Team Parvey Retiring From Lake Of The Ozarks Shootout Competition

For 23 years, Dennis and Jason Parvey have continually amazed and entertained Lake of the Ozarks Shootout fans with their performances in a 43-foot, open-cockpit Black Thunder V-bottom. But the father-and-son teammates are hanging up their kill switches ahead of this year’s top-speed competition, which is set for August 24-26, in Central Missouri.

Running a 43-foot Black Thunder V-bottom, Dennis and Jason Parvey were among the most admired competitors in Lake of the Ozarks Shootout history. Photo by Pete Boden copyright Shoot 2 Thrill Pix

“While it isn’t easy to say, I think it’s time to call it a quits when it comes to running the Shootout,” said Jason Parvey, a 37-year-old sales representative for a high-tech tooling company based in Texas. “We would love to continue doing shootouts with the boat, but, it’s just too fast. We feel confident we could continue to dial in its handling as the turbo package we have is working phenomenally and we have plenty of power left on tap. However, running 170-plus mph in that boat just isn’t the smartest idea anymore at this point.

“The boat pulls hard and handles great up to 160 mph, which is far beyond what we would have ever dreamt it could do when we started this project almost 25 years ago,” he continued. “Anything past that point and you’re just starting to play Russian roulette.”

Parvey paused for a moment.

“We should be there this year,” he added. “We’re looking forward to doing some boating and hanging out with friends.”

A 73-year-old dentist from Minnesota, Dennis Parvey ran his first Lake of the Ozarks Shootout in 2000—the same year his 43-foot Black Thunder V-bottom powered by naturally aspirated 750-hp engines was built. He reached 90 mph on the then-mile-long course at the event’s former Shooters 21 location.

His son joined him in the cockpit of the full-cabin 43-footer in 2012.

“In 2011, we had just come out with our new intercoolers and the boat speed jumped from 117 mph to 129 mph,” Jason Parvey said, then chucked. “I still remember the fun back-and-forth between us and Eddie Young in the 399 Skater V-bottom he was running.

“That’s when we decided to start really going after things and I was in the boat in 2012,” he continued. “We ended up hurting the motors that year on that pass and only ran 128 mph.”

The father-and-son duo ran together for the first time during the 2012 event. Photo by Jeff Helmkamp copyright Helmkamp Photos

The Parveys opened the 2013 Shootout with a 139-mph performance, which tied the V-bottom record for the mile-long course set by Michael “Doc” Janssen. The next day, Mike Fiore and Joe Sgro ran an Outerlimits SV 43 boat—the same one that claimed the V-bottom kilometer speed-record the following year—to 152 mph.

“Our sights we definitely set,” Jason Parvey said. “The ultimate goal was around 155 mph. And then we happened to hit 165 mph in 2016.”

Scenes from Dennis and Jason Parvey’s remarkable Lake of the Ozarks Shootout career.

The following year, the Illinois-based Factory Billet team of owner/driver/throttleman Jim Schultz and engine-builder Mike Faucher competed in the Shootout for the first time. Their 51-foot canopied Outerlimits V-bottom with 1,950-plus turbocharged engines and automatic three-speed transmissions was direct competition for the Parveys in their open-cockpit 43-footer with similar power output. Both teams ran 161 mph on the three-quarter-mile course and agreed to call it a draw.

Factory Billet’s power turbocharged engine program was developed with a robust budget thanks to Schultz, a remarkably talented engineer with a work ethic that would shame a Clydesdale. Unlike their remarkable talent with engine component-design and setup, the Parvey’s resources were more limited.

But the respect and camaraderie between the two teams ran deep. Schultz and Faucher actually helped the Parveys develop their turbocharger program.

“Their great guys,” Jim Schultz at the time. “And it’s great to compete with them. They’re really good. I never take that for granted.”

In 2019, the Parvey team went from supercharged to turbocharged engines.

With a 166-mph effort on the first day of the 2023 Shootout and Factory Billet battling turbocharger waste-gate demons, it looked like the Parveys might prevail and earn V-bottom Top Gun honors. The following day, Factory Billet laid down an astounding 184-mph run. But the Parveys still left with the best performance of their Shootout career.

Throughout the past 23 years, the father-and-son duo commanded respect from competitors in the event—and not just of the V-bottom kind. Among their admirers is Bob Morgan Memorial Lake of the Ozarks Shootout Hall of Fame member Tony Chiaramonte of DCB Performance Marine. Chiaramonte, the vice president of the Phoenix-based company, made his formidable reputation in the Shootout’s catamaran ranks.

“Those two guys were always at the top of their game and always were a standout for the V-bottom class,” he said. “I always loved watching them battle it out with Factory Billet. It was also really cool to see a father and son who were equally smart with tweaking their hull and doing their own engine upgrades.

“I have nothing but respect for the two of those guys and what they did and what they brought to the Shootout,” he continued. “I always like watching them run, and when they go through at 165-plus mph I always shake my head and with almost disbelief, knowing that had a head in it. It will be sad to see them hang it up.”

(From left) Dr. Michael Janssen, Performance Boat Center‘s Mark Waddington, speedonthewater.com co-publisher Jason Johnson, Rob Lauer and Dennis Parvey, were inducted into the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout Bob Morgan Memorial Hall of Fame in 2018. Photo courtesy Stephanie Johnson

They also commanded equal admiration off the course from thousands of Shootout fans, as well as the event backers. Among the latter is Brett Manire, the co-owner of longtime presenting sponsor Performance Boat Center headquartered in Osage Beach, Mo. Told of the Parveys’ retirement yesterday, Manire understood the decision but was still saddened by the news.

“Man, that sucks,” he said. “Those guys have done a ton of research and development to make a boat that’s not necessarily known to go fast go amazingly, crazy fast. I like what they did for the competition of the sport—constantly raising the bar on the bottom side.”

The longtime primary organizer of the Shootout and owner of its host venue, Ron Duggan offered an even bigger-picture perspective on the duo’s impact on the event.

“The Parveys have been an integral part of the growth of the Shootout at Captain Ron’s,” Duggan said. “Every year, they set a new standard for V-bottom racing and pushed the competition to meet those standards. They were always a class act and admired by everyone who came and participated in the Shootout.

“All of us appreciate everything they did to promote the Shootout and help us grow the event,” he continued. “Their standard of excellence and competitiveness will certainly be missed.”

Said Jason Parvey, “The boat pulls hard and handles great up to 160 mph, which is far beyond what we would have ever dreamt it could do when we started this project almost 25 years ago.” Photo by Pete Boden

Dennis Parvey was inducted into the Bob Morgan Memorial Lake of the Ozarks Shootout Hall of Fame in 2018. His son was proud to see his father recognized.

“He deserved that,” he said. “He’s been going to the shootout since 1992 and has some pretty neat history there. I’m just happy to have had a small hand in it.

“We had a great time over the years doing the Shootout and we are grateful for all of the memories and friendships we made,” he continued. “It’s time to enjoy some river cruising.”

Jason Parvey paused to chuckle. “I’m thinking a hot-rod jet-ski and maybe a pontoon is more my speed these days,” he said.