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USSBA Pre-Race News

Military discount for Albany race!

By Jim DeFord

TANGENT, Oregon (July 16, 2010) — Oregon JetSprint today announced they will offer kid's prices for all adults showing a valid Military ID when purchasing tickets at the gate for the July 24th event. Adult prices are $15 and with the discount, would reduce the ticket cost to just $10.

 

Note this ONLY applies to tickets purchased at the gate on race day.

 

USSBA Pre-Race News

Race schedule for July 24th

By Jim DeFord

TANGENT, Oregon (July 13, 2010) — The following is valuable information for our fans and racers headed to the Albany race on July 24th:

 

Off-track dry camping is available. $10 per night. Follow the signs to the track. The camping site is 1 mile before the track entrance. You can't miss it!

 

TICKETS are available NOW at www.ticketswest.com (search: sprint boats) or you can purchase them at the gate for $15.00 adults/$10.00 children  - 5 and under FREE Parking is $2.00 at the gate. NO PETS.


Gates open at 8:00am. Qualifying starts at 10am. Race is over around 4-5pm depending on boat count and crashes from the day.


Small Coolers will be allowed: No outside alcohol allowed on race premises. This includes the pit area. Smoking is only in designated areas.

 

We do have a beer garden available, please drink responsibly. Please assign a designated driver.


SEVEN awesome food vendors available on site!

 
If you are planning to sell your merchandise or to post your sponsor banners outside of your pit area, you MUST arrange this with us ahead of time and sign a vendor agreement BEFORE race day.
 

Bring your families, lawn chairs, sun canopies. Canopies will be allowed in marked designated areas only.
PLEASE, NO PETS
 

Friday, July 23rd - SHOW AND SHINE

LAKESHORE LANES
5432 Pacific Blvd SW
Albany, OR 97322


Starts at 5 pm and ends around 8:00pm. Most of the boats racing Saturday will be at this event Friday night. (Some will still be driving here, so they won’t make it in time).


This is a great chance for you to come down, meet the teams and vote for the boat that you think is the shiniest and best looking, that boat will win the “Show and Shine” event and receive something special at the awards ceremony after the race on Saturday!


Enjoy the Bowling, Putt-Putt Golf, and Sports Bar while at this show and shine.
 

Saturday, July 24th - RACE EVENT

Track address: 33131 Witt Rd. Tangent, OR 97389

 

7:00am- Gates open for racers
8:00am- Gates Open
8:30am- Drivers meeting (Do not be Late, this will be at 8:30am)

8:30am- Media Safety meeting at announcers stand
9:00am- Ramp Open for Boat warm up
10:00am- Singing of the National Anthem
10:05am- Racing will start
Lunch Break After the 4th qualifier (no break after 3rd qualifier)
Finals after lunch break
 

USSBA Pre-Race News

Field of Dreams being readied for July 24th event

Extra safety measures added as team preps track

By Jim DeFord

TANGENT, Oregon (June 26, 2010) — Oregon JetSprint, the organizing body of this incredible track just south of Albany, will be adding more cabling and catch fencing as they prepare for their first event of the 2010 USSBA Racing Series season.

 

There is a huge contingent behind every track as they prepare for each race and with the Albany track being the largest by far, of any track on the circuit, it's even more work for these folks who also race in the USSBA Racing Series.

 

So, in addition to preparing boats and teams and traveling and on and on, Oregon JetSprint also maintains the Field of Dreams. Quite a monumental task with the majority of the team also holding day jobs on top of all that.

 

The racing this season has been nothing less than uber-exciting with the fastest boats we have seen in ALL classes in many years.

 

That speed will be amplified several times over at this great facility. Track co-owner, Kyle Patrick informed me the other day that we will also be shooting photos from a helicopter for part of the race in four weeks.

 

We shot from a helicopter for the first event at Webb's Slough and DeFord Photo is very excited to be able to offer that perspective at the Field of Dreams during the July race, in addition to on-track shots and other photographs from around the track.

 

A special thanks to Oregon JetSprint for providing those facilities for the USSBA media photo and video crews.

 

USSBA News

East Wenatchee event moving forward!

Lease and contract signed

EAST WENATCHEE, Washington (June 23, 2010) — The East Wenatchee city council, Tuesday, voted to authorize the funds, sign the land lease and also sign the USSBA contract that moves the September 4th event closer to reality. The vote was 4-2 with the same council members voting the same way as they have through this entire process.


CLICK HERE for the complete story from Wenatchee World.

 

USSBA News

Marsing set for June 5th opener

Free camping and parking!

By Jim DeFord

MARSING, Idaho (May 21, 2010) — The entire track has been re-groomed like never seen since its inception. The scary shoals have been removed, shoreline rock moved back where it belongs and leveled, and the entire bottom of the track has been leveled and cleaned up. The racing should be the fastest and most intense we have seen at Marsing in many years!

 

Free, dry camping is being provided. Porta-potties will be available but there are no other facilities so bring your own water and generators if you need electricity. Parking will also be free at Marsing for the 2010 season.

 

Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children 10 and under with a paid, supervising adult. VIP tickets are $20 at the gate. For quick entry, fans are highly encouraged to purchase their tickets online at ICTICKETS.

 

The official USSBA motel will be LaQuinta Motel in Caldwell. There are a block of rooms set aside for the racing teams.

 

Show and Shine will be in Marsing at Upper Park on Friday, June 4th from 5-8pm. Just drive across the bridge and follow the signs.

 

On raceday, the driver's meeting is at 9:00am SHARP! DRIVERS: DO NOT BE LATE FOR THIS MEETING! No running or tuning of boats during the driver's meeting. All tuning will cease at 9:50am. Racing will start promptly at 10am. Teams are highly encouraged to be on the ball and ready to go. Excessive delays may result in penalties and/or loss of your run for that session.

 

TRACK SCHEDULE FOR SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 2010

7:00am: Gates open for racing teams

8:00: Gates open to public

7:00 to 8:55: Pits hot for tuning

8:55 to 9:20: Pits cold - NO RUNNING OR TUNING

9:00 to 9:20: Driver's Meeting

9:00: Media safety meeting at announcer's booth

9:20 to 9:50: Pits hot for tuning

9:50: Pits cold - ALL running and tuning ceases

9:50 to 9:59: Teams prepare to race

10am: First boat on the water

 

 

USSBA News

East Wenatchee council cancels July 3rd race

By Jim DeFord

EAST WENATCHEE, Washington (May 2, 2010) — After much deliberation, citizen input, hand wringing and gnashing of the teeth, the East Wenatchee city council has voted to cancel the proposed July 3rd race. And with this change the whole scenario needs to be revisited as now with just the proposed September race looming.

 

In others words, it's once again back to step one, with the odds being the September race also being canceled and two races (once again) being considered for 2011.

 

From Wenatchee World: Another proposed race scheduled for Sept. 4 is now on hold until the city council can vote to approve it. At Tuesday’s council meeting, Lacy said he expects a new proposal and vote at the next City Council meeting, on May 11. The vote is necessary because the scope of the races have changed — from two races to one race this year — thus the costs and revenues also are different, he said.
 

From reading the above quoted article from Wenatchee World, it looks as though the major roadblock was in the acquisition of water. With those roadblocks in place, though not insurmountable, it was decided to cancel the July race due to the tight timeframe of getting everything properly organized and permitted by the proposed July 3rd race date. MORE —>>

 

 

USSBA News

Sprint boat racing churns into East Wenatchee

By Rochelle Feil Adamowsky
World staff writer

The Wenatchee World

East Wenatchee, Washington (February 25, 2010) — Sprint boat racing is on its way to East Wenatchee this summer.

The East Wenatchee City Council approved sponsoring the event with a 4-2 vote Tuesday night.

The city is considering two proposed dates for races, July 3 and Sept. 4. Dawn Collings, the city’s events board director, said she has received positive feedback from people and businesses in the Wenatchee Valley. “I think we’ve addressed the major issues. I think we’re in a good position to bring this event to the community.”

The proposed location for the races is east of Union Avenue on 10th Street N.E. In preparation for the race, a course would be dug and filled with water. Collings said irrigation water is available through the Greater Wenatchee Irrigation District. Fencing and gravel also would be added.

Collings presented the City Council with estimated expenses and revenues of the proposed races. The first race is estimated to cost $40,000 — which will cover trenching, leasing property, a county event permit, United States Sprint Boat Association fees and other expenses. Revenues for fees and passes are conservatively expected to be about $43,500. The city also estimates that about $55,000 will come in to the city through hotel rooms, food and fuel for visitors. Subsequent races are estimated to cost about $25,000. Money to fund the races will come from undesignated sales tax revenue.

“Those are probably not accurate numbers; they’re just as close as you can get, as accurate as you can get,” said Mayor Steve Lacy during the meeting. Collings estimated revenues and expenses based on information received from area businesses, the Sprint Boat Association and the Wenatchee Valley Convention & Visitor’s Bureau.

“The city’s risk here would be approximately $10,000 to $15,000, maybe $20,000,” Lacy said. “First of all, that’s not going to break the bank. It’s not going to raise taxes, and it’s probably not going to happen. ... The risk is not that significant, but the benefit to the community is significant.”

Lacy noted that the first year the city held the Wings & Wheels Festival, fewer details were known about revenues and expenses of the festival than are known now about the sprint boat races. That year, 2002, about $4,000 was lost. Now, the city makes about $8,000 on the event.

Before he voted no, Councilman Dennis Hendricks expressed concerns about not having enough facts. “I’m not about to be a risk taker with other people’s money,” he said. Councilman Dave Bremmer also voted no.

USSBA News

Potential wrench thrown into spokes of East Wenatchee event

Fire access becomes an issue

By Jim DeFord

EAST WENATCHEE, Washington (July 16, 2010) — As reported in Wenatchee World, the local newspaper for the Wenatchee area, fire access has become the latest roadblock thrown at two proposed events in September 2010 and July 2011. The article was published July 14, 2010.

 

As the event organizers try and get their ducks in a row for the required event permit, the county chief is asking for a second access road to the track, even though there will be a fire truck present at the track on race day.

 

It's looking to be an issue of whether the secondary access road requires gravel or not.

 

Read the complete article by Rochelle Feil Adamowsky by clicking HERE.

 

USSBA News

It's time to go racing

Thunder River Racing Revives Marsing

By Jim DeFord

MARSING, Idaho (May 13, 2010) — Just three weeks and a couple days the United States Sprint Boat Association Racing Series will head into Marsing, Idaho with engines at full song and ready to rock and roll as the series begins the 2010 (aka twenty-ten) season.

 

After a one year split, not unlike that of IndyCar and the Indy Racing League in the 1990's that took nearly 15 years to resolve, at least some of the fledgling National Jet Sprint Association (NJSA) teams will be joining the major sanctioning body of sprint boat racing in the United States, the USSBA, for the 2010 season starter race in Marsing, Idaho.

 

An entirely new management team will be heading up the two Marsing events scheduled for June 5th and August 7th. The track has been groomed like not seen since the tracks inception in the 1990's as the first dug track in the United States.

 

Longtime USSBA proponent, sprint boat racer and 2009 defending Group A-400 Champion, Jack Bright Sr., is managing the Marsing track for the 2010 season and the outlook is excellent for 2010 and beyond.

 

Jack and his team, Thunder River Racing (TRR) have groomed the entire bottom of the track, cleaning out the shoals that have grown and grown over the years as a sprint boat track deteriorates race to race. TRR is also raking back the blown-out gravel over the banks to make Marsing a truly reformed track like the the teams have not seen for many years.

 

Marsing has been completely renewed and the USSBA is proud to hold its first race of the twenty-ten (2010) season at this scenic Snake River-hugging track. Both the teams and the fans will be privy to the best sprint boat racing this track has seen since the 1990's.

 

Marsing is back...She's mad as hell...and she's not going to take it anymore!

 

Come and see, and fall in love once again, the sprint boat racing you knew and love...

 

The boys are back in town!

 

 

USSBA News

Sprint Boat pioneer dies

By Jim DeFord

(May 19, 2010) — John Jones, the builder of the very first USA-born sprint boat, and a pioneer of sprint boat racing in the United States passed away on May 9, 2010, after a battle with cancer.

 

John, Jim Grothie, Golden Wardel and a few others were the original sprint boat racers in the United States and what has now become the United States Sprint Boat Racing Association and the USSBA Racing Series that takes place in the Northwestern corner of the United States.

 

There will be a moment of silence at the opening ceremonies of the 2010 USSBA Racing Series at Marsing Idaho, on Saturday, June 5th.

 

 

USSBA News

Marsing officially on 2010 schedule

By Jim DeFord

MARSING, Idaho (February 11, 2010) — After an abrupt and tumultuous disappearance in 2008, the Marsing track is back on the schedule for the 2010 season.

 

Thanks to Jack Bright, who will mastermind the two races at Marsing this year, the 2010 schedule is expanding rapidly with the addition of Marsing. If you notice the schedule posted here on the website, there are two TBA races that will also be announced shortly. Stay tuned...

 

But, in the meantime, the contracts are signed for the Idaho track and the track will be preened and ready for the opening round of the USSBA Sprint Boat Racing Series on June 5th. The second race at Marsing will be held August 7th.

 

Along with the addition of the Marsing track—the first dug track in the United States—will come the teams and boats from Idaho that ran a short-lived series in 2008/09.

 

Though I didn't have the exact numbers, teams or names at press time, this could expand our boat count well above 30 boats with the new teams we had coming online before this announcement.

 

So, ladies and gentlemen, start your engines and get ready to battle the rocky shoals of the tight Marsing track! See you in June!

 

 

USSBA News

Champions receive trophies - Tentative 2010 schedule announced

By Jim DeFord

PENDLETON, Oregon (October 25, 2009) — The 2009 USSBA Racing Series champions have been officially crowned. Amanda Webb created beautiful one-of-a-kind trophies for the teams to place in their trophy cases. The dinner at the Pendleton Red Lion was absolutely delicious.

 

Results of the 2009 Motel Furniture Racing Association (MFRA) luggage cart and chair races are under review. Protests have been filed and fines may be issued. Injuries were minor and all furniture was returned mostly intact.

 

The tentative 2010 schedule has been posted. Dan Morrison announced that there is a pivotal meeting on or about November 3 that could decide the fate of the proposed Port Angeles track.

 

The Army Corp of Engineers has presented some interesting hurdles—like any government agency can—and everyone has their fingers crossed that these issues will be resolved at that meeting

 

Revival of the track in Marsing, Idaho was also discussed as there apparently are no races scheduled to run there by the NJSA in 2010. There are quite a few hurdles to be resolved there before a race in Marsing could be sanctioned by the USSBA.

 

Stay tuned to the USSBA website for further information on both tracks. You will notice several open dates that could be filled by races at both Port Angeles and Marsing.

 

Links for the photos from the weekend will be provided on the forum.