The HydroFair got off to a promising start Friday afternoon, with racers able to hit the Ohio River at full speed during testing runs around the 1.25-mile track. Qualifying runs begin at 10 a.m. today followed by championship races at 1 p.m., with Sunday following the same schedule of qualifying and races.
Saturday’s racing will be for the Grand Prix APBA Summer National Championship, while on Sunday competitors will vie for the APBA North American Championship.
The hydroplane teams are separated into seven classes in which they will compete for the titles. Each class will compete for the APBA North American Championship. The Grand Prix class will also compete for the APBA Summer Nationals Championship.
These boats are fast, powerful, and loud, reaching up to 170 mph and spraying water high into the air as they rip through the river. The race course will be an oval-shaped track of 1.25 miles beginning and ending in front of the Owensboro Convention Center, and drivers will cycle the track four times.
