By BOB KIRKPATRICK
Columbia Basin Herald
SOAP LAKE - It's been 30 years since the hydro's had skimmed the waters at Soap Lake.
But the wait didn't put a damper on the excitement as 52 boats racing around the mile and a quarter course thrilled fans over the two-day Del Red Hydroplane Regatta held on Saturday and Sunday.
"The people in the community of Soap Lake were pumped," Race Director Terry Anderson said. "The 26 foot-long big block engine boats in the grand prix competition hit straightaway speeds of 160 mph and splashed up walls of water all along the course."
Anderson said the regatta was the biggest hydroplane event in the region so far this year, and expects the race to be an annual event in Soap Lake."I think we are on pretty secure ground to make it happen," he said. "It will be a bigger and better event next year."
