Fourth-place finish at world event for drag boat racer Shawn Dunbar
Peterborough’s Brent Valois also has a top 10 finish at world event
Two area drivers achieved a top five and top 10 showing at the 26th annual World Championship Drag Boat Races in Jasper, Tenn. on the weekend.
The Ontario Power Boat Racing Association (OPBRA), which hosted its second annual race on Little Lake last month, sent five racers to the event sponsored by the U.S. based Outboard Drag Boat Association (ODBA) at Marion County Park on the Nickajack River on Saturday and Sunday.
Ennismore’s Shawn Dunbar placed fourth overall in the Lake Racer Class winning five of a possible nine heats in the doubleelimination event. Dunbar was also named the Top Canadian at the event. Peterborough’s Brent Valois also raced in the Lake Racer division and achieved a top 10 finish. Valois is also the OPBRA president and organizer of the Peterborough Power Boat Races.
Dunbar won his class with two undefeated days at the Peterborough races. Also the head coach and general manager of the Port Hope Panthers junior C hockey team, Dunbar’s success at the local races inspired him to take a shot at the “best of the best” in his first trip to the world championships which draw a total of 80 entries.
“Rule differences were tough for us Canadians this weekend,” Dunbar said.
“Mandatory race fuel of 112 octane was pushed on us racers. Brent’s Evinrude powered motor uses regular 87 octane normally and both Jon Bigelow and my 280 HP Mercury engines run 91-94 octane. With having to run such higher octane on stock set-ups, we actually are at a slight disadvantage as the engines don’t burn the higher octane as efficiently.
“I noticed about a 500 RPM difference between testing back at home versus in Jasper. We also were running against modified set-ups that had a slightly higher weight minimum but were allowed to run more horsepower, again having an advantage with the higher octane.”
In OPBRA events there are two different classes for the different setup of boats.
“It still was a great experience and our group of OPBRA racers competed well and represented Canadians proudly,” Dunbar said.
“Personally, I want to thank Kawartha Propellers in Buckhorn for looking after me so well, along with Kevin Ward and John Archer. Undefeated in Peterborough back in September in Lake Racer, now top four at the worlds in my second year of racing, is a pretty awesome feeling. So glad to have my OPBRA friends there cheering us all on in Tennessee.
“This weekend also showed our organization (OPBRA) level of competition is getting stronger every year.”
Dunbar was an assistant coach with the Schmalz Cup champion Lakefield Chiefs last season. He left to take on a bigger role with Port Hope and also the assistant general manager’s role with the OJHL’s Cobourg Cougars.
“Now back to focusing on the hockey team,” Dunbar said. “I’ll worry about next season’s racing, in the spring.”