Anthony Gainey, Daily Herald Sports Writer

Competitors in the 750-850cc Modified Roundabouts make it a four wide drag race down the front stretch as they crack the throttle full song in an all out effort to catch Bob Dunlap in the 409F. Anthony Gainey | Daily Herald Advertisement

ROANOKE RAPIDS — Slicing, dicing, winning by a nose and a few flips was all a part of boat racing at it’s finest when the drivers put on a show much to the fans amazement on day two of racing after the new course kinks were worked out.

You take the hard work and efforts of Lori Medlin and Christina Gordon of the presenting sponsor, Halifax County Convention and Visitors Bureau, combine that with the team from the Carolina Cup Regatta, add in a wonderful facility by Dominon Power and there you have a recipe for one successful weekend of racing on the lake.

“We where proud to be the  presenting sponsor for this event and we hope to bring more events like this to the Roanoke Rapids and Gaston Lake,” Medlin said. “We hope that more people will start to use what is available to them in the local area. I know that they (APBA) had  a good turn out of boats so hopefully we can build on that and make it bigger for next year.”

Jimmy Warren who competes in the 350cc Modified Hydro class said “this place is beautiful, we where given a good track to race on so hopefully they will have us back.”

Coming back seemed to be the reoccurring theme throughout the weekend. Racers like Dustyn Hamilton, John Mauck and Earl Desiato liked the course because the fans could see the entire course.

After all of the pre race preliminaries were taken care of and lobbying done by race teams it was time to race and that they did, from the exciting win  by a nose finish by Warren over Mauck in their second heat to come from behind charge by Valerie Dagostino in her second heat to show everyone why she is three time National Champion.

The 750-850 cc roundabouts (which are the superlate models of boat racing) provided some of the most thrilling action all weekend in both heats especially on Sunday when they made it five wide for a complete lap before Bob Dunlap in the 409F boat was able to get a slight edge on the filed.

Sunday the youngsters in the J stocks caused moms to get a little more gray in their hair and for dad to lose most of his when they gave some hair raising moments even while they were milling before the start. But the thrilling moments didn’t stop there once the action started it was chop, slice, dice, ride in the others wake until the right moment, cut the corner as tight as you could to out brake your opponent type of race.

Even with fierce competition on the track it was all good in the pits.

Shirley Outlaw secretary of the Carolina Cup Regatta said “It was a good weekend of racing, we had 40 to say that they were coming but we had 60 to register for the weekend.”

“We would like to thank the (Roanoke Rapids) police department,  Roanoke Valley Rescue and Rheasville Fire and Littleton Fire departments. For all of the efforts this weekend we could not have done it without them,” Gordon said.