Phantom1

Powerboat Races Returning To Ocean City After Six Years

Shawn Soper
News Editor

08/10/2006 OCEAN CITY – Offshore powerboat racing will return to Ocean City next month as part of a summer-long series of races around the country, ending a six-year absence of the popular event in the resort, which enjoyed the spectacle for eight straight years before the plug was pulled in 2000.

Throughout much of the 1990s, big time offshore powerboat races were a staple on the fall schedule with a racing series returning to Ocean City on Columbus Day weekend in October for eight straight years. Funding issues and a waning commitment from the town caused the typically loud event to quietly go away in 2000, but a national powerboat racing group, the Offshore Performance Association (OPA), is bringing the event back to the resort on Sept. 9-10 as part of a series of races that includes stops in Michigan, Ohio, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Maryland, including another event scheduled in Cambridge.

Called the “Ocean City Maryland Offshore Challenge,” the OPA-sponsored event will feature around 40 V-hull and twin-hull hydroplanes roaring around a two-mile long, half-mile wide course laid out about 300 yards off the coast of the resort. In addition to the thousands of spectators watching the action from the shore, a fleet of spectator boats offshore in expected to contribute to the spectacle.

The 2006 Offshore Performance Association racing series began in Algonac, Mich. on June 3-4 and will arrive in Ocean City on Sept. 9-10. The series moves to Cambridge on Sept. 23-24 and concludes with the World Championships in Destin, Fla. on Nov. 5-12.

Unlike the previous powerboat racing series that included Ocean City in years past, the OPA series coming this fall requires no entry fees from race participants, which helps expand the field but also presents funding challenges, according to OPA President Ed Smith.

“We’re going with a different philosophy,” he said. “In the past, the racers have always paid big entry fees and have also paid for everything else including lodging and expenses. We’re trying to line up sponsors and contributors to help with some of those expenses, which we think will make the race series more conducive for the racing teams.”

Smith said the Ocean City community has responded, under the guidance of business leaders like Rob Asner and Bull on the Beach owner Phil Houck, who was instrumental in bringing powerboat racing to the resort in years past and has his own boat and racing team. Houck is a major contributor to the event, donating around $25,000 thus far, but he is looking for help from his colleagues in the business community.

“In past years, the powerboat races have been very successful, not only in raising a very generous amount for local businesses, but in rallying our community to support this important local event,” he said in a prepared statement this week. “We are fortunate to be working and living in a place as special as Ocean City.”

Houck said the event needs roughly another $10,000 to ensure its success and he is asking fellow business owners to step up, either with monetary contributions or in-kind donations such as free or reduced room rates.

Smith said his association is enthused about returning to Ocean City, but hopes the event has some staying power this time around.

“We’re really hoping for a five-year deal to come back to Ocean City,” he said. “It doesn’t do anybody any good to come back for one year because the competitors and the organizers like to plan in advance, and I’m sure the city would also like to be able to pencil this event in year after year.”

All material copyright 2006 The Maryland Coast Dispatch, Berlin, MD. Questions, comments, contact us at [email protected]

Ron P

This is the best race site on in the North East for an ocean race.

Can't wait!

AugiePensa

Guy's, Ladies, THIS IS GONNA BE GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Enforcer2

Can't wait!!!!!!!

Ron P

Here's the list of boats that have committed to race in Ocean City.

If you've never been to Ocean City,,, you have no idea what you're missing. It's like Miami of the North East.

Turbine Marine PX - 13 John Haggin John Arruda
Platinum Princess PX - 26 Marc Granet Scott Begovich
JEM Companies PX - 6 Jay Mueller Daniel Funsch

Lightning Jacks P1 - 05 Walter Piasaki John Wooley
Stylin P1 - 17 Al Rullo Jason Saris
Traffic Light P1 - 29 Ed Smith Shawn Smith
Pro Marine Racing P1 - 388 Raymond Contreras Danny Alvarado
Pour It On P1 - 60 JIMMY ANSELMO
Peppers P1 - Mike and Pop Stancombe

On the Chip P2 - 30 Jim Winters Curtis Cropper
Strictly Business P2 - 6 Louis Giancontieri Eric Vorhrer
Wanted P2 - 77 Al Culbertson Bill Purnell

Wazzup P3 - 1 Smitty Sticks
Obsession P3 - 8 Harry Turner Walter Collins

Specialized racing P4 - 12 Mark Gallagher Joey Klyce
Ken's Oil P4 - 11 Ken MacMartin
Miami Boys P4 - 12 Frank Areces Albert Echemendia
Team Jersey Boyz P4 - 13 Val Fiorillo Augie Pensa
R&S Offshore Racing P4 - 19 Howard Richardson Kyle Dietzem
Undecided P4 - 20 Robert Glover James Glover
Rum Runners P4 - 22 George Grump
Offshore Princess P4 - 26 Amanda Hagerl Laura Hanner
Panther P4 - 34 Johhny Stanch
USAuctions.com P4 - 45 Keith Herbott Jim Simmons
Still Got It! P4 - 60 Rich Devlin Johnny Begovich
Simply Awesome P4 - 66 Bruce Seroff
Never Enuff P4-829 Brian Coffee Brian Coffee

Team Joker P5 - 10 Warren Miller Mack Clark
FRIENDSHIP 1 P5 - 11 Frank Bailsh Joe Iglio
Offshore Addiction P5 - 11 Al Chesley
AMF/LaveyCraft P5 - 13 Chance Silva Brian Devlin
Wahoo Racing P5 - 14 Dean Howard Paul Silva
Sonic Boom P5 - 15 John Franco
MotorCity Offshore P5 - 19 Neil Wallace
Jersey Pirates P5 - 30 Scott Rogers John Schmidt
Goumada P5 - 38 John Cafro Jerry Memoli
Pump It P5 - 42* Joey Dacey
XTRAS P5 - 5 Chris Girgenti James Kennard
Superboat Racing P5 - 68 Mark Henderson Eddie Simmons
Jamiacan Me Krazy P5-69 Mike Pettando Josh Wall

Papa Dukes P6 - 1 Chris Carbone Jayson Wohltman
AIRTIME P6 - 77 Art Cokely Art Cokely
Lock'd Up P6-6 Bob and Vinny

Billy Martin

Heya Fellas< Fall River was cancelled, and there was alota work done on the Bounty Hunter for it, Count us in Ocean City as well as Cambridge, Lookin Forward to havin some Fun in P4

Fast Shafts

Ron,
You can ad me to the P6 list, P6-6 "Lock'd Up". Jay rerigged the boat, the new engine is running great! Vinman will be driving. I cant wait for OC!!!
BOB G.

SHARKEY-IMAGES

Does anyone know if the Car Show is that same weekend ?

What an awesome time it was having both at the same time down there in years past....

racesdad

RON, WHY DO YOU KEEP ME AND DAD OUT OF THE LINEUP OH YEAH ED SMITH(MICH) IC
S SCARED OF THE LITTLE CATLITE BOAT

purnell

With All The Boats Listed, Are U Going To Have A Two Race Format. Would Like To Run My Other Boat In P3. SAME WITH CAMBRIDGE