Local boat racer wins Unlimited Class

ST. JOHN - A local sprint boat race team that ended a qualifying run after landing upside down in Webb's Slough rebuilt the top half of a motor and finished the high-speed event inside the Top 8 on Saturday, June 19.

Sprint boat racing pits a driver and navigator against a maze of channels. At speeds reaching more than 80 mph, the driver concentrates on making 7G turns as the navigator memorizes the course and directs the driver using hand motions.

More than two dozen North American Sprint Boat Association teams entered three classes - Modified, 400 and Unlimited - at the Webb's Slough race, the first to take place since August 2019.

Despite hot weather, race fans from all over the country flocked to the venue at 4480 Rodgers Road, taking up seats on a tiered hillside and in the beer garden.

Dennis Hughes, of Greenacres, was the top racer from Spokane County.

Hughes drove in two classes - Modified and Unlimited.

Hughes pulled the fastest time of the weekend in his No. 69 Overkill boat, with his daughter and navigator Samantha Hughes at his side.

In a qualifying heat, they pulled a time of 36.1 seconds, he said. The duo also posted a breakneck time of 37.46 seconds in the finals in their Unlimited Class boat.

"My boat hooked up pretty good," he said after the win. "I think what we did over the winter helped out. I was getting a lot less cavitation in the corners."

Hughes also partnered with navigator Jennifer McClelland of Spokane Valley to grab third-place in the Modified Class in the No. 29B Hammertime boat.

They finished with a final run of 39.89 seconds, just three-tenths of a second behind the winning No. 208 Jolly Rogers boat driven by Dustin Springer of Spirit Lake, Idaho.

In that class, Hughes and McClelland eliminated the boat's owner, Rick Phillips of Spokane Valley, who was driving the No. 29A Hammertime entry.

"He made the 8 cut; we made the 4 cut," he said.

Hughes noted that the boat Phillips was driving was "running crappy" and that the Hammertime pit crew was continually made adjustments.

Phillips was sitting on the qualifying bubble for the "4 cut" when Hughes eliminated him.

"We'll be more organized (at the Aug. 28 race)," he said. "We really didn't think this race was going to happen. But they pretty much said come and race, so we did."

Airborne boat

Local driver Skylar Smith and navigator Marshal Bafus, both St. John High School graduates, missed a turn during a 400 Class qualifying run. Their boat hit one of the slough's "islands," went airborne and rolled sideways.

The final impact was upside down in the water, but the momentum righted the boat.

Multiple "island hoppers" - similar to course marshal in other forms of racing - rushed to the boat to make sure both men were OK and to clear the mostly submerged vessel from the course.

"It was driver error," the 24-year-old Smith said of the crash.

A former schoolmate of both men was among those witnessing and responding to the crash.

Wyatt Wilson was the first to reach his friends.

"It was something," he said of the crash. "There was more adrenaline going through their bodies than anything."

Wilson said he worried when the boat initially rolled and impacted the water upside-down.

"They're a couple of my good friends and I didn't want to see them underwater," he said.

The uninjured Smith said he was more worried about finishing the race.

"I hope the motor is OK," he said, noting they may have a few "bumps and bruises."

The boat was a little more worse for wear.

The impact ripped the air filter system from atop the carburetor. Walter filled the fuel system, exhaust manifold and oil.

After being towed off the course by a personal watercraft, the driver, navigator and pit crew rushed to get their boat running.

They pulled the carburetor and manifold, and drained and refilled the oil.

They weren't able to get the boat together quick enough to make the fourth and final qualifying heat. But they had already done well enough to advance to the Top 8 elimination round.

As the elimination round started, they boat didn't. Smith requested a "wave off" to get the engine running and on the course.

Gurgling to life, Smith and Bafus entered the start channel and completed their final run.

But only the four fastest boats advanced to the next round.

They didn't make the cut.

Smith said he and his navigator will be back for the next round of racing at Webb's Slough on Aug. 28.

Roger Harnack can be reached at [email protected].