FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: AUGUST 22, 2016
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MEDIA ALERT -- MEDIA ALERT
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WHAT:
The 28th Annual Lake of the Ozarks Shootout Powerboat Races
WHEN:
Saturday and Sunday, August 27-28
WHERE:
Captain Ron's Bar and Grill, Sunrise Beach, MO
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POWERBOATS TO GO FULL-THROTTLE DURING THE 28TH ANNUAL
LAKE OF THE OZARKS SHOOTOUT
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Lake of the Ozarks, Mo. - The largest unsanctioned powerboat race in the nation returns to Central Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks, August 27 and 28.
The Lake of the Ozarks Shootout, hailed as one of the "must-see" boating events in the nation by Powerboat Magazine, attracts over 100,000 people from across the U.S. to witness some of the fastest offshore powerboats in the world race against the clock and compete for the coveted honor of "Top Gun."
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The American Ethanol team claimed the "Top Gun" award in 2015 with a speed of 208 miles per hour.
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The Shootout, celebrating its 28th year this month, brings in about 100 boats to compete for top honors along the race course set up on the Lake in front of Captain Ron's Bar and Grill in Sunrise Beach. Last year, American Ethanol was awarded the "Top Gun" honor after its best run clocked in at 208 mph. The American Ethanol team will be back again this year to defend their title and try to break the current Shootout speed record of 244 mph, set in 2014 by the Spirit of Qatar.
"I'm definitely excited for the races on Saturday and Sunday," says Ron Duggan, event coordinator and owner of Captain Ron's Bar and Grill. "We have a really good field of competitors, with several past 'Top Guns' participating again this year, so it should be really fun and really competitive.
The speeds these boats reach are truly impressive and the crowd and atmosphere couldn't be any better."
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Around 100 powerboats will compete for the fastest speed on Saturday and Sunday, August 27-28.
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Saturday's activities get underway with personal water craft races at 8:30 a.m., followed by the official opening ceremonies and national anthem at 10 a.m. The powerboat races begin immediately after the opening ceremonies and continue until 5 p.m. Interspersed throughout the day are pontoon drag races and aerial performances by Brian Correll Air Shows. From 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., there also will be a vendor village and racing village, both open to the public. After the day's races conclude, there will be live music by the i-Berrys from 7-11 p.m. and entertainment by DJ Kyle from 11 p.m. until 1 a.m.
On Sunday, the high-octane action continues with races taking place from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. There will be more pontoon drag races and aerial acrobatics, with the final powerboat races running from 2-3 p.m. The presentation of the 2016 "Top Gun" will take place during the awards ceremony at 4 p.m. The vendor and racing villages will be open from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.
"Sunday's races are not to be missed," Duggan says. "All the teams will have made any necessary adjustments after Saturday's races and they'll be ready to give it all they've got for a shot to be named 'Top Gun.' So, you'll definitely see some fast boats."
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Spectators line up along the race course for front-row viewing of the high-octane action.
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Spectators wanting to get in on all of the thunderous action can view the races by land on televisions at Captain Ron's or by water from the decks of the cruise boat Celebration or by tying up their boats along the course outside of Captain Ron's. Typically, there are around 6,000 boats filled with onlookers lining the course for front-row viewing of the races. And, those who can't make it in person can watch live online at
www.KRMSradio.com.
Over the years, the Shootout has become one of the most popular summer events at the Lake of the Ozarks, as well as one of the most successful fundraisers for the community. Last year, close to 700 volunteers worked over 7,000 hours to ensure the success of the event's activities, which all bring in generous donations that go to 32 Lake-area charities. In 2015, the Shootout donated $175,000 to local charities and Duggan has set his sights on raising $200,000 this year. "We surpassed our initial goal of raising $150,000 last year, which was incredible, so we hope we'll be able to do the same again this year," Duggan says. Overall, in the last eight years that the Shootout has been held at Captain Ron's, Duggan says the event has generated nearly $750,000 in donations, a fact that makes him very proud.
For complete details on the 2016 Shootout, including information on lodging and parking as well as a full schedule of
activities
, visit
www.LakeOfTheOzarksShootout.org
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To learn more about all the fun events, attractions, as well as lodging and dining options available at the
"Best Recreational Lake" in the Nation, call the
Lake of the Ozarks Convention and Visitor Bureau (CVB) at
1-800-FUN-LAKE, or visit the CVB's award-winning website,
www.FunLake.com.
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LAKE OF THE OZARKS TRI-COUNTY LODGING ASSOCIATION
& CONVENTION AND VISITOR BUREAU
Phone: 800-FUN-LAKE (386-5253) Fax: 573-348-2293
P.O. Box 1498 Osage Beach, MO 65065
Website: www.FunLake.com Email: Info@FunLake.com
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STAY CONNECTED WITH THE LAKE OF THE OZARKS
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