ST.JOHN – The 2022 Webb’s Slough sprint boat season wraps up Saturday, Aug. 27.
The race is the second and final of the season in Whitman County. But it’s not the only thing happening.
Thousands of campers are expected to file into the community beginning Thursday for a weekend of food, fun, camping and racing.
Camping opens at 10 a.m. Thursday at the Webb’s Slough race site, Those planning on camping for the weekend should arrive during daylight hours.
There is a fee to camp.
Although racing begins at 10 a.m. Saturday (gates open at 9 a.m.), racing fans will be joining locals for the Golf Scramble and the Show and Shine. Both of those events take place Friday, Aug. 26.
Golfers will take to the St. John Golf Course for a 10 a.m. shotgun start in a four-person scramble. The entry fee into the golf tournament includes a keg of beer and a T-Shirt for each team member.
The Show and Shine gives visitors, race fans and locals a chance to meet race teams in person downtown.
There will be a shuttle running from the race site to downtown and back from 3-7:30 p.m.
The shuttle is being provided by Christian Life Assembly Church.
Friday’s activities culminate with a barbecue benefitting the St. John Volunteer Fire Department.
The barbecue takes place at the main gates at Webb’s Slough. Hot dogs and hamburgers will be available until sold out.
Funds benefit the volunteer department that has been busy the last several weeks fighting multiple wildfires in the area.
On Saturday, the racing action heats up with sprint boats making waves on a course that pits a driver and navigator against a maze of islands and a time clock.
At speeds of up to 90 mph, the boats weave through the islands. Those that fail to negotiate the course may end up on land, where “island hoppers” are available to get them back in the water.
Island hoppers are sprint boat racing’s version of course marshals.
Favorites in this weekend’s race include Jason Perkins of Cheney, who drove the No. 145 Pour Decision to first place in the Modified Class in the June 18 race here. Perkins’ navigator was Eli Gurske of Spangle.
In the 400 Class, the Jolly Rodgers team of driver Eric Werner of Arlington and navigator Tina Huff of Renton are expected to be leading the way. They won the class June 18.
And in the Open Class, driver Dennis Hughes of Spokane Valley is a perennial favorite. He and his daughter, navigator Samantha Hughes of Spokane Valley, dominated the Open Class in June as well as the 2021 races here.
Clint O’Keefe and Mike Thomas, both of St. John, are the local favorites. They took third in the Modified Class in June.
Another Whitman County favorite could be Scott Ackerman of Colfax.
He came out of retirement in June to drive the Spokane Valley-based Hammertime.
Owned by Rick Phillips of Spokane Valley, Hammertime featured Webb Slough’s mascot – the Slough Beaver – atop the vessel.
Roger Harnack is the owner/publisher of Free Press Publishing. Having grown up Benton City, Roger is an award-winning journalist, columnist, photographer, editor and publisher. He's one of only two editorial/commentary writers from Washington state to ever receive the international Golden Quill. Roger is dedicated to the preservation of local media, and the voice it retains for Eastern Washington.
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