Texas Outlaw Challenge, one of the country’s most respected and popular speedboating events, is upping the ante even further by offering a host of improvements, upgrades and offers for its participants as it prepares for its 10-year anniversary June 21-25 on Clear Lake in Seabrook, TX.
Among the biggest news for the Challenge is a change in venue for their National Shootout Championship event. After nine years of executing a safe and efficient shootout format in the open waters of Galveston Bay, organizers have been granted exclusive access to the calmer, and more protected waters of Clear Lake by the six cities representing jurisdiction on the lake. Producer Paul Robinson acknowledges this new course approval as a catalyst for exponential growth of the Shootout.
“This is a ten-year milestone, and it’s pretty tremendous,” Robinson said, adding that making the course three-quarters of a mile helped persuade local jurisdiction to green-light the move. The three-quarter-mile configuration appears to be moving toward industry standard, as both Grand Lake of the Cherokees (GLOC) and Lake of the Ozarks (LOTO) Shootouts will follow suit with the shorter course beginning this year.
“It took nine years of trust in our event safety program for the City Councils to support us,” Robinson says. “That’s really good news.” He adds that the change promises excellent conditions for our contestants, and will result in a massive upswing in spectator interaction. The entire lake will be considered a no-wake zone except for the participants. “We will see a huge boost in public viewing with excellent shoreline vantage points, and on-water spectator access.”
Additionally, Robinson is extending a generous offer to those shootout contestants who registered for the Desert Storm Shootout, which was cancelled due to bad weather. “We want to show our appreciation for their efforts, so we’re going to comp them with a two-night weekend here,” he says. “We invite these racers to join us in Texas and show us some West Coast horsepower! We’ll put them up for a couple nights and welcome them to our new venue.”
Robinson has also scheduled yet another pool party on Thursday at the Galveston Yacht Basin. This special Thursday event will be for the early arrivals, Robinson says. The Stampede Street Party follows on Thursday night, and a number of new bars on the street will offer some new experiences for showgoers.
Finally, Robinson plans to show special appreciation for his ten years of sponsors on Friday night with an exclusive party for sponsors, and their invited guests with special limited ticket access. “This Outlaw Saloon Casino Night is going to be off the charts,” he says. “It will be the hottest ticket of the event.”
At press time, roughly a month before the festivities begin, registration for the Texas event is way above what it was last year, and half of the hotels are already full. To get involved in the Texas Outlaw Challenge, visit texasoutlawchallenge.com.