Drag Boats: IHBA Lakefest 2004 at Firebird

By Mark Westfall

Photos by James Drew, M. Reger, and Mark Westfall

In the middle part of the 2003 IHBA season, word circulated that multi time Top Fuel Hydro World Champion Greg Tedesco was finished. He pulled his “Loose Cannon” twin prop fueler off the tour, and left for what some thought was for good. He resurfaced at the season opening 21st Annual IHBA “Lakefest,” and after Friday’s test n tune day, probably wished he hadn’t. After breaking on the first test run, he returned to the water and exploded a motor causing a fire that the IHBA rescue team could not extinguish. Purposely sinking the boat to put out the fire was the only option. Tedesco’s team, led by Bob Noice, went to work and thrashed all night to have the “Cannon” ready for Saturday’s two qualifying sessions.

 

Greg Tedesco gives the thumbs up to draglist.com

 

IHBA 2 x T.F.H. Champion Greg Tedesco on a good pass!

 

Todd Plate in Eddie Knox's Problem Child T.F.H

 

Jerry Kutz in Plumb Crazy T.F.H. This is how the boats with twin props take off on launch: no twisting -- they now just take off straight

 

John Irvine made his return to the top fuel wars after sitting out the last few years to regroup. He has in a big way, from an open trailer and crew cab to a semi tractor and big trailer, this boat has some awesome detailing on it. Tommy Thompson is helping John go drag boat racing in a big way. Good to see you back, John!

Meanwhile, John Hipwell in Ron Braaksma’s “Madness” Top Fuel Hydro was looking unstoppable. Braaksma casually took his Black Fueler out of the box, and sent Hipwell on a thundering 4.95 E.T., at 225 mph test n tune shot. After normal maintenance, the “Madness” crew readied the boat for qualifying.

As Saturday morning rolled around, ten Top Fuelers were at the rope trying to crack the eight-boat lineup. Hipwell again led the way with a great 4.96 at 227.90 mph pass. Jerry Kutz in the “Plumb Crazy” ended up second at 5.02. The balance of the field consisted of number three Daryl Erlich in “Hot Licks,” 2003 World Champion Mark Workentine in Lou Osman’s “Speed Sport” in fourth, Tedesco a disappointing fifth, Rex Childers’ “Whisky River II” sixth, “Problem Child” driven by Todd Plate seventh, and John Irvine in the beautiful all new “Megaforce” rounding out the field.

Sunday’s eliminations erased all the bad memories for Tedesco and the “Loose Cannon” team. He opened with a big win over World Champion Workentine, and set up a semi final bout with the dominating Hipwell, who again went into the magic zone with a first round 4.98 thrashing of Irvine. This looked to be all “Madness,” but Tedesco got the one break he needed as Hipwell suffered engine damage. The “Cannon” went on for the win. In the final, Tedesco met Erlich in the “Hot Licks” boat. When the tree went green, both boats experienced problems, but Tedesco managed to hang on and limp to the season opening win. After a roller coaster weekend, Tedesco will enter his “Loose Cannon” at the second stop on the IHBA tour, Red Bluff’s “Nitro Nationals,” as the National points leader.

 

The one and only Tim Stokes in the Widow Maker T.A.H. Tim has the # 1 on his boat for a reason; he has one fast boat!

 

A pair of T.A.H.s laying down rooster tails

 

GMC Oldsmobile and Pontiac dealer Ted Faggart had his Super Star T.A.H. running great, but he was not fast enough to defeat the Widow Maker

 

Tony Scarlata was the class of the field in Toip Alky Flat

 

War Party T.A.F. was on the warpath but went down in defeat

 

Bakersfield police officer Lonnie Mills put all others in Pro Mod in jail for his first win!

2004 looked like a continuation of the ’03 season in Top Alcohol Hydro as 2003 World Champion Tim Stokes’ “Widowmaker” and number two man Ted Faggert’s “Superstar” once again squared off for the money. After both men worked their way through a full field of top caliber competition, the stage was set for another great final. At the green, Stokes took a slight starting line advantage and stretched it out with a 5.39, 222 mph blast to a losing 5.51, 216 for Faggert.

Tony Scarlata guided the “Canyon Factory Special” over Bob Raber’s “Blurred Vision” in the always-tough Top Alcohol Flatbottom division.

In IHBA’s toughest class, the Pro Modified division , Bakersfield, CA, policeman Lonnie Mills gained his first National event win by taking his “Excessive Force” hydro over Vic Esposito’s “What a Tomato” boat.

The 2004 IHBA season has the makings of one of its best ever, as the liquid quarter mile warriors head to the richest and biggest drag boat race in the world, the 28th “Nitro Nationals” on Memorial Day weekend in Red Bluff, CA.

 

Speedvision will be covering the 2004 IHBA drag boats

 

Where's that guy with the Dodge Hemi pick up! I bet I can beat him now!

 

This little one was having dreams of one day driving the Speed Sports Special. L@@K out, Mark!

 

Drag Boat racers come up with great paint jobs and bad ass names!

 

Here is one of four different Twin Prop designs being used in T.F.H . to help the boats on the launch

 

Could this be the future of Top Fuel Hydro hulls? This is the 2nd one of these hulls to hit the water! Toxic Rocket. I do believe this will be the future in drag boat racing. Now if we could get a driver who is more experenced to run one of these hulls!

 

The IHBA has a class for everyone. From T.F. to jet skis, all are welcome to race!

 

Another new design being debuted at Lakefest. This is a brand new idea, as of yet no one has tried this one out. Hmmm

 

Yeah, I know it is not a boat! But it was on the side of a race boat trailer

 

Jerry Kutz, wife, and crew check the chutes before Jerry gets in to pilot his T.F.H. to a round one win

 

The Mako Force ATTA Special is the only T.A.F. running a Twin Prop design, but they are still working the bugs out.

 

Famous Amos Satterlee tunes the Speed Sport Special

 

Tom Wright in CucKoo's Nest defeats Terry Newton's twin turbo Lucas Oil Special in the first round of T.A.H.