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Hole Shot returns
The Thomasville Quarterback Club is organizing this year's race after it had been handled by the Thomasville Jaycees previously. Daryl Drinkard, president of the quarterback club, said the organization was looking for something to help raise a large sum of money for the football team this year. "We had 26 more players complete spring practices this year, which is an impressive increase, and we were looking for a way to undertake a major fundraiser to help the team," Drinkard said. "We were approached by Earl Parrish about the races, and we decided to go for it." This year, the race is named in memory of Larry Stephens, an active dragboat racer. The Hole Shot is a dragboat competition, with racers competing on a ¼ mile course down the Tombigbee River. The races will be held starting at 12 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday. Sixty-five boats in eight classifications from half a dozen states around the southeast will race.
Two local racers will be competing, Tom Parden of Coffeeville and Timmy Hayman of Butler, who both race for McNider Marine. Drinkard expects about 2,000 people to attend the races. Stephens The Thomasville High School Quarterback Club said it is pleased to dedicate Hole Shot 2007 to the memory of the late Larry Stephens. Stephens, a native of Clarke County and a graduate of Thomasville High School lost his life in April of 1996 while testing his race boat at Campbell's Landing near Morvin. Larry was survived by his wife, Cindy Stephens and his daughters, Sandi West and Shelley McKinley. He had worked for Weyerhaeuser for 22 years prior to his death. Larry was an excellent boat mechanic who began racing in unorganized boat races in 1980. At that time men with fast boats would just get together and race each other. Ten years later the Thomasville Jaycees began holding organized boat races at Campbell's Landing as a fundraiser for their organization. As a member of the Jaycees Larry was heavily involved in this activity. He was a member of the Alabama Drag Boat Association, the Tennessee Drag Boat Association and the Thomasville Boating Association. In 1996 he became Vice President of the Alabama Drag Boat Association. Larry was devoted to his family and was also devoted to boat racing. His family served as his pit crew along with Stevie Overton and Daryl Dement. Larry's wife Cindy and his daughters are heavily involved with the Thomasville Quarterback Club in the preparation for and promotion of Hole Shot 2007. His wife Cindy stated that Larry would be very proud to know that boat racing is still going strong in this area. Sponsors Corporate sponsors for the race are Brooks Chevrolet, First United Security Bank, Browder Veneer and McNider Marine. Location
Campbell's Landing is located in Morvin. From Thomasville take Bashi Road approximately 20 miles west to Campbell's Landing.
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