New One-Mile GLOC Shootout Course Set to Double the Fun

As is the case with many events across the country, changes are currently being proposed and approved (or denied) by organizers, public officials and more in order to make the GLOC Performance Boat Challenge Shootout on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees in Grove, Okla., even better this year.

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Spectators at this year’s GLOC Performance Boat Challenge Shootout will get a chance to watch racers like Gone Again’s Kenny Mungle run up and back along the new one-mile course. Photo by Jim Winters/Speedonthewater.com

Heading into its second year, the top-speed event, which will take place July 7-10, has several possibilities in the works to make the shootout more beneficial for the racers and the spectators. According to Ken Little, who organized the inaugural event with a dedicated committee that included his wife, Linda, and his son, Shaun, the biggest change for this year’s GLOC Performance Boat Challenge Shootout has already been approved—a new course.

“We’ve got some great news to report,” said Little, who owns a 35-foot Motion Powerboats catamaran. “Our new course was approved so we’re changing it to one mile instead of the 3/4-of-a-mile course we used last year. The best part though is that our new FasTrac racecourse idea also was approved, which means participants will be able to run both directions on the course and spectators will get more opportunities to see the boats in action.”

Little said because of the proximity to the marina, which is roughly 100 yards away from the start line, participants docked at the newly constructed Grand Lake Casino and Lakeside Bar & Grill will be given a 10-minute notice and then head out when it’s their turn to run south along the one-mile course before turning around to see how fast they can go back along the course.

“From a spectator perspective, we have 270 degrees of on-ground viewing, raft-up opportunities along the course and the three-story Cherokee Queen that will allow hundreds of people to get even closer to the action from the air-conditioned confines of the paddlewheel riverboat,” Little added. “We’ll also be broadcasting live on KGVE radio (99.3 FM) and posting live updates throughout the weekend on our social media channels. Of course we have our street party planned for Thursday as well as dock parties and entertainment scheduled for Friday and Saturday.”

While the course change was the most important thing organizers wanted to get accomplished for the second-year event, Little said there are a couple more things in the works that he believes could improve the GLOC Performance Boat Challenge Shootout even more. For more information, check out the event schedule and the details on the new course.

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