Shoot out gets wet ending

By By Tony Krausz / assistant sports editor
April 26, 2004
Rain may have deterred many spectators from Bonita Lakes to watch the final day of the first Bud Light Shoot Out, but it didn't keep the boats out of the water on Sunday.
The final day of the Outboard Drag Boat Association's first event in Meridian opened with the weekend's largest field of competitors as 19 racers lined up for the Modified Production class race.
Jay Smith of St. Cloud, Fla., who came in second in the Super Stock class Saturday, took the checkered flag in the Modified Production race.
Smith, who has six career event wins in ODBA, didn't lose in six heats to win the opening race of the day. The ODBA is the world's largest boat racing organization, and the weekend's races on the upper lake at Bonita Lakes was the first of this season's seven point races.
Smith defeated Shane Stevall of Prattville, Ala., in the final heat to win Modified Production. Kenny Anthony took third in the class for his best finish of his ODBA career.
The final heat was the second time Smith and Stevall were paired up in the race on Sunday.
Smith won in the first meeting, and he said already having one win over an opponent helps a racer psychologically. Smith was also helped by the double-elimination format of the race, which meant Stevall had to win twice to take the checkered flag.
Monte Skinner of Satsuma, Ala., picked up the win in the final race of the day the Pro Fuel class. Wayne Tripp of Montevallo, Ala., came in second in Pro Fuel, after giving Skinner a run for his money in the final pairing.
Tripp, who took second place in Pro Gas on Saturday, won the first pass in the final race to give Skinner his first loss in the class and force a second pass.
Skinner jumped out in front of Tripp in the second pass of the final round, and he was able to keep his lead for the entire quarter-mile stretch to win the race. It was Skinner's first win in Pro Gas.
Mickey Platt of Spanish Fort, Ala., finished third in the Pro Fuel class.
Kirk Burns of Ninda, Va., finished first in the Lake Racer class, which had nine boats in the race. Jimmy Hensley of Jefferson City, Tenn., finished second, and Lee Sanderson of Richmond, Va., finished third.
Two boats competed in the Sport Racer class, with Scooter Dunsfor of Milton, Fla., beating out Bobby Rabalais of Alexander, La., for first place.
The two-day drag boat racing event attracted 63 boats to Bonita Lake, which Tripp, who is vice president of the ODBA, said is a good turnout for the first points race of the season.
After drawing an estimated 1,000 spectators on Saturday, the crowd number dropped due to rain on Sunday. Flint said even though the weather didn't cooperate on the final day, he heard nothing but good things about the weekend from the racers, fans and sponsors.