The Lake of the Ozarks Shootout is one of the most intense, crazy, and flat out thrilling waterborne motorsports events in the USA. The risks and the speeds are huge and this year the biggest number laid down on the water was dropped by the American Ethanol catamaran owned by Dan Onken. The boat is driven by a guy named Slug Hefner and John Cosker works the throttles. Power is derived from a quartet of 582ci big block Chevy engines that each have their own monster Vortech blower force feeding it. Yes, the total horsepower output is 7,700hp or thereabouts. If that number is not a testament to how stubborn an enemy water is, we don’t know what else does. 7,700hp in a car and you have something that will run nearly twice the speed of the boat. Nuts, right?
American Ethanol is the sponsor of the boat and they have a high presence in motorsports from stock car racing to NHRA drag racing as well. You won’t be shocked to learn that the boat is fueled by ethanol and by the looks of it, those four boosted 582ci engines love the stuff.
This video does a nice job of capturing the whole scene of the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout. It is a massive party punctuated by some of the most powerful boats in the world running hammer down across the water. The all out record is 244mph set by a turbine powered boat a few years ago but as of now we believe that the American Ethanol catamaran is the new league leader when it comes to piston powered craft. The noise that it makes when passing the camera will make the hair on your neck stand up.
This is gnarly!
