HOT SPRINGS — Just inside the front entrance of the Riser Ford Lincoln car dealership in Hot Springs sits the trophy for the annual Stueart Pennington’s World Championship Running of the Tubs.
“We take it very seriously,” said Matt Barrett, the internet director for the dealership. “It is an awesome event, and it keeps growing every year. It is pretty fun, with somewhere between 3,000 to 5,000 people lining up downtown.”
Barrett and his team are seeking their fourth straight win in the Traditional Division at this 14th annual tub run, which is scheduled for 9 a.m. June 1.
“My brother-in-law, John Ringgold, and I got involved with the race four years ago because if there is anything going on in Hot Springs, we are trying to get involved with it,” Barrett said.
The Riser Ford team has used the same theme every year for the event, being inspired by the Jaws movie series. He said one of the reasons they have been so successful is the fact that the entire team stays in shape.
“We get kind of competitive with it,” Barrett said. “We get into it. We think it’s hilarious. I know there is going to be some pretty good competition, but I think this year, we should have a pretty good showing.”
Bill Solleder, director of marketing for Visit Hot Springs, said the presenting sponsor for this year’s event is Bathhouse Soapery & Caldarium in Hot Springs.
Last year, the annual event was rebranded to the Steuart Pennington’s World Championship Running of the Tubs, in honor of Pennington, who died in 2005 but was considered “a staple of downtown Hot Springs,” Solleder said.
The event is free to attend.
“So far, we have 17 teams signed up, but there are two more that are always in, but we haven’t seen their applications yet,” Solleder said.
The deadline to register was set for May 17.
Solleder said he was really surprised to have five rookie teams for the race, including participants from Climate Control Heat & Air, O’Riley’s Auto Parts, Treasure Isle RV Park and Amy Hale, from 105.9 KLAZ in Hot Springs. Solleder said the Downtown Derby Dolls will also have a team this year for the first time and have already said they want to knock off the Riser Ford Lincoln team.
Barrett isn’t too worried.
“We’ve had people in the past threaten to beat our streak; then we beat them by 200 yards,” Barrett said.
Solleder said that this year, ESPN Radio will broadcast live from the finish line.
“So it will make it feel like a sporting event,” Solleder said. “And for the first time, we are going to do a multicamera stream of the race.
“If you can’t make it to the races, you can watch it through YouTube and Facebook. So that’s a new thing that we are doing this year.”
Solleder said that while live video wasn’t directly asked for, he said more and more people expect to stream their favorite shows or sporting events, so adding a live stream is just expected because it is “really just part of our culture now.”
“The biggest thing that I have to mention is the fact that spectators aren’t just spectators but are also encouraged to participate,” Solleder said. “Please bring water balloons and squirt guns to douse each other and the runners.
“It is a wet, wacky and wild event. We want to get the streets as slippery as they can be, and usually, by the end of it, Central Avenue is just soaked with water.”
Each team consists of five people, with one riding in the tub and the other four pushing. The four members of the team who are pushing must each carry one of the following items: a bar of soap, a bathmat, a loofah or a bath towel.
Judging of the tubs for the event will take place May 31, beginning at 6 p.m., at the Hill Wheatley Plaza. Every team will be judged on its tub’s construction, engineering and style, and Solleder said all of the teams will display their themes and wear their costumes.
Returning this year is the annual Battle of the Badge tub race between the Hot Springs Fire Department and the Hot Springs Police Department, which is the first race of the day. The Police Department won in 2017, but the Fire Department retook the title last year. The Battle of the Badge is a full, nonstop sprint from the Arlington Hotel to the Gangster Museum that kicks off the annual event.
The awards presentation will begin at 11 a.m., following the race.
For more information, visit hotsprings.org or contact Solleder at bsolleder@hotsprings.org or (501) 321-2027.
Staff writer Sam Pierce can be reached at (501) 244-4314 or spierce@arkansasonline.com.