Lincoln City, Ore. — High-octane hydroplanes are primed to carve through the calm waters of Devil’s Lake this weekend, chasing world straightaway speed records in a tradition-fueled showdown of speed and precision.

The Rockey Stone and Buzz Thorsen Time Trials roar to life Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 11-12, with inboard and outboard hydroplanes blasting from 8 a.m. until sunset each day. Racers aim to shatter benchmarks on the lake long dubbed the “World’s Fastest Water,” sanctioned by the American Power Boat Association and officiated by the Columbia Outboard Racing Association.

About 25 entries — hydroplanes and runabouts in various classes — will throttle up, swapping motors for runs that top out at 100 mph or cruise at 45 mph, depending on setups. Each driver battles the clock on a surveyed straightaway course, earning six runs: three in each direction. Official speeds average the best two consecutive passes, one each way, under rules demanding mirror-calm conditions to honor the boats’ finicky engineering.

East Devil’s Lake State Park boat ramp serves as the launch hub, closed to public use alongside the Regatta Grounds Boat Ramp. For safety, the Oregon State Marine Board has permitted a partial lake closure from Sand Point south of the park ramp, shielding racers and other boaters from the high-stakes sprint.

This isn’t just a dash; it’s a proving ground for driver savvy and machine mastery, where a whisper of wind can derail a record bid. Competitors might pause after one run, lying in wait for that golden window of glassy water to unleash full throttle.

Devil’s Lake’s racing legacy traces to 1933, when the original regatta drew state-spanning crowds for three days of boats, carnivals and parades. The time trials locked in during the mid-1950s, pausing only for a lake-wide weed eradication. Renamed in 1995, the event honors Rockey Stone, the organizational force behind its early years, with the kilo runs; and Buzz Thorsen, who “steered the ship” post-retirement, via the quarter-mile dashes.

The venue has etched Lincoln City into APBA lore, hosting countless records. Last fall alone, 19 national marks and five regional ones fell to the lake’s allure. Racers return hungry for more, their hulls humming with the promise of history on the line.

Shoreline spectators, binoculars at the ready, can stake claims along open stretches for front-row thrills. As one veteran revs it up: “Devil’s Lake doesn’t break records — it builds legends.”