“I have a lot of friends and family involved,” LeBlanc said. “We have fun on and off the water. It is one, big race family. It gives us a chance to hang out with one another.”

However, at the end of the weekend, all the competitors will be gunning to be on top. The prize breakdown depends on the number of entries in a given class. There is usually a base payout for each class and a minimum of three to four teams have to enter to reach the base payout.

For a fairly high class like Pro Mod, the payout is usually around $3,500. First place will get 80 percent, with 20 percent going to second place.

There are a total of 13 different classes hitting the water. Both LeBlanc and Helm are competing in the Pro Eliminator Class, which is the 8-second quarter-mile, where boats reach speeds around 150 miles per hour.

Helm, who has only been racing for five years, has no illusions about how tough it would be for him and his boat, Liquid Asset, to take first place. But that doesn’t mean he’s not excited about his chances.

“My goal is to win it,” Helm said. “It will lake quite a bit of luck. There are lots of competitors, from all over. This is my second year in it. I have never won a race. If I did win, it would be like winning the Super Bowl.”

Michael Kinney

366-3537

mkinney@normantranscript.com