Big Fleets In Key Classes On Tap For SBI Key West Worlds
With nine boats currently registered in each category, the Stock and Superboat Vee classes will command the largest fleets during this week’s annual Super Boat International Offshore World Championships in Key West, Fla., which are heading into the their 38th year. The outboard engine-powered Stock class in particular, with teams such as CR Racing, Team Allen Lawncare and Landscaping and—more recently Killer Bee—joining its ranks has been on the rise.
Though he won’t be in the cockpit in Key West, veteran Stock-class throttleman Ryan Beckley has competed in the annual season finale at the famed venue since 2004. And with nine Stock-class catamarans set to compete in the Wednesday, Friday and Sunday contests, Beckley says it’s the largest field he’s seen in the domestic Stock-class ranks.
One of the largest fleets in this year’s SBI Offshore World Championships will come from the Stock class (click image to enlarge). Photo from the 2018 SBI National Championships courtesy/copyright Pete Boden/Shoot 2 Thrill Pix.
“It’s definitely the biggest field I’ve seen since I started racing Stock in this country,” he said. “The only time I ever raced with that many boats was with the Abu Dhabi team in the X-CAT series.
Check out the slideshow above for a look at most of the entries in this year’s Stock-class SBI Key West Worlds field. Photos courtesy/copyright Pete Boden/Shoot 2 Thrill Pix.
Scheduled to compete in this year’s Stock classes are defending 2018 world champion Shadow Pirate, which will see former Miss GEICO driver Marc Granet joining team owner Nick Scafidi in the cockpit, FJ Propeller, S & P Kustom Homes, CR Racing with new sponsorship from Anchoring.com, Team Allen Lawncare and Landscaping, MGI Digital Technology/Lumberton Offroad with Superboat-class veteran Randy Sweers on the throttles, Jackhammer (originally from Australia and recently rigged at Beckley’s Kinetic Animation shop in Bradenton, Fla.), Killer Bee (rigged at Grant’s Signature Racing in Bradenton, Fla.) and Beckley’s Curry Refrigeration/DoubleEdge Motorsports team.
Entries in the Superboat Vee Class include the back-to-back world and national defending champion LSB/Hurricane of Awesomeness team, Boatfloater.com, Team Octane, Smokin’ Tuna (which sees class veteran Frank Sarro returning to the cockpit), Punisher, Mr. Technology, Sunprint Management, Marker 17 Marine (which joined the circuit in this year’s national championships) and Sheriff Lobo.
Here are six of the nine boats registered for the Superboat Vee class in Key West this week.
While the six-boat Superboat-class is on par with the average turnout in what has been SBI’s premiere class for several years, the Superboat Unlimited fleet is larger than average with seven teams registered. Three boats—two Victory team entries and Zabo Racing—that formerly competed on the now-defunct Union Internationale Motonautique Class 1 circuit will vie the with United States-based Team CRC/Spooled Up Racing, Wake Effects, Huski Chocolate (in what is slated to be its 2018 racing debut) and Lucas Oil/Silverhook, the only V-bottom in the class.
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