Great Balloon Race Winners

Past Winners
Sponsor Distance to "X"
1973 Jimmy Crain
Non-commercial 400 yds.
1974 Mike Ehrler
Ehrler's Dairy 93.7 yds.
1975 Tom Oerman
Sterling Beer 48.3 yds.
1976 Frank Otte
Frank Otte Nursery 4"
1977 Charlie Hurst
Falls City Beer 3 ft.
1978 Gary Lewis
Paine Webber 5"
1979 Bob Corey
KOOL 3 yds
1980 John Freeman
International Harvest 187 yds.
1981 Ted Staley
Busch Beer 566 yds.
1982 Rocky Aoki
Benihana of Tokyo 1 ft., 10"
1983 Canceled due to rain
   
1984 Mike Ehrler
Pepsi-Cola 6 ft., 8"
1985 Rick Arrington
Jefferson Animal 4 ft., 6"
1986 Tie - Bill Bussey
Ed Vande Hoef
Stroh’s
Chevron USA		 6 ft., 6"
6 ft., 6"
1987 Mel Hanson
7-Up 2 ft., 4"
1988 Phil Glebe
Pontiac 6"
1989 Canceled due to weather
   
1990 Kevin Flanagan
Oldsmobile 3,733 pts (Double Task race)
1991 Mel Hanson
Michelob Dry 4 ft.
1992 Canceled due to weather
   
1993 Canceled due to weather
   
1994 Jimmy Parker
BellSouth Mobility 70 ft., 4"
1995 Brian Beazly
Liberty National Bank 2,800 points (Double Task race)
1996 Jerry Mitchell
Great Financial Bank 4 ft., 7.5"
1997 Jimmy Litsey
Westport Road Baptist 9,376 points (Double Task race)
1998 Scott McClinton
Pennzoil Products Co. 2 ft., 6"
1999 Jimmy Litsey
Westport Road Baptist Church 1 ft.
2000 Tim Basey
Bank of Louisville 52 ft.
2001 Mike Erhler
Udder Delight 6 ft. 6"
2002 Mike Erhler
Udder Delight 3ft. 8"
2003 David Bradley
Bellsouth Real Yellow Pages 8"
2004 Dan Hoehler
Caritas Health Services 11 ½"
2005 Nick Donner
Tran Orthodontics 1ft. 3"
2006 Frank Prell
The Promenade Plaza 2378 points
2007 Brian Trapp 
RE/MAX Balloon 5 1/2"
2008 Mike Ehrler
Overall BalloonFest Winner: Ray Donner, Ford Motor Company, U.A.W. balloon
Mike's Udder Delight 50'
2009 Overall Winner:  Chase Donner
 University of Louisville
  11'7"
2010 Canceled due to weather
2011 Peyton Hoge