Image of the Week, Part II: Team AMSOIL Soaring In St. Clair

The most successful offshore powerboat racing teams test and test—and then test some more. So it came as no surprise to us that sharp-shooting photographer Pete Boden caught the father-and-son duo of Bob and John Teague out testing the Team AMSOIL catamaran today on the St. Clair River in preparation for Sunday’s upcoming Offshore Powerboat Association race on the Michigan waterway.

Back in action, Team AMSOIL practiced hard today—as it will tomorrow and Saturday—for this Sunday’s OPA race on the St. Clair River. Photo courtesy/copyright Pete Boden/Shoot 2 Thrill Pix

Off the racecourse for more than a year (read the story), the team is back with the same Skater Powerboats 368 catamaran it campaigned in the now-defunct Cat Light class with a pair of Mercury Racing 525 EFI engines. But now the boat boasts twin 750-hp Teague Custom Marine engines and is running in OPA’s Super Cat class (called Superboat under the Super Boat International umbrella).

“We were a little worried if it was going to be enough boat—the 368 is going to be the smallest boat in the class,” said the senior Teague, who throttles the cat, after today’s test session. “But we’re not worried about that now. It accelerates great and has great top speed. We won’t win every race—we probably won’t win this one—but we’re already down to 4 percent prop slip so I know we have the setup almost right. It’s going to be a force in the class.”

Next up for the veteran throttleman and his talented driver/son? More testing, of course. “We’re going to be out there tomorrow and Saturday,” Teague said.

Once again, we’re not surprised.

Related Story: Team AMSOIL Skater Plans to Resurface in St. Clair