PORT ANGELES — The sun came out and so did sprint boat fans as the race boats made their return to Extreme Sports Park on Saturday.
Local favorite, the Wicked Racing No. 10 unlimited boat driven by Port Angeles’ Dan Morrison and navigated by his stepdaughter Cara McGuire once again posted the fastest lap time (39 seconds) and advanced through elimination rounds to earn the win in the final in 41.423 seconds and take the coveted checkered-flag lap, reserved for victors.
Morrison could have taken his foot off the gas in the final as New Zealand driver Chris Munro and his navigator and spouse Katie Munro went wide around a turn, hopped up the far side of the track and slid to a bumpy stop at the safety fence surround the course.
The Kiwi boat posted a 41-second lap in the elimination round, so there was plenty of reason to suspect a close finish in the final.
The Fat Buddy Racing No. 22 boat piloted by Phil Miller of British Columbia and Sharon Houser of Albany, Ore. claimed the 400 in 42.713 to edge out the Showtime No. 5 boat team of Kelly Stevenson and Dennis Robinson in 47.468.
The Blue Bayou 40B, driven by Clayton Johnson and navigated by Dylan Hatch, just had to keep their boat in the water in the final after The Flyin’ Hawaiian No. 91 boat spun out while cornering around an island in its finals heat.
Johnson gave it a rip and finished his final heat in 46.253. He narrowly missed out on taking his checkered-flag victory lap when his boat spun out and sputtered out after crossing the finish line in the spinout pool.
It was the first-ever sprint boat victory for Johnson and he eventually was rewarded with the checkered flag when the boat’s engine re-fired after being looked at by crew members.
Johnson took advantage, taking a few loops around the ESP track.
The second sprint boat race will be held at Extreme Sports Park on Saturday, Sept. 7.
Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News The Rum Runner racing team of driver Jerimy Brewer and navigator Pressley Lollar speeds through the course on Saturday.
Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News A 400-class boat driven by Scott Saxton and navigated by Taydra Reichert weaves its way around the Extreme Sports Park course as members of the “island hopper’ safety crew look on during Saturday’s races.
Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News An unlimited class boat driven by Dean Lautenschlager and navigated by Jack Brusman is pushed back into the water after running aground on Saturday.
