THE sound of a hi octane engines roaring up and down the Manning River can only mean one thing - the Easter Powerboat Classic is on.
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This weekend's event will see the powerboats returning to the mighty Manning River for the 65th time.
Taree will host four Australian championships. The titles will be raced on Saturday of the two day program. This will include the Max Kirwan Trophy for unlimited hydroplanes which will feature Victorian Grant Harrison piloting his 513 cubic inch blown alcohol Grand Prix Hydroplane GP1. Four other boats have entered including local Ian Bryant driving his GP Mathemagic.
Bryant has been struggling with engine gremlins for a few years but a new engine program has seen him turn a few laps under full power at recent meetings.
Another title to be decided is the Hayes Wood Trophy for unlimited open inboard which will feature the Grand Prix hydroplanes facing the blown alcohol displacement (BAD) boats including Darryl Quinn in his very fast and reliable blown lite boat Bad Influence and Mal McColl driving The Chase. This event will include a couple of unknown boats, Lindsay MacMillan in Mac N Speed and newly completed Bruce Everingham capsule The Workhorse to be driven by Michael Newton.
The Lawson Shield for the six litre hydroplanes has attracted entries from New South Wales and Victoria. An Australian champion will be crowned in the superstock 105 for the first time. This is for boats restricted to the maximum speed of 105mph and has attracted 15 boats.
Taree Aquatic Powerboat Club drivers include Matt Rendoth competing in his first Easter Classic in Rendotech, Jim McFarlane in his pro-stock boat Hobo, Ryan McIntosh in the newly purchased one time six litre world championship winning boat Sacrifice, John Gray and son Kristian driving Dusty and Dusty II.
Chris Deehan will be racing his superstock 105 boat Ultra and making his first appearance at the Easter Powerboat Classic will be his grandson, Kyle Carle, driving the family boat Stone Cold. The 2015 event will be Carle's first Easter Powerboat Classic event and it will be a special for the Carle family as it was 65 years ago that his great grandfather, Allan 'Bindi' Carle raced in his very first Aquatic Festival event in 1951.
The Carle family have been involved with the Taree Aquatic Powerboat Club since it started in 1996.
The club will host its other major events on Sunday including the Liberty Cup, Geoff Stevenson Memorial race, Alan Smythe, named in honour of a late member of the local power boating club, Commodore's Cup, Lewis Brothers Cup and the race which will be the grand finale of the event the 2015 King of the River. This will see the best boats going head to head.