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This is an article from the local news paper, great race here for the first event for Oak Hollow. Paul Pittman wins the F2 race and Brent Dillard wins the F3 race. Sam Labanco actually won the F3 race but was Dq'd for a gearcase skeg length issue in inspection.
Area Briefs: Powerboat series leader fastest at Oak Hollow
Print Email this Article Staff and Wire Reports
Formula 2 series leader Paul Pittman of New Albany, Ind., led 13 of 15 laps on Oak Hollow Lake and posted the fastest average speed of the day to win his F2 heat on the first day of the Powerboat Superleague's High Point Challenge on Saturday.
Pittman finished his 15-lap heat in 8 minutes 7.450 seconds for an average speed of 110.6 mph. He had the fastest single-lap speed of the day, as well, guiding his turbo prop speedboat around the course at 114.8 mph.
Racing resumes today, with last-chance qualifiers running at 1 p.m. followed by the championship finals at about 2 p.m.
Tickets cost $8 for adults, and parking costs $5. Children 12 and younger get in free.
SATURDAY'S HEAT WINNERS -- F2 Heat A1: Paul Pittman, New Albany, Ind., 8:07.45 at 110.6 mph. F2 Heat A2: Lee Daniel, North Augusta, S.C., 8:08.98 at 110.3 mph. F2 Heat B1: Jim Summers, Overland Park, Kan., 8:12.39 at 109.6 mph. F2 Heat B2: Jim Summers 8:16.32 at 109.4 mph. F3 Heat A1: Sam la Banco, Northbrook, Ill., 5:43.91 at 94.0 mph. F3 Heat A2: Brian Brubaker, Palm Coast, Fla., 5:16.55 at 95.0 mph. F3 Heat B1: Blair Kants, Loveland, Ohio, 5:48.13 at 93.6 mph. F3 Heat B2: Alex Fernandez, Miami, Fla., 5:48.65 at 92.7 mph.
Article from high Point, NC news paper after the race.
Boat races leave wake of success
BY NICK G. MAHERAS
ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER
HIGH POINT – It’s far from unrealistic to envision the Powerboat Super League’s High Point Challenge becoming one of the city’s marquee events.
For the more than 1,000 people that came out on a bright, hot afternoon at Oak Hollow Festival Park Sunday, the Formula Two and Formula Three boat racing provided plenty of excitement. The boats race on a two-thirds mile course on a leg of Oak Hollow Lake.
“It was a lot of fun,” said Chuck Hill of Colfax, who came to the Oak Hollow Boat Drags several years ago. “This is more fun because it’s con*tinuous action. The last race was 20 laps, so that was excit*ing for that long.”
Mike Bye, a member of one of the event’s sponsors, the High Point Lions Club, said he enjoys both types of racing.
“It was interesting seeing the boats going around and catching each other in the turns – especially with the F2 boats with their bigger motors,” Bye said. “They got some pretty good speeds coming down the straightaways. It was closer to car racing on the water than drag-boat racing.”
John Sneed, sales manager for the High Point Convention & Visitors Bureau, another event sponsor, said the future looks bright for boat racing in High Point.
“There’s a lot more racing with this, a lot more entertaining, a lot more family friendly, and that’s exactly what we were looking for,” he said. “We’re very happy with this. We didn’t get quite the turnout we expected, but with it being a first-year event, we’re hoping we can build attendance here every year. We’re hoping within two or three years, we can build it up and have a very large event.”
The CVB had projected an estimated $1.5 million economic impact on the city’s hotels, restaurants and retail sales, but Sneed recognizes the event didn’t reach its financial potential this year.
The numbers really don’t matter to Hill’s 10-year-old son, Chase, though. He just liked the boat races and said he really wants to come back.
Pic #1:
Driver Sam LaBanco from Northbrook, Ill., signs autographs after winning the Formula Three event.
Pic #2:
Paul Pittman holds the checkered flag after winning the Formula Two event.
Area Briefs: Powerboat series leader fastest at Oak Hollow
Print Email this Article Staff and Wire Reports
Formula 2 series leader Paul Pittman of New Albany, Ind., led 13 of 15 laps on Oak Hollow Lake and posted the fastest average speed of the day to win his F2 heat on the first day of the Powerboat Superleague's High Point Challenge on Saturday.
Pittman finished his 15-lap heat in 8 minutes 7.450 seconds for an average speed of 110.6 mph. He had the fastest single-lap speed of the day, as well, guiding his turbo prop speedboat around the course at 114.8 mph.
Racing resumes today, with last-chance qualifiers running at 1 p.m. followed by the championship finals at about 2 p.m.
Tickets cost $8 for adults, and parking costs $5. Children 12 and younger get in free.
SATURDAY'S HEAT WINNERS -- F2 Heat A1: Paul Pittman, New Albany, Ind., 8:07.45 at 110.6 mph. F2 Heat A2: Lee Daniel, North Augusta, S.C., 8:08.98 at 110.3 mph. F2 Heat B1: Jim Summers, Overland Park, Kan., 8:12.39 at 109.6 mph. F2 Heat B2: Jim Summers 8:16.32 at 109.4 mph. F3 Heat A1: Sam la Banco, Northbrook, Ill., 5:43.91 at 94.0 mph. F3 Heat A2: Brian Brubaker, Palm Coast, Fla., 5:16.55 at 95.0 mph. F3 Heat B1: Blair Kants, Loveland, Ohio, 5:48.13 at 93.6 mph. F3 Heat B2: Alex Fernandez, Miami, Fla., 5:48.65 at 92.7 mph.
Article from high Point, NC news paper after the race.
Boat races leave wake of success
BY NICK G. MAHERAS
ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER
HIGH POINT – It’s far from unrealistic to envision the Powerboat Super League’s High Point Challenge becoming one of the city’s marquee events.
For the more than 1,000 people that came out on a bright, hot afternoon at Oak Hollow Festival Park Sunday, the Formula Two and Formula Three boat racing provided plenty of excitement. The boats race on a two-thirds mile course on a leg of Oak Hollow Lake.
“It was a lot of fun,” said Chuck Hill of Colfax, who came to the Oak Hollow Boat Drags several years ago. “This is more fun because it’s con*tinuous action. The last race was 20 laps, so that was excit*ing for that long.”
Mike Bye, a member of one of the event’s sponsors, the High Point Lions Club, said he enjoys both types of racing.
“It was interesting seeing the boats going around and catching each other in the turns – especially with the F2 boats with their bigger motors,” Bye said. “They got some pretty good speeds coming down the straightaways. It was closer to car racing on the water than drag-boat racing.”
John Sneed, sales manager for the High Point Convention & Visitors Bureau, another event sponsor, said the future looks bright for boat racing in High Point.
“There’s a lot more racing with this, a lot more entertaining, a lot more family friendly, and that’s exactly what we were looking for,” he said. “We’re very happy with this. We didn’t get quite the turnout we expected, but with it being a first-year event, we’re hoping we can build attendance here every year. We’re hoping within two or three years, we can build it up and have a very large event.”
The CVB had projected an estimated $1.5 million economic impact on the city’s hotels, restaurants and retail sales, but Sneed recognizes the event didn’t reach its financial potential this year.
The numbers really don’t matter to Hill’s 10-year-old son, Chase, though. He just liked the boat races and said he really wants to come back.
Pic #1:
Driver Sam LaBanco from Northbrook, Ill., signs autographs after winning the Formula Three event.
Pic #2:
Paul Pittman holds the checkered flag after winning the Formula Two event.