SDBA Wolf Creek Nationals Drag Boat Races Roar Back to Grand Lake This Weekend

Get ready for some seriously loud fun this weekend as the Southern Drag Boat Association returns to Grand Lake with the Wolf Creek National Drag Boat Races Friday and Saturday, July 8 and 9.

To get an idea about what to expect, SDBA event coordinator Rae Beth Fawks says to imagine a drag car race only on water.

“We’re crazier though,” Fawks said.

The 1/4-mile course at Wolf Creek in Grove will see speeds up to 260 mph during the two days of drag boat racing competition.

The Wolf Creek Nationals Drag Boat Races will feature 100 boats with racers coming from Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, Arkansas, Missouri and Louisiana, and as far away as Illinois, Arizona, California and Mississippi.

Gates open both days at 8 a.m. with races starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday and at 10 a.m. Sunday. Saturday’s races continue until 6 p.m. while Sunday’s races end at 5 p.m. A chapel service will be held at 8 a.m. Sunday.

The Wolf Creek Nationals Drag Boat Races will feature 13 classes, ranging from personal watercraft races with teenage drivers, 12 to 18 years old, all the way up to Top Fuel Hydros, which thunder down the liquid track at speeds around 260 mph.

Saturday’s drag boat races are the qualifying rounds, where racers will run four times to get their best times. Those times will be used to pair boats for Sunday’s elimination competition. Boats will keep racing Sunday until one winner is crowned.

Lake racers are invited to participate in the open class. Just bring whatever boat you take to the lake and come race the clock to see how fast it truly goes. Sign up for the open class races on Friday afternoon or Saturday morning.

This is the second time the SDBA has brought its thrilling drag boat races to Grand Lake. And, organizers expect it won’t be the last.

According to Fawks, Wolf Creek has exactly what the member-driven drag boat racing organization looks for in event locations.

“We come to Wolf Creek because of the water. When drag boat racing, the water can’t be real deep and it can’t be open lake with a lot of wind,” Fawks said. “It also needs to be a bit secluded because other pleasure boats cause a lot of turbulence in the water, which can crash our boats.

“Wolf Creek is a great track for the races because it is one of the most protected and shallow locations the SDBA has found. Last year, we had a really good show. We loved it. We’re hoping to have more spectators this year.”

The race location on Wolf Creek allows spectators a good vantage point of each race, from start to finish.

“When you’re standing at the boat ramps on Wolf Creek, the races start back in the cove to the right,” Fawks said. “The boats race out of the cove, so spectators will be able to see the start and finish of each race.

“If you haven’t ever been to a drag boat race, come on out. The Wolf Creek Nationals Drag Boat Races is a very family-oriented event. Bring the kids. They love the boats and they love seeing the teenagers racing on the personal watercraft.”

That focus on family fun extends beyond the event itself, Fawks said.

“I’ve been doing this for 30 years. It’s all about family, our family,” Fawks said. “This is the only motor sports I’ve been involved in where if a competitor breaks down at the boat races on Saturday, other racers will loan parts and help get the boat repaired before Sunday. They’ll work all night getting the boat back out there and then risk losing to that repaired boat the next day.”

In addition to the thrilling action on the water, the fun will also include a bouncy house for kids, as well as food trucks selling a variety of concessions, including hamburgers, funnel cakes, snow cones and more.

The fun kicks off Friday, July 7, as the SDBA hosts a Show and Shine from 6 to 8 p.m. in downtown Grove next to City Hall. Approximately 40 drag boats will be on display during the Show and Shine.

The public is invited to come look at the boats, which will be started up during the event. Kids will be able to get in the boats and have their pictures taken. Team drivers and crew members will be on hand to talk with visitors and answer questions.

Tickets for the Wolf Creek Nationals Drag Boat Races are $15 a day or weekend passes are available for $25. First responders and military are free with identification. Children under 12 are also free.

Cooler passes are available for $10. Bleachers will be set up, but spectators can also bring their own chairs.

For more information on the Wolf Creek Nationals Drag Boat Races, visit www.sdbaracing.com or on Facebook at SDBA Southern Drag Boat Association Inc.