Time to Head North

Next week will be my fourth trip up to see Boyne Thunder, one of America’s premiere poker runs. The first couple of years I traveled up to Michigan, I had hoped to at least bring my Formula 242 up as a marshal boat, but ongoing trailer issues nixed that. Later, having sold my boat, my wife and I still enjoyed heading up to see the boats and check out all the activities, like the street show in Boyne City and the art fair in Charlevoix, which always seems to be held on the same weekend. There’s no doubt that the region includes some of the most scenic areas the Midwest has to offer.

The Street Party in Boyne City on Friday night is one you don't want to miss.

This year, my wife has declined to go, and being freed up, I decided to inquire about the possibility of volunteering at the event, which raises money for children with cancer and individuals with disabilities. Having secured a couple of opportunities to pitch in, I started to make plans.

I had thought about going about a month or more before, but we were invited to travel with some friends to Florida in the Fall, so I held off. When it later became clear that my wife’s job would not allow us to travel south in November, I looked again at coming up to BT, but by that time, no reasonable accommodations were available, and she was balking at making another trip north.

That meant going by myself, and since my needs are pretty modest (I just need a place to rest my head at night and take a shower) I figured I could find a convenient camping spot in the area. Finding campgrounds was not an issue; the only problem is that most non-electric tent sites can’t be reserved in advance, so it’s first-come-first served just about everywhere. I’m pretty confident that I won’t have any problems, and though I am not a big recreational camper, I think this will be a nice little adventure.

The continued popularity of this event is a real testament to the people who work so hard to put it on every year. When I first ventured up here in 2008, I think there were about 40 boats running; this year I believe the number of registrants is up to 120—and there are lots of people who are still on the waiting list. Since that more performance boaters are discovering this great Poker Run, it’s become a “must do”—not only for boaters, but for manufacturers who like to premiere their new boats. One I am especially looking forward to see is Catnip, a new classic wooden runabout from Van Dam Custom Boats, which is actually located in Boyne City. See you at the street show next Friday Night!


Catnip under construction at Van Dam Custom Boats

A Message from The Dock

How long has it been? Too long, I suppose. As I sit writing this, I am making plans to head up to Michigan and volunteer at Boyne Thunder, one of America’s premier poker runs, and which was the subject of my last post on this website, back in 2011. A lot has happened since then, so let me briefly review…

I bought my boat when I turned 50, as a gift to myself. Always loved boats – operated them, but never owned one. I enjoyed my Formula for the first few years, but never got to use it as much as I wanted, and hardly ever in bigger water where I could really enjoy it. In 2010, I was “downsized” from the best job I ever had, out of work for 9 months (due to the recession) and eventually found a job making about 1/3 of my previous income.

Financially we were fine, but with gas at about $4 a gallon and our disposable income lower, boating became a guilty pleasure that increasingly came in second to staying at home on weekends and hanging out at the pool with friends. My vision of how I was going to enjoy my boat sharpened as I realized a few things:

1)  The time I would have to enjoy boating would be more limited than I thought. With both a pool and a boat, we would generally be splitting our weekends between the two, not counting weekends here and there that would be lost to lousy weather.

2)  I bought a (to me) large boat with a comfortable cabin thinking we could overnight on it. Only after I bought it did my wife indicate she could not sleep on a boat. That eliminated any possible savings on overnight accommodations for our boat trips. Hell—I could have just bought a Donzi sweet 16.

3)  It eventually became apparent that the wife was not a fan of high speed on the water. She liked a boat that looked fast, but was not so interested in going fast, or—god forbid—getting any air under the hull. Seems strange for a woman who enjoys riding roller coasters.

4)   The closest lakes to me are nice, but a 26’ boat was really too much boat for them. Limited speed areas; mostly no-wake zones. Lake Erie was 30+ miles away – but opportunities to get up there were pretty limited.

As a result of all this, the boat spent more time on the trailer in my driveway than it did on the water. It was paid for, but winter storage, maintenance, insurance and other costs made me reconsider my situation.

I also must interject here that I eventually came to the realization that the “boating lifestyle” I had envisioned was one that demanded either a significant investment in money (deep pockets) or time (free weekends) that I could not fully devote to the cause.

Most of the folks I saw taking their big boats (and their friends) to poker runs have lots of disposable income. You don’t have to look at a newer 40’ offshore boat with doubles or triples to know that they own their own company or have a very high-level job. It’s like almost owning your own private airplane; these folks can spend several thousand dollars on a weekend poker run and not bat an eye, and then do it again the following week. I think it’s great that they can do this, and it’s fun to follow—but that would never be me.

Of course, we all know there are lots of other folks out there who also enjoy going to poker runs who don’t have big bucks to blow. They may have smaller or older boats. They may participate by volunteering as a marshall boat, or having pals help subsidize their entry fee. They may attend less expensive events, too. But what they also have is more time—time away from family, time (and skill) to repair and maintain their own boat, maybe just more time in general, since boating is their primary activity, period. Unless I happen to have a job related to the boating industry, that’s not me, either.

So it should be no surprise that I sold the Formula a couple of years ago. I plan on having another boat before too long—but it will probably be smaller, and hopefully, permanently docked on the water near wherever I decide to retire.

Saying so long to my beloved BlackJack. Hope she found a happy home.

While I may have been slightly disenchanted with my initial foray into performance boating, I certainly never lost interest. I still love fast boats, and being both near the water and on the water. That will never change. What has changed is the way I choose to enjoy the hobby/sport/lifestyle. That may mean volunteering at events, attending more races and finding more ways I can contribute while acknowledging my current “landlubber” status.

In the meantime, even though I stopped posting on this site regularly, I transformed the main website www.bigbadboat.co.nr into a weekly news update, with stories gathered from my Twitter Powerboat News list. That has allowed be to retain some presence on the web, in addition to my Twitter site www.twitter.com/bigbadboat - which now serves as the primary web platform for [B3]. My posts there are seasonal, but with almost 3,000 followers, it remains as one of the most prominent performance boating accounts on Twitter. I am happy about that.

Boyne Thunder: The Great Northern Poker Run

Everybody knows about big powerboat poker runs like Desert Storm and Key West, but switch out the sand and palm trees for the clean, cool waters of Northwest Michigan and the rich smell of pine trees, and you've got the great Northern poker run...Boyne Thunder. We headed up there after work on Friday night and jumped off I-75 at Gaylord for a solid night's sleep before heading over to Boyne City bright and early Saturday to watch the 40+ boats head out across Lake Charlevoix.

The municipal marina at Boyne City is a great venue for this event; there's plenty of room for even the largest boats, and the point on the western end is a great spot for spectators to gather. This year's event has been described by many as the best ever - and the collection of boats found at the docks backed that up, with a great selection of Skaters, Nor-Techs, Outerlimits, Apaches, Fountains, Formulas and Cigarettes on hand. It was an incredible scene -- especially when they all started the engines and headed out onto the lake.

As a tradition, the boats (in two groups) circle around the lake on a high-speed parade lap before heading west toward Charlevoix -- and the hundreds of spectators gathered on the point roared their approval as each boat gunned its engines on the pass-by.

The boats then head down the lake, through Round Lake at Charelvoix, then out the channel to Lake Michigan and the other card stops. The weather was just about perfect; warm and sunny, with little wind--which made the big lake manageable for some high speed runs and lots of fun. We drove up to Charlevoix for a few beers, caught a few more nice boats heading up the channel, then gradually worked our way back toward Boyne City right after noon. We even had a chance to grab a bite at the Horton Bay General Store, which any Ernest Hemingway fan would recognize from his Nick Adams stories.

The final card stop was at the marina at Somerset Pointe, featuring a very nice reception which offered visitors a chance to catch the boat crews coming in for some snacks and ice cold refreshments. We weren't sure how they were going to fit everyone in, but they managed to get the crews off the boats and into the bar with a high level of organization. Clearly, this run benefits greatly from a wonderful team of volunteers, who managed it all superbly. Hats off to them.

We wanted to stay longer for the Thunder Feast that evening, but the wife and I had another stop to make on that day's itinerary, and over a 100 miles to travel before nightfall. Suffice to say that as before, we had a short but albeit wonderful time at Boyne Thunder, and look forward to coming back again. If you're an offshore powerboater who loves great poker runs and is looking for something a little different, this is one run you will want to add to your calendar next year.

[B3] Will Be at Boyne Thunder This Weekend

Northwest Michigan is one of our favorite places in the world and also home to one of the best poker runs anywhere...Boyne Thunder. Kicking off in Boyne City, MI - at the eastern end of beautiful Lake Charlevoix, this is one of the best organized runs anywhere, attracting dozens of the Midwest's very best boats, and many from well beyond.

Created to benefit Camp Quality for Children, the run heads out of Lake Charlevoix and into Lake Michigan, where stops are set up at several great venues. Conditions can be unpredictable once you are out on the big lake, so participants have to be ready for anything.

There's a big street party in Boyne City Friday night, with lots of boats and hot cars on display, as well as a fun "pub crawl." The run starts Saturday morning, and concludes in the late afternoon. Saturday night, everyone sits down to enjoy an awesome "Thunder Feast" by the side of the lake. The location is superb, the weather looks to be great this weekend, and we're sure to see lots of top-shelf boats on hand, which is why organizers are expecting this to be the best BT ever. We'll be there to bring you some pictures and more!

That's Gonna Leave a Mark: 1981 Harbour Towne Race

Came across this recently posted YouTube video, courtesy of the Duke Video Archives, which shows the spectacular crash of Michael Meynard and teamate Bob Idoni's Cougar cat, Fayva Shoes. The 36' super-light cat, powered by a pair of big Mercruisers and the then-new Arneson surface drives, was clearly capable of speeds up to 125mph or more.  The boat was probably too light, which is why--returning from the first checkpoint--the port sponson dug into a wave and disintegrated.

Luckily, both Meynard and Idoni survived the wreck. Meynard--who was already receiving treatment for Hodgkins Disease--escaped unscathed, and Idoni had some leg injuries that would keep him in the hospital for  week. The race came at a pivotal time for offshore racing; it was clear that speed and power were outpacing safety considerations, and changes would soon come to the sport....along with the big American superboats, which would soon be making their appearance.

You can check out more of Duke's offshore-related DVD offerings HERE. They are in the European PAL format, so they would not be viewable on North American NTSC format players, but could probably be converted with the right software.

P1 Superstock Series Featured at 2011 Madison Regatta

P1 SuperStock has launched their new head-to-head Match Race this weekend at the 2011 Madison Regatta. While primarily known as a venue for H1 hydroplane racing, Madison-area fans have eagerly embraced the new P1 Superstock racing formula, adding a new dimension to powerboat racing here.

PHOTO CREDITS: P1superstock.com.

Madison, Indiana, is located on the Ohio River; the earliest documented power boat regatta here took place in 1911. The steamship PRINCESS from Coney Island tied up in the middle of the river as power launches ran an oval track roughly around the boat. This was also one of the earliest examples of competition as it is currently characterized around a closed course.

Team Oregon Custom Marine of the number 15 Panther made history by becoming the first Match Racing Champion of all time. Oregon Custom Marine ran the course extremely well, hitting every turn tightly with ease and quickly crossing the finish line.

PHOTO CREDITS: madisonregatta.com.

With a first place finish in Saturday’s Match Race, Team Oregon Custom Marine earns the pole position of their choice for Sunday’s endurance race. Team JD Byrider of the number 14 boat finished second, receiving the second option for preferred pole position. Typhoon Racing and Pirate Racing were back and forth throughout the entire race and had fans on the edge of their seat until the final lap. Typhoon Racing finished just a few feet in front of Pirate Racing earning them a victory in the first of their three heats.

Be sure to check out www.p1superstock.com for results from the inaugural P1 USA Series event.

Speculation Abounds Whether Phenomenon will Show at LOTO Shootout

Little has been seen or heard about Al Copeland Jr. and his Phenomenon cat since the boat debuted at the Key West Worlds in 2009 and making a splash at the Miami Boat Show back in 2010. The 56-foot catamaran with four T-55 Lycoming turbines got a lot of attention when it was first seen, but technical problems encountered since that time seem to have put the kabosh on any speed record attempts or further trials over the last year. Recently, speculation has grown on whether the boat might turn up at this year's Lake of The Ozarks Shootout, on August 22-28.

PHOTO CREDITS: luxury4play.com.

Driver Al Copeland Jr., was hoping to follow in the footsteps of his famous boat racing father, who founded the Popeyes restaurant chain. Phenomenon is the culmination of his father’s wish to break the propeller-driven speed record of 220.43 mph...but there's some stiff competition out there from other powerful turbine cats, like Miss Geico--which has hit 210mph.

PHOTO CREDITS: unrealluxury.com.

With the 4 turbines, the boat was supposed to bust out with about 12,000hp--and on paper, it should be able to make a solid record attempt. The question is, will we see it any time soon? The project's Facebook page has plenty of fan questions...but no answers.

Cigarette Takes Balls to the Wall with Photo Print Gallery

Everyone knows Cigarette Racing has become synonymous with extreme powerboat performance, and Cigarette is clearly the most famous brand of offshore boat on the water. Since its inception under Don Aronow, the company has always had a rakish, sexy and notorious attitude--and no where has than been more in evidence than it's famous print ads.

With that in mind, and due to popular demand from fans and customers alike, the company has worked with professional printers to produce fine, high-quality art prints that are just the ticket for your home, office wall, garage or your boathouse. Each photograph in the series has been color-corrected, optimized for the professional printer, and printed on Kodak Professional Supra Endura VC paper. This archive-quality, fine art paper is rated for 100 years of home use and 200 years in dark storage.

PHOTO CREDITS: Cigarette Racing.

In addition to unframed prints, Cigarette is also offer framing, matting, glass, and a myriad of options that will put a ready-to-hang art print on your wall fast. Selected items are also offered as 1.5" standouts, a unique way to display. For more information on the Cigarette Print Gallery, head to the store HERE.

Outerlimits' New Hull-Engine Package Powering Class 1 Fendi Team

Italian team Fendi Racing has been testing their new Outerlimits boat-engine package, which they are planning to run competitively for the first time in July at the Class 1 BMW Norwegian Grand Prix in Arendal. The American-made boat was put through a series of shakedown tests on Lake Lecco by throttleman Giovanni Carpitella, alongside team manager and crew chief Marco Bonomo.

The Fendi Team - PHOTO CREDITS: Class-1.com.

“This hull-engine combination is completely different to the Victory boat that Fendi ran in Abu Dhabi," explained Bonomo. "We have a lot to learn in terms of its handling characteristics and overall performance, and some work to do tweaking the engines.”

During test on open waters near Jesolo, Team owner Luca Fendi Formilli Fendi was there to get his first outing in the new boat. “I was very emotional when I saw the boat, even more so after going out to test,” he said. “The last time I saw it, it was just a mass of grey material in a workshop in America and to see it now is incredible. The team has done an amazing job. Now the project I started to talk about over a year ago has really come together.”

The decision by the team to run with the Outerlimits boat and twin 850 SC Outerlimits Powertrain engines sees the American high performance boat manufacturer making its debut into the UIM Class 1 World Powerboat Championship, swelling the ranks of different boat-engine manufacturers competing in the championship to five. The Arendal, Norway race is scheduled for July 15th - 17th.

Classic Speed and Style on Display at PLX Boat Show

Every year, I try to make it over to the local Chain of Lakes to check out some of the sharp classic boats of yesterday. The show is normally held on the 4th of July weekend, but organizers decided to move it up a week, and except for the fact that the weather was a little cloudy and cool, it didn't seem to be a bad idea.

As usual, The Portage Lakes (PLX) classic boat show always features a number of slick "woodies" - and everyone's favorites are the big dual and triple-cockpit Chris Crafts and Hackers, which you can see below. They were truly the "big bad boats" of their day, and they are great examples of style and crafstmanship.

Not all the boats are wood, however...and not all of them are really old.  There are some nice examples of boats from the late 50's 60's and 70's to be found, like the nice jet boat I came across, and some other old "performance boats" of their day.

Some of the examples on hand were clearly inspired by 50's auto design, and others--while modest in size--were clearly well-built, well-cared for and are now shown proudly by their owners at various shows and regattas around the country. In the end, a nice boat is a nice boat - and there were plenty of nice ones to appreciate here.

Available Now: [B3] Powerboat Weekly News for June 27-July 3

Be sure to check out this week's issue of The [B3] Powerboat Weekly. You can read about some of the advantages of outboard motors, Bonnier Communication's plans to re-launch Powerboat Magazine, Team Cintron's success at South Beach, and much more. Thanks to all our Twitter partners who help make it happen every week!

New 42' Statement V in the Works

No, they don't fall into the classification of "spy" photos, but St. Petersburg, FL-based Statement Marine builds some pretty outrageous and good-looking boats. The designs are original, the technology is truly advanced, and every new boat they produce is highly anticipated. We wanted to feature some photos of their latest creation, recently posted on OSO by member boating37.

  PHOTO CREDITS: offshoreonly member boating37.

This green beast is reportedly heading to Lake Cumberland, where she will fly down the lake bearing the "Saddle Up" moniker. The paint work was done by Rodney at Pro Body Works in MO. ...but there's no word on what kind of power they're planning on putting into this thing. Whatever it will be we're sure it will do the paintwork justice.

To see more of this beautiful boat, check out the thread on OSO here. To find out more about Statement Marine and their boats--check out their website.

Operation Dry Water Promotes Safe Boating This Weekend with BUI Enforcement

Operated carelessly, any boat can be dangerous--but this is even more the case with high performance boats, where size, speed and power can quickly multiply the effects of a bad decision. Most responsible offshore powerboaters are aware of this, and take care to avoid the risks involved in drinking and boating; moreover, most organized events, like poker runs, have strict enforcement policies when it comes to drinking and participation.

 IMAGE CREDIT:  operationdrywater.org.

This weekend, law enforcement organizations across the country are joining together through "Operation Drywater" to raise awareness about BUI (Boating Under the Influence) promoting enforcement aimed at reducing the number of alcohol and drug-related accidents and fatalities and fostering a stronger and more visible deterrent to alcohol and drug use on the water.Curbing the number of alcohol and drug-related accidents and fatalities is key to achieving a safer and more enjoyable environment for recreational boating. According to the most recent U.S. Coast Guard statistics, Boating Under the Influence is still the leading contributing factor in fatal boating accidents, with 17 percent of boating fatalities a direct result of alcohol or drug use. 

No one wants to take the fun out of boating, or stop people from having a good time on the water. But the purpose of the weekend is to remind boaters that if you want to drink, do it after your boating day is over, or be sure to enjoy it in a responsible manner. Also be aware that drunken passengers can put themselves in danger, despite your best efforts--and they can be a significant distraction while you're operating the boat.Take care...and you'll take everyone back home at the end of the day.

Team TDI Clean Diesel takes on NYC to Bermuda World Record

Chris Fertig from TDI Clean Diesel has announced that they will be attempting to break the world record time between New York City and Bermuda, using a 37' Statement Center Console (see below). As part of Boating Magazine's Bermuda Challenge, the basic rules of the run are simple: the boat must be trailerable, less than 40’ in length, and the 780 mile trip from the Statue of Liberty to St. Georges, Bermuda must be made without refueling.

PHOTO CREDITS: Boating Magazine.

The challenge was first met in 1996 by Larry Graf in his Glacier Bay 260 Canyon Runner with twin Honda 90s. Running time from North Cove Yacht Harbor at the World Financial Center in New York City to Bermuda, off Gates Fort, was 37 hours. The current record, set by Neil Burnie in a 306 Prowler back in 2002, stands at 22 hours and 23 minutes. "

Team TDI will be streaming live video and audio to the web during the run," says Fertig, "So you can cheer us on as we make our way across the gulf stream, through the Bermuda Triangle towards the finish line in St. Georges."

To see more pics and read more about the challenge, check out Boating Magazine's Bermuda Challenge web page.

Available Now: [B3] Powerboat Weekly News for June 20-26

Be sure to check out this week's issue of The [B3] Powerboat Weekly. You can read about how Miss Geico bested the rest in the Sunny Isles OPA race, a possible recovery wave in the boating industry, the Malta 2011 Grand Prix of The Sea, and much more. Thanks to all our Twitter partners who help make it happen every week!

VIDEO: Malta 2011 Ocean Grand Prix - OnBoard With Nigel Hook

Last weekend's Malta Grand Prix of The Sea Enduro Class was handily won by the #33 Furnibo boat, garnering them 20 championship points and a winning time of 00:39:43:80. For an interesting take on this recent race and the course, check out this YouTube video featuring the newest U.S.-built Lucas Oil boat, with an excellent running commentary by Nigel Hook.

The commentary is especially insightful as Nigel speeds through the course, explaining the methods involved in maneuvering around the bouys and negotiating turns effectively at approximately 100mph. It's very interesting to watch an expert in action, calmly providing the details about what would be a "white knuckle" ride for most people. Job well done!

Video courtesy of oceangrandprix.com

Excuse Our Technical Difficulties...

It's good to be back online after the DNS servers at 1and1.com decided to stop forwarding our bigbadboat.com web address to the proper location. Never really got a good answer from them on why that happened, but we were planning to switch the URL registration to another registrar anyway.

That's done now, so we apologize to our readers (and advertisers) for the delay. In the meantime, we have plenty of material to catch you up on, so be ready for plenty of fast boating goodness in the coming days ahead. Sincerely - The Dude.

BVI Leverick's Bay Poker Run is a Study in Good Times

Over on Offshore Only, respected powerboater Bobthebuilder has been sharing many of his Caribbean adventures, and recently he's been providing some updates on his trip to the British Virgin Islands, to participate in the Leverick's Bay Poker Run. Accompanied by Jay from Naplesimage.com, they provided some outstanding coverage of this event that you can see on the OSO thread HERE.

 PHOTO CREDIT:  naplesimage.com.

According to Bob, the run was even more fun than last year, with over 100 boats participating. Also on hand was a very large spectator fleet, including a large tour boat wiht a large crowd on board. They took hundreds of pictures, and were able to take a number of folks for exciting rides on his beautiful boat, PREDATOR. This year also marked the run's 10th Anniversary; we also were able to find this video, courtesy of YouTube member Cb4life13 - which provides some running shots of the participants...

All in all, this run looks like a great time -- the biggest challenge is just getting there. Most everyone has their boats transported, and while it's not an easy undertaking, it's well worth the effort, since you will be rewarded with a lifelong memory you will always cherish. In fact, Bob is providing info on how those who are interested  can participate in a separate OSO thread. Maybe you can make it next year...

Sharp New Boats in the Works at Eliminator

Eliminator Boats is showing off some of the newest examples of their fine work on the powerboat forums, and it's nice to see some of the incredible craftsmanship this respected West Coast builder is offering. One example is a new 36' Speedster cat that is reportedly going to a customer in Africa.

PHOTO CREDITS: Eliminator Boats.

With a 108" beam, approximate weight with engines of 7800 lbs., 160 gallon fuel capacity and seating capacity from 4-6 people, the Speedster is truly an impressive boat. In fact, one of these boats with a pair of 1200hp engines was one of the fastest non-race boats that Powerboat Magazine has ever tested, at 169mph.


Not so big, but definitely badass for its size--is this 22' Eagle, which will be featuring a supercharged Cadillac CTS-V engine. LOA is 22' 11" - with an 8.25' beam and a 40 gallon capacity tank--which seems a little modest considering that supercharged Caddy engine.

Eliminator is turning out some mighty fine boats, and as a strong competitor in APBA Offshore 2 Competition, their boats are race-proven and built tough. Find out more at http://eliminatorboat.com - and check out more photos of these new boats under construction on Offshore Only.

UK Powerboat Racer Shelley Jory Back behind The Wheel in P1 Superstock

We've highlighted Shelley Jory's efforts before - back in 2009, well before before a pair of dramatic accidents last July left her with some very serious injuries. Earlier last year, the 40-year old had become the first woman to win a Powerboat P1 Grand Prix event, but when her boat Spirit of Belgium sunk in Sardinia, she and throttleman Patrick Huybrieghts ended up in the hospital, wondering if they would ever race again.

Describing the accident, Shelley said it was easily the worst of her career: "The front of the boat just dipped into the water and shattered on impact. It's like driving a car into a brick wall at 83 mph," she recalled, recovering from head injuries and a broken nose.

After an extended leave of absence, Shelley has decided to return to powerboat racing, planning to announce her entry into the Powerboat P1 Superstock series in the UK. Though the boats don't have the power and speed of her previous P1 championship boats, they will offer her a significant challenge.

“P1 have always been a great support to me through my career, she says. "This will take me back to my Honda race days, which were by far the most competitive and fun racing I have done.”

Jory & Huybrieghts - the first wreck in Malta. PHOTO CREDIT: motorboatsmonthly.com

From Hampshire England, Shelley has always been a fan favorite, and when she's not boating, runs a very successful bridal business. Her first race event is scheduled for Jersey on June 11-12, and I'm sure we're not the only ones wishing her the best of luck. For more information on that race, go HERE.