Organizations Put the Power Back Into Powerboat Racing
National Racing Organizations Agree to Share The Water in Powerboat Racing Competion, Increase in Boat Count Adds To Spectator Fun
Sarasota, FL (PRWEB)July 16, 2004 -- While Kevin Brown was planning the 20th
Anniversary of the Suncoast Offshore Gran Prix powerboat racing event, one
thought came to mind, how to bring the two offshore racing organization giants
to the table.
Five months later, Brown’s goal for Sarasota's legendary
4th of July weekend Festival came to fruition with over 70+ boats in combined
attendance from both the Super Boat International Productions (SBIP) and APBA
Offshore Powerboat Racing Association race competitors.
With millions of
dollars of high tech equipment on display and the thousands of fans and Offshore
Racing Legends in attendance, this year's racer competitors have been more then
thrilled.
Today, in a historical move announced by Super Boat
International Productions President, John Carbonell, and the APBA Offshore
Racing Association President, Jim Poplin, the two organizations have agreed to
share the water by attending each others events, while protecting the individual
personalities of each racing organization.
At the Drivers Meeting, the
news received a standing ovation from the racing community.
"It has only
assured us all that we have made the right decision, and it's a move that allows
us to return the sport of offshore powerboat racing back to the racers. We
couldn't be more pleased," said Poplin.
Carbonell was equally
enthusiastic, as was his Series Presenting Sponsor, Reggie Fountain of Fountain
Powerboats.
"We're glad to see it occur. We have more boats and that
means good racing. It's good from a promotions aspect and we will have even more
competition to showcase on our television shows. It's been years since we've had
this kind of turnout here in Sarasota. This whole program is good for racing and
I have always been for what's good for racing," said Fountain.
In fact,
the Fountain Powerboat Facility in Washington, North Carolina will host the
upcoming Fountain - Super Boat International Pro Am Race and Kilo Runs, now
listed on the APBA Offshore roster as part of their APBA Offshore GMC Pro Grade
Series National Tour.
The event will also award race teams with their
choice of either an SBI or APBA/U.I.M. World Championship Kilo Record, or both,
this August.
While APBA Offshore will move forward with its own GMC
Milwaukee Offshore Gran Prix at the end of July, as well as the Emerald Coast
Offshore Gran Prix in Fort Walton Beach, Florida in September, SBI will move
forward with the Dania Beach Centennial Super Boat Grand Prix this weekend added
to September's racing event at their 13th Annual New York Super Boat
International Grand Prix.
The two organizations, however, will run their
teams side by side for the remainder of the season line-up, including hosting
their National Championships at the same time and place this fall in Deerfield
Beach, Florida.
By far, the announcement that both SBI and APBA Offshore
will showcase their fleets at 2004 Key West World Championships was probably the
most applauded of all.
Now, SBI World Champions will share the podium
with the APBA/U.I.M. GMC Pro Grade World Champions, at a venue where legends in
the sport have traditionally been born.
"We've been working on the bigger
picture since February, and to be honest, I used the credibility of this race to
help the process," said Brown, a veteran racer himself.
"My goal was to
un-fractionalize the sport and get back to racing. I think everyone can agree
that the turnout, with everyone racing here together, has far exceeded our
expectations, and it has really benefited the fans."
Brown added that the
cooperation between the teams and the groups themselves truly reflects a newer,
more positive image of the sport from which to move forward with.
While
Brown was key in getting the groups together, as was Fountain, credit also goes
to Carbonell, Poplin, and Bob Bull, C.E.O. and new five-year license holder of
the APBA Offshore sanction. Steven David, past President of the American Power
Boat Association (A.P.B.A.) and current APBA Offshore Chief Referee joined in as
well.
The powerhouses are confident that they have satisfied the racers,
the fans and the venues with this move.
"It was the right thing to do for
the sport, and it's evident that the racers obviously want to do this. I'm a
racer myself and it's been ten years since we've all raced together. We need to
remove the politics from the sport and return it back to having fun," said
Bull.
"We've both brought a whole lot to the table. Our operations,
technical and safety teams are working well together, and our guys like the new
competition coming to our water. Ending it all in Key West is the best news of
all, and I think our move today put the power back into the sport of powerboat
racing," said Carbonell.
The 2004 Super Boat International and APBA
Offshore Racing Association Tours include
July 16, 17, 18 –
2004 Dania Beach Centennial Super Boat
Grand Prix
Dania Beach, Florida
July 30, 31, Aug 1 –
2004 APBA Offshore GMC Pro Grade GMC
Milwaukee Offshore Gran Prix
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
August 6, 7, 8
– 2004 3rd Annual Fountain Super Boat
International’s Pro Am Race
An APBA Offshore GMC Pro Grade Series
Event
AND World Kilo Record Runs (SBI and APBA/U.I.M.
sanctions)
Washington, North Carolina
August 20, 21, 22 –
2004 2nd Annual Thunder On The Gulf - Super
Boat International's Grand Prix
An APBA Offshore GMC Pro Grade Series
Event
Orange Beach, Alabama
September 10, 11, 12 –
2004 13th Annual New York – Super Boat International’s Grand
Prix
New York, New York
September 17, 18, 19 –
2004 APBA Offshore GMC Pro Grade Emerald Beach Offshore Gran
Prix
An APBA Offshore GMC Pro Grade Series
Event
Fort Walton Beach, Florida
October 8, 9, 10 –
2004 8th Annual Deerfield Beach Super Boat
National Championship
APBA Offshore GMC Pro Grade Series
National Championship
November 14 thru 21, 2004 24th
Annual Key West World Championships
Super Boat International’s World
Championships
APBA Offshore GMC Pro Grade APBA/U.I.M. World
Championship
For all information on the Super Boat International
Productions Organization, visit http://www.superboat.com.
For all information on the
APBA Offshore Racing Association, visit http://www.apbaoffshoreracing.com, where fans can join the
Free Fan Club News Program and receive updates on all APBA Offshore Racing
Action.
Media Notice -
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/7/prweb141511.htm