TIME BANDIT OFFSHORE RACING WINS SECOND PLACE IN THE SBI KEY WEST, FL. WORLD POWERBOAT RACES!
The Time Bandit Offshore Race Team (TBOR) featuring national champion driver Bob Mazikowski and the Discovery Channel’s “Deadliest Deckhand” Travis Lofland on throttles completed testing days and three official races to take second place for the Super Boat International World Championships in the Manufacturers #3 Class.
The crew pulled in late after a long drive from Georgia and went on to win first in the Wednesday races. The course grew more challenging on Friday and Sunday, so the team went to work to adapt props and drives with their expertise and are thrilled for the Time Bandit 30′ Phantom’s overall record. Johnathan and Andy Hillstrand who sponsor the boat under their flag congratulated everyone and look forward to the 2011 race season.
Everyone was excited to partner with Key West’s own David, Eva and “Prince” Alex Brian as they worked in the Florida Powerboat Club’s village and cheered the racers on. Brian also took TBOR I.T. Media Director Tom MacKnight on a special trip on his 47′ Buddy Davis SportFish Executive Charter. ( 305-394-0928)
Mazikowski said, ” It was an awesome and important week of camaraderie and racing. Taking first, then second on the final two days of racing gave us the points for our award. We all thank Jeni Craig with Campbell Tax Service and Keith Nixon with MHDS.com who sponsored the team this year.” Lofland said, ” This was the best way to end the year for my first powerboat season and the Time Bandit Offshore crew. We couldn’t have accomplished everything without our support team: Merlin Marine, K & J Marine, Ron Weinheimer, Tim from Team Wanted, Brian, Mary, Vera, Reese and Tom from TMACK Productions.”
Both Mazikowski and Lofland extend their thanks to Barbara and her staff at the Eat’N Grinn restaurant at Truman and Simonton Streets in Key West for hosting the entire team for a spectacular day with the Time Bandit Boat on display.
Contact:
Ellen Greenleaf
Time Bandit Offshore Racing
ebgleaf@hotmail.com
317.409.3776
Text and pictures of this article courtesy of Offshore Super Series and Time Bandit Offshore Racing Team.
Other side of the story:
Bi-Coastal Rivalry—Florida vs. Alaska in Offshore Power Boat World Championship!
J&S Motorsports/Watt-Ahh® Racing wins fair and square the Superboat World Championship over T.V. Deadliest Catch’s Time Bandit in Key West, November 2010. The winning boat went up in Class (from Production Class 4 to Production Class 3) to compete with Time Bandit that typically races in a higher class as a Super Vee Limited.
Sarasota, FL, December 11, 2010
A pair of false starts, punishing seas and a motley group of Florida gearheads defeated favored Alaskan powerboat, Time Bandit, in Key West, Florida this month. A Florida-based boat from J&S Motorsports/Watt-Ahh® snatched the World Championship from Time Bandit winning the bi-coastal contest between the legendary crab boat on TV’s Deadliest Catch that sponsors the racers and the Florida Watt-Ahh® boat.
Travis Lofland is a deckhand aboard the Wizard skipped Alaska’s king crab season to compete in his first world championship race as throttleman for the Time Bandit boat. “It’s the speed, the adrenaline. It’s pucker factor high,” said Lofland.
Time Bandit’s crew settled in second place in Production Class 3 behind the Watt-Ahh® boat after officials warned and actually issued a time penalty on the second race in Key West. Time Bandit fared better than some other racers. Competing at high speeds on unsettled seas capsized two racing boats. Two racers were completely ejected from their boat in this extreme sport.
The winning boat was driven by Scott Brown and Throttleman Eddie Tamberino, their first World Championship after 8 years of racing. They won 2 out of the 3 races. “When the boat laid over on the third and final race”, Driver Scott said, “…I took one hand off the wheel to grab the emergency air regulator thinking we were going for a swim. But my Throttleman, Eddie, stayed on it and the boat recovered to keep racing”.
“We knew we had stiff competition in a higher class,” said Rob Gourley, one of the Watt-Ahh® boat’s mechanics. Gourley is also a tough guy even the Time Bandit crew might appreciate. He spent over two decades keeping heavy machinery going on the Alaskan pipeline project in Prudhoe Bay. “We made custom changes to the boat to enhance its acceleration and cornering abilities in the rough seas during Key West races this year. It was on-the-edge racing and the boat tail walked four times. Thanks to the awesome abilities of Scott and Eddie, they kept the boat headed towards ultimate victory”, added Gourley.
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Contact Information:
Rob Gourley
AquaNew, L.L.C.
Chief Executive Officer
941-923-8972
http://www.AquaNew.com
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Thanks for your feedback Rob!