<b>Events in Canada and Mexico Create a North American Series</b>
By Rick Stoff
RICHMOND, TEXAS (December 16) - The ChampBoat Series presented by Mercury Racing has signed seven races for the 2003 season. The schedule includes new events in Tampico, Mexico; North Tonawanda, N.Y.; and Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.
The Champ-class of boats, the top level of outboard powerboat racing, will be featured at all seven races. The SST-120 class will run at six of the events.
"This schedule represents a positive step forward for our sport," said series executive Greg Jacobsen. "ChampBoat was founded to increase the exposure for our style of racing across North America, and we will succeed in bringing at least four new sites into the fold in our first two seasons of action."
The season opens in Tampico, Mexico, on the country's gulf coast, the weekend of May 16-18. The series moves to New Roads, La., on June 14-15 for the second running of The Advocate's False River Powerboat Championships, an event inaugurated by ChampBoat last summer.
The Great Northern River Roar in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, joins the ChampBoat Series calendar in 2003. The race will be held July 18-20.
August will be a busy month for the series, with three races on the schedule. The first Niagara River Roar will be held Aug. 2-3 on the Niagara River at North Tonawanda, N.Y., located between Niagara Falls and Buffalo.
The 32nd St. Louis Championship Grand Prix is slotted for the weekend of Aug. 15-17, and the 4th Roar of the Rockies is set for Aug. 23-24 at Windsor, Colo.
Another new event, at Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., welcomes ChampBoat on Sept. 6-7.
ChampBoat is working with several other potential race sites that could be added to the schedule for 2003 or 2004.
"The addition of the Mexican and Canadian races makes ChampBoat one of the few truly North American motor sports," said series executive Bob Schubert. "We expect to achieve a ten-race schedule for the 2004 season. We intend to grow at a steady pace to enable our racing teams to expand their operations at a manageable rate."
Mercury Racing returns as presenting sponsor of ChampBoat in 2003. Mercury Racing posted a $35,000 contingency points fund for the Champ and SST-120 classes last season. "We will be announcing a substantial increase in Mercury Racing's support of ChampBoat in the near future," Jacobsen said.
Other sponsors returning to the series are Telmex, Polaris Personal Watercraft, Sunoco Racing Fuels, XG-Ad, Craftsmen Industries and Racing Communications. Sea-Way Marine and Hydro-Tec are joining the series in 2003 as new sponsors of the SST-120 class.
The Champ boat represents the top level of outboard powerboat racing in the world. The 17-foot-long boats are powered by electronically fuel injected, 375-horsepower V-6 engines. A Champ boat can accelerate from zero to 100 miles per hour in three seconds and reach top speeds over 130 miles per hour. Due to their tunnel-hull shape, the boats can produce three to four G's (forces of gravity) in the corners, enabling them to turn more quickly than any other racing machine.
SST-120 boats are similar in size and design. They are powered by stock 120-cubic-inch carbureted engines. They reach top speeds of about 110 miles per hour.
Additional information can be found at the series web site: www.champboatracing.com.
ChampBoat Series 2003
May 16-18 Tampico, Mexico Champ & SST-120
June 14-15 New Roads, Louisiana Champ & SST-120
July 18-20 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Champ
August 2-3 North Tonawanda, New York Champ & SST-120
August 15-17 St. Louis, Missouri Champ & SST-120
August 23-24 Windsor, Colorado Champ & SST-120
September 6-7 Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan Champ & SST-120
By Rick Stoff
RICHMOND, TEXAS (December 16) - The ChampBoat Series presented by Mercury Racing has signed seven races for the 2003 season. The schedule includes new events in Tampico, Mexico; North Tonawanda, N.Y.; and Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.
The Champ-class of boats, the top level of outboard powerboat racing, will be featured at all seven races. The SST-120 class will run at six of the events.
"This schedule represents a positive step forward for our sport," said series executive Greg Jacobsen. "ChampBoat was founded to increase the exposure for our style of racing across North America, and we will succeed in bringing at least four new sites into the fold in our first two seasons of action."
The season opens in Tampico, Mexico, on the country's gulf coast, the weekend of May 16-18. The series moves to New Roads, La., on June 14-15 for the second running of The Advocate's False River Powerboat Championships, an event inaugurated by ChampBoat last summer.
The Great Northern River Roar in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, joins the ChampBoat Series calendar in 2003. The race will be held July 18-20.
August will be a busy month for the series, with three races on the schedule. The first Niagara River Roar will be held Aug. 2-3 on the Niagara River at North Tonawanda, N.Y., located between Niagara Falls and Buffalo.
The 32nd St. Louis Championship Grand Prix is slotted for the weekend of Aug. 15-17, and the 4th Roar of the Rockies is set for Aug. 23-24 at Windsor, Colo.
Another new event, at Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., welcomes ChampBoat on Sept. 6-7.
ChampBoat is working with several other potential race sites that could be added to the schedule for 2003 or 2004.
"The addition of the Mexican and Canadian races makes ChampBoat one of the few truly North American motor sports," said series executive Bob Schubert. "We expect to achieve a ten-race schedule for the 2004 season. We intend to grow at a steady pace to enable our racing teams to expand their operations at a manageable rate."
Mercury Racing returns as presenting sponsor of ChampBoat in 2003. Mercury Racing posted a $35,000 contingency points fund for the Champ and SST-120 classes last season. "We will be announcing a substantial increase in Mercury Racing's support of ChampBoat in the near future," Jacobsen said.
Other sponsors returning to the series are Telmex, Polaris Personal Watercraft, Sunoco Racing Fuels, XG-Ad, Craftsmen Industries and Racing Communications. Sea-Way Marine and Hydro-Tec are joining the series in 2003 as new sponsors of the SST-120 class.
The Champ boat represents the top level of outboard powerboat racing in the world. The 17-foot-long boats are powered by electronically fuel injected, 375-horsepower V-6 engines. A Champ boat can accelerate from zero to 100 miles per hour in three seconds and reach top speeds over 130 miles per hour. Due to their tunnel-hull shape, the boats can produce three to four G's (forces of gravity) in the corners, enabling them to turn more quickly than any other racing machine.
SST-120 boats are similar in size and design. They are powered by stock 120-cubic-inch carbureted engines. They reach top speeds of about 110 miles per hour.
Additional information can be found at the series web site: www.champboatracing.com.
ChampBoat Series 2003
May 16-18 Tampico, Mexico Champ & SST-120
June 14-15 New Roads, Louisiana Champ & SST-120
July 18-20 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Champ
August 2-3 North Tonawanda, New York Champ & SST-120
August 15-17 St. Louis, Missouri Champ & SST-120
August 23-24 Windsor, Colorado Champ & SST-120
September 6-7 Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan Champ & SST-120
