Popeye's sinking @ Michigan City
08-08-2010, 02:25 PM
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Lisa Matthews of NautiCool Offshore Racing, Sarasota, Florida, is taking the wheel at this weekend’s Great Lakes Grand Prix for the Popeye’s-sponsored racing team. She’ll be steering the boat with three-time world champion Stan Ware, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. They’ll race in the “supercat” division.
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08-08-2010, 06:02 PM
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Previously from the Sarasota Tribune...
Byline: THOMAS BECNEL [email protected]
SARASOTA -- When Lisa Matthews climbs into the cockpit of the Pier 57 racing boat, a 3 1/2-ton hulk with 1,100 horsepower, she clips a tiny hair tie to the steering wheel.
Then she pulls on a helmet and steers the loud yellow machine at speeds of 100 mph.
When Matthews climbs out of the cockpit, after sweating through the bounces and jolts of a race, she clips her long brown hair out of her face.
"You're cooking in there," she says. "There's no air conditioning and little ventilation, so it's like 100 or 120 degrees."
With or without the hair clip, Matthews seems an unlikely speedboat racer.
The 39-year-old mother of two is a special events planner and founder of www.sarasotaboating.com. She spent 15 years with the Holiday Inn chain and used to volunteer at the Suncoast Offshore Grand Prix. She also organized poker runs and drove the pace boat for Sarasota races.
But last year Matthews got an offer to skip several classes of boats and become the only woman to drive a Super V boat on the G.M. Pro National Tour.
"I went right to this one," she says. "If you're gonna do it, Lisa, they said, do it big."
Today Matthews will speed past Siesta Key in her hometown race, the 20th annual Offshore Grand Prix. An upset win would be memorable.
Her rookie year has already been …
Byline: THOMAS BECNEL [email protected]
SARASOTA -- When Lisa Matthews climbs into the cockpit of the Pier 57 racing boat, a 3 1/2-ton hulk with 1,100 horsepower, she clips a tiny hair tie to the steering wheel.
Then she pulls on a helmet and steers the loud yellow machine at speeds of 100 mph.
When Matthews climbs out of the cockpit, after sweating through the bounces and jolts of a race, she clips her long brown hair out of her face.
"You're cooking in there," she says. "There's no air conditioning and little ventilation, so it's like 100 or 120 degrees."
With or without the hair clip, Matthews seems an unlikely speedboat racer.
The 39-year-old mother of two is a special events planner and founder of www.sarasotaboating.com. She spent 15 years with the Holiday Inn chain and used to volunteer at the Suncoast Offshore Grand Prix. She also organized poker runs and drove the pace boat for Sarasota races.
But last year Matthews got an offer to skip several classes of boats and become the only woman to drive a Super V boat on the G.M. Pro National Tour.
"I went right to this one," she says. "If you're gonna do it, Lisa, they said, do it big."
Today Matthews will speed past Siesta Key in her hometown race, the 20th annual Offshore Grand Prix. An upset win would be memorable.
Her rookie year has already been …
08-08-2010, 06:18 PM
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I did not see her flip, but saw the incredible wall of water when she did. The boat say upside down for a while. Then it looked like both drivers appeared. Shortly there was a lot of race support there. Then my wife said "look, they are lifting it out with the helicopter" I said no way, that's sinking. Sat there with the sponsons in the air for a very long time. They tried to tow it with a cruiser, but couldn't. when we came in it looked like they were heading out with a recovery vessel with a small crane on it.
Glad to hear they are both ok!!
Glad to hear they are both ok!!
08-08-2010, 07:30 PM
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It was scary to watch. glad all are ok though !!!!!!!
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