TERRY RINKER’S TENACITY BRINGS HIM HIS 4TH TITLE!
TORRENTE’S 3 VICTORIES BRING HIM A 2ND PLACE FINISH!


CHARLOTTE, North Carolina – November 13, 2008 – Like the fabled children’s story told by Aesop that involved the tortoise and the hare, historians will look back on the 2008 season of the F1-ChampBoat Series and see that veteran driver Terry Rinker of Tampa, Florida was despite a slow start to the season able to scramble back, capture his fourth championship and once again re-establish himself as one of the premiere drivers in the world.

He now has earned the title in three of the past four seasons. Terry’s most memorable championship was in 2006 when he won a world record seven straight victories. He now owns a total of 19 career number one’s which is third all-time on the victory list since the start of the championship that dates back to the “modern era” beginning in 1985.
 
“We left the first race in Pickwick, Tennessee way behind in ninth place after battery issues forced us to pit missing some laps and digging ourselves out of a giant hole to gain the championship,” said Terry. “I have to thank a great crew along with Amsoil who is the best sponsor any racer can have as they never lost faith in what we were doing. This is one of my most gratifying titles ever.”

Terry’s season after his slow start saw him run off four straight podiums including a win at the historic St. Louis Grand Prix along with a pair of runner-up performances at Bay City and Algonac. His only misstep came when he stuffed his boat in a big way in Algonac, Michigan in August in a heat race. He was able to recover from this and finish on the podium after a solid run in rough water conditions.

While Terry took the title Shaun Torrente won three straight races out of the box and looked to be not only the projected series titleholder, but also ready to challenge Rinker’s perfect season as well. The Talon Boats/Gary L. Barton Inc./Speedmaster Marine sponsored driver shifted to working with Ted Gryguc and his crew from Toronto, Ontario. Taking off-season testing in Florida seriously they got down to business winning in Pickwick, Tennessee, Bay City, Michigan and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania before settling for 2nd in St. Louis in early August but came up 23 points short of Terry’s 3239 point total at season’s end.

The defining moment of the campaign came in mid-August on the wild St. Claire River north of Detroit when chasing for the lead of the event, the native of Miami, Florida barrel rolled after falling into a hole on the south end of the circuit ending his day and losing the championship lead at the same time. Try as he did, the 29 year-old came close to getting it back again with a second place at the final race in Naples, Florida but Terry Rinker had him covered as he cruised to a fourth place finish and the title winning by just 23 points at seasons end.

“We did everything possible to win the title this season,” stated Shaun. “Ted and his family were fantastic in preparing the boat along with my help from Gary out in California as always, but Algonac will always haunt me. Would I try to pass where I did again?  Probably not, but I was going for the lead in a race and that I’ll never surrender. We’ll definitely be ready to capture the flag next season.”

The “hottest” driver in the second half of the season was definitely Tim Seebold as the Bud Light Seebold Racing driver set the pace in the final two races winning both in Algonac and Naples and finishing on the podium four straight times and closing to 3rd in the championship with 3143 points which turned out to be just 96 points behind Terry Rinker’s total.

“We had some bad luck early in the season but battled back in a big way in the final four races,” stated the Osage Beach, Missouri driver. “I think we reminded everyone that we are still ready to take a title any year and it was special winning my final event for Bud Light and the brewery after their 28 year involvement with the team coming to a close at seasons end.” 

Tim, having won the title in three of the past six seasons now is within one victory of the all-time mark set by his older brother Mike Seebold having won 27 times on the tour while capturing five championships in the process. His most impressive race had to have been at the Grand Prix of Algonac as he controlled the event from start to finish on maybe the roughest most challenging conditions in the 24 year history of the sport with waves topping over 3 feet (1 meter) proving once again that he maybe one of the best rough water drivers in the world today.

Fourth in the title run was Lynn Simburger as the Playcraft Boats sponsored driver from Elsah, Illinois showed his brilliance early in the season with two straight podiums including a career best second place finish in Pickwick, Tennessee. While looking as a valid championship contender, his season began to unravel when he failed to finish in Pittsburgh and St. Louis getting his only trip to the checkered flag in Algonac in the final four starts.

Lynn’s qualifying talents improved in 2008 with four top five starts with a resounding third place start at Bay City leading to his podium finish in the Michigan city.

Canadian Brian Venton got a new boat and renewed confidence at the same time in his Don Jenkinson prepared Gran Prix hull. The new combination propelled him to his best finish in the championship with a 5th place on 2819 points.

The driver from Bowmanville, Ontario finished every race in the top-10 including a pair of fifth’s at Pittsburgh and Algonac. His spirited driver from 14th to seventh in Naples was a great way to end the season and show that he is ready to move up in the food chain possibility push for podiums next season.

Jeff Shepherd used his “Twinkie” powered good luck charm to a career best third place in his home state to start the season followed by two more top fives with a fifth at Bay City, Michigan and a fourth at the Grand Prix of Pittsburgh on Fourth of July weekend.

He along with family members including wife Suzy who is a boat drag racing champion herself, put together a solid program with his only failure to finish coming at the Grand Prix of St. Louis while accumulating 2793 points and sixth in the championship.

Veteran Randy Rinker took the second Amsoil sponsored boat to seventh place in the championship despite two major hurtles in his shorted season. His first coming at Pickwick when he crashed in the first corner of the race ending his day in 13th position and later in the season missing the race in Algonac, Michigan. His high point of the campaign came with a fine 4th place finish at Bay City and a 5th place in St. Louis totaling four top-10 results in 2008 and 2737 points.
Running his first full season saw Missouri driver Matt Sadl come away with a solid eighth in the title gaining 2219 points despite missing the race in Algnoac, Michigan in August. His best day came with a fifth place finish in Tennessee after starting 10th. He also had an eighth in Bay City and a sixth at his home Grand Prix in St. Louis in his Seebold built boat.

Nithat Kunjeng won Rookie-of-the-Year honors taking 9th place in the championship in his first time racing in North America for the native of Thailand. The Singha Beer sponsored driver found himself going through three different hulls during the season. He crashed out Bay City early in the weekend forcing himself to rent Lynn Simburger’s backup Seebold hull.

At Pittsburgh, Nithat showed up with a Blaze boat built in Italy by Francesco Cantando and took this boat to his career tying best fourth in the rough conditions in Algonac. He started the season in the right way with a fourth in Pickwick finishing all five of his races in the top ten ending with 2168 points.

St. Louis driver Todd Beckman joined teammate Tim Seebold in being the 2nd half of the Bud Light Seebold Race Team when his heavy business schedule would allow him to race. Todd was able to participate in four of the six events capturing 10th place in the title with 1873 points.

His first two races produced two DNF’s but his final two races at St. Louis and Naples saw him finish fourth and fifth showing he still has the tools and talent to get back on the podium for this past winner on the tour.

Mike Schubert of south Texas was one of two drivers helping out the OMC-Johnson effort to make a name for themselves on the circuit against the army of Mercury 2.5 liter engines. Mike was able to run consistently in the qualifying heats but finished only one event in Algonac.

Joining Schubert was U.I.M. F1 2007 “Rookie-of-the-Year” Ahmad Al Hameli. At the season finale at the Grand Prix of Naples Ahmad picked up 400 points starting 15th and failing to do more than a few laps before dropping out in 14th position for the Abu Dhabi driver from the United Arab Emirates.

Chris Fairchild, won the “Comeback of the Season” Award, after this talented driver began the season in Pickwick, Tennessee on pole position only to crash out in the first corner with Randy Rinker. The terrifying event injured his lower leg and ending any dream of winning his first career F1-ChampBoat title.

The pilot from Paw Paw, Illinois had a special cast built by mid August and came back with a bang taking a podium3rd place in Algonac followed by another repeat at the final round in Naples, Florida. He gained a total of 1530 points while missing most of the season but keeping busy by helping Nithat Kunjeng in his first season in North America.

Many smiles were in the paddock in Pittsburgh when veteran driver Billy Joule came back from a five year hiatus qualifying well with a 5th but failing to finish the race. The St. Petersburg, Florida driver came to Naples starting ninth and taking 10th and finishing overall 13th with 916 points.
Jose Mendana Jr. who is one of the top Champ-2 drivers on the tour crossed over and joined the F1-ChampBoat tour at both Bay City and Algonac. He started an impressive fifth in Bay City finishing ninth, and came roaring back in Algonac starting last and taking sixth. His 868 points gave him 14th at seasons end.

Last year’s “Rookie of the Year” Chuck Unkle made only the first two events this year with two top ten finishes including a career best sixth in Pickwick followed by a 10th in Bay City for a total of 816 points and 15th in the championship.

Brian Normand of Louisiana raced a pair of events at St. Louis and Algonac failing to finish in Missouri while taking 10th on the rough St. Claire River. Florida driver Robert Dinicolantonio raced at the final two events taking a pair of ninths at Algonac and Naples.

Mark Johnson of New Hampshire had a huge learning curve going in one season from the smaller SST-45 boats to Champ-2 in Bay City to running F1-ChampBoats in Pittsburgh. Mark started 10th and failed to finish in 10th position on the Alleghany River for 400 total points.

Mark Welch of Wayzata, Minnesota came to tackle Algonac starting and finishing in 12th position, while another Mark, Mark Weber, the current President of the American Power Boat Association and one-time Miss Budweiser and Unlimited Hydroplane driver, made a real splash at Algonac. Mark qualified 14th after a spectacular 360 degree blow over and keep on driving in a qualifying heat. He managed an 8th place finish in the race.

Canadian newcomer Scott Toole came from nearby Ontario to run in Algonac, Michigan starting and finishing 13th in his first ever F1-ChampBoat event.

Veteran Dennis Klepadlo came out of retirement to race at his home race in Bay City failing to finish after qualifying 10th.

David Brabham of Charleston, South Carolina came to the final race in Naples, Florida with an ex-Todd Bowden Gran Prix hull and got thru a fast learning curve all weekend showing himself in fine form finishing 12th after qualifying 11th.

So, as we look back on the 2008 season, 23 drivers from three different continents came to battle for the 24th year of F1 racing on water in North America. The F1-ChampBoat season was one of great drama from the opening lap to closing tour with a pair of drivers from the state of Florida pushing for all they were worth with the wily veteran Terry Rinker’s steady performance upstaging the hat-trick of wins early in the season from rising star Shaun Torrente.

When the new season comes around the corner in six months time, you can only hope that this drama on water will continue once again as this series gets closer to reaching its goal of racing in all corners of North America. Stay tuned to see if this goal can be reached in 2009.

 
PriceJay.jpgThe World Formula 1 powerboat championship is on the doorstep of crowning it's most unlikely of champions as the 2008 season draws to a close in the Middle East and United Arab Emirates in three weeks time.
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TIM SEEBOLD LEADS FROM POLE TO POLE IN NAPLES!
TERRY RINKER CRUISES HOME TO CAPTURE 4TH TITLE!
seeboldnaples.jpg

NAPLES,  Florida – November 2, 2008 – Tim Seebold of the Bud Light Seebold Racing Team led from pole to the flag taking his second straight victory of the season in winning by 3.6 seconds over Shaun Torrente of the Gary L Barton Inc/Speedmaster Marine effort to end the season on a high note finishing third in the championship at the Grand Prix of Naples on Lake Avalon  in front of thousands of race fans at the final round of the 2008 F1-ChampBoat Series.
“I want to thank my crew and propeller designer David DeWald for giving me the perfect setup today,” said Tim. “It was a rough race because of all the passing but the circuit was great place to race after all despite it being only eight tenths of a mile (1.2 kilometers) in length. I can’t wait to come back here next year and try to do a double.”
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