Lakefest 2014 at Lake Marble Falls Qualifying

Lumbert, Ball, Logan grab top qualifying spots at Lakefest 2014

By JM Hallas

Marble Falls, TX. (Aug. 9th, 2014) After a full day of testing, tuning and practice on Friday, the Lucas Oil Drag Boat Racing Series began their qualification runs on Lake Marble Falls for the 23rd Annual Lakefest. Seems like every year that the LODBRS rolls into town, the temperatures get as hot as the action on the ‘liquid quarter mile’ or 1,000′ as the case may be.

After a somewhat lengthy delay for winds on the course hampering the first round of Pro Qualifying, the Top Fuel Hydros hit the water. The first pair off both spit and sputtered their way down when problems struck.

Glen Wilson in Toxic Rocket had a fire erupt on-board that safety crews battled. Just when it looked to be out, it continued to flare up, long after the driver had escaped. After several tries, crews attempted to swamp the boat to extinguish the flames. Once swamped, and flames out, the boat went sponsons up before being hoisted out by the crane.

The first pair of Alcohol Flat Bottoms saw issues from the get-go when local driver, and former circle track racer, Marcus Kinsey had something break in the driveline and knock a hole in the bottom. Kinsey quickly summoned help, but about 20′ before shore the boat went down with Kinsey diving/jumping off the nose to safety.

Shane Morrison, Lil’ Bit of Madness was the only Top Alcohol Hydro to make a pass and after a nose up launch he drifted towards the starting lights and cut the anchor rope.

Scotty Lumbert, Spirit of Texas was the only Top Fuel Hydro to attempt a second pass and he made it pay off for the top spot. Daryl Ehrlich’s Problem Child was number one after round one, but Lumbert’s 3.763 @ 218.531mph bettered Ehrlich s 4.101 @ 246.144 for the best run of the weekend.

Top Fuel Hydro Qualifying

Round 1
Daryl Ehrlich, Problem Child, 4.101 @ 246.144
Glen Wilson, Toxic Rocket, 5.349 @ 91,766
Jeff Gregory, E3/Safety Clean, 5.971 @ 81.577
Scott Lumbert, Spirit of Texas, N/T
Bryan Sanders, Nitrochondriac, N/T

Round 2
Scotty Lumbert, Spirit of Texas, 3.763 @ 218.531

Shane Morrison was the only Top Alcohol Hydro on the property making two attempts at a license pass. Neither was successful as he was unable to record a full pass on both tries.

Top Alcohol Hydro

Round 1
Shane Morrison, Lil Bit of Madness, N/T

Round 2
Shane Morrison, Lil Bit of Madness, N/T

Randy Ball Held the number one spot after round one of Top Alcohol Flat Bottom qualifying and it help up through round two. Ball’s 5.334 @ 152.532 in round one was better than his 5.360 @ 152.532 in round two on nearly identical passes. A bracket boat.

Top Alcohol Flat Bottom Qualifying

Round 1
Randy Ball, The Oklahoman, 5.334 @ 152.532
Bill Miller, Party to the Max, 5.462 @ 130.367
Tony Scarlatta, Shazam, 5.471 @ 152.192
Chuck Hartsfield, Sons of Speed, 5.630 @ 144.148
Mike Martin, Dazed and Confused, 5.829 @ 128.888
Don Bausher, Habit Forming, 9.126 @ 43.290
Marcus Kinsey, Bad Company, N/T

Round 2
Randy Ball, The Oklahoman, 5.360 @ 152,532
Bill Miller, Party to the Max, 5.475 @ 126.732
Chuck Hartsfield, Sons of Speed, 5.590 @ 142.640
Don Bausher, Habit Forming, 5.936 @ 123.518
Tony Scarlatta, Shazam, 6.843 @ 66.068

Marty Logan laid down a number in round one that no one could touch as nineteen others gave it their best shot, twice. Logan put down a 7.008 @ 172.745 coupled with an .058 light in round one. Kevin Helms, The Woody, was close with his 7.012 @ 167.598, but no one had anything for Logan who posted a 7.017 @ 173.077 in round two, killing the tree with a .002 light. Logan will be tough to beat in eliminations, unless he beats himself.

Pro Modified Qualifying (7.00)

Round 1
Marty Logan, Livin’ tha Dream, 7.008 @ 172.745
Kevin Helms, The Woody, 7.012 @ 167.598
Tim Ortiz, Empty Pockets, 7.057 @ 166.976
Kyle Brawley, Wild Child, 7.058 @ 169.173
Reagan Everett, Alcohol Dependent, 7.065 @ 164.234
Jimmy Booher, Hillbilly Xpress, 7.086 @ 166.667
Shawn Reed, Top Secret, 7.207 @ 143.541
Chad Cupit, Warpath, 7.217 @ 164.835
Rick Blethroade, Wild Thing, 7.464 @ 166.052
Travis Tuttle, Short Fuse, 7.494 @ 136.571
Mickey Snider, Top Gun, 7.562 @ 158.172
Terry Kain, Razing Kain, 7.633 @ 139.752
Rick Allen Total Kaos, 7.904 @ 106.509
Lee Warren, Say When, 7.919 @ 93.361
Tommy Thompson, A Few Dollars More, 8.516 @ 96.567
Robert Leas, Desperado, 8.568 @ 88.409
Jim Richards, Alka-Hauler, 9.155 @ 149.750
Randy Benson, Texas Bounty Hunter, 12.926 @ 52.234
Shannon Beal, Split Decision, 6.922 @ 167.286
Todd McNally, Mayhem, N/T

Round 2
Marty Logan, Livin’ Tha Dream, 7.017 @ 173.077
Shawn Reed, Top Secret, 7.030 @ 170.132
Terry Kain, Razing Kain, 7.031 @ 162.162
Travis Tuttle, Short Fuse, 7.053 @ 170.455
Rick Allen, Total Kaos, 7.054 @ 160.142
Kyle Brawley, Wild Child, 7.066 @ 168.224
Jimmy Booher, Hillbilly Xpress, 7.077 @169.173
Shannon Beal, Split Decision, 7.080 @ 165.441
Reagan Everett, Alcohol Dependent, 7.094 @ 166.934
Jim Richards, Alka-Hauler, 7.191 @ 168.539
Todd McNally, Mayhem, 7.273 @ 128.388
Tim Ortiz, Empty Pockets, 7.288 @ 142,631
Lee Warren, Say When, 7.380 @ 122.951
Rick Blethroade, Wild Thing, 7.435 @ 165.746
Tommy Thompson, A Few Dollars More, 7.867 @99.119
Randy Benson, Texas Bounty Hunter, 7.932 @ 150.502
Kevin Helms, The Woody, 6.979 @ 167.910
Chad Cupit, Warpath, 6.927 @ 164.835
Mickey Snider, Top Gun, N/T

Sportsman Top Qualifiers
Quick Eliminator (6.00)
Jerry Hardwick, Texas Red, 6.017 @ 145.068

Pro Eliminator (8.00)
Shelby Ebert, Cant Touch This, 8.012 @ 147.783

Top Eliminator (9.00)
Sambo Smith, Crapshooter, 9.028 @ 108.434

Modified Eliminator (10.00)
Frank Carter, Pier Pressure, 10.008 @ 104.167

Stock Eliminator (11.00)
Bob Windner, Mammas Diamond, 11.005 @ 91.371

River Race
Denise Hodges (12.00), Aquatic Therapy, 12.003 @ 86.789

PWC1
Paul Sternadel (11.80), Texas Rattlesnake, 11.959 @ 80.573

PWC2
Kevin Walton (17.68), Water Warrior, 17,686 @ 52.662

Photos:

1) Glen Wilson, Toxic Rocket, Top Fuel Hydro catches fire on top end. Driver escaped uninjured.
2) Marcus Kinsey, Bad Company, Top Alcohol Flat Bottom, jumps to safety after his boat goes down from a hole in the bottom.
3) Shane Morrison, Top Alcohol Hydro, gets big air on launch and heads towards starting buoy, cutting the anchor rope.
4) Scotty Lumbert, Spirit of Texas, Top Fuel Hydro on his qualifying run
5) Top Alcohol Flat Bottom, Randy Ball, The Oklahoman (far side) on his pass against Don Bausher.
6) Marty Logan, Livin’ Tha Dream, Pro Mod, launches with Terry Kain