By JM Hallas

Marble Falls, Tx. – Action kicked off Friday with a new format for 2016 and the Lucas Oil Drag Boat Racing Series. In the past the morning times were slated for an open test-n-tune before afternoon qualifying passes. The new format has two rounds of qualifying for all classes as the banks of Lake Marble Falls echo with the thunder of horsepower.

To say it was hot would not do it justice, it was a scorcher. Teams, racers and fans stuck it out through the day for qualifying runs though.

During license passes prior to qualifying Bill Diez jumped into an two-seat, open boat to give one of the crew members, who’s been diagnosed with cancer, the ride of a lifetime. The boat stalled on launch, but Diez refired, and ran it out the back door. Kudo’s to Diez for helping make someones day.

Magnum Custom Trailers put up a bonus for best reaction time of the weekend, for quite a while Mickey Snider held that honor with a .001 reaction time. In the third round of Sportsman qualifying it was Todd McLemore bettering that with a perfect .000 time. Oddly enough, McLemore who has run pavement circle tracks most of his career, is also the owner of Magnum Custom Trailers.

Coming into the event Bryan Sanders(Nitrochondriac) currently leads the Top Fuel Hydro points by more than 200 over Daryl Ehrlich (who still holds the series ET record from Lakefest 2011 at 3.369 seconds) and 300 over Scott Lumbert(who holds the LODBRS speed record of 266.335)

In Top Alcohol Hydro its Rick Allen(Total Koas) by 100 over Mike DeClark(Little White Lie). Top Alcohol Flat shows Don Bausher(Habit Forming) with a 200 point margin ahead of current class ET record holder Randy Ball(Oklahoman). Ball set that record last year at Lakefest(5.111).

The Pro Modified points show Jimmy Booher(Hillbilly Express) with a bit over 100 markers on Kevin Helm(A Fistful of Dollars) and Tyler Speer(Climax) and 400 on multi-time champ, Marty Logan(Livin’ tha Dream). Tom Brasher(Desparado) comes in nearly 700 ahead of Gus Ward(Whiskey Tango Foxtrot) and 1000 on Shannon Beal(Split Decision 2) in Pro Outlaw.

In Division 2 points, Joe McIntyre(Hydro Commando) heads the Quick Eliminator field, Kevin Conklin(Texas High Risk) in Top Eliminator, Greg Carr(Aint Scared) in Modified Eliminator, Shannon Wilson(Booger Red) in Stock Eliminator, Ronald Jones(White Trash) River Racer, and Halee McIntyre(Just a Little Quickie) in Personal Water Craft.

Bryan Sanders Top Fuel Hydro qualifier on tow rope to starting line. Photo by JM Hallas

Top Fuel qualifying

Sanders Sets the Standard

Current points leader Bryan Sanders set the standard in Top Fuel Hydro qualifying making one of the side by side full pulls in round one. Sanders(Nitrochondriac) and Scotty Lumbert(Spirit of Texas) ran sub-four second passes at over 250mph. Lee Warren was the only other to attempt pass and also ran the four second mark but shut off early cutting the speed. Three other boats did not make tries in round 1. Due extreme heat and poor air the second round for Top Fuel was dropped. Two more rounds are scheduled for Saturday.

Bryan Sanders(Nitrochondriac) 3.437 @ 259.821

Scotty Lumbert(Spirit of Texas) 3.537 @ 254.438

Lee Warren(Whiskey River) 3.969 @ 201.018

Daryl Ehrlich(Problem Child) DNT

Scott Compton(Liquid VooDoo) DNT

Kim Davidson(Disorderly Conduct) DNT

Top Alcohol Hydro qualifier Travis Tuttle (far lane) on run with Steve Streeter. Photo by JM Hallas

Top Alcohol Hydro qualifying

Travis Tuttle(Short Fuse) has moved up from Pro Modified this season and grabbed the top spot in Top Alcohol Hydro qualifying. Mike DeClark had trouble on both passes and sits at the bottom end of the qualifying sheet. In last years event their was no winner as Rick Allen and Steve Streeter made tribute passes in honor of Mike Fry.

Travis Tuttle(Short Fuse) 4.601 @ 195.569

Steve Streeter(Untouchable) 4.624 @ 178.385

Rick Allen(Total Kaos) 4.670 @ 161.880

Dale Riggs(Bad Moon Rising) 4.846 @ 189.494

Mike DeClark(Little White Lie) 11.053 @ 57.065

Top Alcohol Flat Bottom qualifier Tony Scarlata sails the nose on his pass. Photo by JM Hallas

Top Alcohol Flat qualifying

There was a good field of Top Alcohol Flat Bottoms on hand making their two passes for the day. Tony Scarlotta(Shazam) topped the field with the best time and speed for the day. Points leader Don Bausher showed up in the staging lanes, less the motor and didn’t get in a pass. Last years winner, Randy Ball nearly turned his boat over in round 1, but posted a time in round 2.

Tony Scarlotta(Shazam) 5.381 @ 164.579

Ronnie Hayes(The Flying Dutchman) 5.545 @ 144.363

Bill Miller(Party to the Max) 5.563 @ 137.058

Spike Gorr(Spirit of America) 5.720 @ 140.666

Randy Ball(The Oklahoman) 5.729 @ 154.861

Bill Diez(War Party) 5.789 @ 144.211

Marcus Kinsey(Bad Company) 5.971 @ 136.573

Bon Bausher(Habit Forming) DNT

Pro Modified top qualifier Robert Leas (near lane) in the spray with Shelby Ebert. Photo by JM Hallas

Pro Modified qualifying(7.00)

Eleven of the 12 Pro Modifieds made attempts in two rounds of qualifying for Pro Modifieds. Robert Leas(Wild Fire) topped the charts on day one coming within 18/100th of the index. Multi-time champ, Marty Logan, labored doe the track on both of his passes ending up ninth.

Robert Leas(Wild Fire) 7.018 @ 174.487

Casey Beal(Split Decision 3) 7.024 @ 171.606

Tyler Speer(Climax) 7.121 @ 179.989

Kevin Helm(Fistful of Dollars) 7.148 @ 169.287

Shelby Ebert(Cant Touch This) 7.245 @ 177.468

Tim Ortiz(Empty Pockets) 7.280 @ 146.995

Mickey Snider(Top Gun) 7.307 @ 143,494

Doug Maderer(Outta Reach) 7.383 @ 165.248

Marty Logan(Livin Tha Dream) 7.826 @ 150.793

Keith Funk(Animal) 8.042 @ 155.547

Jimmy Booher(Hillbilly Express) 6.995 @ 171.617

Rob Burklin(The Pearl) DNT

Pro Outlaw top qualifier Jim Richards on a solo pass. Photo by JM Hallas

Pro Outlaw qualifying(5.40)

Running a 5.40 index to 1000′ feet, the Pro Outlaws eight of the nine boats take times with Jim Richards(Alka Hauler) snagging the number 1 spot after two rounds missing the index by only 8/1000th. Richards was also the winner here in 2015. Points leader, Tom Brasher, slotted in sixth.

Jim Richards(Alka Hauler) 5.408 @ 173.093

Eric Dement(Real Bad Boy) 5.416 @ 164.944

Gus Ward(Whiskey Tango Foxtrot) 5.448 @ 164.265

Jacob Schneider(Blown Crazy 2) 5.453 @ 164.308

Shannon Beal(Split Decision 2) 5.461 @ 162.457

Tom Brasher(Desperado) 5.476 @ 166.117

Tommy Thompson(A Few Dollars More) 5.526 @ 153.880

Chris Bean(Team Sound Design) 5.956 @ 153.379

Terry Kain(Razing Kain) DNT

Quick Eliminator qualifying(6.00)

Steve Prewitt(Hold My Beer at Watch This) took top honors in Quick Eliminator qualifying, while points leader, Joe McIntyre slotted in second.

Steve Prewitt(Hold My Beer and Watch This) 6.016 @ 142.255

Pro Eliminator qualifying (8.00)

Greg Cawyer(Jaw Droppin), was the only boat in Pro Eliminator for the day getting the number spot by default, but nearly running the number.

Greg Cawyer(Jaw Droppin) 8.068 @ 145.950

Top Eliminator qualifying(9.00)

In Top Eliminator qualifying in was George Goff(Bad Magic) leading the sheet of the dozen boats to take times. Kevin Conklin(Texas High Risk), the points leader, was sixth after three rounds of qualifying.

George Goff(Bad Magic) 9.014 @ 110.081

Modified Eliminator qualifying(10.00)

A lucky thirteen Modified Eliminator boats timed in and after three passes it was Andrew Decker(N-2-Deep) only 5/1000th off the index taking the top spot. The points leader, Greg Carr(Aint Scared) posted a time putting him fifth.

Andrew Decker(N-2-Deep) 10.005 @ 99.641

Stock Eliminator qualifying(11.00)

Paul Hodges(Banana Spit) scored the top qualifying spot in Stock Eliminator. Points leader Shannon Wilson was not in attendance, but the Mickey Harlow owned Booger Red, was piloted by Danny Anderson who was third after Friday’s passes.

Paul Hodges(Banana Spit) 11.015 @ 90.817

River Racer qualifying

Mike Carter(Long Shot) was number one qualifier in the bracket dial in River Racer class. Current points leader, Ronald Jones(White Trash) was sixth on the qualifying sheet,

Mike Carter(Long Shot) 12.411 @ 85.552

Lake Racer qualifying

Matt Ogrodowilz, 10.813 @ 94.231

Personal Water Craft 1 qualifying

Kyle Fawks was top qualifier in Personal Water Craft 1, as announcer Ken Dollar says, “for the older kids, ran closer to his dial in.”

Kyle Fawks, 18.845 @ 49.893

Personal water Craft 2 qualifying

In PWC 2 it was Ryan Loader getting the number one spot, while division 2 points leader Halee McIntyre slotted in third.

Ryan Loader, 14.015 @ 67.778

Qualifying continues tomorrow, Saturday Aug. 13

Gates open, 7:00am

Sportsman qualifying round 3, 9:00am

Pro qualifying round 3, 10:00am

Sportsman qualifying round 4, 12:30pm

Pro qualifying round 2, 2:00pm

Southern Underground concert(Lakeside Park), 3:00pm