Slick Racing wins last IHBA World Finals

PHOENIX - Paul "Slick" Fontenot, a Douglas County resident and owner/driver of Slick Racing, a locally-based Drag Boat Race Team, won the 2009 IHBA/Napa Auto Parts World Finals in the Pro Eliminator Class - an 8.0 second 1/4 mile bracket - at the International Hot Boat Association's last race of the year.

This was also the IHBA's final race after more than 30 years of drag boat competition.

Slick Racing obtained its Pro Eliminator license last year at the 2008 IHBA World Finals to prepare for the IHBA's 2009 season in its Deaver pickle fork hydro boat "I'm Back-Hot~n~Bothered No. 669" with its new blown-alcohol motor, which consists of a 541 cubic inch Dart block, The Blower Shop 871 billet blower, Callies billet crank and rods, JE pistons, EPD Big Brodie heads, Isky cam, Mallory Ignition and a Weaver Brothers dry sump oil pump system.

Slick Racing entered the 2009 IHBA season for the first time in the Pro Eliminator Class. The first race of the 2009 season started in Phoenix at the Firebird International Raceway, where Slick Racing was the No. 1 qualifier and went on to finish fifth in points in the country.

With a change in the IHBA race schedule, which included a shortened season, the second race was also held in Phoenix.

After competition, Slick Racing moved up to 4th place in points.

Following the third race, held in Dexter, Ore., the team remained fourth in points in the country.

The fourth race was held in Marble Falls, Texas but the team was unable to attend due to other financial obligations, which placed the team back in fifth position.

The fifth race of the year, held at Mission Bay in San Diego and the team remained in 5th position.

At the sixth and final race of the year, the World Finals in Phoenix, the team was in the position of only being able to achieve fourth in points at best.

Slick Racing took all of its information and knowledge learned throughout the year with the new motor, and went on to win the race in a 20-boat field from across the country and took fourth in the points race for the 2009 World Championship.

Had Slick Racing attended the Marble Falls race, the team would have been in contention for the World Championship.

Because of the IHBA closing their doors, Slick Racing, with its sponsors: Percival Construction (Stateline); Hatch Electric (South Lake Tahoe); Carson Valley Transmissions (Gardnerville); Carson Valley CarQuest (Gardnerville); and A Sign Shop (Gardnerville), and its crew: Nancy Fontenot, Jim Burkett, Bill Abbott and Missy Lillywhite, will compete in the 2010 season with the newly formed Lucas Oil Drag Boat Racing Series which has picked up all the former IHBA races including the World Finals and the World Championship points races.