Spencer Love Takes Championship Lead After Jensen Heartbreak at Red River Rumble

Spencer Love leads the IHRA F1 Powerboat Series championship going into Sunday’s final at the 2026 Red River Rumble, after a Saturday in Shreveport that swung the title battle decisively. Jared Jensen, who arrived as points leader, suffered a switch box failure in Heat 2 after the best start of his career and scored just 26 points from two heats. Love won Heat 2 and leaves Saturday with an 18-point advantage.

The Red River presented its best conditions in the event’s three-year history. Overnight rain cleared through the morning, and calm water allowed dock starts for the first time. In previous years, the Red River current had forced rolling starts. By mid-afternoon, temperatures had reached 27°C with sunshine and a building breeze, the humidity that affected the morning session burning off as the day progressed.

The Heat 1 Incident

The opening heat was shaped by a first-lap incident involving Chris Rinker (#52) and Grant Schubert (#13). Rinker recorded no laps completed; Schubert managed one lap in 1:05.494 before his boat began taking on water and had to be withdrawn. The incident also delayed Spencer Love off the dock, his lap 1 time of 1:10.888 dropping him to ninth before he charged back through the field.

Both drivers were confirmed to be racing in reserve equipment for Heat 2. Rinker switched to his Mercury 2-stroke Moore hull, as opposed to the Mercury 4-stroke machine he had campaigned at Port Neches. Schubert borrowed a reserve boat from Jeremiah Mayo, a 4-stroke, having had his own hull rendered unraceable. Officials confirmed that both retained their Heat 1 points but were required to start Heat 2 from the least advantageous positions.

Heat 1 Result

Dylan Anderson won Heat 1, leading throughout 17 laps in 8:32.065. His fastest lap of 28.482 was the quickest of the heat. Love completed his recovery from ninth to finish second, 10.912 seconds behind, with Jared Jensen third and Jeremiah Mayo fourth. Two-time defending series champion Dustin Terry retired after 13 laps following a collision with Aiden Benton (#98). The impact destroyed his motor, ruling him out of Heat 2 entirely. Jimmy Kerr was classified 10th after recording no timed laps.

Heat 1

Heat 2: Jensen’s Best Start, Then Silence

Heat 2 ran on a reversed grid, with Rinker and Schubert starting from the back following their equipment changes. Jensen, starting sixth, produced what the race commentary described as the best start of his career, clearing the field and leading the first two laps with a margin that suggested he was about to dominate. On lap 4, approaching turns 3 and 4, the power disappeared.

Jensen was asked about it immediately after the heat and he replied:

I felt like we shelled the motor probably. I haven’t been over there checking it out yet. We got a great start off the dock. Couple of laps in and then there was a power loss all of a sudden. It was pretty sudden. So I’m thinking that we’re probably not going to be in luck with that motor.

Jensen completed four laps and retired, classified 10th. Overnight diagnosis confirmed the failure was a switch box — the component that coordinates the coils, stator and trigger — with the motor itself intact. He ran his backup motor in Heat 3 and the Formula 1 final.

Love, starting seventh on the reversed grid, moved to second by lap 3 and took the lead shortly after. He held it to the flag, completing 16 laps in 8:33.659. Jeremiah Mayo finished 1.180 seconds behind in second. Chris Rinker, starting from the back of the grid in his reserve 2-stroke hull, drove through the field to finish third in 8:37.361, one of the performances of the day. Anderson finished fourth, 6.393 seconds off the lead.

Heat 2

Championship

With 200 points available on Sunday, 50 from Heat 3 and 150 from the final, the championship remains open. Jensen needs Love to finish lower than second in the final to take the lead back. Three rounds remain after Shreveport.

Supporting Classes

In Formula Lights, Shelby Love won Heat 1 from the front, but Jose Mendana reversed the result in Heat 2 to take the win. Four drivers are separated by just 3 points going into Sunday’s final: Schmerbauch on 89, Love and Mendana on 87, and McKee on 86. The Talent Cup was won in Heat 1 by Jaxon Kresse, with Addy Love second by 1.585 seconds. Tanner Rinker won Tri-Hull Heat 1, with Aaron Green winning the second heat.

Sunday

Heat 3 runs in the morning for all classes before the afternoon finals. The Formula 1 final is scheduled for 3:15 pm CDT (9:15 pm BST). Weather on Sunday is forecast dry with a high of 29°C.