Hot-Hot Thunder on the Narrows

The 17th Thunder on the Narrows broke out in nearly perfect conditions over a steamy August 4 weekend. Once again, the racers, families, volunteers, and sponsors put on a top-flight show featuring grandstand seating, shuttle transportation into the race venue, a steady delivery of pit beef sandwiches
cooked by friends from the Queenstown Bank, liquids provided by Kelly Distributors and Rock Star Energy Drinks, and the excellent play-by-play showmanship of the radio and on-site announcer Jeff Ayler.

Saturday’s racing on Hog Bay went off without a hitch until the tide dropped and caused the postponement of three heats until early Sunday. One Jersey speed skiff actually cut a groove in a mud bank just as the
committee was considering moving the remaining races to the following morning.

No report on the Narrows would be complete without mentioning the excellent steamed crab, chicken, and bluegrass music pickin’ party that always follows Saturday’s races. Perhaps one of the best reasons for
being a Region 4 racer is the chance to get the pick of the chick from limitless tubs of crispy poultry courtesy of Holly’s Restaurant, the Eastern Shore’s iconic eatery. According to the local boys and boat racers—“ The only way to find a better piece of chicken is to be the rooster.”

The event featured the first running of the Paul Sohn Jersey Speed Skiff Memorial. Sohn perished in a freak accident at the 2006 Ragin’ on the River races in Port Deposit, MD. Sohn’s family was well represented on the Narrows, with wife Kim helping out on shore while daughters Brittany and Tiffany and son T.J. rode shotgun on skiffs for the heats and the finals. Tom Pakradooni and Billy Sewell in JS-99, Veri Cherry Too led the finals from start to finish.

The Alton Pierson Five Liter Memorial, sponsored by the Hill’s Point Gang, was also run for the third year. For the third time, Tom Thompson in the Batt Boat took home the groceries with Ken McMullen nipping
at his tail fin in The Rock.

In the 1-Liter class, Keith McMullen spun out in a pre-race lap but recovered after a quick trip to the pits to win the final heat driving his Leo’s Vacation Center/Outlaw boat. Mark Johnson, driving Spider’s Web
III, won Sunday’s final over Kenny McMullen in the Red Eye’s Dock Bar boat.

Kelly Shane appeared to have the 1.5- Liter final in hand on Saturday when she dropped into a hole and spun out on a turn. Jason Browning in Bad to the Bone took over the lead and carried it all the way to
the finish.

Fifteen-year-old Brandon Kennedy in Shameless, Say What? edged out Shane in a three-lap duel on Sunday to win the 1.5-Liter class qualifier. Kennedy went on to take the final over Browning.

Tim Struzek drove his Winning Ticket to line honors in the 2.5-Liter finals on Saturday.

Mark Johnson owned the National Modified class for the weekend with a sweep of all heats.

Chuck Miller in Whoopee dusted the 2.5-Liter Modified class after Chris Oliver’s Every Penny limped in on the third lap of the first heat. Kelly Shane took second in Debbie Welte’s Geezerboat.

The Pro-Stock boats raced on Sunday in a three-boat contest. Tom Richardson in BMS Racing Equipment pulled away on the third lap and never looked back for the win.

For more information on local racing, go to the Kent Narrows Racing Association Website—www.kentnarrowsracing.com.

Hampton Cup and Summer Nationals Sizzle
Inboard racers from across the country chased the hot weather to Virginia to join the contest for the Hampton Cup, the oldest race of its type in the country. This 81st running of the event also served as the American Power Boat Association’s (APBA) summer national championship.

First out of the blocks was Kasey Browning who followed up her impressive win at the North American Championships earlier this summer in Cambridge with her dominance of the 1.5-Liter Stock fleet on the
certified championship course near Fort Monroe and the Mercury Boulevard Bridge. Browning comes from a family of racers, including her father and brother who base their campaigns out of Virginia Beach. The family also owns and operates Browning’s Marine, the Sea Ray dealership in Virginia Beach.

Bildahl’s Race Images Now Available Online
PropTalk-contributing photographer John Bildahl has posted more than 1400 close-up race photos from 2006 and 2007 for all the world to enjoy. Prints are available as well at a modest price. Check out the magic at www.johnbildahlphotography.com/ptalk.