Team Cintron Wins, Superboats Excite South Beach Crowds
Rough Seas and Crowed Beaches At 21st Miami Grand Prix Powerboat Race
KEY WEST, Fla (June 5, 2011) Super Boat teams battled each other and rough seas during the running of the 21st Annual Miami Super Boat Grand Prix, while team Cintron led wire to wire and took first overall. Miami is notorious for rough water races and this weekend wasn’t any different. It was all about the right setup and lasting the entire race, which is what most often determines the winner of Super Boat races off Miami Beach.
“All the teams did a great job here this weekend and ultimately beat Mother Nature. For fans, it was the perfect day, sunny, breezy and small breakers coming in. For race teams, a little different story,” comments John Carbonell, President of Super Boat International. “I really respect all the teams that went out there and raced today. Fortunately, the weather laid down a little more than we expected, as there were some big rollers and chop that teams had to work through.”
This year’s race was just over 53 miles and nine laps and teams competed in various Super Cat and Vee Bottom classes. One of the best battles of the day was Team Loriblue and Team Stihl… with Stihl coming out on top in the Super Cat Class. Owner/driver, J. R. Noble commented, “It was quite a day as it was very tough out there. Loriblue put up a great fight and so did the conditions. Last race (Cocoa Beach), we lost it at the wire and this race we won by just over 8 seconds. I’m very happy with the win. Grant Bruggeman, Throttleman, did a great job out there and so did the whole team.”
Rich Wyatt, throttleman for team Cintron, said it best. “It was just a perfect day all around.” Wyatt continued, “the team did a great job getting the boat ready for today; we had a little motor issue after the race, but I guess that’s the best time to have a problem.”
Teams and fans got to see a NASCAR style stock car and pace car presented by Homestead Miami Speedway (HMS). HMS was promoting this November’s Championship NASCAR Event November 18th-20th. If you want to watch the Ford 400 on Sunday November 20, go online (homesteadmiamispeedway.com) and buy your tickets. This weekend’s other class winners included: Team Risk (Super Stock), Twisted Metal Motorsports (P1), Team Velocity (P4).
The next race on the Super Boat International race series heads to Sarasota, Florida, the 27th Suncoast Super Boat Festival June 30th through July 3rd. The event will include the usual grand parade down Main Street on Thursday, Kilo Record attempts on Friday, raceboat testing on Saturday and Sunday races at 11:00 am and 1:00pm.
More About Super Boat International
Super Boat International (SBI), is the premier offshore racing institution founded from the first ever powerboat race, the 1956 Miami to Nassau event, and is the longest running professional offshore racing sanctioning body in North America. Founder and President, John Carbonell produces races, world kilos and distance records throughout the United States, South America and the Bahamas. SBI events include the World’s fastest Vee Bottom and Catamaran style powerboats, reaching speeds in excess of 200 mph. Offshore powerboats race on a rectangular shaped stadium-styled racecourse along a 2-1/2 mile stretch of beaches filled with hotels, vendors and race fans.
Article and pictures courtesy of Super Boat International
