With the American teams arriving in Morehead City, N.C., this week for this weekend’s P1 SuperStock USA championship, the Powerboat P1 teams on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean are gathering as well to compete for the United Kingdom title.
In a tight battle with Oregon Custom Marine and MYCO, Pier 57 hopes to finish strong in the season finale in Morehead City, N.C.
The fact that national titles will be decided on both sides of “the pond” on Sunday (Sept. 16), marks the first time Powerboat P1 has arranged its USA and UK season finales to coincide on the same day, creating a transatlantic link between its SuperStock championships in North America and Europe. According to a press release, the move demonstrates Powerboat P1’s expanding position in global powerboat racing as new SuperStock championships come on stream in the United Arab Emirates in November followed by both China and India in 2013.
The eyes of the American racing community will be focused on the Crystal Coast Grand Prix (CCGP) in Morehead City, which is hosting the P1 SuperStock USA finale for the second year in a row. Some 3,700 miles away, the UK event will be held at the Olympic sailing venue in Weymouth.
Team Livorsi comes into the CCGP with a commanding championship lead, and driver Andy Biddle and throttleman Tracy Blumenstein plan to finish the season strong to make sure they take home the national championship. In the fight for the Vice Champions crown, only eight points separate Pier 57, Oregon Custom Marine and MYCO, and all three teams need a successful showing to make the final championship podium.
Racing will be held at the N.C. State Port where spectators can see the entire course from the port’s seawall. Admission to the event is free and there will be a designated zone in the Bogue Sound for a spectator fleet so race fans can watch the action from their own personal watercraft. After a morning of testing and qualifying, P1 SuperStock USA will open the championship finale at noon by hosting the second annual Sound of Freedom Cup—a race that honors the nation’s armed forces by featuring an exhibition race between six different military personnel who throttle for a P1 SuperStock USA driver.
“We are excited to return to Morehead City for another great weekend and our national championship finale,” Martin Sanborn, P1 SuperStock USA director of operations, said in the release. “The N.C. State Port is one of the best venues for powerboat racing as spectators can see the entire course from start to finish. After a successful race weekend last year, we knew that we wanted to bring our national championship to Morehead City.”
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