(Photo by Lewie Osborne)

New Martinsville is rapidly gaining the reputation as the powerboat speed capitol of the east, south, and mid-west portions of the United States. At the end of the third annual Records and Regatta, 33 entries for national and world records, completing 246 passes in four categories of APBA (American Power Boat Association) racing rose to the challenge to establish 14 records. Additionally, four new OPC category champions were crowned, two Inboard category Challenge winners were named and three Vintage boats closed the weekend program on Sunday evening, Sept. 28.

Record runs

Shattering the ceiling, Dan Kanfoush, (#Y-1, Grand Island, N.Y.) clocked the highest speed of any class at 115.281 mph (Inboard category). New Martinsville was the final race of his stellar career, one that includes a few other records and more than seven National Championships. He admitted that running for a record was not his favorite thing: “You’re out there, on the edge, pushing your equipment anything can happen and sometimes does.” But the raw emotion on his face and the victory grins between Dan and boat owner Jim Schecler told the elation of the moment-ending the career of the Y-1 with a new National and World record. Later in the day Kanfoush went on to win the Y class Challenge, ascending the podium for the final time.

Records

as certified by APBA

(all speeds are mph)

Inboard: Dan Kanfoush, 115.281, John Shaw, 100.206 (#145) and 93.774 (#T-1); SLT Bandit James Yacko 58.864; Junior: AXH Kelsey Bennett 55.669, AXR Kelsey Bennett 53.768; STOCK: ASH Abby Pond 58.849, BSH Abby Pond 67.157, ASR Abby Pond 56.713, SR Bob Austin 65.789; MOD: 200cc H Kelsey Bennett 60.136, 200cc R Dave Bennett 57.713, 350cc H Tom Johnston 70.475. John Shaw established a new record on Saturday and then went on to break it on Sunday.

Inboard

Two classes were invited to compete for the individual class Challenge Championships Y and 5 Litre. At the close of racing on Saturday, John Jenkins of Kingston, Ohio, racing in the 5-Litre class became the first of the Challenge winners and Dan Kanfoush captured the title in the Y class on Sunday,

OPC (Outboard

Performance Craft

tunnel boats)

Powerboats pulled against the dock, fueled, ready to race, crew chiefs knowing that now it is all in the drivers’ hands, everyone anticipating the countdown and the fall of the starter’s flag. Watch the drivers as their canopies come down; look at their rigid postures, see the fire in their eyes as they narrow their focus. With three divisional championships and one national championship at stake, the adrenaline was palpable.

At the end of Saturday, the F3/SSt 60 class had a new champion: Jeff Krischano (Elk River, Minn.) followed by Carole Reno (Okeechobee, Fla.) in second and Dave Garze (Coon Rapids, Minn.) in third. The F2 SST 120 NE Championship title went to Lee Daniel (North Augusta, S.C.) with Ashton Rinker (Riverview Heights, Fla.) and Jeff Reno grabbing the other two podium positions.

The NE Divisional SST 200 Championship was awarded to Mark Proffitt (Jacksboro, Tenn). Brothers Rob and Ashton Rinker, racing under the Amsoil banner, placed second and third.

The main event on Sunday was the race for the National Championship in the F2 SST 200 class. Eleven entries from the northern tier of states to the bottom of Florida and point in between entered-all with a shot but knowing that only one driver could win. In the interest of time, the race, originally scheduled for 30 laps was shortened to 20. In an explosion from the dock the boats headed to the commitment buoy and raced for the downriver sets of turns. Through the glare on the water and the often-blinding water as drivers maneuvered through the traffic, Rob Rinker chased down Mark Proffitt, managing to pass when Proffitt spun coming out of the up river turn four mid point in the race. From that point to the end, Rinker powered through the field, crossing the finish at the end of the race-becoming the 2015 National Champion and earning enough points to secure the overall Powerboat Superleague championship. Proffitt eased into second place 0.378 seconds later and J. Michael Floyd of Rincon, Ga.) finished third.

These are the risk takers-the people who live for the moment, the excitement, the thrill of living on the edge. These are the people who scale mountains, sky dive, and race boats. These are the competitors that we come to see and learn to respect and in one way or another, they are all winners.