Team Cintron Wins Superboat Unlimited Class In Michigan City

Gary Ballough (Team Risk) Victorious in Super Stock Class And Earns 100th Win

KEY WEST, Fla (August 9, 2011) Race teams converged on Michigan City, Indiana this past weekend for the 3rd Annual Great Lakes Super Boat Grand Prix and treated the crowds to an exciting day of racing. Team Cintron took top honors with the fastest time in the rain-delayed event. The Great Lakes event was filled with excitement before, during and after Sunday’s offshore powerboat race on Lake Michigan.

The 3rd Annual Great Lakes Grand Prix was schedule to start at 11:00 am, but due to strong storms with very high winds, Super Boat was forced to delay the race. President of Super Boat International, John Carbonell, advised teams to secure their boats in the wet pits and suggested all support vessels take safe harbor until the end of the severe weather. Just after an hour of heavy rains and the threat of hail, the weather broke and teams were instructed to ready their boats for the first race.

Boats participated in both races where teams earned half the points in the first race and half in the second race. Teams were given an hour intermission before the start of the second race to allow them to make necessary changes to their race boats and add any additional fuel.

Team Cintron (50’ Mystic), throttled by Rich Wyatt and driven by Hugh Fuller, ran a flawless event and took the checkered flag in the Super Boat Unlimited Class. Many of the drivers commented on the rough and unpredictable waters during the first race.  As the day went on and teams got ready for race number two, it was evident the lake’s waves had calmed after the morning storm and the water conditions had changed for the better.

Team Risk throttleman, and long time racer Gary Ballough, earned his 100th career win as Sunday’s winner of the Super Stock class.  “I’ve raced for a long time and always said my next race is my best race, but this is one I’m going to remember for a long time,” comments Gary Ballough. In the cockpit with Ballough was driver Jean Claude Chalhoub… who both participated in Saturday’s parade on Franklin Street and appeared to be crowd favorites.

Team Watch Your Back, took 1st in the Manufacturer’s P3 class with young driver Matt Janssen, son of team owner, Dr. Michael Janssen. Throttling for them [Team Watch Your Back] was North Carolina resident, Brian Forehand. The team looked very sharp in both races on what was a very demanding racecourse.

One team seeing more action than they planned was Miss Geico Racing, driven by Marc Granet and throttled by Scott Begovich.  On the beginning of lap two, the 50’ Mystic caught a big wave, turning it up in the air and coming down hard on the portside sponson, nearly stuffing the whole boat. While the Miss Geico race boat took a lot of damage, both driver and throttleman were uninjured.

The festivities started on Saturday before the races with the boat parade and block party down Franklin Street. Teams were sharing autograph cards, posters and beads with the record crowd. After the parade, teams stopped on Franklin Street to let the fans get up close and check out the boats.

The weekend’s other class winners included: Team STIHL (Super Cat), Twisted Metal Motorsports (P1), Team Velocity (P4), Page Motorsports (Super Cat 850), WHM Motorsports (Super Cat 750), Miss Geico (Turbine Class), Watch Your Back (Super Vee Limited), Global Warmer (Super Vee Extreme).

The next race on the Super Boat International race series heads to New York City. This year’s 21st Annual New York Super Boat Grand Prix is going to be something special. In honor of 9-11, SBI will race on Saturday September 10th at 9:00 am. The reason for such an unconventional race weekend is that the State of New Jersey will be holding 9-11 ceremonies starting at 11:00 am in Liberty State Park.  Super Boat is rearranging the race schedule to allow teams and fans the opportunity to attend both the 10th anniversary ceremonies and the Grand Prix race.

Super Boat International held their 11th Anniversary New York Super Boat Grand Prix race on Sunday September 9th, 2001 and captured some of the last footage shot of the twin towers before that fateful day of September 11th. Months following the American tragedy, Super Boat International received letters from senior New Jersey and New York State Officials to continue boat racing on the Hudson and make plans for September 2002. Super Boat continues to pay respect and honor the families, the fallen and the heroes, along with all those affected on September 11th, 2001.