Story Published:
Jun 17, 2009 at 10:14 PM CDT
Story Updated:
Jun 17, 2009 at 11:52 PM CDT
HIGHLANDVILLE, Mo. -- Two of the most successful sports figures in the Ozarks are a husband-and-wife team whose weekend "need for speed" is a far-cry from their weekday jobs. More remarkable is this is only their second year of professional boat racing.
Jenni Dunbar co-owns a beauty shop. Mark Dunbar is a salesman for a parts company. On weekends, however, this team travels 100 miles per hour as part of the Offshore Super Series Power Boat Racing Association.
Their 30-foot, 525-horsepower boat is at the top of the points-standings in the OSS Vee Lite division, one of seven classes in the pros. After coming within a point of winning the championship in their first year (2008), the Dunbars already have three straight victories to start 2009. That's not bad for a team that has the only woman among the 40 racing teams.
"I think it really makes them compete that much harder," said Jenni, "because they don't like getting beat by a girl. It really drives them nuts."
On this two-person team, Mark is the driver, which is no easy task when you're trying to steer the boat through nasty waves while going 100mph.
"The best way to explain it is it's like being in a car wreck," Mark said. "And then you just keep pressing the rewind button over and over and over."
Jenni is the throttle operator, which involves not only regulating speed but also other control surfaces that mean the difference in winning and losing, like the trim tabs.
"You put the tabs a little below the bottom of the boat so, when you launch off the top of the wave, you keep the nose down," Mark said. "But you don't want to go too far down or you'll do what they call a stuff -- when you land on the nose and go underwater; not a good situation."
Jenni and Mark say pro racing is a perfect fit for them because they met at the lake and even got married at her parents' boat shop rather than a church.
"It looked cool," Jenni said.
And, while other couples may argue about money or family issues, their arguments tend to take place inside their boat's canopy during a race.
"I'll back off quicker than he would so I'll get yelled at occasionally," Jenni said. "It's like 'Suck it up, let's go!'."
The Dunbars practice regularly on Table Rock Lake and you can see them in an actual race at Lake of the Ozarks in late September when the OSS National Championships are held there.
