Eastern Adams County's Only Independent Voice Since 1887
Eastern Adams County's Only Independent Voice Since 1887
Ballz Out driver Dean Lautenschlager and navigator Jack Bringman, both of Lewiston, Idaho, raced to a third-place finish in the Unlimited Class Saturday, June 19 at Webb's Slough.
A sprint boat driven by Skylar Smith and navigated by Marshall Bafus, both of St. John, overturns at Webb's Slough.
Some sprint boat fans celebrated the return of motor sports to St. John by watching the races from the beer garden.
The Guano Loco boat successfully races through a channel at Webb's Slough.
Island hoppers man a long line hooked to the bow of the Fear Not in their effort to pull the sprint boat off an island and back onto the race course.
Island hoppers help Team Pelican Fueling racers Dylan Hatch and Darin Mickelson back into a channel during a qualifying run at Webb's Slough.
Sprint boat driver Dan Hatch, right, and navigator Wendy Manthei, both of Pasco, give a thumbs up as they ready for a qualifying heat at Webb's Slough in St. John.
The Sequim-based Live Wire boat overturns on an island during qualifying heats.
The St. John-based sprint boat of driver Skylar Smith and navigator Marshall Bafus is nearly submerged as it rights itself at the end of a crash.
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 turns as the navigator memorizes the course and directs the driver using hand motions.
More than two dozen North American Sprint Boat Assocation 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.
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.
Friend and rescuer
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 is co-owner and publisher of Free Press Publishing. An award-winning journalist, photographer, editor and publisher who grew up in Eastern Washington, he's one of only two Washington state journalists ever to receive the international Golden Quill for editorial/commentary writing. Roger is committed to preserving local media, and along with it, a local voice for Eastern Washington.
The No. 69 Overkill boat, with driver Dennis Hughes and navigator Samantha Hughes, both of Greenacres, takes an Unlimited Class victory lap after a finals time of 37.46 seconds.
Modified
1. 208 Jolly Rogers, driver Dustin Springer of Spirit Lake, Idaho, and navigator Dawn Davis of Ketchikan, Alaska, 39.59 seconds
2. 146A Jolly Rogers, driver Eric Werner of Arlington and navigator Tina Huff of Renton, 40.64 seconds
3. 29B Hammertime, driver Dennis Hughes of Greenacres and navigator Jennifer McClelland of Spokane Valley, 39.89 seconds
400
1. 47 Gold Rush, driver Darrin Swindahl and navigator Ashley Swindahl, both of Graham, 39.80 seconds
2. 156 Bad Influence, drive Steven Church of Cheshire, Ore., and navigator Lisa Bowman of Payette, Idaho, 40.36 seconds
3. 12 Bank Shot, driver Daryl Healy of Caldwell, Idaho, and navigator Michael Ostrem of Dwall, 43.12 seconds
Unlimited
1. 69 Overkill, driver Dennis Hughes and navigator Samantha Hughes, both of Greenacres, 37.46 seconds
2. 15M Rum Runner, driver Jerimy Brewer of Kennewick and navigator Presley Lollar of Benton City, by default with a did not finish (the other two competitor weren't able to start in the Final 4)
3. 411 Ballz Out, driver Dean Lautenschlager and navigator Jack Bringman, both of Lewiston, Idaho, 38.29 seconds in third qualifying round
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