Offshoreonly.com - Snack Attack Poised for SBI Worlds

SNACK ATTACK PREPARES FOR SUPER BOAT CHAMPIONSHIP BATTLE
TEAM POISED TO EXTEND WINNING STREAK FOR WORLD TITLE FAME
by Michelle May - Schmidt

PORT-OF-SPAIN, TRINIDAD, WEST INDIES - - No, they didn't win the National Championships, yet that hasn't deterred the Trinidad based Team Snack Attack from accomplishing their goals for the 2002 Offshore Powerboat Racing Season. In fact, it has probably played a significant part in their agenda as they make way to the upcoming Fountain Powerboats Super Boat International World Championship Title Bout in New Orleans the week of November 3rd. While the team has undergone getting to know a new boat and missing a few races to add a new high tech paint scheme, they have still managed to earn four back-to-back victories in the Super Boat Unlimited Class that, alone, makes them a force to be reckoned with.
Nicholas Lok Jack, driver of the 46' four man canopied Douglas Marine Skater with twin Sterling Performance Engines, is not afraid, by any means. A student of the University of Miami's Graduate School of Business, Lok Jack has been racing in the offshore arena since 1999. "I've been around racing my entire life. From the age of seven on, I used to borrow my father ’s pleasure boat and take it to ramp the waves. After seeing my first race in 1984, I was hooked. From that point on, I told my parents I would race a boat some day and now we have one of the fastest boats on the circuit today."
Lok Jack from Port-Of-Spain, named the team Snack Attack after his family owned and operated snack company, Associated Brands Group. Key to the team's success are co-owner/throttleman, Joe Pires from Port - Of-Spain, award winning Crew Chief, Grant "Cricket" Bruggeman of Grant's Custom Rigging in Fort Lauderdale and Roger Bell, also from Port-Of-Spain, who holds the position of Technical Support Captain. Their family support group includes Lok Jack's parents, Arthur and Glenda and his brothers, Gregory and Christopher, Pires' wife, Marlene and a league of fellow flag waving Trini's, all who will be present in New Orleans to cheer their "Island Boys" on to victory.
"We couldn't have the success we've had, without Joe's experience," said Lok Jack. In fact, the two have picked up a number of victories since they met. The team earned the 2000 Super Boat International World Championship in the Modified Class, two first and two second place finishes in the 2001 Superboat Limited Class and one 4th place and four consecutive back-to-back wins this year in the Superboat Unlimited Class. There is no question the team is poised for yet another set of victories and their Championship claim to fame at the Worlds.
"I've loved powerboating since I was about 11, but I never dreamed I would have an opportunity to compete in the biggest and fastest class in the world, let alone win. The championships gives us a great opportunity to achieve worldwide acclaim for both our sponsors and our team," said Pires, managing director of Caribbean Chemicals. Pires also has a loyal supporter in his wife, Marlene, who attends all the races with him and joins in with the big Trini family of supporters in cheering the team on.
"We have been preparing diligently and will be coming to the Worlds ready for action. We know that the competition will be tough and we will be racing hard on both days. We hope, however, that all the racers stay tragedy free," said Lok Jack, in reference to two days of competition in a week long series of events and parties. Whereas the National Championship Title goes to the team that accumulates the most amount of points for the season of races, the World Championships allows all competitors a clean slate. The World Title goes to the team that accumulates the highest amount of points over two separate days of racing. The fact is, the science of winning a World Championship is a combination of team performance in the ever changing water conditions as well as the crew's ability to prepare the equipment and refresh the program between races.
"The World Championships will be our sternest test to date. We anticipate serious competition from a larger fleet, including the addition of previous World Champions entering our class. Our team has focused on preparing this boat for the two grueling and intense days of racing and Tico and I will race this boat to win. We are hungry for the World Championship," said Pires.
No question, the competition will be steep, after all, World renowned throttleman, Johnny Tomlinson is set to appear with Speed Record setter, David Scott at this side in Bacardi Silver, the 2002 National Champion in the APBA Offshore PX Class. Then, there is the Super Boat National Champion Aqua Toy Store. Formidable opponents such as these won't let Team Snack Attack take the checkered flag without a fight, but let's not forget that the Team Snack Attack raceboat has also set a World Kilo Speed Record of 169.533mph in New York while under the previous owner's name titled Planetman.
All in all, fans can expect some heavy deck to deck battle, as the Fountain Powerboats Super Boat International World Championships heads underway, beginning the week of November 3rd, 2002. Officials expect the week long event, sponsored by Copeland Restaurants, to showcase more than 70 of the "biggest, fastest boats"™ in the world as racing action hits speeds in excess of 170+ miles per hour along the shores of Lake Ponchatrain. Race Village, where the teams and boats will be on display, is located in West End Park at the end of Lake Marina Avenue and Breakwater Drive in New Orleans.
Fans can catch a glimpse of the high tech Team Snack Attack Raceboat, meet the team and get autographs from both Lok Jack and Pires all week long in Race Village. The team will compete in both the races on Wednesday, November 6th as well as the final competition on Sunday, November 10th, 2002, where they expect to come into the docks with checkered flag in hand. Schedule and Ticket information is available on www.SUPERBOAT.com. "We'd like to thank our sponsors for their help in underwriting our costs including Associated Brands Group, Doller Offshore Marine, Grants Custom Rigging, www.webworks.co.tt the Offshore Racing Review and Over The Edge Motorsports Marketing.
For those who can't make the race itself, the Fountain Powerboats Super Boat International World Championships in New Orleans will air on Outdoor Life Network (OLN) Saturday, December 7th, 2002 at 4:30 EDT with a second airing on Friday, Dec. 13th, 2002 at 12:00pm EDT. Super Boat International will also team up this year with the world's largest television network, China Central Television (CCTV) to showcase the World Championship and the city of New Orleans, La., in a special two-hour program. For all information on Super Boat Racing, visit www. SUPERBOAT.com. For information on Team Snack Attack Racing, CONTACT Michelle May - Schmidt - Tel/Fax: 954-796-9226 email: [email protected].