Fall brings with it thoughts of colorful turning of the leaves on the trees outside; cool, crisp morning air; smooth, glassy, water on the river; and every chick on Facebook talking about Pumpkin Spice Latte and yoga pants. Of course, in addition to the usual musings of this time of harvest comes to mind one of the best parts about this perennial turning of the seasons... 40 uncorked boats and their equally unhinged pilots decimating the quiet solitude and running wide open for 300 plus miles at the Bluewater 336 Enduro by Teague Custom Marine!
So, what's the deal with the Enduro? Is it just a boat race that marks the end of the boating season at the river? Is it an opportunity for teams to race for some cash?
Perhaps to some the Enduro is simply a race or chance to run their boats, but I think this event reaches much farther into the culture of the people and lifestyle that make the river the unique community it is.
The Parker 9 Hour Enduro was started in 1963 with the intention of bringing Miami style endurance boat racing to the Colorado River by Parker locals, Cecil Florence and Marrion Beaver. Over the years the Enduro has seen many changes in format and overall management, but two things have always remained... The racers and the people of Parker, AZ.
The Parker Enduro is unlike any boat race I've ever been to. It's 300 plus miles or semi controlled chaos, where everyone from weekend warriors in the family jet boat to full factory teams with the latest in technology can line up together and race against attrition and other die-hards in hopes of winning bragging rights and possibly, cold hard cash. I liken it closer to a desert race than a boat race because in endurance racing the fastest boat doesn't always win. At the Parker Enduro the boat with the tightest run team and the best strategy usually wins. I say usually because as my dad once told me, to finish first you must first finish, and in Parker, sometimes the river wins...
With this kind of racing a race can be won or lost in the pits. If a team is able to keep their rig running and fueled in a timely fashion and it can go the distance, almost any team has a chance at the podium. Many of the fastest boats in the pits end up on the trailer well before the checkers due to mechanical failure, but not before a righteous effort is laid out by their pit crew. At the Enduro, the pits are buzzing all day long with action. Boats are pulled in and out of the water for fuel and maintenance almost continuously all day long and in between these stops the boats get their necks wrung out on the water like they were stolen from the local marina. It's a team effort from start to victory lap and it's a spectacle to behold!
But, the race is only part of this great weekend. Mixed in with all the horsepower and mayhem are fun loving folks, both local and imported who showed up to the river looking for good times and fast boats. Each are easy to find on this fine weekend and all are encouraged to partake in the festivities. In addition to the races, the weekend also offers many of the season's trappings with Halloween fun scattered up and down the river all weekend. One of these events is the annual Halloween Costume Contest at the world famous Roadrunner Floating Bar. Each year racers and party goers show up with their best outfit and a healthy appetite for shenanigans and proceed to have as much fun as legally possible, and sometimes more! So, if you have even a slight urge to have a great weekend, get out to the Parker Strip this weekend and see boat racing in what is likely it's funnest form! If you miss it your friends will likely make fun of you...
See you on the Water!
Tom (PinkTaco)
So, what's the deal with the Enduro? Is it just a boat race that marks the end of the boating season at the river? Is it an opportunity for teams to race for some cash?
Perhaps to some the Enduro is simply a race or chance to run their boats, but I think this event reaches much farther into the culture of the people and lifestyle that make the river the unique community it is.
The Parker 9 Hour Enduro was started in 1963 with the intention of bringing Miami style endurance boat racing to the Colorado River by Parker locals, Cecil Florence and Marrion Beaver. Over the years the Enduro has seen many changes in format and overall management, but two things have always remained... The racers and the people of Parker, AZ.
The Parker Enduro is unlike any boat race I've ever been to. It's 300 plus miles or semi controlled chaos, where everyone from weekend warriors in the family jet boat to full factory teams with the latest in technology can line up together and race against attrition and other die-hards in hopes of winning bragging rights and possibly, cold hard cash. I liken it closer to a desert race than a boat race because in endurance racing the fastest boat doesn't always win. At the Parker Enduro the boat with the tightest run team and the best strategy usually wins. I say usually because as my dad once told me, to finish first you must first finish, and in Parker, sometimes the river wins...
With this kind of racing a race can be won or lost in the pits. If a team is able to keep their rig running and fueled in a timely fashion and it can go the distance, almost any team has a chance at the podium. Many of the fastest boats in the pits end up on the trailer well before the checkers due to mechanical failure, but not before a righteous effort is laid out by their pit crew. At the Enduro, the pits are buzzing all day long with action. Boats are pulled in and out of the water for fuel and maintenance almost continuously all day long and in between these stops the boats get their necks wrung out on the water like they were stolen from the local marina. It's a team effort from start to victory lap and it's a spectacle to behold!
But, the race is only part of this great weekend. Mixed in with all the horsepower and mayhem are fun loving folks, both local and imported who showed up to the river looking for good times and fast boats. Each are easy to find on this fine weekend and all are encouraged to partake in the festivities. In addition to the races, the weekend also offers many of the season's trappings with Halloween fun scattered up and down the river all weekend. One of these events is the annual Halloween Costume Contest at the world famous Roadrunner Floating Bar. Each year racers and party goers show up with their best outfit and a healthy appetite for shenanigans and proceed to have as much fun as legally possible, and sometimes more! So, if you have even a slight urge to have a great weekend, get out to the Parker Strip this weekend and see boat racing in what is likely it's funnest form! If you miss it your friends will likely make fun of you...
See you on the Water!
Tom (PinkTaco)
