San Angelo City Council to Decide to Keep Drag Boat Races Alive

 

SAN ANGELO, TX – The San Angelo City Council Tuesday will consider a measure that would bring back the drag boat races to Lake Nasworthy in June 2020. 

On Nov. 8 last year, Lucas Oil announced it was ending its sponsorship of drag boat racing.  According to Lucas Oil, the Lucas Oil Drag Boat Racing Series ceased operations after almost a decade as the sanctioning body of drag boat racing. 

"Lucas Oil has made the decision to discontinue its involvement in drag boat racing,” Lucas Oil Executive Vice-President Bob Patison said.

“The Lucas Oil Drag Boat Series will cease to exist after all matters related to the 2018 season have been concluded. It was a difficult decision to make, especially given our long history with the sport. However, the time has come for us to move on and afford the sport the opportunity to seek a new direction.”

The Lucas Oil Drag Boat Racing Series debuted in 2010, bringing together associations from across the nation and uniting them under a single flag.

The Lucas Oil Drag Boat Racing Series held events from California to Missouri and Oregon to San Angelo - covering the top water racing venues in the country.

In 2015, a San Angelo Police officer was killed in a crash while escorting the drag boats on Knickerbocker Rd. Traffic Division Officer Korby Kennedy was killed when a vehicle pulled out of a private drive causing the fatal crash with Kennedy's motorcycle.  

The drag boat races traditionally were held on Lake Nasworthy in June. 

According to the agenda for Tuesday's city council meeting, the council will consider "authorizing the City Manager to negotiate and execute an agreement and all related documents with the Southern Drag Boat Association for the annual Drag Boat Races at Lake Nasworthy."

The agenda says, "The Southern Drag Boat Association (SDBA) successfully hosted the 11th annual boat races at Lake Nasworthy last June.  They are again requesting the use of Spring Creek and Middle Concho Parks, as well as part of the lake to host the 12th annual races."

The contract would be for one year with no option to extend and would require the SDBA pay $8,000 rent for the event. 

The San Angelo city council meets at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday Nov. 12 in council chambers at the McNease Convention Center.  

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Comments

$8,000? That’s all the city receives for the races?? Forget about it!! Geez, that’s a drop in the bucket for all the chaos & trash caused by these races.

for the poor. Literally there is no money to be made at this event. LET IT GO. Bring a fishing tourney to our lakes ??? It is a healthy lifestyle hobby and would bring a lot more attention to our waterways than some redneck nascar on water.

One of many drops Cmdr.... All the vendors along the shoreline pay, Spring Creek RV park makes a killing on RV spots for the event. Then all the nearby stores, restaurants, gas stations, grocers, etc do exceptional business. COSA spent a lot of money to expand the boat ramp at Spring Creek a couple of years ago in order to accommodate the racers so it makes sense to let them race.
I still wouldn't want to be trying to sleep in late at my lakehouse on raceday. Those top fuel boats will wake the dead.

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