TEAMS TO RAISE THEIR GAME FOR THE BIG ONE!
The Southampton Grand Prix of the Sea will boast the strongest line-up of the season as the P1 SuperStock Championship reaches its penultimate round on Sunday.
Seventeen teams, including five that will contest under Powerboat P1 colours for the very first time, will be taking part in four races on Southampton Water this weekend against the awe-inspiring PSP Southampton Boat Show backdrop.
The 150 Class powers-off the day’s proceedings with race predictions from the experts pointing towards the closest battle of the year. Both Flying Sparks and astonishingly Aztec Racing have been mentioned as serious contenders for the Southampton title as Grandstand Motor Sports, formerly Premier Cru, Eclipse and Team Fox will have their work cut out to continue their podium dominance from previous rounds in Penzance, Galway and Pwllheli respectively.
Flying Sparks’ driver Robert Booker is anticipating a hotly contested day on the water. He said: “It’s been a long break since our last race in Pwllheli so everyone is desperate to start strongly on Sunday morning. It’s a tight racecourse and with even more boats in the field it should be extremely exciting.”
All of the teams have been working hard at Neil Holmes’ Powerboat Academy in the build-up to the race and Booker says Holmes has been piling on the pressure with tales of their competitors speed at every session. He added: “He’s been winding everyone up. This is the race we want to win! We have a lot of guests coming to watch us so there is a lot more pressure on us to deliver a podium place.”
The 300 Class fleet will be joined by three 225 horsepower outfits, including 150 Class rivals, Rose Lores and Martin Colligan, who will make their debut alongside each other in the 27 ft discipline. There is also a pleasing return of one of British powerboating’s biggest supporters, Tony Crossley, who is back inside the cockpit for Team Buildbase and will be hoping to cause a huge upset.
With ticket sales up by 112% and 70 more showboats in the marina for this year’s Boat Show from 2009, it provides an outstanding opportunity for the P1 SuperStock Championship pilots to race in front of a captive maritime audience.
Team Shark driver, Stuart Cureton, believes all of the teams will rise to the occasion and race harder and faster than in previous rounds this season. He said: “The PSP Southampton Boat Show is a huge event and it is fantastic to be racing in association with the maritime festival. There will be a lot of people in Solent Park who are going to be treated to some fast racing as the racecourse has sharp turns and long straights.
“Southampton is blessed with a rich history of marine activity and as the home of British powerboating, everyone will be going flat out to win here.”
Heights of Abraham currently set the pace in the standings. After three rounds Rupert Pugh and Warsash-based navigator, Dan Whapples, have only been defeated once but the pair will face stiff competition from the chasing pack on Sunday. Pwllheli victors, Rough Cut Racing, and second-placed team, Maurice Lacroix, will both fancy their chances of eating into Heights of Abraham’s 28-point lead at the top of the table before the season-ending Lymington Grand Prix of the Sea on October 2nd.
The Southampton Grand Prix of the Sea begins at 11:00 on Sunday 12 September. Tune into P1 Radio on 87.9FM for LIVE race commentary.
Schedule
Race 1 150 Class 11:00
Race 2 300 Class 12:15
Race 3 150 Class 15:00
Race 4 300 Class 16:15
Podium 18:30
