By JM Hallas
MARBLE FALLS, Tx. – If it’s 100 degrees and August it must be time again for the Marble Falls Chamber of Commerce, Lakefest, featuring the Lucas Oil Drag Boat Racing Series. This is the silver anniversary of the event hosting not only some of the baddest drag boats on the planet, but live music in the Johnson Park Amphitheater Friday/Saturday night and Saturday afternoon at Lakeside Park following the races, plus food and souvenir vendors in the midway all weekend.
The spectator area has a covered vendor area complete with chillers as well as covered seating area lakeside for viewing the races over the ‘liquid quarter mile.’
This year’s LODBRS schedule is new with two rounds of qualifying for the Pro and Sportsman classes on both Friday and Saturday. The normal day of eliminations stays on Sunday.
The LODBRS, for those new to the sport, has several classes of boats in competition. Everything from the high-dollar, high-horsepower, rooster tail throwing Top Fuel Hydros down to the low speed Personal Water Craft.
The LODBRS Pro classes, running to 1000′ include the aforementioned Top Fuel Hydros, the bad boys of the series, their brother Top Alcohol Hydro, Top Alcohol Flat, Pro Modified on a 7.00 index(similar to land based Pro Mods) and Pro Outlaw, the same as Pro Modified on a 6.50 index.
The Sportsmen classes are Quick Eliminator(6.00), Pro Eliminator(8.00), Top Eliminator(9.00), Modified Eliminator(10.00) and Stock Eliminator(11.00) all running the full quarter mile on an index number. The River Racer and two different Personal Water Craft classes (by age) all run a bracket style dial-in.
Of course I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that many racers will be there with somewhat heavy hearts as they remember Mike Fry who tragically lost his life racing in last year’s event. The Marble Falls CofC will be holding a tribute ceremony Thursday at the Johnson Park Pavilion for Mike, and all the racers.
Friday evening there is a ‘show-n-shine’ taking place in the pit area for drivers to show off their rides and give fans a chance to get autographs and speak to some of the drivers.
Lakefest 2016 Weekend Schedule*
Thursday Aug. 11th
Marble Falls CofC tribute ceremony (Johnson Park Pavilion), 6:00pm
Racer BBQ following ceremony
Friday Aug. 12
Gates open, 7:00am
Sportsman qualifying round 1, 9:00am
Pro qualifying round 1, 10:30am
Sportsman qualifying round 2, 12:30pm
Pro qualifying round 2, 2:00pm
Show-n-Shine, 7:00pm
Red Carpet Chaos concert (Johnson Park), 8:00pm
Saturday Aug. 13
Gates open, 7:00am
Sportsman qualifying round 3, 9:00am
Pro qualifying round 3, 10:30am
Sportsman qualifying round 4, 12:30pm
Pro qualifying round 2, 2:00pm
Southern Underground concert (Lakeside Park), 3:00pm
The Aint Never Beens concert (Johnson Park), 8:00pm
Sunday Aug. 14
Gates open, 7:00am
Round 1 eliminations (Pro Mod, Pro Outlaw), 9:00am
Top Fuel, Top Alcohol, Top Alcohol Flat, 9:30am
Quick Eliminator, Pro Eliminator, Top Eliminator, Modified Eliminator, Stock Eliminator, River Racer, Personal Water Craft, 10:30am
Round 2 eliminations (Pro Mod, Pro Outlaw), 12:30pm
Top Fuel, Top Alcohol, Top Alcohol Flat, 1:00pm
Quick Eliminator, Pro Eliminator, Top Eliminator, Modified Eliminator, Stock Eliminator, River Racer, Personal Water Craft, 1:30pm
Round 3 eliminations (Pro Mod, Pro Outlaw), 2:30pm
Quick Eliminator, Pro Eliminator, Top Eliminator, Modified Eliminator, Stock Eliminator, River Racer, Personal Water Craft, 2:45
Final round eliminations all classes, 3:00pm
*Times may be adjusted for any class with five rounds, all time subject to change
For ticket info visit; http://www.stubwire.com/events/marblefallslakefest/2016/
For other event info visit; http://www.marblefalls.org/p/getconnected/news-and-announcements/345
Photos provided courtesy of JM Hallas
