Who had the last "factory sponsored" team and when?

Rak Rua I was waiting for you to bring that over here.

MMMMMM Stir the Pot

I believe the last year Cigarette was claiming World Champions was 71 or 73

What is ironic is most of the wins Cigarette take credit for were actually made by Formula Powerboats (Owned by Aronow). The term "The Cigarette" was actually the name of the boat not the boat manufacturer. The BRAND "Cigarette" didn't come till way later, after Donzi was created and sold off if I remember correctly. Cigarette (The Brand) seems to take credit for all the wins achieved under all the brands under Aronow's stewardship. This particular fact seems to not register with most fanboys, having said that I honestly feel Cigarette deserves the reputation they own, as far as being a well built, fast, great handling boat. However the legacy has a lot of asterisks in it, if you ask me.

Everybody go ahead and have your fun. Wont be long till them Pache boys show up and set things straight...

Don't bogart the salsa, and no double dipping please...

I figured out a long time ago that when non boaters or even boaters who just aren't into the fast stuff ask what kind of boat I have it's easiest just to say " a cigarette boat". On the occasions I try to actually tell them what I have, I just get blank stares until they finally tell me that I have "a cigarette boat" despite the fact that I actually have a Formula (or fill in any other name here). I've come to accept that the brand name Cigarette has come to define an entire catagory of boat. Hell, the actors in Miami Vice even referred the the Scarab as a Cigarette in the show. The logo could say anything and it wouldn't change anything. I'd guess that in 1982 when the logo was trademarked they were definitely the winningest brand in offshore by far. Get over it.

I'm digging through the OSO archives today when I have a few spare minutes. I think Cigarette "may" have won in F2 in the 2000-2003 years but not sure. I think the Virgin Gladiator or the LipShip TS Gun may have gotten a title.

I think you overlooked their rebranding and "lifestyle" marketing. The championship logo is still available but it seems there is a much broader approach in their marketing.

I was searching for how many championships they'd won and one of the search results was for for a Popular Mechanics article about the company. I got a laugh out of some of the other articles from that time. Front wheel drive has arrived. Several pages of CB technology, including the chance that they'd get small enough to wear on a wrist. Variable displacement engines where they had levers in the engine to alter stroke length.

http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/.../RSCHAP1_2.jpg

Man if I had a dollar for everytime someone looks at the logo at a gas station and asks "where do you race that thing"?
I try to tell em that it`s a family pleasure boat but with the cleavers noone seems to believe me. I~m going to start making stuff up, especially to " who makes that Cigarette boat?"
Or " are you the number one race team?"
Yes, yes I am