Blazing-fast catamarans from Marine Technology, Inc., are something of a tradition at the speed runs for Lake of the Ozarks Shootout, which will happen this year August 29-30. Plus, as MTI is based in Wentzville, Mo., a couple of hours from the lake, they—like company principal Randy Scism—tend to be hometown favorites.

The bad—or at least not-so-good—new this year? Neither of Bob Bull’s new and much-anticipated 48-foot-long MTIs are likely to make it. Both are waiting on engines—1,700-hp Sterlings for Bull’s racing catamaran and Mercury Racing 1,350-hp mills for his pleasure cat.

“To be honest, it doesn’t look like we’ll have the power for either boat in time,” said Scism. “We knew the 1350s would be a push, but we thought we might have the 1700s. We may be sitting on the beach.”

The good news? Gino Gargiulo is bringing Mercedes, his 44-foot-long MTI powered by twin 1,550-hp Sterling engines and throttled by Larry Goldman. Of course, he’ll be going head to head, at least in spirit, with arch rival Bill Pyburn in his 388 Skater, Pure Platinum.

“We’re headed up there for sure, but we have no clue about how we’ll run,” said Gargiulo during a telephone interview this afternoon. “We had a problem last year—one motor kept shutting off, so we’re pretty much in the same boat as far as knowing what to expect. But it should be a great weekend.”