KennyOffShore

Moorehead City, NC, September 20, 2009 ... The MYSTIC vs. MYSTIC battle roars to the Clearwater Superboat National Championships where the Turbine Extreme National Champion will be crowned. (http://www.clearwatersuperboat.com/index.html) With Miss Geico winning New York and today’s win of Aqua-Mania in Moorehead City, North Carolina, it’s anybody’s guess as to who will be crowned the SBI National Champion.

Miss Geico got the jump from the milling circle as the green flag waved, but turn one was the deciding factor for the race. John Cosker, replacing Gregg Rosen on this day said it best, “I was comfortable with the MYSTIC Cat’s overall speed but unsure how we would do in the drag race to the first turn buoy.” He continued, “I’ll bet the television on this was amazing, the first turn was a right hander which was fairly sharp; the only way I could pass was to turn-hook-recover-accelerate…we were 6 feet airborne. I told Rick (Merola, Aqua-mania Principal/Throttleman) to ‘hit it’…just as we turned into the corner. We came out like a rocket ship!”

The 50’ carbon fiber / epoxy Aqua-Mania (MYSTIC) cat hull earned its keep today. Even though Miss Geico and Aqua-Mania were close, the freestyle acrobatics on turn one gave Aqua-Mania a lead that it held the whole race. The boom-rang shaped coarse was interesting with parked ships, and spectator boats. Passing was tough. Miss Geico who ultimately broke a propeller shaft could keep maintain the distance between them but not regain the lead.

Scotty Begovich (Miss Geico Throttleman), acknowledged in the awards ceremony, how important the consistency of the race venues and race organizers are to the fans. The weather was perfect, and there was plenty of offshore action. Aqua-Mania held a surprise for one of the fans as during the final lap Driver John Cosker surprised even teammate Rick Merola by making a bonzi pass just 3 feet off the on land viewing area at over 165 MPH. The fan who had been attending this race from the first event 4 years ago shouted, “…This is WHY I COME…THIS IS AWSOME!” And it was.
Clearwater, Florida now takes the spotlight for the finale of this MYSTIC Battle of the Titans.

The inaugural Clearwater Superboat International (SBI) National Championship will become the pearl of the series. Its sugar white beaches, bountiful on-Gulf restaurants and expansive hotel properties will make it a fan favorite. (http://www.clearwatersuperboat.com/index.html) As the website points out, this Brigthouse Television presented spectacle will be rich in media and fan fun. It boasts concerts and even a fireworks display to kick off viewing of the best Offshore Racing reveries in the world. The battle between Miss Geico and Aqua-mania this weekend from North Carolina will now have to be decided at Clearwater on October 2-4. The venue is boasting the biggest fan count for an event of its type in the regular series and lots of free activities for the families.

The rivalry continues on the water but Gregg Rosen and Rick Merola from Aqua-Mania and Mark Granet and Scotty Begovich who pilot Miss Geico are anxious to share their love of the sport with everyone. MYSTIC Powerboats, who regards this event as their home race, will make drivers and throttlemen available for fans to meet in person at the various activities.

Currently Miss Geico trails Aqua-mania in the SBI national standings. "This could get interesting”, declared Cosker, “since the SBI Nationals in Clearwater are a double points race, Miss Geico could still win the national championship. Aqua-Mania sits on the current national point’s lead of 2903 and Miss Geico is at 2402. The 501 point lead can be eclipsed by Miss Geico if Aqua-Mania fails to start do to any kind of testing incident or mechanical failure…even though that's not likely… in Turbine powered Cat racing, anything is possible at the Clearwater offshore grand prix.”

The top three point’s leaders in the SBI Turbine Class are MYSTIC Offshore Cats. MYSTIC Powerboats has been at the top of the inshore and offshore speed categories all year. In SBI, MYSTIC Powerboats are untouchable in the top class: Turbine Extreme. At the premiere Bonneville style speed race, the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout, the Nauti-Marine Dave Scott and Johnny Tomlinson piloted 50’ piston powered, carbon fiber, epoxy MYSTIC surpassed the next competitor by nearly 20 MPH roaring to a 196 MPH run in the measured mile…both Johnny and Dave stated “there was so much more in that boat.” At the Sunny Isles, Florida, race besides dominating the race itself, the Aqua-Mania MYSTIC 50 foot Catamaran set a NEW World Record leaving US waters, circling Bimini in the British controlled Bahamas’ and back to the US in 43 minutes and 43 seconds.