United States
GREENVILLE, N.C. 7th September – National powerboat titles will be decided on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean on Sunday, 16th September, when the Powerboat P1 finals take place in both Morehead City, NC and 3,762 miles away in the Olympic sailing venue of Weymouth, UK.
It is the first time Powerboat P1 has arranged its USA and UK title deciders to coincide on the same day and create a unique transatlantic link between its SuperStock championships in North America and Europe. The move demonstrates Powerboat P1’s expanding position in global powerboat racing as new SuperStock championships come on stream in the United Arab Emirates in November followed by both China and India in 2013.
The eyes of the USA’s powerboat racing community will be focused upon the 2012 Crystal Coast Grand Prix (CCGP) in Morehead City, N.C. as for the second year running the city is hosting the P1 SuperStock USA finale.
Team Livorsi comes into the CCGP with a commanding championship lead and driver, Andy Biddle, and throttleman, Tracy Blumenstein, are planning on a strong finish to the 2012 season to make sure they take home the SuperStock USA national championship. In the fight for the Vice Champions crown only eight points separate Pier 57, Oregon Custom Marine and Myco and all three teams need a successful showing in Morehead City in order to make the final championship podium.
Racing will be held at the N.C. State Port where spectators can see the entire race course from the port’s seawall. Admission to the event is free and there will be a designated zone in the Bogue Sound for a spectator fleet so race fans can watch the action from their own personal watercraft.
After a morning of testing and qualifying, P1 SuperStock USA will open the championship finale at noon by hosting the second annual Sound of Freedom Cup, a race that honors the nation’s armed forces by featuring an exhibition race between six different military personnel, each representing their own branch of the military, who throttle for a P1 SuperStock USA driver.
After the Sound of Freedom Cup, race teams will compete in their traditional endurance races for their final opportunity to earn points towards their national championship score. Following the final race, Jack’s Waterfront Bar will host a podium where a P1 SuperStock USA national champion will be crowned.
“We are excited to return to Morehead City for another great weekend and our national championship finale,” said Martin Sanborn, P1 SuperStock USA director of operations. “The N.C. State Port is one of the best venues for powerboat racing as spectators can see the entire race course from start to finish. After a successful race weekend last year, we knew that we wanted to bring our national championship to Morehead City.”
ABOUT THE POWERBOAT P1 SUPERSTOCK USA CHAMPIONSHIP
The Powerboat P1 SuperStock USA Championship series features a global, one-design
powerboat with the same engine and propeller, leveling the playing field for all competitors. The drivers make the difference, not the amount of their investment. One design racing makes for competitive, exciting racing as the teams compete for top event points in their goal for a national championship title. The series is sanctioned by the Union Internationale Motonautica (UIM) and the American Powerboat Association (APBA) to create a genuine, competitive championship series at the regional, national, continental and world championship level.
ABOUT THE CRYSTAL COAST GRAND PRIX:
The Crystal Coast Grand Prix is a three-day event that hosts the country’s most competitive powerboat race, held in Carteret County on the Morehead City waterfront at the N.C. State Port. Jeffery McCann, a Carteret County native, had a passion for powerboat racing and after years of racing at other venues, he decided to invest his personal time into bringing the sport to his hometown not only for the sport, but also to help generate revenue for Carteret County. Over the past seven years, the Crystal Coast Grand Prix has managed to generate more than $850,000 in revenue per year for the local businesses.