The Offshore Super Series kicks off its 2008 racing season with the “Smokin’ the Sound” race in Biloxi, Miss., this weekend.
National champions, the Bud Light Offshore Race Team, will be back to defend their title, but with a new look and sponsor for the season. Dave Scott’s offshore team will be running in blue and silver this year, as Bud Light will now sponsor them. The team, which was previously sponsored by Bud Select, who ran in red and black, will also be adding a new driver to the team. Joining throttleman John Tomlinson will be driver Mike Seebold.
“To be involved with Dave, Scott, Johnny Tomlinson and that whole team,
I’m in heaven,” Seebold said in a press release. “You don’t get any
better than where I’m at right now. The preparation on this team is
phenomenal. When they go to a race, it’s first-class from bow to stern
of the whole operation. I’m hopeful we can continue the winning
tradition. I’m really looking forward to it.”
This will be the third time the Bud Light team has raced this course and Dave Scott is confident going into this weekend’s race.
“It’s a very interesting course,” he said. “It has fast straightaways
and the boats actually pass each other very closely, going in opposite
directions. When you’re running 170 to 180 mph down the long
straightaway, the boats on the back straightaway are coming right at
you. It’s very narrow and gets challenging when the wind is blowing the
boats around, which raises a bit of concern. It also has some
challenging turns at both ends. I think it will be a very fast race and
challenging for Johnny and Mike, but I’m very confident they will do
quite well.”
Other top racing teams will also be at the event. Miss GEICO will
return fresh off last year’s victory in the Cat Turbine Extreme class.
Motley Crew will also race in the competitive Cat Lite class where they
took the overall title in 2007.
The Smokin’ the Sound race, which takes place along the Mississippi
Gulf Coast, can be viewed by spectators along the shore or from Casino
Row, giving them an up-close view of the action.
Saturday (April 5) will be the first time spectators can see the race
teams in the water. A qualifying run on the official racecourse will
begin at 11 a.m. giving the teams time to tune their boats up and come
up with their racing strategies the rest of the day.
Racing action on Sunday (April 6) will feature all nine classes
beginning at 11 a.m. and continuing until 5 p.m. After the races, an
award’s ceremony will be held at the Isle of Capri.
