All images courtesy of Mystic Powerboats
The speed merchants of the high-performance boating world have descended upon Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri for the 29th annual shootout. The showcase event are the speed runs on the ¾-mile-long course on Saturday and Sunday in which boats run one at a time to try to establish the top marks in their class and chase the Top Gun trophies for fastest V-bottom, fastest catamaran and the overall fastest boat.
The two-time defending Top Gun for the event is Don Onken’s 52’ Mystic catamaran, American Ethanol, which was throttled by Mystic Powerboats president John Cosker and driven by Myrick Coil last year. That team will be back this year as will some other familiar names including Tony Chiaramonte from DCB Racing in southern California, George Ogden in his deckboat powered by twin Teague Custom Marine engines, Brad Rowland and the world’s fastest pontoon boat and 2017 Hall of Fame inductee Carrie Sixkiller in her Baja 24’ Outlaw, Be Nauti, that has a new engine and drive this week. (Read our story on Carrie Sixkiller’s induction to the Hall of the Fame here!)
Over the years, Lake of the Ozarks has turned into a days-long festival with the schedule starting with the Volunteer party at the Stables at Cannon Smoked Saloon on Wednesday, August 16th. Two days later, the 4th Annual Border Xpressions Lil Boat and Pontoon Poker Run took place. Also on the first weekend was 8th annual Mini-Shootout at the Springs at Ha Ha Tonka with registration and testing taking place on Friday and Saturday morning with the competition heating up on Saturday and Sunday.
Lake Expo presented the Great Shootout Treasure Hunt at Captain Ron’s (the shootout headquarters) on Monday with the Shootout Volleyball Tournament and 2017 Hall of Fame inductions taking place during the day and evening, respectively, on Tuesday.
On August 23, high-performance fans can get up close and personal with the boats and engines at the Waves and Wheels Shootout on the Strip Meet and Greet on the Bagnell Dam Strip. The procession down 242 starts at 3 p.m. and the show opens to the public at 5 p.m.
Tomorrow the Shootout Racer village starts to take shape and there will be Make A Wish Powerboat rides from noon to 4 p.m. at Captain Ron’s. In the evening, Performance Boat Center will host the Poly Lift Poker Run Meet and Greet.
On Friday, the Poly Lift Poker Run takes place with breakfast and start at Big Thunder Marine. Safety inspections for the shootout will be taking place at Captain Ron’s and that evening, the popular restaurant and bar will host the shootout poker run dinner and card presentation.
On Saturday morning, it’s shootout time and after the personal watercraft run from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m., it will be time for the boats to take the course and look for the serious teams to try to get on the water early.
The same basic schedule will be followed Sunday with the awards ceremony taking place at 4 p.m. For the full Lake of the Ozarks schedule, check out www.lakeoftheozarkshootout.com/loto-schedule/
