Thunder on the Green ready to roar

Source: Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro, Ky.存倉Aug. 22--The roar on the river will take on a new meaning this weekend in Livermore, as the Kentucky Drag Boat Association holds its annual Thunder on the Green.The event, which will mark its 19th year in Livermore, will bring in racers and fans from all over the region, said Roger Austin, president of the KDBA. Time trials start at 11 a.m. Saturday and are expected to run until about 6 p.m. The races will then start up between 11 a.m. and noon on Sunday and also last until about 6 p.m.The event is expected to bring in 50 or more racing boats, and Livermore Mayor John "Sonny" Renfrow said the city expects thousands of people to come to the city over the weekend."I would say it's not unusual to have 5,000 or more people over the two-day period, especially if Mother Nature is cooperative and the weather is nice," Renfrow said.However, the biggest impact, Renfrow said, is felt economically throughout the city."It means good things for the city. It brings a lot of people in, which is a wonderful thing for our businesses," Renfrow said. "All the businesses tend to get more active. We're trying to put a good foot forward and welcome all these people to Livermore."Austin said the goal is always to have an event that people will enjoy, and to always bring out more and more people."We're always hoping it'll be bigger than last year, but some years it's hard to beat," Austin said. "Turnout has been pretty down in our other races. We expect the turnout to be better than we've been having this year. Hopefully, we'll have it in the 50-boat neighborhood."Austin added that Livermore has earned a reputation as being a good place to host the races."It's a really nice venue, as much as anything. The site at L自存倉vermore is just great. It's got one ramp to put the boats in and another ramp to take the boats out," Austin said. "It's just a nice place to race, and the community accepts us well. We want to be some place we're accepted, not someplace we feel like we're forcing our way in, and Livermore is that kind of place."Austin said that to a close-knit community such as drag boat enthusiasts, having a place to feel comfortable and enjoy the sport means everything."Our event is a lot of friends and people who've gotten to know each other over the years. We're there to have fun and promote safe drag boat racing, and that's what it's all about," Austin said. "Hopefully, we'll keep coming back for many years to come, as long as we've got support from businesses and the community. It's really a good thing that we can say that."Renfrow said that he's proud the city has earned that reputation and hopes to see the relationship with the KDBA, along with the race itself, continue for many years to come."I think everybody really enjoys the Thunder process when it comes to town. I think everyone takes the time to spruce up a little bit," Renfrow said. "I couldn't be more pleased with most all of the folks who step up to put a good spin on things. Perception becomes reality. We want these people to get a good impression and come back. We just want to say welcome to the folks who are in our region."For more information on the KDBA, visit .kdba.net. For more information about the City of Livermore and the history of Thunder on the Green, visit .cityoflivermore.info/events.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 the Messenger-Inquirer (Owensboro, Ky.) Visit the Messenger-Inquirer (Owensboro, Ky.) at .messenger-inquirer.com Distributed by MCT Information Services迷你倉新蒲崗