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After
a weather-shortened Michigan City Great Lakes Grand Prix, Offshore Class 1,
Class 2, APBA Super Stock and Super Cat teams were back on the water last
weekend in Clearwater, Florida. Organised by Race World Offshore, the event
counted as the third round of the XINSURANCE World Championship Series for the
classes and was the last stop before the final round in Key West, in early
November.
In Class 1, the 2024 UIM World Champions Tyler Miller and Myrick Coil of
the Monster Energy / MCON racing team were dialled in with the best lap
in the qualification session and two dominant wins in the two races of the
weekend, scoring the maximum number of points available and moving in second in
the World Championship standings behind Club Car Wash / BPR.
With a longer MTI Class 1 boat, the Marine Technology / GC Racing
team of Willie Cabeza and John Tomlinson was the second fastest team of the
weekend, finishing second in the qualification session and both races. Kevin
Birrell and Billy Moore of Outta Pocket Racing also held the same
position, third, in all official results of the weekend with their Victory
boat.
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Team
Montlick with driver Logan Adan and experienced Italian throttleman
Giovanni Carpitella was another dominant outfit last weekend and further
extended its lead in the Class 2 World Championship standings with two race
wins. Pulling double duty and jumping from one race boat to another, Tyler
Miller and Myrick Coil took two second places in their Monster Energy / Hurt
Class 2 sponsored boat. Third places in Race 1 and Race 2 went to the Lake
Wylie Racing and Say Less MF racing teams, respectively.
Largest field in Clearwater with 16 boats, the APBA Super Stock class had
to run not only the two races of the Clearwater Round, but also a third race
making up for the early stoppage of the Michigan City Grand Prix in August. Renowned
throttleman Gary Ballough and Canadian driver Cole Leibel in their Victory Raymarine
took the top honours for all Saturday’s proceedings, setting the best time in
qualifying and taking two race wins in the two races successively held in an
electric fashion at the end of the afternoon.Team Bermuda finished third in
both races, while Wozencraft and Bad Decisions / XINSURANCE took each
a second place.
In the Sunday’s race making up for Michigan City, another Bermuda-based
team, Nuff Said with driver Luis Martins and throttleman Nick Imprescia,
took the chequered flag ahead of Celsius/Valvoline and Team Bermuda,
once again finishing third.
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In
APBA Super Cat category, competition was close between the six teams that
attended the Florida event. Championship leaders Bill Pyburn and Brit Lilly of
Dirty Money Racing faced tough competition from the CR Racing team of
throttleman Casey Boaz and driver Rob Unnerstall, with the latter posting the
fastest time in qualifying and challenging Dirty Money Racing in Race 1, which
was ultimately won by Pyburn and Lilly in their Skater race boat. CR Racing
came back strong in Race 2 on Sunday and clinched first place ahead of the
Canadian-based C.J. Grant Racing / Graydel team. One of the highlights of the
weekend was the class debut of Shaun Torrente, a four-time UIM World Champion
in the Circuit F1 category and the 2018 Offshore XCAT World Champion. Torrente
teamed up with Mike Howe of Howe2Live Offshore, and the pair improved over the
weekend, finishing third in the second race.
Following
an event that also attracted a record number of teams competing in classes of
the APBA National Championship, all eyes are now set on Key West, Florida, which
will host from November 1-8 the final round of the
XINSURANCE UIM World Championship Series and the standalone Continental
Championship.
Photos: Ryan Walker
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