motorboat is racing

A motorboat is racing towards north at 25 km/h and the water current in that region is 10 km/h in the direction of 60 ∘ east of south. The resultant velocity of the boat is

The correct option is b 22 km/hr , at an angle tan − 1 ( 0.433 ) east of north. the vector v b representing the velocity of the motorboat and the vector v c representing the water current are shown in the figure in directions specified by the problem. using the parallelogram method of addition, the resultant r is obtained in the direction shown in the figure. so, the magnitude of the resultant is given by r = √ v 2 b + v 2 c + 2 v b v c cos θ , where θ = 120 ∘ ⇒ r = √ 25 2 + 10 2 + 2 × 25 × 10 cos ( 120 ∘ ) r = 21.8 ≈ 22 km/hr now, for direction we have tan ϕ = v c sin ( 120 ∘ ) v b + v c cos ( 120 ∘ ) = 10 sin ( 120 ∘ ) 25 + 10 cos ( 120 ∘ ) ⇒ tan ϕ = 0.433 ⇒ ϕ = tan − 1 ( 0.433 ) east of north..

A car A is going north-east at 80 k m / h and another car B is going south-east at 60 k m / h . Then the direction of the velocity of A relative to B makes with the north an α angle such that tan α is :

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F1 Powerboat Championship 2024 Season

The 2024 F1 Powerboat Championship starts this May and runs through October. We will be racing at several new great venues this year around the country and going back to Colorado In October. You can watch all of the exciting racing action from each race day in its entirety right here on the official website in the video player above or join us on the F1 Powerboat Championship YouTube Page. Keep checking back right here for updates as we work out the details for the 2024 Racing Season.

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Top 10 powerboat racing icons that helped make boating what it is today

• Top stories

Hugo Peel explores the top ten power-boating events, people and inventions that have influenced today’s sportsboats...

Powerboat racing may seem a world away from the type of cruising most of us do but the sportsboats we enjoy today wouldn’t be half as good as they are without the racers, designers and builders whose heroic efforts helped shape them.

Auto-boat racing, as it was originally known, traces its history back to the late 19th century and for a brief period was even an Olympic sport, with races staged off the Isle of Wight in 1908. However, it wasn’t until the 1960s and 1970s that the sport exploded in popularity as developments in engineering, materials, speed, safety and propulsion really took off.

Racing was the anvil on which these promising technologies were forged. So what are the ten most significant events, inventions and people that have contributed to today’s impressive levels of performance, safety and utility?

While many of these names and events may be unfamiliar now, they are the stuff of legend to all who recall the glory days of British powerboat racing.

1. The Cowes-Torquay-Cowes offshore powerboat race

Many people regard offshore powerboat racing as the ultimate challenge for craft and crew. Arguably the most challenging race of all and certainly one of the oldest is the legendary Cowes-Torquay competition.

Initiated in 1961 by Daily Express newspaper magnate and keen yachtsman, Sir Max Aitken, who foresaw it would help grow the UK marine industry, it bred a string of British and international heroes and brands. This 200-mile race, now known as the Cowes-Torquay-Cowes, and its coveted Harmsworth Trophy, intermittently awarded since 1903, is still the one all top powerboat racers yearn to win.

The marathon Round Britain Powerboat Race started and finished off Portsmouth

2. The marathon Round Britain Powerboat Race

If a 200-mile race sounds challenging, the 1,500-mile endurance marathon that is the Round Britain Race is on an altogether different scale, yet it proved so appealing that it has been run three times over four decades.

The first BP-sponsored race in 1969 comprised ten stages over 1,459 miles and was won by Timo Mäkinen, a champion Finnish rally-driver in Avenger Too propelled by triple Mercury outboards – he averaged 37mph.

The 1984 race was sponsored by Everest double glazing and attracted famous names, including Italian racer/designer Fabio Buzzi driving White Iveco , a single-step GRP monohull with four 600bhp Iveco diesels. Against him was fellow Italian Renato della Valle in Ego Lamborghini , an aluminium-hull craft powered by two ear-splitting 800hp, race-tuned V12 Lamborghinis.

Article continues below…

Test driving the Sunseeker Hawk 38 prototype with Fabio Buzzi

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Victory went to Buzzi who, after the 157-mile Dundee-Whitby leg, during which White Iveco averaged a staggering 69 knots, dismissed it with shrug saying: ‘In Italy, this is just a cruising boat.’

The race was revived in 2008 attracting a field of 47 raceboats old and new, including a number of production RIBs and sportsboats from companies like Scorpion , Goldfish and Scanner. The favourites included Fabio Buzzi again in his classic four-engined Red FPT , and Austrian casino millionaire Hannes Bohinc in another Buzzi-designed monohull Wettpunkt .

This time the overall winner was a Greek entry Blue FPT navigated by Britain’s Dag Pike, who at 75 years old, was the event’s oldest competitor. Many of the production boats also did remarkably well, showing just how far they have come in recent years.

Steve Curtis MBE is powerboat racing royalty

3. Powerboat racer Steve Curtis

If the Cowes-Torquay-Cowes is the benchmark, surely the top driver must be found among its winners? Home-grown contenders must include Tommy Sopwith, a winner in 1961, 1968 and 1970 and the Gardner brothers, Charles and Jimmy, who clocked up victories in 1964 with their Bertram 31 Surfrider , and again in 1967 in the iconic Sonny Levi-designed Surfury .

On the worldwide stage, Italy’s Renato Della Valle won four Cowes Torquay Cowes races in a row from 1982 to 1985. Hannes Bohinc collected the trophies in 1995 and 2003 and another German, Markus Hendricks, whose boat sank on the 2008 Round Britain, took a re-engined 34-year-old monohull, Cinzano , to victory in 2009 and 2011.

They are all brilliant in their way but how could this category ignore the UK’s Steve Curtis MBE, owner of Cougar Marine, with no fewer than eight Class One powerboat racing world championships in fearsome 175mph catamarans? Curtis’s 2016 victory in the roughest ever Cowes Torquay Cowes race, in a 30-year-old aluminium boat sealed his place in the history books.

4. Lady Violet Aitken – the first lady of fast

The field of legendary female powerboat racers may be smaller but is no less worthy for it with three principal candidates – two titled British ladies and an American grandmother.

From the USA, Betty Cook – focussed, smart, and tough – arrived with her 36ft Cigarette Kaama and blew away the opposition in the 1978 Cowes Torquay Cowes race. She went on to secure two world championships.

The British aristocracy provides the eccentric and brave Countess of Arran, who fielded fast if unconventional designs of three-pointers like Highland Fling among others. She was described by The Guardian in her obituary as ‘beautiful, vivacious, funny, fun and entrancing’.

But our top female driver is Lady Violet Aitken, wife of Cowes-Torquay founder Sir Max Aitken and Ladies’ Trophy winner on several occasions. Racing is still in the blood as her daughter Laura and granddaughter Lucci are both keen powerboat racers.

Buzzi’s legendary status stems from 40 years of work in the marine industry

5. Powerboat designer Fabio Buzzi

The late Fabio Buzzi is a legend, both behind the helm and at the drawing board. In more than 40 years of activity, his company FB Design has won a staggering 52 world championships; seven Harmsworth Trophies; two Round Britains; and set no less than 56 world speed records in both European and American classes.

Buzzi designed the boat that has won more races than any other powerboat in history, the quadruple-engined, be-winged 44ft Cesa/Gancia dei Gancia . Today, the descendants of these monohull designs are found in service with government and military agencies all around the world, as well as leisure craft like the Sunseeker XS2000 and Hawk 38 .

But the competition is hard-fought. Sonny Levi’s delta-shaped race-boats A’Speranziella , Merry-go-Round , Alto Volante , and Surfury leave lasting memories by their sheer performance and poise. And their legacy, the Levi Corsair, is still made today.

The UK’s Don Shead also runs Buzzi close having designed ten Cowes-Torquay winners and the 1984 Round Britain race winner. The early Sunseeker ranges also came from his drawing board.

Peter Thornycroft and Alan Burnard merit attention as designers of the iconic Nelson and Fairey hulls respectively, many of which are still in service today. But the sheer scale of Fabio’s achievements trumps them all.

The Mercury V8 took powerboating to another level

6. The Mercury V8 engine

Early racers only had American petrol V8s for choice, mainly Ford Dearborn Interceptors, tweaked to deliver big torque and 300-400bhp. There were also a few marinised Jaguar straight-six engines, which consumed oil at a terrifying rate and were fragile. Then Carl Kiekhaefer, head of US outboard giant Mercury, refined numerous Mercury Racing V8s and Lamborghini V12s providing up to 850bhp and things took off. Literally.

To this market came car racing engineers Ilmor in the 1990s with a tuned Dodge Viper V10 engine, pushing out a reliable 700-800bhp. The Italians, at the behest of Fabio Buzzi, developed the 16-litre 1,000hp Seatek diesel for ultra-marathon events, providing unparalleled torque with (relatively) light weight and reliability.

A special mention for the maddest motors must go to Tommy Sopwith, who put a pair of helicopter turbines into a 44ft Don Shead hull delivering over 1500bhp and Domenico Achilli, who ‘glued’ two Subaru flat-four rally car engines together, and split our eardrums while winning the 1990 Cowes Torquay Cowes race.

But for sheer consistency and the countless number of ever-faster, smoother, more reliable production engines its powerboat racing successes have spawned, Mercury and its big displacement V8s have to take the crown.

Offering horizontal thrust and reduced drag, the sterndrive greatly increased the speed and efficiency of both race and pleasure craft

7. The sterndrive unit

Early shaft-driven race-boats normally placed engines amidships with straight shafts to the propellers. Then the vee-drive option enabled engines to be moved astern for better weight distribution but, in both cases, the angle of thrust was still pushing the hull ‘uphill’.

With the arrival of the sterndrive came horizontal thrust to harness the growing power of engines, and hugely reduced hydrodynamic drag by doing away with separate rudders, shafts and P-brackets. This greatly increased both speed and efficiency while the ability to trim the angle of thrust also enabled drivers to adjust the boat’s trim to suit differing sea conditions.

Surface-drives from Arneson and Trimax reduced drag even further but at the cost of low speed manoeuvrability and we mustn’t overlook the impact of the outboard engine on both race and leisure sportsboats.

However, for sheer versatility, the impact it has had on both powerboat racing and leisure craft, and its ability to work equally well with both petrol and diesel engines, the sterndrive has to take it.

Hunt’s deep-vee design proved a powerboat game-changer

8. Racing hull designer Ray Hunt

The most successful hull builders embraced the fast-developing world of engineering and materials as well as developments in design. Cold-molded mahogany plywood gave way to GRP, which in turn surrendered to carbon-fibre reinforced by Kevlar.

However, it’s hard to think of a bigger leap in hull design than Ray Hunt’s deep-vee concept, demonstrating an immediate and staggering superiority over previous hard and rounded chines. Nothing underpins this assertion better than Dick Bertram’s 1961 Miami-Nassau victory in his prototype Moppie – finishing a whole day ahead of the third-placed boat.

The likes of Levi, Shead and Bertram all helped refine the concept but the winner has to be Ray Hunt who, along with Dick Bertram’s investment and encouragement, became the grandfather of today’s sportsboats.

Peter Dredge skims Vector Martini to an average speed of 94.5mph during the 2015 Cowes Torquay Cowes race. Photo: Alamy

9. Speed record breaker Peter Dredge

World Water Speed records set by the likes of Donald Campbell’s Bluebird and Richard Branson’s Virgin Atlantic Challenger II are momentous achievements in their fields but their designs have bred few, if any, current sportsboats. Offshore powerboat racing records may not be as well publicised but are arguably far more relevant.

The average speed records of historic races like the Cowes Torquay Cowes race are a perfect demonstration of the improvements made in powertrains, hull design and strength. The first race in 1961 was won by a 24ft wooden Christina averaging 24.5mph. It took another two years to break 40mph, and a further four to exceed 50mph. In 1969 the record tumbled again with an average speed of over 60mph.

A gap of six years then ensued before the record climbed over 70mph and a further 13 years for technology to reach an average exceeding 80mph. A very calm race in 1990 saw the Italians hit over 90mph average – and then we waited 25 years before that speed was finally exceeded in 2015.

So until that record is beaten, preferably with a speed of more than 100mph, our winner is the current record holder Peter Dredge who propelled the awesome 1,500bhp, 44ft Vector Martini to victory at a remarkable average speed of 94.5mph.

Dag Pike, the brains behind so many great powerboat victories

10. National treasure Dag Pike

No top ten list could be complete without mention of those quiet but significant contributors to the sport of offshore powerboat racing. Among those names must be Class-3 racer, commentator, sport historian and MBY ’s longest-serving contributor Ray Bulman, who passed away last year .

The racer, organiser, enthusiast and flamboyant, chain-smoking Tim Powell also has to be in the running. Other characters like Commander Petroni of Italy’s Tornado Racing Team and Tommy Sopwith’s regular crew Charles de Selincourt, who guided him to victory in several Cowes Torquay Cowes races also deserve mentions.

But my National Treasure award goes to Dag Pike; writer, raconteur and navigator extraordinaire who has been the brains behind countless race wins for dozens of different drivers. Having been shipwrecked eight times himself but also having rescued more than eight people in his long career offshore, he has in his own words ‘balanced the books’.

The last word

As with any top ten list it can never be comprehensive and will always be open to differences of opinion but that’s not the point of this article. We simply invite you to ponder that, whatever boat you drive and whatever propels it, its performance and seaworthiness possesses at least some of the DNA of the many great raceboats, designers, engineers and technologies, forged in the heat of offshore battle.

First published in the June 2019 issue of Motor Boat & Yachting.

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What Is a Motorboat Race? (Here’s What You Should Know)

Motorboat racing is an exciting and thrilling sport, but it’s important to understand the rules, regulations, and terrain before hitting the water.

Whether you’re an experienced racer or just starting out, this article will tell you all you need to know about motorboat racing.

Learn the different types of terrain, the skills needed to race, and the danger and challenges that come along with it.

Get all the details about the rules and regulations, plus the benefits of motorboat racing.

Finally, find out where to go to join a motorboat race!

Table of Contents

Short Answer

A motorboat race is a type of competition where people race motorboats against each other.

The boats are usually powered by an outboard motor and the goal is to be the first to reach the finish line.

Motorboat races can be organized by different organizations, such as boat clubs, yacht clubs, and race clubs.

The courses for these races typically involve a variety of turns and obstacles, and the boats are usually outfitted with GPS tracking devices to ensure that the race is fair and competitive.

What is a Motorboat Race?

A motorboat race is a type of water sport that involves the use of motorboats to compete against each other in a race.

Motorboat races are typically organized and sanctioned by a governing body, such as a boat racing association or club, and participants compete for trophies, prizes, and bragging rights.

Races can take place on a variety of terrain, including rivers, lakes, and oceans, and the course and rules of each race vary depending on the organizers.

Motorboat racing requires a great deal of skill and precision, as the boats must be maneuvered around tight corners and tight turns in order to be successful.

Racers will typically use a variety of techniques to gain an edge over their competitors, such as drafting and jockeying for position.

The goal of motorboat racing is to complete the course in the shortest amount of time possible, while also navigating any hazards or obstacles that are present.

In addition to the skill and precision required, motorboat racing is also a great way to have fun and enjoy the power of motorboats.

Racers will typically use powerful boats that are specifically designed for racing, such as outboard or inboard engines.

These boats can reach speeds of up to 70 miles per hour, providing an adrenaline-filled experience for racers.

Motorboat racing is a growing sport that is enjoyed by many around the world.

It is an exciting and thrilling form of competition that requires skill, strategy, and good judgement in order to be successful.

Motorboat racing is a great way to get out on the water and enjoy the power of motorboats in a competitive and fun environment.

The Rules and Regulations of Motorboat Races

When it comes to motorboat racing, there are a few important rules and regulations that must be followed in order to ensure the safety of all participants.

First and foremost, all competitors must be registered with the governing body that is running the race.

This ensures that everyone has the appropriate safety equipment and training for their boats.

All participants must also wear a life jacket and be aware of the rules of the race, such as the start and finish lines, and any obstacles or hazards that may be along the course.

In addition, all motorboats must be equipped with the necessary safety equipment, such as navigation lights, horns, and fire extinguishers.

The motorboats must also pass a safety inspection before the race begins.

The course of the race should also be clearly marked with buoys, flags, and/or other markers to ensure that everyone is aware of the route they should take.

Finally, all participants must adhere to the rules of the race, such as speed limits, course boundaries, and any other regulations set forth by the governing body.

Motorboat racing is a thrilling and exciting sport, and with the proper preparation and understanding of the rules, anyone can enjoy the power and speed of motorboats in a safe and responsible way.

The Different Types of Terrain for Motorboat Races

Motorboat races can take place on a variety of terrain, from small lakes and rivers to large oceans.

Depending on the size of the motorboat and the type of race, the terrain can vary significantly.

For example, a race on a large lake or river might require boats to navigate tighter turns and navigate around obstacles, while an ocean race might require boats to go long distances and handle the waves and changing conditions.

For smaller scale races, such as those held on smaller rivers or lakes, the course is typically much shorter and the turns are tighter, allowing for a faster race.

On the other hand, ocean races can be longer and require more skill and precision, as the boats must navigate the waves and changing conditions.

In either case, motorboat racing requires skill and precision, as the boats must be able to maneuver tight turns and handle the power of the motor.

In addition to the terrain, the rules and regulations of each race can vary depending on the organizers.

For example, some races may require that the boats adhere to a certain speed limit while others may have a set course that must be followed.

In addition, the race may be conducted in a timed event or a points system may be used to determine the winner.

No matter the terrain or the rules, motorboat racing is an exciting and thrilling sport that requires skill and precision.

With the right preparation, participants can have a great time and enjoy the power of motorboats.

The Benefits of Motorboat Racing

Motorboat racing is an exhilarating water sport that offers a unique racing experience.

Whether youre a casual sailor or a serious racer, motorboat racing has something to offer everyone.

Not only is it a great way to enjoy the power of motorboats, but it also provides some unique benefits to racers.

For starters, motorboat racing is a great way to test your skills and precision.

It requires a great deal of concentration and skill to maneuver a powerful motorboat around tight turns and tricky obstacles.

As you gain experience and practice, youll be able to test your skills against others and really see how far you can push yourself.

In addition to the skills gained, motorboat racing can also provide a great sense of camaraderie.

Races are typically organized and sanctioned by a governing body, such as a boat racing association or club, and participants compete for trophies, prizes, and bragging rights.

Racers often form bonds and friendships that can last for years.

Finally, motorboat racing is an opportunity to experience the thrill and excitement of racing in beautiful and varied terrain.

This provides an ever-changing landscape for racers to experience and can be a great way to explore new places.

So if youre looking for an adrenaline-filled adventure, a sense of camaraderie, and a chance to test your skills, motorboat racing is a great option.

With its unique combination of skill, concentration, and excitement, motorboat racing is an exciting activity that can be enjoyed by all.

The Skills Needed for Motorboat Racing

Motorboat racing is an exciting and thrilling water sport that requires skill, precision, and knowledge of motorboat mechanics .

To successfully compete in a motorboat race, one must have an understanding of the different types of motorboats, the rules of the race, and the preparation and maintenance required to keep the boat in top condition.

Skills related to motorboat racing include knowledge of boat mechanics, navigation, and operation.

Knowing the different types of motorboats and their components is essential in order to understand how to operate and maintain them.

It is also important to have knowledge of the rules and regulations set by the race organizers, such as the course layout, the number of laps, and the safety guidelines.

Navigation is also a key skill required for motorboat racing.

This involves reading charts, maps, and gauges, and understanding the wind, current, and wave patterns.

Competitors must be able to anticipate and account for any changes in the course, as well as the other boats in the race.

Finally, having a good understanding of the operation of a motorboat is essential to be successful in motorboat racing.

Competitors must be familiar with the controls, such as the throttle, steering, and trim, and understand how to use them to maneuver the boat in the most efficient way.

Additionally, knowledge of how to use the trim and make adjustments to the boat to account for changing course and weather conditions is necessary.

Overall, motorboat racing requires a combination of knowledge, skill, and precision.

Knowing the different types of motorboats, the rules of the race, and the operation and maintenance of the boat are all important elements to being successful in the sport.

With the right knowledge, skill, and practice, anyone can become a motorboat racing champion.

The Danger and Challenges of Motorboat Racing

Motorboat racing is an exciting and thrilling water sport, but it is also highly dangerous and challenging.

The powerful engines on motorboats can easily reach speeds of over 70 mph, and racers must be prepared to handle the extreme waves, currents, and wind that come with this speed.

Racers must also be aware of the other boats in the race, and be prepared to make quick and precise maneuvers to avoid collisions.

In addition, motorboat races often take place in remote areas with unpredictable weather and dangerous conditions, so racers must be prepared for anything.

It is important for racers to have a thorough understanding of their boats, the race course, and the rules of the race in order to stay safe and have a successful race.

Where to Find Motorboat Races

Finding a motorboat race to participate in is easier than you might think.

Most major cities have local boat racing associations and clubs that host events and races throughout the year.

The best way to find these organizations is to do a quick search online.

Look for websites and social media pages that are dedicated to motorboat racing in your area.

You can also find motorboat racing events taking place across the country by attending boat shows and other related industry events.

These events will often feature motorboat races and other competitions that you can take part in.

If youre looking to compete in a larger, more competitive race, you can find these through national organizations such as the American Power Boat Association.

For those looking to watch a motorboat race without getting in the drivers seat, there are plenty of opportunities to do so as well.

Many cities have boat races broadcast on local television or streamed online.

Additionally, some of the bigger motorboat races, such as the World Series of Powerboat Racing, are broadcast on national networks.

Motorboat racing is a thrilling and exciting sport that can be enjoyed by both competitors and spectators alike.

With the right research, you should have no trouble finding motorboat races to take part in or watch.

Final Thoughts

Motorboat racing is a thrilling and dynamic sport that requires skill, precision, and the right attitude.

It is also a great way to have fun and experience the power of motorboats.

Whether you are looking for an exciting way to spend a day out on the water or are looking to hone your racing skills, motorboat racing has something for everyone.

With the right preparation and the right attitude, anyone can join in the fun of motorboat racing and make the most of the experience.

So, what are you waiting for? Find your nearest motorboat race today and get ready to have the time of your life!

James Frami

At the age of 15, he and four other friends from his neighborhood constructed their first boat. He has been sailing for almost 30 years and has a wealth of knowledge that he wants to share with others.

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The Excitement of Running a P1 Offshore Race Boat

• By Charles Plueddeman
• November 16, 2023

In this age of 70 mph pontoons , 90 mph center-consoles and 150 mph sport cats, it’s pretty easy to experience eye-popping velocity on the water. So, there you are, the wind flapping your cheeks as you hold that throttle to the stop, one watering eye on the speedo as you bump the trim hoping to squeeze out the last bit of speed it will take to be the first boat to the poker-run card pickup. Maybe you even imagine that’s Reggie Fountain , Steve Curtis or Shaun Torrente at the helm of the boat you are pursuing, and instead of a king of hearts, there’s a big trophy waiting at the finish line. Well, dream on, Speed Racer. You’re going fast, but you are not racing, and your production-built motorboat is no race boat.

Steve Curtis throttles a real race boat. The Victory catamaran Huski Chocolate carried Curtis and drivers Travis Pastrana and Brit Lilly to the 2022 UIM Class 1 championship in the Powerboat P1 Offshore series. Last summer, we met Curtis and this boat, now rechristened Huski Ice Spritz, at the Mercury Racing Midwest Challenge in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, the fourth event on the five-race 2023 P1 schedule. The boat is owned by SVEA Racing Inc., based in Stuart, Florida, regarded as the benchmark in professionalism and experience in Class 1 and led by technical director Gary Stray, director of operations Scott Colton and crew chief Patrick Cleaveland.

Curtis, a 59-year-old Englishman and the son of Cougar Powerboats founder and racing catamaran innovator Clive Curtis, claimed his first Class 1 world championship in 1985 in Key West when he was 21 years old. In his career, Curtis has throttled more than 20 world champions. Who would be better to show us under the cowl of a Class 1 race boat than the acknowledged master of throttling racing cats?

Class 1 is the premier category of international offshore powerboat racing. A P1 Offshore event can include a number of classes, but only the Class 1 Championship is sanctioned by the UIM (Union Internationale Motonautique), the world governing body for all ­powerboating activities. Basic rules for Class 1 dictate a minimum boat length overall of 12 meters (about 39 feet) and a minimum weight of 5,400 kilograms (just over 11,900 pounds). There have been seven boats in the Class 1 field in 2023, ranging in length from the 43-foot Skater Monster Energy/MCON to the 51-foot Mystic dfYoung. The Huski Ice Spritz/SVEA Victory is 47 feet length overall, with a running surface of 41.5 feet, according to Curtis, and a 12-foot beam. Curtis explains that the bigger boats often have an advantage in rough conditions, but the smaller boats can be nimbler in a current on flatter water in a tight, multiturn closed course—the 5-mile course at Sheboygan had 10 turns.

“Courses have become smaller to make the event more spectator-­friendly,” Curtis says. “We used to run 40-mile laps and 200-mile races.”

The age of the Class 1 fleet is also surprising. Huski Ice Spritz/SVEA was built in 2007 by the Victory team in Dubai to a ­Michael Peters design.

“The boat has been rebuilt and repowered a number of times,” Curtis says. “I believe it was originally powered by Lamborghini V-12 engines. The boat has been crashed and repaired. The entire deck has been replaced, and the running surface adjusted as the engine package has changed.”

Carbon, Of Course

The overall theme of a race boat is that every element is functional, and this is the key difference between Huski Ice Spritz and your go-fast rig. Speed and safety are all that matter. The hull and deck are laid up with a combination of carbon fiber and Kevlar composite, with foam coring of various density. Bulkheads are carbon fiber, molded in a combination of triangulation and U-channel shape, and bonded within the hull. Each sponson has a pair of steps that are about 1.5 inches deep and a single strake. The tunnel between the sponsons is designed to trap and compress air, which lifts the boat at speed. The tunnel is about 33 inches deep at the bow but only 22 inches deep at the transom.

A V-hull boat could run in Class 1, but the catamaran offers a significant advantage, according to Randy Scism, who helped establish the Victory team as a force in offshore racing before returning to the United States in 1998 to start performance boatbuilder Marine Technologies Inc.

“A comparable V-hull boat will be 20 to 30 mph slower at top speed,” says Scism, who designed the 48-foot MTI Class 1 cat ­XInsurance/Good Boy ­Vodka. “In some conditions, it might corner better, but it could never make up the difference in total lap time. The air cushion under a cat can carry 30 to 35 percent of the boat’s weight, so the bottom is not even touching small waves and chop.”

Builders seek to produce a boat that is significantly below the class minimum-weight specification. This allows each team to make weight using lead ballast—water ballast is not allowed—that can be positioned right on the stringers to keep the center of gravity as low as possible to enhance handling and help trim the boat. Weight, either lead bars or bags of lead shot, can be placed aft to lift the bow in calm conditions or forward to hold the bow down in rough water. Fuel tanks are located directly on the boat’s center of balance so that balance does not change as fuel is consumed. At race venues, a crane fitted with a scale lifts the Class 1 boats from the trailer to the water; this way, each boat is weighed every time it goes in and comes out of the water to prevent cheating.

At Class 1 speeds, aerodynamics becomes critical. The boats literally fly over the water, and the deck is flush with the top of each sponson. The enclosed cockpit is a teardrop blister, hatch latches and cleats are carefully recessed and faired, and air intake is accomplished with low-drag NACA ducts. When conditions are ideal, these huge boats appear to levitate with a grace that belies the brutal thrust required to reach speeds that can exceed 160 mph on the open ocean.

Prescribed Power

There are no surprises below the engine hatches of a Class 1 boat. Since P1 led a revival of the class in 2019, the Mercury Racing 1100 Competition engine has been standard power, a spec engine for the class. The 9.0-liter V-8 engine features Mercury Racing QC4 quad-valve cylinder heads and is boosted by twin turbochargers. Power output is 1,100 hp and 1,100 lb.-ft. of torque per engine on 93-octane pump gasoline. Each big V-8 turns 6,000 to 6,500 rpm. The transmission is the stout model designed for the Mercury Racing 1750 engine with a stronger input shaft and ­internal components.

“Before the switch to the Merc 1100, we were running engines making 1,850 to 2,000 hp at 7,500 rpm,” Curtis says, “and top speeds pushed 190 mph. Those engines needed a rebuild after each race.”

The point of a specified engine for the class is to reduce cost and ensure power parity among teams with unequal resources. With that in mind, the engines are tightly controlled. Teams are not allowed to make any adjustments or modifications to the engines. With the exception of the valve covers, the engines are sealed with special fasteners. At the beginning of each race weekend, the Mercury Racing support team delivers propulsion control modules (PCM) to each team. The PCM units are painted bright ­yellow so they are easy to identify. ­Mercury ­Racing also installs a data logger on each engine.

“After every practice and ­every race, we download the data to make sure it makes sense and that nobody has tweaked on the engines and turned the power up,” says Steve Wynveen, Mercury Racing manager of development engineering. “The idea of Class 1 now is that winning is dependent on driving and boat setup, not on who has the most money to throw at an engine.”

The expectation is that if teams don’t abuse these engines by constantly banging into the rev limiter, each can last the season with just basic maintenance. Teams will put between two and three hours of run time on the engines at each race weekend. Teams are free to install their own PCM for testing between races.

The Huski Ice Spritz/SVEA team engineered a number of quick-disconnect fittings that allow it to remove an engine in about 20 minutes, according to Curtis. This team pulls its engines after each race for maintenance and inspects the bilge and engine mounts below the engines. Typical maintenance includes an oil and filter change, checking the valve lash and adjusting with shims, a compression and leak-down test, checking the turbocharger ­waste-gate adjustment, and ­torquing all fasteners and clamps.

Six of the boats in this Class 1 fleet use surface drives based on a BPM model to put power to the water. The Italian drive only articulates in the vertical plane, which provides a limited range of trim, generally less than 15 degrees or, according to Curtis, about 1.5 inches at the propeller. The prop is located about 58 inches abaft the transom. A drop box located on the exterior of the transom allows teams to quickly change gear ratios to best match engine torque to the prevailing conditions. Curtis explains that on today’s short courses, ­acceleration out of turns is often more important than top speed. Teams using a surface drive are limited to three prop sets but have unlimited gear ratios. Steering is accomplished by a center-mounted rudder—a knife-sharp polished stainless Italian Flexitab model on Huski Ice Spritz—and teams can change rudders based on water conditions.

A sterndrive is also permitted in Class 1, but if the sterndrive can steer, the boat is not allowed to use a rudder. The MTI XInsurance/Good Boy Vodka boat is rigged with modified Mercury Racing M6 sterndrives. Trim is retained, but the skegs are cut off and steering is locked. The boat is equipped with a rudder. Teams running sterndrives are allowed an unlimited number of propellers.

“The problem with trying to steer these boats with the sterndrives is that when you turn the drive, one prop is pushed into water and the other into the air coming through the tunnel,” Scism says. “The prop in the air loses thrust. You want to keep both props centered behind the sponsons. I prefer to use the M6 drives for the added trim authority. That drive is plenty rugged for these engines.”

Read Next: How to Boat Safely at Any Speed

Curtis throttles with his right hand gripping a pair of Mercury Zero Effort controls topped with red plastic knobs molded to the shape of his hand. To his left is a fixed, molded grip with radio/intercom control buttons, trim control, and a button to change the screen display. Curtis can communicate with his team using VHF and UHF radios, and a cellular connection. Below is a pair of Mercury ignition keys, which we were surprised to see.

“When we went to the standard Merc 1100 engines, we wanted to retain the entire stock wiring harness to prevent any sort of tampering,” Curtis says. “So, there are the keys, just like on your fishing boat. It was the ­easiest solution.”

Facing Curtis are a pair of Livorsi turbocharger boost gauges, a Livorsi trim indicator, and a multifunction display usually showing tachometers. In the center of the dash is a Garmin MFD split between navigation and a rearview camera. The driver sits before a quick-release steering wheel with a lap counter on top of the dash, which will also display a yellow-and-red flag signal from race control.

I wish I could describe the ­sensation of driving Huski Ice Spritz at speed while looking through the slit of a windscreen. But as it turns out, there is not enough liability coverage or legal cover to ever make that happen. Scism says MTI will build you a new 48 Race model to Class 1 specs, with a price tag of $2.2 million to $2.4 million with power. A $500,000 budget will cover a bare-bones Class 1 team for a season, Curtis says, with a well-financed team spending more than $1.5 million. SVEA Racing Inc. brings a crew of 10 to each race with a 70-foot race trailer, a tilting boat trailer and its Kenworth hauler, and a world-champion throttleman. They are not going to a poker run.

Safety First

When Steve Curtis won his first Class 1 championship, he was standing in an open cockpit. “There was very little concern for safety in those boats,” Curtis says. “If you stuffed the boat, it was very likely you’d be killed.”

Today the driver and throttle work in an enclosed cockpit that is all business. This is not your pleasure boat—there is no Alcantara upholstery, no bass-pumping audio system, and no LED-illuminated drink holders. Cockpit entry is through a hatch secured with four sliding bolts like a bank vault. In Huski Ice Spritz, Curtis throttles from the port seat, and the driver is at the wheel to starboard. Deep bucket seats have 2 inches of suspension travel, and the crew is strapped securely in place. “During a race, it can actually get rather violent in here,” Curtis says. “It’s not very noisy, but there is a lot of vibration, even in smooth water, because the boat is so rigid. We can feel pretty beat up after a race.”

A cage of carbon channels surrounds the cockpit, which Curtis says is backed by a very thick bulkhead. Crush zones around the cockpit are designed to absorb energy on impact. The interior is raw and black, with no thought of cosmetics. The forward portion of the cockpit structure is formed by a ¾-inch-thick polycarbonate shield modeled after a fighter-jet canopy. The clear portion is minimized for further crew protection. There’s an emergency escape hatch in the floor for egress if the boat flips. The driver and throttle have a 10-minute emergency air supply.

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Starting Grid

Sprint race 2, sprint race 1, sprint race 2 starting grid, sprint race 1 starting grid, second free practice, qualifications 3, qualifications 2, qualifications 1, first free practice.

H2O RACING'S

Carbon neutral strategy.

The UIM F1H2O World Championship is the world’s foremost international series of single-seater inshore circuit powerboat racing.

Highly competitive, intensely challenging, risky and entertaining, inshore circuit powerboat racing is the ultimate adrenalin rush and regarded as one of the most spectacular and exciting sports in the world.

Rusty Wyatt - 17

Jonas andersson - 1, cédric deguisne - 73, thani al qamzi - 5, alexandre bourgeot - 74, duarte benavente - 10, brent dillard - 8, ferdinand zandbergen - 12, ahmad al fahim - 3, alberto comparato - 6, sami selio - 11, marit stromoy - 50, stefan arand - 2, peter morin - 7, erik stark - 4, ben jelf - 9, bartek marszalek - 77, filip roms - 18, stromoy racing, red devil - smc f1 team, team vietnam, maverick racing, f1 atlantic team, team abu dhabi, victory team, china ctic team, n.2 - april 2024.

Last updated: Feb 09, 2024

What Is Powerboat Racing?

The sport of powerboat racing has been around for over 100 years with popularity worldwide. The powerboat, which can also be called a motorboat or speedboat, is powered by an engine which allows for high performance speeds. It is one of the most popular forms of boat racing, with multiple international events annually.

Table of Contents

Playing surface, powerboat racing equipment, rules and regulations, athletes and racers, events and competitions.

Powerboat racing competition was created in the early 1900s, with the first race taking place in 1904. The sport began to grow and led to the founding of the American Power Boat Association (APBA) which held its first U.S. event in 1911. Over the next 50 years powerboat racing became popular across the world, with increased organizations, races, and tournaments. Sports within powerboat racing have expanded as well, with organizations created to sanction specific types of racing.

Naturally, the overall playing surface for powerboat racing is water. That being said the two types of powerboat racing, inshore and offshore, come with slightly different racing conditions. Offshore powerboat racing takes place out on the open ocean hence the name “offshore” whereas inshore powerboat racing often takes place in smaller bodies of water like lakes. Be sure to take into account what race you’re looking to participate in, as it can have a substantial impact on the playing surface you’ll be racing on.

Powerboat racing is an exhilarating sport, but also carries a level of risk. That being said, there are a few basic essentials you’ll want to have handy regardless of what type of powerboat racing you plan on trying out. Each of these pieces of equipment are important to ensure you have the best and safest time powerboat racing possible.

Here is the essential powerboat racing equipment you should have:

• Close Toed Shoes
• Neck Restraint

At the end of the day, powerboat racing carries the same objective as any other racing sport: to finish the course the fastest. That being said, the distance and overall course in a powerboat race can change from venue to venue. Further, inshore and offshore powerboat racing each offer different course conditions. Be sure to read up on your local powerboat race’s course to be as prepared as possible, and ensure you have the best shot of winning the big race!

Powerboat racing is a serious sport that can carry serious consequences if rules designed to protect all drivers aren’t followed. There are extensive rulebooks for most major races, but here are some basics that should more or less hold true regardless of what race you’re looking to participate in.

Here are the most important powerboat racing rules you should know:

• Strict adherence to boat classes
• Compliance with pre race engine checks
• Safe and respectful passing maneuvers, giving space to boats riding the inner lane.

Powerboat racing carries certain terminology separate from any other boat racing sport, as well as some basic terminology for boat racing as a whole. There’s a multitude of terms out there, but some are far more widespread than others.

Here is the common lingo and slang in powerboat racing:

• Bow : The front end of any boat.
• Hull : The shell of a boat.
• Port : The left side of any boat.
• Starboard: The right side of any boat.
• Stern: The back end of any boat.

Powerboat racing athletes come from all over the world. They typically become more popular when they compete in large international competitions rather than just their home country. In some instances, 2 or more athletes compete as a racing team. We see this in events such as the F1H2O UIM World Championship.

Here are the most famous powerboat racing players you should know:

• Alex Carella
• Jonas Andersson
• Peter Morin
• Shaun Torrente

Powerboat Racing has multiple leagues and organizations that hold events around the world. They are typically governed by the official powerboat association of their respective country. Don’t be surprised to see large races that encompass different water sports, such as Inshore Powerboat Racing or Offshore Powerboat Racing.

Here are the most popular powerboat racing leagues you should know:

• National Boat Racing Association
• Super Boat International
• TCPBA Powerboat Racing

There are a multitude of powerboat racing events out there, however some are bigger than others. The top events in the world feature the best racers from across the globe, the biggest sponsors, and the most fanfare.

Here are the most popular powerboat racing tournaments you should know:

• F1 H2O UIM World Championship
• Offshore Superboat Championships
• UIM Class One World Powerboat Championship
• UIM F2 European Championship
• UIM H2O Nation's Cup

Pages Related to What Is Powerboat Racing?

• What is Boat Racing?
• Boat Racing
• What is Offshore Powerboat Racing?

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NASCAR Bristol race March 2024: Start time, TV, streaming, lineup for Food City 500

NASCAR began the 2024 season with the Busch Light Clash exhibition race at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. This weekend, the series heads to the venue nicknamed “The Last Great Colosseum.”

The NASCAR Cup Series speeds into Bristol Motor Speedway on Sunday and will race on the track’s traditional concrete surface after using a dirt track for the past three spring races. Bristol in 2021 covered the high-banked, .0533-mile bullring in red Tennessee clay for its spring race, but as the novelty wore off, drivers grew tired of the gimmick and the sub-par racing .

So, NASCAR has returned to its roots, and teams will face their first true short-track test of the season with a Next Gen car that has disappointed both drivers and fans on its smaller tracks and was redesigned to improve performance – specifically on short tracks – for 2024.

Who will conquer the "Colosseum" on Sunday? All the information you need to get ready for the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway:

What time does the Cup race at Bristol start?

The Food City 500 starts at 3:30 p.m. ET at Bristol Motor Speedway.

What TV channel is the Cup race at Bristol on?

Fox is broadcasting the Food City 500 and has a pre-race show beginning at 3 p.m. ET. Fox Sports 1 (FS1) has an earlier pre-race show at 2 p.m. ET.

Will there be a live stream of the Cup race at Bristol?

The Food City 500 can be live streamed on the  FoxSports website  and on the FoxSports app.

How many laps is the Cup race at Bristol?

The Food City 500 is 500 laps around the .0533-mile track for a total of 266.5 miles. The race will feature three segments (laps per stage) — Stage 1: 125 laps; Stage 2: 125 laps; Stage 3: 250 laps.

Who won the most recent races at Bristol?

Brad Keselowski, then driving the No. 2 Team Penske Ford, won the spring 2020 race, the last time a scheduled day race at Bristol was held on the traditional concrete. Keselowski led 115 laps and edged Clint Bowyer in the No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford by 0.471 seconds.

Denny Hamlin won the Bristol Night Race on Sept. 16, 2023 after leading 142 laps, including the final 135, and pulled away from Kyle Larson by 2.437 seconds in last year's playoff race.

What is the lineup for the Food City 500 at Bristol?

(Car number in parentheses)

1. (12) Ryan Blaney, Ford

2. (4) Josh Berry, Ford

3. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota

4. (22) Joey Logano, Ford

5. (9) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet

6. (14) Chase Briscoe, Ford

7. (34) Michael McDowell, Ford

8. (24) William Byron, Chevrolet

9. (23) Bubba Wallace, Toyota

10. (5) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet

11. (19) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota

12. (20) Christopher Bell, Toyota

13. (21) Harrison Burton, Ford

14. (8) Kyle Busch, Chevrolet

15. (43) Erik Jones, Toyota

16. (71) Zane Smith, Chevrolet

17. (6) Brad Keselowski, Ford

18. (7) Corey LaJoie, Chevrolet

19. (54) Ty Gibbs, Toyota

20. (31) Daniel Hemric, Chevrolet

21. (2) Austin Cindric, Ford

22. (10) Noah Gragson, Ford

23. (45) Tyler Reddick, Toyota

24. (38) Todd Gilliland, Ford

25. (41) Ryan Preece, Ford

26. (42) John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota

27. (47) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet

28. (99) Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet

29. (48) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet

30. (16) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet

31. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet

32. (51) Justin Haley, Ford

33. (15) Kaz Grala, Ford

34. (17) Chris Buescher, Ford

35. (77) Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet

36. (1) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet

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NASCAR’s concrete coliseum is back to normal for Sunday’s race at Bristol. Drivers welcome the move

NASCAR Cup Series driver Ty Gibbs (54), left, and Denny Hamlin (11), right, start off the NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Phoenix Raceway, Sunday, March 10, 2024, in Avondale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Darryl Webb)

Ryan Blaney (12) drives during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Sunday, March 3, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)

Kyle Larson (izquierda adelante) levanta el trofeo luego de ganar la carrera del Nascar Cup Series en el Las Vegas Motor Speedway, el domingo 3 de marzo de 2024, en Las Vegas. (AP Foto/Ian Maule)

From front to back, Denny Hamlin leads Chase Elliott, William Byron and Carson Hocevar during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Phoenix Raceway, Sunday, March 10, 2024, in Avondale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Darryl Webb)

Smoke come out of the front of Austin Cindric’s car during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Phoenix Raceway, Sunday, March 10, 2024, in Avondale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Darryl Webb)

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Bristol Motor Speedway has ditched the dirt and is back to being a concrete coliseum for its annual spring race.

The famed short track added red clay each of the last three years for its first of two events. Reviews were mixed, and as the novelty wore off, sub-par racing inside the 0.533-mile bullring overshadowed any excitement that came with the Cup Series running on dirt for the first time since 1970.

NASCAR responded with a return to normal, and several drivers welcomed the move.

“Even growing up on dirt, I prefer the high banks on the concrete,” Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson said. “It’s one of the coolest places to race at, and I have had a lot of success there. I’m hoping for another great result this weekend.”

Added teammate William Byron: “The dirt was cool, but I think it had its time. The concrete track always puts on a good race, and selfishly, we run better on the concrete.”

Officials hope the spring race Sunday will harken to Bristol’s 1990s heyday, when the track was one of the toughest tickets in sports. Bristol boasted a 55-race sellout streak from 1982 through 2010, with the short-track racing providing plenty of heated exchanges and memorable moments.

Racing diehards won’t soon forget Kevin Harvick and Chase Elliott feuding at the track in 2021 or Tony Stewart throwing his helmet in 2012 or Dale Earnhardt spinning out Terry Labonte in 1999 while attempting to “rattle his cage.” That kind of drama is hard to find on a regular basis at any track, and NASCAR surely would like more.

Finding the right combination for the “Next Gen” car could be key. The latest iteration has been less than ideal on short tracks in its two years of existence. The sanctioning body tested a new rules package at Phoenix Raceway in December that showed promise but hardly provided a quick fix.

“NASCAR threw the kitchen sink at it in Phoenix and the consensus was, ‘Eh, maybe a couple things might have helped,’” said David Wilson, president of Toyota Racing Development. “Unfortunately, with technologies in aerodynamics, there is no silver bullet. There is no magic that’s going to be a cure-all, because you may fix one thing but then you’ve created a problem somewhere else.”

So Sunday’s race will be a throwback of sorts and a glimpse into what’s to come at short tracks in the next month; NASCAR holds Cup races at fellow short tracks Richmond Raceway (March 31) and Martinsville Speedway (April 7).

“Honestly, I didn’t really have any huge feelings toward (dirt racing) either way,” defending series champion Ryan Blaney said. “I enjoyed the dirt race, and I thought every year it got better. The first year the track wasn’t very good. The second year it got better. And then last year I thought the track was awesome. It was very racy, very slick from top to bottom. You could have options and lanes, but it’s good.

“Maybe in a few years you could throw dirt on it again, but I had no big feelings about it either way.”

NASCAR has taken steps toward making sure Bristol has several lanes of racing by putting down a resin-based traction compound through the turns near the inside portion of the oval.

“It’s just a fun track, honestly,” RFK racing’s Chris Buescher said. “I’ve loved where the surface has gone. I’d love to see the bottom and top have equal opportunities to make speed and make passes. I think that the top is probably a little bit more dominant in its most natural state, but some of the stuff that they’ve done seems to have helped the bottom have that little bit of grip when needed to make some passes.

“So, to me, it’s the most fun track we go to. I feel like it gives us options. It may not be very wide to start, but it always finds its way to move around and be able to make some two- or three-wide moves throughout the race and put on a good show.”

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

NASCAR's concrete coliseum is back to normal for Sunday's race at Bristol. Drivers welcome the move

Bristol Motor Speedway has ditched the dirt and is back to being a concrete coliseum for its annual spring race.

The famed short track added red clay each of the last three years for its first of two events. Reviews were mixed, and as the novelty wore off, sub-par racing inside the 0.533-mile bullring overshadowed any excitement that came with the Cup Series running on dirt for the first time since 1970.

NASCAR responded with a return to normal, and several drivers welcomed the move.

“Even growing up on dirt, I prefer the high banks on the concrete,” Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson said. “It’s one of the coolest places to race at, and I have had a lot of success there. I’m hoping for another great result this weekend.”

Added teammate William Byron: “The dirt was cool, but I think it had its time. The concrete track always puts on a good race, and selfishly, we run better on the concrete.”

Officials hope the spring race Sunday will harken to Bristol’s 1990s heyday, when the track was one of the toughest tickets in sports. Bristol boasted a 55-race sellout streak from 1982 through 2010, with the short-track racing providing plenty of heated exchanges and memorable moments.

Racing diehards won’t soon forget Kevin Harvick and Chase Elliott feuding at the track in 2021 or Tony Stewart throwing his helmet in 2012 or Dale Earnhardt spinning out Terry Labonte in 1999 while attempting to “rattle his cage.” That kind of drama is hard to find on a regular basis at any track, and NASCAR surely would like more.

Finding the right combination for the “Next Gen” car could be key. The latest iteration has been less than ideal on short tracks in its two years of existence. The sanctioning body tested a new rules package at Phoenix Raceway in December that showed promise but hardly provided a quick fix.

“NASCAR threw the kitchen sink at it in Phoenix and the consensus was, ‘Eh, maybe a couple things might have helped,’” said David Wilson, president of Toyota Racing Development. “Unfortunately, with technologies in aerodynamics, there is no silver bullet. There is no magic that’s going to be a cure-all, because you may fix one thing but then you’ve created a problem somewhere else.”

So Sunday’s race will be a throwback of sorts and a glimpse into what’s to come at short tracks in the next month; NASCAR holds Cup races at fellow short tracks Richmond Raceway (March 31) and Martinsville Speedway (April 7).

“Honestly, I didn’t really have any huge feelings toward (dirt racing) either way,” defending series champion Ryan Blaney said. “I enjoyed the dirt race, and I thought every year it got better. The first year the track wasn’t very good. The second year it got better. And then last year I thought the track was awesome. It was very racy, very slick from top to bottom. You could have options and lanes, but it’s good.

“Maybe in a few years you could throw dirt on it again, but I had no big feelings about it either way.”

NASCAR has taken steps toward making sure Bristol has several lanes of racing by putting down a resin-based traction compound through the turns near the inside portion of the oval.

“It’s just a fun track, honestly,” RFK racing’s Chris Buescher said. “I’ve loved where the surface has gone. I’d love to see the bottom and top have equal opportunities to make speed and make passes. I think that the top is probably a little bit more dominant in its most natural state, but some of the stuff that they’ve done seems to have helped the bottom have that little bit of grip when needed to make some passes.

“So, to me, it’s the most fun track we go to. I feel like it gives us options. It may not be very wide to start, but it always finds its way to move around and be able to make some two- or three-wide moves throughout the race and put on a good show.”

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

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Dylan ferrandis to miss second supercross week, at seattle, due to illness.

• Dan Beaver ,

Dylan Ferrandis will miss a second consecutive week with a lung infection, the rider announced on Instagram .

“Unfortunately I will not race again this weekend, I got sick after Round 6 and with training and racing every week it turned to lung infection,” Ferrandis wrote. “It was not possible to ride the last two weeks but I feel better now, still not 100% but getting there slowly. I hope I can come back to normal training routine for next week and be back at races quick.”

Ferrandis made the move to Phoenix Racing Honda this season with heavy support from the manufacturer and the season went well for the first three weeks with results of sixth or better through San Diego. He continued to ride well for the top 10 before an accident in Arlington sent him home 22nd. After finishing 22nd again in Birmingham and missing Indianapolis, he finds himself 10th in the points’ standings but well above the cutline of 20th (78 points) needed to qualify directly into the guaranteed positions of the SuperMotocross World Championship.

Ferrandis missed much of the 2023 season with a concussion suffered at Houston and exacerbated at Daytona.

Last year before moving to Phoenix Racing, he finished second in the Pro Motocross standings and 13th in SuperMotocross.

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