Sports - January 22, 2005

Offshore powerboat races will continue despite sponsor withdrawing

By BETSY CLAYTON
[email protected]
Published by news-press.com on January 20, 2005


The title sponsor of the offshore powerboat races set for Memorial Day weekend withdrew support Thursday, but the races still are on course to happen, organizers said.

The races are expected to bring 40 of the world’s largest, fastest racing boats to Fort Myers Beach and race-related events across Lee County. The Beach will be one of eight stops on the Offshore Super Series’ 2005 schedule, which features 30- to 40-footers that go 150 mph.

Whether the event happens on the holiday weekend or on another late-spring weekend is up in the air. Other sponsors can be secured to compensate for the $25,000 lost with the departure of Hooters, racer and event director Steve Page said.

Hooters pulled out because when it announced its title sponsorship in mid-December, it was with the understanding the races would happen on Sunday of the three-day weekend.

But Town of Fort Myers Beach officials heard protests from 15 to 20 parasailing and personal watercraft rental operators, who said they do thousands of dollars in business on Sunday of Memorial Day weekend.

A meeting Tuesday with the operators, town staffers, Councilman Bill Van Duzer, Hooters and others resulted in suggestions such as moving the races to Memorial Day - a day typically reserved for racers to pack up and a day sponsors also see as a travel day for potential customers.

“Nothing that was laid out on the table was going to work,” Hooters marketing director Mike Cannington said Thursday.

Beach officials still want the event to happen and plan to issue a special event permit after working with race organizers to select a date that doesn’t negatively impact beach vendors, who can’t run Jet Skis and boats when the 5-mile race course is in use.

“Absolutely, we want the races to happen,” Van Duzer said.

That’s good news to fans, who became accustomed to annual professional boat race events through the 1990s and early 2000s. The last one was held in May 2003. Lacking sponsorship killed the 2004 race.

Fans for 2005 are expecting the OSS-sanctioned event this spring and another offshore event scheduled for Nov. 2-6 that will feature three days of racing for American Power Boat Association drivers.

The November races will be at Fort Myers Beach, said race director Dean Clausen, who is still working to secure sponsors.

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Things that make ya go HMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

Well, my answer to that is I will be patronizing this establishment chain much less now...

Hell, It seemed to work when Heinz Ketchup pulled out of Nascar.
Everyone pulled together and stop buying. They got the message real quick, and their name was back on a car.

Offshore probably wouldn't have that kind of impact though. Maybe with the power of OSO members it would.....

Come on now...........these poor girls have car payments to make.

Car payments or Cosmetic Surgury payments. HHHHHHMMMMMM!!!!

I would put her on the payroll.

The salary would be to high Dennis,its winter time and your buisness is slow.HMMMMMM.

1HYPER1,

Trust me I would find the a way!!!! TRUST ME!!!!!!!!

That saying would be more appropriate if it were Clinton...

There ya go