Photos by Kevin Kearney
Jasper, Tennessee is a well-known place for almost everybody here at Scream And Fly. The Outboard Drag Boat Association's world championship final race of the year takes place there, and the very best in the sport converge there to battle it out at the Nickajack Dam lake, which is absolutely the perfect location for such an event.
What makes this event so great is not only the incredible racing, but the accessibility of all the action to everybody. People are free to walk up to the boats and talk to the drivers and teams without restriction. Everything from boat weigh-ins, launches, and inspections take place in the open, which really adds a lot of interest to the event. Of course, there are the fastest outboard-powered drag boats in the world there, and everybody has a front-row seat to all of the racing, right at the bank of the lake. Just the sounds and smells the engines make as they race by gives this event a feel all of its own.
One star of the event was Caldwell Racing Technology's all-new billet aluminum V6 race engine. Running prototypes were at Jasper and reports of initial performance are stellar. This is one hot topic that has been a great area of focus for many Scream And Fly members. You can read more about the CRT engine in the forums by clicking here.
Another aspect that makes the Jasper race unique is the Friday river run, that has historically taken place for many years. Many of the spectators bring their own boats and racers even take part in the river run sometimes. That Jasper race rolls up everything that is great about performance boating races and events, all in one weekend.
Kevin Kearney was able to capture the race event from every vantage point - from the frenzied action in the pits, to the battle on the liquid quarter-mile. Kevin's photos tell the complete story of why this event represents the drag boat finale, and how this race event is unlike professional races in every other motorsport. Photography is about telling a story, not just showing images. I have attended the Jasper races many times, and the following photos are a fantastic representation of this incredible race event.
Forum Discussion: For more photos, click here to view the ODBA Jasper event post.
Final Standings
Lake Racer Josh Broussard |
Super Stock Todd Catrell |
Modified Production Shawn Jetton |
Pro Gas Casey McClellan |
Pro Mod Ed Trowbridge |
River Racer Mike Bishop |
Pro Drag David Pov |
Related Information
Outboard Drag Boat Association
Website: www.odbaracing.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Outboard-Dr...5955325793821/
Message