I f you weren’t at the 36th annual Havasu Classic, you missed a

thrilling enduro race that challenges man and machine at speeds of over

140 mph while exerting more G-force on its drivers than an Indy car.

Held in February, the Classic was produced by Jim Russell and his Desert Steel Motor Sports. The event began in the 1960s by the city’s founder, Robert McCulloch Sr. of

McCulloch Outboard Motors fame. It is televised nationally by Speed Vision, with the help of hundreds of volunteers and sportsmen alike. The race, which features numerous classes of outboards and inboards, is a showcase for the popular Unlimited tunnel hull competition. It consists of 16-foot enclosed tunnel hull outboards that start from the beach in a modified Lemans-style race for one hour. The

boats line up at the beach with the drivers in position, engines off and the crew chief holding the boat. They await the starting gun side by side while the excitement builds. A gun fires, the drivers start their engines and the race is on.

This boat battle also requires pit stops, so naturally time is very crucial. The boats must fuel on the trailer away from the water’s edge, and the teams