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Carrollton,
Kentucky was once again host to the Rumble on the River, a weekend gathering
of powerboats and enthusiasts. Hundreds powerboaters and powerboat
enthusiast participated in the river runs, poker run, grudge races, and
charity events, with many more coming for the spectacle and camaraderie. As
with past events, all proceeds from the third annual Rumble on the River
were donated to the Make A Wish Foundation for terminally ill children.
Through the efforts of organizers Gary Williams, Donna Perry, Tony and Kathy
Wilson, Rob and Kenna King, and Ben William, the weekend of August
8-10 was a great success that raised a great deal of money for the
foundation.
The Rumble On The
River was packed with entertainment, events, and, of course, some very fast
racing. Friday saw Rob King coordinate a poker run up the Kentucky River and
back, with each boater collecting sealed envelopes that contained cards.
Rumble attendees also had a chance to buy a ticket for the Mercury 2.5-liter
engine being raffled off by Tricia Kozan at the Tradewinds Marine tent. All
the proceeds above dealer cost went directly to the Make A Wish Foundation,
which resulted in a sizable donation. Troy Gilbert of Versailles,
Kentucky was the lucky winner who took home the brand new engine.
The next day
proved to have even more excitement in store, as the main drag races and GPS
runs took place under a gray sky that continually threatened rain.
Fortunately, boating was not affected, although there were two minor
accidents – one on land and one on sea – that caused some concern. After it
was determined that both men were not seriously injured, the races went on
for a good part of the day.
Saturday also had one of the most highly anticipated events of the Rumble –
a lecture by Jay Smith of
Jay Smith Racing
Engines. Drawing on years of experience as both a racer and machinist,
Jay gave an exceptionally informative presentation on how to safely get the
most out of an engine. In addition to his talk, Jay also answered questions
on topics ranging from oil brands to his custom-machined Mercury flywheels.
As always, the
Rumble on the River is held with the full cooperation of the Town of
Carrollton. This year, Tony Wilson arranged for a spectacular air show over
the river. A special biplane performed aerial stunts and flew so close to
the river that you could see the pilot wave as he flew by. The Rumble
auction featured products donated by participants as well as manufacturers.
Preliminary estimations total over $7000 raised for the Make A Wish
Foundation.
Sunday, the last day of the Rumble, proved to be a bit more quiet. Some
boaters had to make an early start on the long drive, while others were a
little subdued after the late night partying that had gone on. Still, there
were some lively grudge matches as drivers chose opponents and raced to the
finish line. Even the police boats got involved, and ran two grudge matches
against each other.
The Rumble On The
River had all the ingredients of a perfect performance boating event - great
organization, fast boats, lots of entertainment, charity events, and of
course, lots of boating and racing. This is what hot boating is all
about, and next year's Rumble On The River will surely be highly
anticipated.
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