Longtime offshore racing fans and even casual observers in Mentor, Ohio, reportedly embraced Super Boat International’s inaugural race there last year. That—”plus a few great customers in the area”—has inspired Tony Scioli of Elite Poker Runs LLC to organize a poker run to happen concurrently with the SBI Mentor race July 21-23 on Lake Erie.

Elite Poker Runs, which currently has the upcoming Erie (above) and Western New York poker runs on its schedule, is adding an event to run concurrently with the SBI race in Mentor, Ohio. Photo courtesy/copyright Tim Sharkey/Sharkey Images.

“Three of my customers live in the area and have always tried to get me to do a poker run there,” said Scioli. “They wanted me to do it last year, but there was just wasn’t enough time to put it together.”

The Mentor Harbor Yachting Club will be the host venue for the event. Although the marina has 60 transient slips, Scioli is limiting participation to 30 boats. He expects the event, which will begin with a dinner and welcome party Friday evening followed by the poker run, lunch stop and awards dinner on Saturday, to sell out quickly.

“We’re working on the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame for lunch on Saturday,” he said. “It’s going to be a shorter run, about 60 miles round-trip.

“I know six or seven guys from Buffalo (Scioli home base in Western New York) who went to the races last year,” he added. “It’s kind of like what happens with (the Florida Powerboat Club) run to Key West. You have some people coming for the poker run and some people coming for the race, but everyone is really there just to have a good time.”

Scioli plans to open registration for the run, which will have its own website, within the next weeks. “The best way to keep up with what’s happening between now and then is to follow the Erie Poker Run Facebook page we set up,” he said.

Editor’s Note: Jamie Cordova, the general manager of the Harbor Yachting Club, can be reached by phone at 440-257-7214.

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