Pine Bluff Round by Round
- by Suzanna Nichols

Lake Pine Bluff Nationals Lake Langenhofer in Pine Bluff, Arkansas was the site for the SDBA boat races held Labor Day weekend, 2002. The abundant shade trees provided a perfect spot for the ninety-three boats that made the pull to the 7th annual Lake Pine Bluff Nationals. The hard-working ladies in registration got a treat as they were in the air-conditioned pavilion getting participants signed in.

There were reaction time and ET pots to be awarded in Cleburne, but since Mother Nature would not cooperate, they were rolled over to Pine Bluff. The SDBA, Tutle Racing, Tutle Trucking, Joe Don Lewis and Johnny Dunlap contributed to the pots, giving $1750 to the racer running closest to their index and $1750 to the racer having the best reaction time for the weekend. Although the racers had the whole weekend, the winners got their times on Saturday. Pro Mod driver Kim Davidson in High Maintenance ran a 7.002, giving him the index prize and Top Eliminator driver Craig Johnson in Predator II won with his reaction time of .024. Rumor had it that he was treating his crew to a lobster dinner , but instead treated his boat to two new carburators. Congratulations to both of these competitiors!!

After three full rounds of qualifying, two people winning a raffle held during the day were given the "ride of a lifetime". Gordon Williams in Blew Bayou and Greg Carr in Ain't Scared were the drivers for these two brave people. Carr had a problem at the starting line, but when he got going, his passenger's heart was probably racing after the run down the course. It was great to see Ben Davis, who crashed at a boat race in Gadsden, Alabama, out spectating and doing well.

Saturday evening, about 100 pounds of catfish, complete with fries, hushpuppies, homemade slaw and tartar sauce was cooked by Sam Russell and Elsie Barron. Helping was Wes Bailey, Gary Payne and numerous others. The Bensons showed racing movies after dark - looked like a boatracing drive-in with golf carts and four-wheelers pulled in to spectate.

There were several people having special days this weekend. Seein' Red owner Steve Welch and Joe Barnes (The Real 239) had birthdays. Capital Felony Dollars owners John and Betty Shockey were celebrating their 30th anniversary. Pumpin & Thumpin's Mike and Kelly Stucky were celebrating their 16th anniversary.

On Saturday, in the Blown Alcohol Hydro division, Daryl Ehrlich in Screamin Demon laid down a time of 5.872 seconds at 199.115 mph. Unfortunately, this spectacular run gave him a "new sliding glass door" in the side of the motor, as his wife, Tanya said. The crankshaft, a couple of rods, and the new oil pan were all victims. On the bright side, everything else was repairable and Team Maxx-Ratt plans to be back racing in Bryan. Stephen Mireles in Pure Pleasure ran a 5.974 at 198.675 mph - a personal best for him. He was the lone BAH entry on Sunday, making a pass of 6.66 at 187.89 mph.

In Pro Limited Jet, #1 qualifier Bob Seitsinger in One Destiny had an et of 9.12 at 111.80 mph in his round one bye. On Saturday, Seitsinger broke both records previously held by Gary Ogden in Full Time Hobby. The new records are the et of 9.051 and the mph of 114.943. #2 qualifier Jeremy Dickerson in Dad's Pocketbook took the win over #3 qualifier Garry Snow in Snowman with an et of 9.07 over Snow's 9.30. In the finals, Seitsinger red-lit, giving the win to Dickerson.

In Pro Gas Jet, #1 qualifier Howard Coley in Country Bumpkin took the round one win over #4 qualifier Joe Duszik in Final Answer. #2 qualifier Joe Barnes in The Real 239 took the win over #3 qualifier Sandy Chambers driving Out of Hand. In the finals, Coley had an et of 8.39 at 116.58 mph to take the win over Barnes' 8.51 at 122.28 mph.

On Saturday, David Skalicky in Bad Boy's Dixie Toy Express Special set a new Blown Gas Flatbottom record previously held by Freddie Rice in Fist Full of Dollars with an et of 8.075. Skalicky's new record et is 7.996. Unfortunately on Sunday, #1 qualifier Skalicky red-lit, giving the win to #2 qualifier Tony Anderson in Flat Psychotic, who had an et of 8.78 at 124.13 mph.

In Pro Gas Flatbottom, #1 qualifier George Goff in Flat Magic took the win over #4 qualifier George Loomis in Family Feud. #3 qualifier Gary Lindsay in Bitz-N-Pieces had a better reaction time to take the win over #2 qualifier Don Kaz in Delirious. The the finals, Lindsay red-lit, giving the win to Goff, who had an et of 7.77.

Pro Mod alley was very busy part-swapping and wrenching Saturday evening. Mike Sorenson 's Plum Crazy caught on fire and burned up the blower on Saturday, but Kim Davidson loaned him a blower. Mickey Snider's Top Gun lost the v-drive and transmission, so Kim Davidson, Doug Verstuyft and Daryl Ehrlich came to the rescue with parts to get him race-ready Sunday. Although this class is highly competitive, each team is always ready to come together to help a team in need . Doug Verstuyft provided a stress-relieving performance with the acrobatics of the Elmo in a chicken suit on his remote-controlled vehicle. In round one competition, #1 qualifier Kim Davidson in High Maintenance had an et of 6.994 at 166.97 mph in his bye run. #5 qualifier Mickey Snider in Top Gun red-lit, but took the win when #4 qualifier Mark Kennedy in Wicked When Wet failed to fire and break the starting beam. #2 qualifier Doug Verstuyft in Thunder Chicken took the win with an et of 7.01 when #7 qualifier Mike Sorenson in Plum Crazy didn't make it off the line. #3 qualifier Jim Richards in Alka-Hauler took the win with an et of 7.13 over #6 qualifier Scot Wilson in Ratt Sass' time of 7.61. Snider took the win over Davidson in round two. Richards red-lit, giving the win to Verstuyft. In the finals, Verstuyft broke out with a 6.992, giving Snider his first Pro Mod trophy with an et of 7.07 at 172.08 mph.

In Pro Eliminator, #1 qualifier Roger Leas in R & D Express took his round one bye, running an et of 7.96. #5 qualifier James Medly in Simply Irresistible took the win over # 6 qualifier Jimmy Booher in Hillbilly Express with an et of 8.04 to Booher's 8.33. #2 qualifier Jim Snider in Dirty Harry took the win when #9 qualifier Doug Maderer in More Reach lost power at the starting rope. #3 qualifier Todd Ebert in Another Wet Dream took the win over #8 qualifier Phillip Sabo in Liquidator. #7 qualifier Darrell Bryant in Free Spirit had an et of 8.34 to take the win over #4 qualifier Syd Kinsey in Second Pleasure. In round 2, Medley lost power at the starting gate, giving the win to Leas, who had an et of 8.16. Snider had an et of 8.40 in his bye run. Bryant red-lit, giving the win to Ebert. In his round 3 bye run, Leas had an et of 8.02. Snider failed to fire, giving the win to Ebert. In the finals, Leas took the win over Ebert.

In Top Eliminator, #14 qualifier Ken Reedy in Jokers Wild had an et of 9.04 to take the round one win over #1 qualifier Craig Johnson in Predator II. #4 qualifier Rock Guthrie in Pure Insanity had a better reaction time to take the win over #11 qualifier Mike Ward in Tunnel Vision. #5 qualifier Buck Hux in Child's Play had an et of 9.004 to win over #10 qualifier Barry Helm Ain't Goin Peacefully. #2 qualifier Glen Duncan in Spoiled Rotten took the win over #13 qualifier James Fowler in Bad Toy with an et of 9.008. #7 qualifier James Monaco in Rebel V broke out with an et of 8.94, giving the win to #8 qualifier Randy Benson in Fool Throttle, who had an et of 9.009. #3 qualifier Wade Wallace in Rush took the win when #12 qualifier Brady Kimbro in Pure Sin red-lit. #6 qualifier Mark Scobee in Desperado had an et of 9.04 to give him the win over #9 qualifier Mike Stucky in Pumpin & Thumpin. Reedy had an et of 8.94 in his round 2 bye. Hux took the win over Guthrie. Duncan took the win when Benson broke out. Wallace took the win over Scobee. In round 3, Reedy broke out with an et of 8.94, giving the win to Hux, who broke out with an et of 8.98. Duncan took the win when Wallace broke out. In the finals, Duncan had an et of 9.01, giving him the win over Hux, who broke out with an 8.95.

In Modified Eliminator, #1 qualifier Ronald Holden in Dangerous When Wet had an et of 10.01 on his round one bye. #8 qualifier Johnny Dunlap in Play Toy red-lit and broke out, giving the win to #9 qualifier Mark Wells in Say Win. #4 qualifier Travis Tutle in T-N-T Racing red-lit, giving the win to #13 qualifier Steve English in Only God Knows Why. #12 qualifier Greg Kordsmeier in Capital Felony Dollars had an et of 10.06 to take the win over #5 qualifier Larry Rome in Thumper. #2 qualifier Wes Bailey in Choker had a better reaction time to take the win over #15 qualifier Robbie Barrett in Don't Be Cruel. #7 qualifier Sam Russell in Busin Loose had an et of 10.06 to take the win over #10 qualifier Chad Kendrick in Seein Red's 10.20 et. #3 qualifier Gary Payne in Cheyenne Express had a legal single pass of 10.11 when his competitioin #14 qualifier Steve French in Outlaw I failed to make the call to the water. #6 qualifier Maurice Fox in Moose is Loose took the win over #11 qualifier Paul Wright in Pull Toy. In round 2, Holden had an et of 10.04 to take the win over Wells. English blew his motor on his first round pass. Therefore, he missed the call to the water, giving the win to Kordsmeier. Russell broke out with a 9.94, but took the win when Bailey broke out with a 9.74. Fox broke out with a 9.95, giving the win to Payne. In the semi-finals, Kordsmeier red-lit, giving Holden the win. Russell had an et of 10.09 to take the win over Payne's 10.23. In the finals, Holden took the win over Russell.

In Stock Eliminator, #1 qualifier Scott Seastrom in Freedom Plus ran an 11.09 in his round one bye. #6 qualifier Brad Davis in Low IQ took the win over #7 qualifier Vic Fugate in Rather Be Blown. #2 qualifier Sambo Smith in Crapshooter broke out with a 10.82 to give the win to #10 qualifier Todd Childress in No Mercy, who ran a 11.003. #4 qualifier Rennie Easley in Rattitude took the win over #9 qualifier Jeff Gulett in One Bad Alley. #11 qualifier Gordon Williams in Blew Bayou had a better reaction time to win over #2 qualifier Greg Carr in Ain't Scared. #5 qualifier Buddy Bullard in White Lightnin took the win over #8 qualifier Mel Smith in SMI Presertor. In round 2, Seastrom broke out, giving the win to Davis. Childress had an et of 11.60 take the win over Easley's 11.92. Williams had the worse of the two breakouts, giving the win to Bullard. In round three, Childress had an et of 11.08 to take the win over Davis. Bullard sat out his bye. In the finals, Childress broke out with a 10.79, giving the victory to Bullard, who also broke out with a 10.99.

In River Racer I, #10 qualifier Denise Hodges in Aquatic Therapy broke out, but took the win when #1 qualifier Michael Falk in Ridge Runner failed to break the starting beam. #3 qualifier Lyle Strickland in Blackwidow red-lit, giving the win to #8 qualifier Brandon Johnson in More Aggravation. #4 qualifier Jim Plyler in Foolish Pleasure had the lesser of the two breakouts to win over #7 qualifier Cindy Helms in Bass Boat Hunter. #9 qualifier Mike Schoraul in Nail It broke out, giving the win to #2 qualifier Myron Rust in Boat Named Sue. #5 qualifier Terry Jamar in Southern Pride had a better reaction time to take the win over #6 qualifier Bo Boggs in Late Night Affair. Hodges had a round two bye. Johnson had an et of 12.04 to take the win over Plyler's 12.06. Rust and Jamar both red-lit, but Rust took the win with the lesser of the two infractions. In the semifinals, Johnson red-lit, giving Hodges the win. Rust ran an 11.82 in his bye run. In the finals, Hodges took the win over Rust.

In River Racer II, #1 qualifier Chad Hall in Flash Point red-lit, giving the win to #4 qualifier Dean Ongman in Wet Dreams, who broke out with a 12.99. #2 qualifier Michael Hall in Momma's Nightmare ran a 13.37 and took the win when #3 qualifier James Westerfield in Just Add Water broke out with a 12.87. In the finals, Chad Hall red-lit, giving the win to Michael Hall.

In Personal Watercraft, #1 qualifier Neil Sorenson had an et of 15.46 in his round one bye. #4 qualifier Tiffany Helms in Tiff's Toy took the win over #5 qualifier Curtis Byler on Texas Slingshot. #2 qualifier Todd Biles on White Lightning took the win when #7 qualifier Darris Whited on Still Trying failed to fire. #3 qualifier Bruce Johson on Shamu had an et of 16.59 to take the win over #6 qualifier Travis Helms' 18.83. In the semifinals, Sorenson won over Tiffany Helms. Biles took the win over Johnson. In the finals, Sorenson had an et of 15.22 to take the win over Biles' 15.96.

The final SDBA race of the year will be in Bryan, Texas in two weeks. Several classes have hotly contested points races still to be decided.