2007 Race Results
The Kent Island Yacht Club in Chester, Maryland was the host site for the 17th annual Thunder on the Narrows held August 4 - 5, 2007. The conducting race club was the Kent Narrows Racing Association with the races being run on the tight Hog Bay race course in the APBA Inboard category.
The KNRA highlight races for the weekend was the Paul Sohn, Jersey Speed Skiff Memorial and the Alton Pierson, 5 Litre Memorial. Paul Sohn, whose life was lost in a racing accident in Port Deposit, Maryland in September 2006 was a active member with the KNRA. Sohn's family was present for the racing activities with wife Kim, along with their three children. Brittany, Tiffany, and T.J. who each raced at their Dad's side in the JS-57 Jumpin Jack Flash was active during the weekend as well with all three Sohn children getting race rides at the Thunder on the Narrows.
The Paul Sohn, Jersey Speed Skiff Memorial was won by Tom Pakradooni and Billy Sewell in the JS-99 Veri Cheri Too. The JS-99 lead wire to wire but, second place was a hot contest and a dead heat between the Buturla family JS-712 Just Flyin and the Strickland family owned JS-4 Red, White, and Brew.
The Alton Pierson, 5 Litre Memorial conducted for the third straight year was won for the third time by Donnie Thompson's E-816 Batt Boat. Tom Thompson driving had a battle for one half a lap with Ken McMullen in the E-99 The Rock but after that took the black and yellow boat to victory over McMullen. Eric Roberts was third in the E-50 Proptalk/Pintail Mistress.
The KNRA would like to thank the Hill's Point Gang from Cambridge, Maryland for providing the trophys for the Memorial races.
1 Litre racing was chilling nearing the end of Sunday's action. In the warm up period prior to one minute, Keith McMullen in the Y-80 Leo's Vacation Center/Outlaw did a complete loop and drove back to the pits! McMullen, was not hurt and came back to win the final heat. Bobby Kennedy drove Jim Wilson's Y-20 Wind Shear Sunday, winning the heat race and finished third in the final behind runner up Mark Johnson in his Dad's Y-89 Spider's Web III. Johnson, on Saturday won the final over Kenny McMullen in the Y-81 Hostile Takeover sponsored by Red Eye's Dock Bar.
1.5 Litre Stock had the best race of the weekend in Sunday's heat race. Brandon Kennedy, in the T-25 Shameless, Say What? edged past Kelly Shane, aboard the T-1 Tangled Up In Blue in a three lap duel with the dash to the finish being won by the 15 year old from Bear, Delaware. Kennedy won the final over Jason Browning in the T-999 Bad to the Bone as Kelly Shane failed to start. Kelly Shane, in the Saturday final looked to have the race won but the T-1 hit a hole and hooked in the apex of turn one and fell to third with Browning winning with Kennedy in second.
2.5 Litre Stock brought a new sponsor to Sam Horner's S-88 running as Rockstar Energy Drink with Bobby Kennedy driving. Kennedy won three times in the S-88 at Kent Island. The Saturday final was Tim Struzek's scoring a victory in the S-702 Winning Ticket. Other fine showings for the weekend were Jimmy McMullen in the S-76 Back 'n Blue, Kenny McMullen aboard Mel Utz's S-60 Miss Linda, and Mike Mellina in Tim Lee's S-81 Second Chance.
National Modifieds was all Mark Johnson in the NM-30 Big Bird Pennzoil sweeping the weekend. Wheeler Baker had Bobby Moore's NM-69 Runaway rolling early but a DNF the first heat of the weekend took the NM-69 out of the rest of the race weekend. Mike Movinski finished second twice on Saturday in the NM-116 Rockstar Energy Drink but had a DNS on Sunday.
2.5 Litre Modified had three hulls show in Kent Island with Mr. Lane One Chuck Miller, winning in the A-54 Whoopee. Miller, was challenged early by the veteran Chris Oliver in the A-4 Every Penny but after lap two the A-4 returned to the pits with a DNF. Debbie Welte's driver's keys went to Kelly Shane finishing second in the A-23 Geezerboat. The class just ran once on Saturday.
Pro Stock took to the track once Sunday, with a three boat side by side by side race for two laps but on lap three Tom Richmond's PS-9 BMS Racing Equipment pulled away from Chris Thompson's, PS-41 Janet's Second Choice taking the checkered flag first. Thompson was second and Dale Hernandez, Jr. was third in the PS-690 Revival.
- Jeff Ayler