By Rick Stoff
RICHMOND, TEXAS (February 24) -- The Roar of the Rockies quickly joined the ranks of the best powerboat race sites in North America. With the Rocky Mountains in the background and a manicured golf course surrounding Rock Bridge Lake . . . well, the place rocked!
If construction continues on schedule, the fourth annual Roar of the Rockies will move to a new lake that will be configured even more nicely for boat racing. The Champ Boat Series will visit Windsor, Colo., on Aug. 23-24. Champ Boat’s champ and SST-120 classes will be joined by the super stock inboards on the program.
The lake is being constructed in a new portion of the Water Valley community, a 1,700-acre, master-planned development that eventually will hold approximately 2,000 homes.
“The new lake has been dug, an island has been formed in it and a bridge is being built to the island,” said John Jensen, a Colorado businessman and Champ-boat driver. “Filling the lake will take approximately three months.”
The new lake will cover about 100 acres. Its potential use as a race venue was taken into account when the surrounding development was planned.
“The racing area will probably be a little bit bigger than we’ve had here before. The pit area and parking will be real close to the lake. There will be a lot more spectator area. The site opens up avenues for placing more things,” said Jensen. “The new area will more conducive to everybody’s enjoyment.”
Jensen and his wife, Amie, have assisted Water Valley developer Martin Lind in organizing the race, which has become one of the largest summer entertainment events in northeastern Colorado.
This year’s race weekend will feature a major concert on Saturday night. Jensen said the Roar committee and the Northern Colorado Clear Channel Radio Group are working on signing two major classic-rock bands for that show. Last year’s concert was headlined by Creedence Clearwater Revisited.
(more)
ChampBoat Windsor preview/add 1
“The concert area will be beside the new lake. The whole event is going to flow very nicely,” Jensen said.
Northeastern Colorado didn’t know what to expect when the first Roar of the Rockies came to town in 2000, but broader awareness has been achieved in a region known as the “Tri-Cities” that is about one hour’s drive north of Denver, Jensen said. Windsor is located in the middle of a triangle formed by the large and rapidly growing cities of Loveland, Greeley and Fort Collins. The Jensens live in Windsor and operate a business, Island Marine, in Fort Collins.
“The people of Windsor have absolutely been great. They really enjoy having the series stop here and are very supportive of tunnel-boat racing. They see it as a great family activity,” Jensen said.
“The whole northeastern Colorado community has been great. The corporate people here have been a very big part of supporting the event. They realize this event is a community asset. It brings a lot of people to the area, and brings some good entertainment close to the people who live here.”
The major sponsors of last year’s Roar will be back on board in 2003, he said. They include Water Valley, American Eagle Distributing and the Bud Light beer brand, Clear Channel, Centennial Bank of the West, Island Marine and Thunder Mountain Harley-Davidson.
The Champ Boat series held four races in its inaugural 2002 season. This year the series will visit eight cities in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Windsor will be the seventh stop on the schedule.
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 7-8 New Roads, Louisiana Champ & SST-120
July 18-20 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Champ
August 2-3 Niagara Falls, 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
RICHMOND, TEXAS (February 24) -- The Roar of the Rockies quickly joined the ranks of the best powerboat race sites in North America. With the Rocky Mountains in the background and a manicured golf course surrounding Rock Bridge Lake . . . well, the place rocked!
If construction continues on schedule, the fourth annual Roar of the Rockies will move to a new lake that will be configured even more nicely for boat racing. The Champ Boat Series will visit Windsor, Colo., on Aug. 23-24. Champ Boat’s champ and SST-120 classes will be joined by the super stock inboards on the program.
The lake is being constructed in a new portion of the Water Valley community, a 1,700-acre, master-planned development that eventually will hold approximately 2,000 homes.
“The new lake has been dug, an island has been formed in it and a bridge is being built to the island,” said John Jensen, a Colorado businessman and Champ-boat driver. “Filling the lake will take approximately three months.”
The new lake will cover about 100 acres. Its potential use as a race venue was taken into account when the surrounding development was planned.
“The racing area will probably be a little bit bigger than we’ve had here before. The pit area and parking will be real close to the lake. There will be a lot more spectator area. The site opens up avenues for placing more things,” said Jensen. “The new area will more conducive to everybody’s enjoyment.”
Jensen and his wife, Amie, have assisted Water Valley developer Martin Lind in organizing the race, which has become one of the largest summer entertainment events in northeastern Colorado.
This year’s race weekend will feature a major concert on Saturday night. Jensen said the Roar committee and the Northern Colorado Clear Channel Radio Group are working on signing two major classic-rock bands for that show. Last year’s concert was headlined by Creedence Clearwater Revisited.
(more)
ChampBoat Windsor preview/add 1
“The concert area will be beside the new lake. The whole event is going to flow very nicely,” Jensen said.
Northeastern Colorado didn’t know what to expect when the first Roar of the Rockies came to town in 2000, but broader awareness has been achieved in a region known as the “Tri-Cities” that is about one hour’s drive north of Denver, Jensen said. Windsor is located in the middle of a triangle formed by the large and rapidly growing cities of Loveland, Greeley and Fort Collins. The Jensens live in Windsor and operate a business, Island Marine, in Fort Collins.
“The people of Windsor have absolutely been great. They really enjoy having the series stop here and are very supportive of tunnel-boat racing. They see it as a great family activity,” Jensen said.
“The whole northeastern Colorado community has been great. The corporate people here have been a very big part of supporting the event. They realize this event is a community asset. It brings a lot of people to the area, and brings some good entertainment close to the people who live here.”
The major sponsors of last year’s Roar will be back on board in 2003, he said. They include Water Valley, American Eagle Distributing and the Bud Light beer brand, Clear Channel, Centennial Bank of the West, Island Marine and Thunder Mountain Harley-Davidson.
The Champ Boat series held four races in its inaugural 2002 season. This year the series will visit eight cities in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Windsor will be the seventh stop on the schedule.
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 7-8 New Roads, Louisiana Champ & SST-120
July 18-20 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Champ
August 2-3 Niagara Falls, 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
