyle, John Heart and Wendell Page started the Idaho Regatta after traveling around the country to race boats.
“We were standing at boat launches in mud, dirt, sage brush, and all sorts of places,” Dilworth said. “We thought, ‘Hey we have a place to race right in our backyard that’s better than any of the places we’ve been to in the western United States’.”
After talking with Burley Regatta club members and local authorities for permission, the Idaho Regatta was launched 41 years ago from the same site at the Burley Golf Course Marina where it will continue this weekend.
“This is the racers home away from home and most of the teams stay here the entire week,” Race Director and Dilworth’s daughter, Kristy Dilworth Smith of Rupert said.
“Some have relocated businesses and bought homes in the area,” Dilworth said.
“Once the racers started coming here, it’s like home,” Dilworth said. “This is like the Daytona 500 for inboard flat-bottom and some of the jet boat classes.”
The first race started with about 40 boats but over the years that number has grown with close to 80 race teams competing.
“I’m really hoping for 60 teams and it’s possible there could be more,” Dilworth Smith said.
Some of the fastest inboard circle racers in the country will be competing at Burley this weekend. Teams will compete in several racing categories defined by engine size and boat composition including K Racing Runabouts, Super Stocks, Pro Stocks, Crackerbox (one of the oldest inboard runabout classes), Competition Jets, Grand Nationals, Sportsman Entry and GPS 100’s.
The smallest racing engines are 350 cubic inches with the largest at 515 cubic inches in the Competition Jet class. The K Racing runabouts run alcohol instead of nitro methane fuel, Dilworth said.
“We’re encouraging new racers to come out and enter the Amateur Flat Bottom and Nostalgia Jet Boat classes to try the racing experience,” Dilworth Smith said.
“We’ve got several big changes this year with our event now part of a series of six races,” Dilworth Smith said. “We’ve teamed up with a promoter out of Southern California and our race starts the series and will end the series next year in June 2017.”
Also new for this year are lower ticket prices for fans. Advanced day ticket prices are $15 per person and $30 for weekend passes. Fan Appreciation Day on Friday is free. Also children 12 and under are free when they come with an adult who purchases a ticket.
The race itself will take place around the islands on the Snake River at the Burley Golf Course Marina.
“We’ve also changed the format a little bit so we’ll be on the water more to offer more racing for fans,” Dilworth said.
Race fans can come view the boats and talk with teams during the Show & Shine Boat Show on the Square in Rupert, 6 to 10 p.m. on Thursday. A fish fry will be hosted by the City of Rupert.
Gates open Friday at 8 a.m. at the Burley Golf Course Marina and teams will be testing and tuning engines starting about 11 a.m. The timed events per race class will follow and the Grand Prix Flat Bottom Shoot Out will get underway about 5 p.m. on Friday. Racing continues at 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.
“This year we also have a grudge match between two of the K boats with a $5,000 prize for the winner,” Dilworth said.
Tickets may be purchased through the Idaho Regatta Facebook page, by clicking the Shop Now button or at advanced ticket locations including D.L. Evans Bank, Smith’s Food & Drug in Burley and at the Mini-Cassia Chamber of Commerce office in Heyburn. For more information go online to www.idahoregatta.org.
Here is a complete list of the 41st Annual Idaho Regatta Schedule of Events:
Thursday, June 23
6-10 p.m.: Show & Shine on the Square in Rupert.
Fish Fry hosted by the City of Rupert, Fish Fry, Pizza & Beer Specials around the Square, lots of food & entertainment fun. Proceeds benefit the Historic Wilson Theater Restoration project. Racers encouraged & invited to show off boats for a chance to win $300 of prize money.
Racer Pre-Registration at Doc’s Pizza 514 6th St. Rupert, ID 83336 from 6-8:30 p.m.
Racer Pre-Registration 9:30 a.m.
Meet & Greet at Smith’s Food & Drug 937 E. Main St Burley, ID 83318
10 a.m. Boat Parade
11-3:30 p.m. Testing/Tuning at the race site.
4 p.m.: Drivers Meeting
Swim Break
5 p.m.: Flatbottom Grand Prix Shootout
Saturday, June 25 & Sunday, June 26
11 a.m.: National Anthem
11:05-5 p.m.: Qualifying heats
Heat races and Finals
Sunday, June 26
11 a.m.: National Anthem
11:05-6 p.m.: Qualifying heats
Heat races and Finals
Awards Ceremony/ Banquet on Sunday after the conclusion of racing will be at Race site in the new building. BBQ dinner provided by Eldon's BBQ. RSVP: idahoregatta@gmail.com. Proceeds from the meal will be donated to a local charity.
Awards Ceremony/ Banquet on Sunday after the conclusion of racing will be at Race site in the new Lions Pavilion building.
All you can eat { BBQ Pork & Tri-tip } dinner will be served. RSVP on Racer Entry Forms or send email to idahoregatta@gmail.com before June 17th. $10.00 - 12 & older, $6.00 - 8 to 12, Free 8 – younger.
Questions: Email Kristy Dilworth Smith at idahoregatta@gmail.com
http://www.bonnercountydailybee.com/article/20160619/AP/306199964
The annual boat race launches Friday, Saturday and Sunday from the Burley Golf Course Marina and will feature teams competing in up to 10 different engine classes.
Glen Dilworth of Burley, one of the four original founders of the Idaho Regatta, finds it hard to believe how big of a tradition the annual event has become.
“I didn’t ever think it would be this big or we’d be racing here 40 some years later,” Dilworth said.
Dilworth along with race founders, Don Moyle, John Heart and Wendell Page started the Idaho Regatta after traveling around the country to race boats.
“We were standing at boat launches in mud, dirt, sage brush, and all sorts of places,” Dilworth said. “We thought, ‘Hey we have a place to race right in our backyard that’s better than any of the places we’ve been to in the western United States’.”
After talking with Burley Regatta club members and local authorities for permission, the Idaho Regatta was launched 41 years ago from the same site at the Burley Golf Course Marina where it will continue this weekend.
“This is the racers home away from home and most of the teams stay here the entire week,” Race Director and Dilworth’s daughter, Kristy Dilworth Smith of Rupert said.
“Some have relocated businesses and bought homes in the area,” Dilworth said.
“Once the racers started coming here, it’s like home,” Dilworth said. “This is like the Daytona 500 for inboard flat-bottom and some of the jet boat classes.”
The first race started with about 40 boats but over the years that number has grown with close to 80 race teams competing.
“I’m really hoping for 60 teams and it’s possible there could be more,” Dilworth Smith said.
Some of the fastest inboard circle racers in the country will be competing at Burley this weekend. Teams will compete in several racing categories defined by engine size and boat composition including K Racing Runabouts, Super Stocks, Pro Stocks, Crackerbox (one of the oldest inboard runabout classes), Competition Jets, Grand Nationals, Sportsman Entry and GPS 100’s.
The smallest racing engines are 350 cubic inches with the largest at 515 cubic inches in the Competition Jet class. The K Racing runabouts run alcohol instead of nitro methane fuel, Dilworth said.
“We’re encouraging new racers to come out and enter the Amateur Flat Bottom and Nostalgia Jet Boat classes to try the racing experience,” Dilworth Smith said.
“We’ve got several big changes this year with our event now part of a series of six races,” Dilworth Smith said. “We’ve teamed up with a promoter out of Southern California and our race starts the series and will end the series next year in June 2017.”
Also new for this year are lower ticket prices for fans. Advanced day ticket prices are $15 per person and $30 for weekend passes. Fan Appreciation Day on Friday is free. Also children 12 and under are free when they come with an adult who purchases a ticket.
The race itself will take place around the islands on the Snake River at the Burley Golf Course Marina.
“We’ve also changed the format a little bit so we’ll be on the water more to offer more racing for fans,” Dilworth said.
Race fans can come view the boats and talk with teams during the Show & Shine Boat Show on the Square in Rupert, 6 to 10 p.m. on Thursday. A fish fry will be hosted by the City of Rupert.
Gates open Friday at 8 a.m. at the Burley Golf Course Marina and teams will be testing and tuning engines starting about 11 a.m. The timed events per race class will follow and the Grand Prix Flat Bottom Shoot Out will get underway about 5 p.m. on Friday. Racing continues at 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.
“This year we also have a grudge match between two of the K boats with a $5,000 prize for the winner,” Dilworth said.
Tickets may be purchased through the Idaho Regatta Facebook page, by clicking the Shop Now button or at advanced ticket locations including D.L. Evans Bank, Smith’s Food & Drug in Burley and at the Mini-Cassia Chamber of Commerce office in Heyburn. For more information go online to www.idahoregatta.org.
Here is a complete list of the 41st Annual Idaho Regatta Schedule of Events:
Thursday, June 23
6-10 p.m.: Show & Shine on the Square in Rupert.
Fish Fry hosted by the City of Rupert, Fish Fry, Pizza & Beer Specials around the Square, lots of food & entertainment fun. Proceeds benefit the Historic Wilson Theater Restoration project. Racers encouraged & invited to show off boats for a chance to win $300 of prize money.
Racer Pre-Registration at Doc’s Pizza 514 6th St. Rupert, ID 83336 from 6-8:30 p.m.
Racer Pre-Registration 9:30 a.m.
Meet & Greet at Smith’s Food & Drug 937 E. Main St Burley, ID 83318
10 a.m. Boat Parade
11-3:30 p.m. Testing/Tuning at the race site.
4 p.m.: Drivers Meeting
Swim Break
5 p.m.: Flatbottom Grand Prix Shootout
Saturday, June 25 & Sunday, June 26
11 a.m.: National Anthem
11:05-5 p.m.: Qualifying heats
Heat races and Finals
Sunday, June 26
11 a.m.: National Anthem
11:05-6 p.m.: Qualifying heats
Heat races and Finals
Awards Ceremony/ Banquet on Sunday after the conclusion of racing will be at Race site in the new building. BBQ dinner provided by Eldon's BBQ. RSVP: idahoregatta@gmail.com. Proceeds from the meal will be donated to a local charity.
Awards Ceremony/ Banquet on Sunday after the conclusion of racing will be at Race site in the new Lions Pavilion building.
All you can eat { BBQ Pork & Tri-tip } dinner will be served. RSVP on Racer Entry Forms or send email to idahoregatta@gmail.com before June 17th. $10.00 - 12 & older, $6.00 - 8 to 12, Free 8 – younger.
Questions: Email Kristy Dilworth Smith at idahoregatta@gmail.com
http://www.bonnercountydailybee.com/article/20160619/AP/306199964