Nixa, Missouri (April 12) - The first of two new events on the 2004 Champ Boat Series schedule will bring three classes of boats to northern Michigan for the inaugural Sault Ste. Marie and Kewadin Casinos River Rampage.
The Champ Boat Series presented by Mercury Racing will pay its first visit to Aune Osborn Park on June 18-20. The Champ, SST-120 and Formula Lights classes of boats will compete on St. Mary's Waterway.
"We are very excited about bringing the Champ Boat Series to Sault Ste. Marie," said River Rampage co-chairman Don Gerrie. "It is an exceptional racing circuit that has been proven to create excitement with on-shore viewers and attract out-of-town travelers to the area."
"The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is one of the most breath-taking places that I have ever visited! I can't wait to get back up there," said Wayne Worthy, director of Champ Boat. "I know that our drivers and teams are going to enjoy that experience. The folks in Sault Ste. Marie are pumped up about the Champ Boat Series coming to their community. It is a pleasure to work with such an enthusiastic bunch of people."
The Champ Boat is the top level of outboard powerboat racing in the world. The boat is approximately 17 feet long and weighs about 1,100 pounds, including the driver. It is powered by an electronically fuel-injected, 375-horsepower Mercury Racing V-6 engine that produces top speeds near 130 miles per hour.
The tunnel-hull Champ boat also is one of the hardest-corning racing machines on earth. It pulls nearly 4 Gs (or forces of gravity) in turns.
"This type of boat can accelerate from zero to 100 miles per hour in about three seconds - that's the type of racing we're talking about here," Gerrie said.
The SST-120 boat is similar in size and appearance to the Champ boat and carries a stock, carbureted, 120-cubic-inch engine that produces top speeds of about 110 miles per hour. The Formula Lights boats are smaller tunnel-hull boats carrying 45-cubic-inch engines that propel them to about 70 miles per hour.
The River Rampage will be the second of eight races for the Champ Boat Series in 2004. The closest race to Sault Ste. Marie is in Bay City, Mich., which has hosted the Bay City River Roar for 15 years.
"This racing circuit has proved it self in multiple cities throughout the continental United States," Gerrie said. "The Bay City race draws a crowd of approximately 20,000 from all areas of the state. We believe that we will be able to draw an attendance of 7,000 to 9,000 in our first year."
The River Rampage will begin with testing sessions on Friday and continue with time trials and heat races on Saturday and final events on Sunday.
"We are ready to be a part of bringing the Champ Boat race series to our area. We are even more excited to see the tourists who will utilize our hotels, restaurants, shops and gas stations," said Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Angela Nebel. "This race will also take advantage of Sault Ste. Marie's wonderful waterfront, which is currently under-utilized from a tourist perspective."
Sault Ste. Marie is located in the northeast section of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The city has an average elevation of 650 feet above sea level. The St. Mary's River lies on the northern border of the community, connecting Lake Superior with Lake Huron. Across the river is the community's Canadian neighbor, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.
Rich in history and surrounded by beautiful natural assets, Sault Ste. Marie is the largest city in Chippewa County. Established 1668 by Father Jacques Marquette, Sault Ste. Marie is the oldest city in Michigan and the oldest European settlement in the Midwest. Native Americans have lived in the area for more than 2,000 years, relying on the rapids of the St. Mary's River for an abundance of whitefish.
The Soo Locks provide safe passage between Lake Superior and Lake Huron, which have a 21-foot difference in elevation. The first U.S. lock was built in 1850 by the state of Michigan.
Over the years, various locks have been constructed and replaced, all in the interest of maintaining this vital and busy point of passage for lake freighters and private vessels. Operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, more than 11,000 vessels carrying up to 90 million tons of cargo pass through these locks every year.
The second new event joining the Champ Boat Series this season is the Toledo River Roar on the Maumee River on August 13-15.
Visit www.champboatracing.com for complete information on the Champ Boat Series. For more information on the Mercury Racing SST-120 and Champ race outboards, the official engines of Champ Boat, visit the Mercury Racing website at www.mercuryracing.com. For visitor's information, go to www.saultstemarie.org.
Champ Boat Series 2004 Season Schedule
June 5-6 New Roads, Louisiana
June 19-20 Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
June 26-27 Bay City, Michigan
July 17-18 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
August 13-15 Toledo, Ohio
August 20-22 St. Louis, Missouri
August 28-29 Windsor, Colorado
September 18-19 San Diego, California
The Champ Boat Series presented by Mercury Racing will pay its first visit to Aune Osborn Park on June 18-20. The Champ, SST-120 and Formula Lights classes of boats will compete on St. Mary's Waterway.
"We are very excited about bringing the Champ Boat Series to Sault Ste. Marie," said River Rampage co-chairman Don Gerrie. "It is an exceptional racing circuit that has been proven to create excitement with on-shore viewers and attract out-of-town travelers to the area."
"The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is one of the most breath-taking places that I have ever visited! I can't wait to get back up there," said Wayne Worthy, director of Champ Boat. "I know that our drivers and teams are going to enjoy that experience. The folks in Sault Ste. Marie are pumped up about the Champ Boat Series coming to their community. It is a pleasure to work with such an enthusiastic bunch of people."
The Champ Boat is the top level of outboard powerboat racing in the world. The boat is approximately 17 feet long and weighs about 1,100 pounds, including the driver. It is powered by an electronically fuel-injected, 375-horsepower Mercury Racing V-6 engine that produces top speeds near 130 miles per hour.
The tunnel-hull Champ boat also is one of the hardest-corning racing machines on earth. It pulls nearly 4 Gs (or forces of gravity) in turns.
"This type of boat can accelerate from zero to 100 miles per hour in about three seconds - that's the type of racing we're talking about here," Gerrie said.
The SST-120 boat is similar in size and appearance to the Champ boat and carries a stock, carbureted, 120-cubic-inch engine that produces top speeds of about 110 miles per hour. The Formula Lights boats are smaller tunnel-hull boats carrying 45-cubic-inch engines that propel them to about 70 miles per hour.
The River Rampage will be the second of eight races for the Champ Boat Series in 2004. The closest race to Sault Ste. Marie is in Bay City, Mich., which has hosted the Bay City River Roar for 15 years.
"This racing circuit has proved it self in multiple cities throughout the continental United States," Gerrie said. "The Bay City race draws a crowd of approximately 20,000 from all areas of the state. We believe that we will be able to draw an attendance of 7,000 to 9,000 in our first year."
The River Rampage will begin with testing sessions on Friday and continue with time trials and heat races on Saturday and final events on Sunday.
"We are ready to be a part of bringing the Champ Boat race series to our area. We are even more excited to see the tourists who will utilize our hotels, restaurants, shops and gas stations," said Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Angela Nebel. "This race will also take advantage of Sault Ste. Marie's wonderful waterfront, which is currently under-utilized from a tourist perspective."
Sault Ste. Marie is located in the northeast section of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The city has an average elevation of 650 feet above sea level. The St. Mary's River lies on the northern border of the community, connecting Lake Superior with Lake Huron. Across the river is the community's Canadian neighbor, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.
Rich in history and surrounded by beautiful natural assets, Sault Ste. Marie is the largest city in Chippewa County. Established 1668 by Father Jacques Marquette, Sault Ste. Marie is the oldest city in Michigan and the oldest European settlement in the Midwest. Native Americans have lived in the area for more than 2,000 years, relying on the rapids of the St. Mary's River for an abundance of whitefish.
The Soo Locks provide safe passage between Lake Superior and Lake Huron, which have a 21-foot difference in elevation. The first U.S. lock was built in 1850 by the state of Michigan.
Over the years, various locks have been constructed and replaced, all in the interest of maintaining this vital and busy point of passage for lake freighters and private vessels. Operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, more than 11,000 vessels carrying up to 90 million tons of cargo pass through these locks every year.
The second new event joining the Champ Boat Series this season is the Toledo River Roar on the Maumee River on August 13-15.
Visit www.champboatracing.com for complete information on the Champ Boat Series. For more information on the Mercury Racing SST-120 and Champ race outboards, the official engines of Champ Boat, visit the Mercury Racing website at www.mercuryracing.com. For visitor's information, go to www.saultstemarie.org.
Champ Boat Series 2004 Season Schedule
June 5-6 New Roads, Louisiana
June 19-20 Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
June 26-27 Bay City, Michigan
July 17-18 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
August 13-15 Toledo, Ohio
August 20-22 St. Louis, Missouri
August 28-29 Windsor, Colorado
September 18-19 San Diego, California
