Sunday morning started much like Saturday for the Owensboro HydroFair, with officials continuously pushing the start time back due to River conditions. It was nearly 2 p.m. when Race Director Randy Lientz said it was safe to begin.
Lientz said with Saturday’s amount of debris, they were having difficulty racing safely. When they arrived Sunday morning, debris had subsided some, but the water level had raised 1 foot overnight making it difficult for crews to access the docks.
“The drivers don’t like to walk in the water — I don’t think anyone wants to — but they’re willing to, but it’s a safety issue again,” Lientz said.
When it finally came time for the race, the crowd was finally able to hear the powerful engines revving up at English Park as the racers prepared for some of the first drives on the river this weekend.
With more than 25 races on their schedule, the audience roared in cheers as the drivers made their way around the 1.25-mile course. In the first race of the day, crowd favorite Miss Owensboro — driven by Andrew Tate — originally placed in first place for his heat. However, due to a one-minute time penalty, Tate resulted in a second-place finish.
Tate later took home the crown in the championship race.
Tate said when it came to the Ohio River, it was a fun race and making sure everyone stayed in their lane was the top priority for him so there wasn’t any damage done.
However, a hydroplane in a later race had part of its right side break off mid-race, exposing the wood interior. The driver was able to make it back to shore and no other racer or vehicle was hurt as a result of that wreck.
Viewers filled both the English Park stadium and the downtown riverfront to watch the event, whether it be at a reserved table at the Convention Center or lawn chairs on the Legends Pier. As the day stretched past the 5 p.m. original end time, the crowd began to thin out downtown.
Caitlin McDonald had been downtown with her parents in the reserved seating section since about 10:30 Sunday morning and stayed through the evening. She had been excited to see the race as her father had been telling her about hydroplane races since she was growing up.
McDonald said that after Saturday’s unsuccessful attempt to race she and her parents came prepared and brought books and ways to pass the time while the setup crew was getting ready. Even with the delays and difficulty, she is hopeful that the HydroFair returns next year as this year held up to the stories her father had told her.
“I’m excited to come back next year and see it, and hopefully Mother Nature’s more cooperative, too,” McDonald said.
