Did You Know?
Many moons ago in the mid-1980s, two local boat enthusiasts heartily debated about whose boat was the fastest, and how they could prove their claims while moored in “Million Dollar Cove,” a.k.a. Party Cove (back in the day). Little did they know that their innocent conversation would become an event dubbed the “Largest Unsanctioned Boat Race” in the United States of America.
Fun Facts:
- Do you know how many different names that the Shootout has gone by?
- Three: Shooter’s Benefit Shootout, Lake Rescue Shootout, and the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout (as it is known today)
- Do you know how many names that the overall Top Speed Trophy has had?
- Two: Top Gun and Lt. Governor’s Cup
- Do you know who the first ever Top Gun was?
- Randy Scism, Owner of M.T.I., at a speed of 101 miles per hour
- Did you know that all of Saturday’s racing used to be time trials and not used for actual scoring? The timed trials meant nothing at all and were merely utilized as warmup runs; allowing racers to dial in their boats before the recorded races on Sunday.
- Did you know that the boats formerly went down the course, turned around, and then came back; therefore, recording two total scores along their single run?
- Do you know who has had the slowest registered speed in the Shootout’s History?
- “Celebration” in at 12 miles per hour (note that the driver was still required to wear helmets and a lifejacket).
- Did you know that the Annual Shootout was gaining so much fame and exposure, that a local fire district trademarked its name and logo (while called the Lake Rescue Shootout) in 2004? This trademark has since been released.
- Did you know that the Famed Detroit Gold Cup Hydroplane Races requested a date change of the Shootout as it was having a negative effect on their event?
- Did you know that the original course was a mile-long racecourse which changed in 2017 to a ¾-mile course? This change was made for safety reasons, due to the high speeds being produced on the one-mile run.
