Hightower, Okeefe dominate HydroDrags

Three class wins for Hightower

The RIVA Racing HydroDrag series is seeing two racers rise to the top of this new form of PWC racing with Stan Hightower and Dan Okeefe claiming big wins in the Summer National event.

WaterTop Unlimited produced the APBA sanctioned Summer National event in Wetupka, Ala.; the second of the three-round HydroDrag series. Hightower claimed three class wins while Okeefe continued his dominance in the premier HydroDrag Unlimited class, both extending their overall series points lead in their respective classes.
 
The HydroDrag Summer National dodged scattered Alabama summer thunderstorms for perfect racing conditions and saw racers travelling from five states take to the waters of the Coosa River. Spectators at the beautiful Gold Star Park saw solid runs in Speed Alley and photo finish racing in the 1/8th mile HydroDrags.

HydroDrag hardware up for grabs at Summer National.

Racers were treated to glassy conditions in the Speed Alley event but hot temperatures dampened record speeds.  Duke Zorn of Titusville, Fla. posted the fastest top speed of the day in the HydroUnlimited class with a run of 88.8 mph on his #172-U conversion ski. Vince Williams of St. Charles, Mo. posted the fastest run in HydroLimited aboard his new Jet Draft Performance Yamaha FZR with a peak speed of 77.5 mph. Hightower on his Sea-Doo RXP-X took the first of his three event wins with a best of class 77.2 mph in HydroStock while Brandon Ferro of Orange, Tex. won HydroVintage on his 1997 Yamaha GPR with a peak speed of 68.3 mph.

Ferro collected his second win of the event taking the victory in the Vintage HydroDrag bettering Alabama’s John Neyman in the best of three final. Hightower of Lindale, Ga. would extend his overall HydroDrag series lead in both the Limited and Stock classes aboard his Extreme Propulsion/PPG sponsored Sea-Doo RXP-X watercraft. Hightower faced fellow Georgian Jeff Dyckowski in both class finals and nosed his competitor and good friend in both finals.    

Hightower would go for his forth event win reaching the premier HydroDrag Unlimited final against class favorite Dan Okeefe of Osage Beach, Mo. Okeefe, owner of Jet Draft Performance, is undefeated in the HydroDrag Unlimited class and would face the red hot Hightower in the final – the only other racer to win a HydroDrag Unlimited final (Fall 2008). Both would get great starts off of the WaterTop Launch Pad starting system but it would be Okeefe on his Turbo Sea-Doo RXP that would take the win and extend his overall series lead in the class.

“I am glad to get that win” says HydroDrag Unlimited final winner Dan Okeefe. “I raced with about four hours of sleep after driving 10 hours from Lake of the Ozarks (Missouri) and wasn’t sure if my ski was going to run the way it should, but the Jet Draft RXP pulled it out for the win. I am looking forward to the Fall event where hopefully all the fast guys will show up.”

Okeefe also mentioned a possible “Call Out” challenge against France’s Franky Zapata who is rumored to have the quickest racing PWC in the world. Add the return of record speed holder Julio Rivera of Puerto Rico (100.5 mph) to the Unlimited mix and the RIVA Racing HydroDrag Fall National will be a can’t miss event for racing fans.

The Final event of the 2009 RIVA Racing HydroDrag Series will be the APBA Fall National currently scheduled to take place November 7-8, 2009 at the C 54 canal near Palm Bay, Fla.  

For event information visit WaterTopEvents.com.

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