Powerboat Talk17 Elo 2023

Episode 18 - Don Onken LOTO Shootout Top Gun Winner

Don Onken is 83 years young and has accomplished a lot in his powerboat racing career. But he's not done yet. "Our goal with American Ethanol is to go as fast at the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout in 3/4 mile as we previously did in one mile" Onken said. "People didn't think we'd ever get to 200 mph on the short course, but here we are."

In 2022, driven by Tony Battiato and throttled by John Cosker, the owner of Mystic Powerboats, Onken's 51 ft. Mystic Catamaran produced a run of 207 mph to capture the LOTO Shootout Top Gun award for the eighth time.

The boat was powered by four Vortech Supercharged, 600 cu. in. Big Block Chevys that were built by Earl Moorman at Onken's performance engine shop, Onken Racing. The engines use Big Chief cylinder heads, Holley Dominator engine management systems, Custom Marine headers, and run on E85 ethanol fuel from Renegade Race Fuel. The engines are mounted crank-to-crank, tractor pull style, producing 2250 hp each to spin the number 10 Arneson drives through SCS crash boxes.

In preparation for this year's LOTO assault, Onken planned to outfit the Mystic with four new engines. Built using Mercury Racing Engine blocks and double overhead cam cylinder heads, the 557 cu.in. short stroke engines will use Procharger superchargers to make 2550 hp each. Don felt confident that the extra 1000 hp combined would get them the additional 10 mph they needed to get the boat to 217 mph which would have equaled their one mile best speed.

In the episode, Don talks about this very ambitious undertaking.

You can find Don Onken and American Ethonal Racing on Facebook @American Ethonal Mystic Race Team

To learn more about the Lake of the Ozarks (LOTO) Shootout visit them online https://lakeoftheozarksshootout.com/

Visit our website at www.powerboattalk.com

View the video for this episode: www.youtube.com/@powerboat_talk

and Facebook @Powerboat Talk

Contact me: powerboattalk@gmail.com

Tämä jakso on lisätty Podme-palveluun avoimen RSS-syötteen kautta eikä se ole Podmen omaa tuotantoa. Siksi jakso saattaa sisältää mainontaa.

Jaksot(71)

Episode 71 - Cade Wilson Owner of Sterling Engines

In this episode of Powerboat Talk, we sit down with Cade Wilson, the new owner of Sterling Engines, a name deeply rooted in offshore racing history. After a successful corporate career and a leadershi...

20 Touko 1h 9min

Episode 70 - Ty Newton Flatbottom K-boat Racer

In this episode of Powerboat Talk, we sit down with veteran flatbottom K-boat driver Ty Newton of Phoenix, Arizona, a multi-time national champion and member of the American Power Boat Association Hal...

6 Touko 1h 18min

Episode 69 - Dave Villwock Unlimited Hydroplane Racing Legend

In this episode, recorded before the 2025 racing season, we sit down with Dave Villwock, the most successful driver in Unlimited Hydroplane racing history. At the time, Villwock had amassed 67 career ...

28 Huhti 1h 59min

Episode 68- Joe Zelinski Founder of Custom Marine, Inc

As the founder of Customer Marine, Inc. (CMI), Joe Zelinski stands as a central figure and true innovator in the high-performance marine world. For decades, CMI headers have set the benchmark for perf...

16 Huhti 1h 48min

Episode 67- Tyler Speer Drag Boat Racer (Part 2)

In this episode, the 2nd of two parts, we talk with racer Tyler Speer following the 2025 drag boat racing season as he breaks down the continued progress of his A Fuel Nitro Hydro, Georgia Outlaw, thr...

7 Huhti 59min

Episode 66- Tyler Speer Drag Boat Racer

Tyler Speer is one of the most versatile racers in modern drag boat competition and a rising force in nitro-powered hydro racing. Today he campaigns an Injected Nitro Hydro in the Top Alcohol Hydro cl...

10 Maalis 1h 24min

Episode 65 - Live from Eddie's SoCal Performance Expo opening night

This episode of Powerboat Talk is a recording of a livestream that we did at Eddie Marine in Rancho Cucamonga for Eddie's SoCal Performance Expo opening night party. We had the privilege of interviewi...

4 Maalis 1h 53min

Episode 64- Racers and Engine builders Gordy Jennings and Paul Fitzgerald

This week's episode features an inside look at the Boat Alcohol Displacement (BAD) Boat Challenge in Australia with Stock Racing team members Gordy Jennings (Jennings Motorsports) and Paul Fitzgerald ...

25 Helmi 1h 11min