Mercury, MotorGuide Pro Kevin VanDam wins Bassmaster Elite Series Bluegrass Brawl

Gilbertsville, Ky. (June 16, 2008) – Mercury and MotorGuide professional angler Kevin VanDam won the Bassmaster Elite Series Bluegrass Brawl tournament in Gilbertsville, Ky., Sunday with a four-day combined weight of 81 pounds, 13 ounces, edging fellow Mercury and MotorGuide teammate Timmy Horton by just one pound.

VanDam, 40, who entered the final day with a six pound, 13 ounce lead, caught a five-bass limit weighing 16 pounds, nine ounces Sunday to claim the $100,000 first-place check on Kentucky Lake.

The victory is VanDam’s fourth in Elite Series competition this season – the most of any angler since the format was created in 2006 – and his 14th Bass Anglers Sportsman's Society (BASS) win.

The two-time Bassmaster Classic winner and three-time BASS Angler of the Year said winning the Bluegrass Brawl was significant.

“It probably means more to me than any event in awhile because two years ago here, I gave up that event,” said VanDam. “I ended up finishing third, and I should have won that one.”

For the first time in Bassmaster history, pro anglers in 2008 can fish from their own boats and with their own engines in all Bassmaster tournaments. Ten of the top 12 finishers at the Bluegrass were powered by Mercury engines.

VanDam, who leads this year’s Angler of the Year Standings, was followed by Mercury teammates Tim Horton, second, 83 pounds, 12 ounces; Terry Butcher, third, 78 pounds, three ounces; Mike McClelland, fourth, 77 pounds, one ounce; Paul Elias, fifth, 75 pounds, 14 ounces; Terry Scroggins, sixth, 73 pounds; Wade Grooms, seventh (tied), 72 pounds, 12 ounces; Kenyon Hill, seventh (tied), 72 pounds, 12 ounces; Jami Fralick, eleventh, 69 pounds, eight ounces; and Edwin Evers, twelfth, 68 pounds, five ounces.

The Bluegrass Brawl is the seventh of 11 events in the 2008 Bassmaster Elite Series, considered the most visible and prominent tournament trail in the world.

The next Bassmaster Elite Series event – River Rumble – was originally set for June 26-29, 2008, on the Mississippi River near Ft. Madison, Iowa. Due to flooding in the area, the event will be renamed the Tennessee Triumph and be held at Old Hickory Lake near Hendersonville, Tenn. The dates remain the same.

Mercury Marine is an official engine sponsor of BASS.

About Mercury Marine
Mercury Marine is the world’s leading manufacturer of recreational marine propulsion engines. A $2.3 billion division of Brunswick Corporation (NYSE: BC), Mercury and its 6,200 employees worldwide provide engines, boats, services and parts for recreational, commercial and government marine applications. Mercury’s industry-leading brand portfolio includes Mercury and Mariner outboard engines; Mercury MerCruiser sterndrives and inboard engines; MotorGuide trolling motors; Mercury and Teignbridge propellers; MotoTron electronic controls; Mercury inflatable boats; Mercury SmartCraft electronics; and Mercury and Quicksilver parts and oils. In 2008, Mercury Marine’s OptiMax engine was ranked "Highest in Customer Satisfaction with Two-Stroke Outboard Engines" by J.D. Power and Associates for the third consecutive year. More information is available at mercurymarine.com.