LYMINGTON SET TO CROWN CHAMPIONS

The curtain draws down on the first ever Powerboat P1 SuperStock Championship in Lymington this weekend.

After four rounds of exhilarating race action, 17 fearless teams will compete at the season-ending Grand Prix of the Sea on the Hampshire coast on Saturday, where the overall 2010 P1 series champions will also be crowned.

Following previous races in Penzance, Galway, Pwllheli and most recently in Southampton, everything is still to race for in the UK’s premier marine motorsport competition, with both the 300 and 150 Class trophies still up for grabs.

Grandstand Motor Sports duo John Wilson and Neil Scarborough command a sizeable lead over the chasing pack in the 150 Class and it will take a brave betting man to gamble against Rupert Pugh and Dan Whapples of Heights of Abraham claiming the inaugural 300 prize.

The Matlock-based team has illustrated its all-round strength on countless occasions throughout the season and no team has matched Messrs Pugh and Whapples for straight-line speed or their precision around the turns.

The pair’s imperious racing skills make Heights of Abraham favourites this weekend and Whapples says the team is full of confidence. He said: “We don’t doubt our ability and have put in a lot of time, effort and preparation both on and off the water this season, so i’m sure we will get our rewards once we’ve crossed the finishing line on Saturday.”

If the Matlock team does get its hands on the gold that their performances this season has merited, then Whapples predicts he and Rupert will join a small gathering of friends and family in “letting their hair down” on Saturday evening.

To avoid the pre-race nerves that Whapples believes all of his fellow pilots will go through at some point this week, Grandstand Motor Sports driver, Wilson has been sunning himself in Spain.

“This is unusual for me,” joked Wilson. “I’m really excited about the race. We’ve put ourselves in a great position to hold a 26 point lead heading into the weekend and Lymington’s conditions should suit us, but it’s going to be a massive challenge and the team will not be celebrating until we’ve passed the checkered flag.”

The Warwickshire-based petrol-head has the unique opportunity to claim another motor racing title on Sunday if he can make it up to Mallory Park, in Leicestershire. Wilson leads the Formula Ford 2000 Championship by five-points. He said: “I’m in a bit of quandary whether or not to go, but It’ll be a bit of a marker to say i’ve won a powerboat championship on the Saturday and a motor racing series on the Sunday.”

The 17-strong SuperStock fleet will have the thrilling opportunity to race against 20 RIBs in Saturday’s fast and furious finale and Wilson can’t wait to get to grips with the competition.

“There will be four different classes of RIB with different speed and power configurations so the competition is going to be fantastic and the start run will be more important than ever.”

The Lymington Grand Prix of the Sea begins on Saturday October 2nd at 9:30AM