Sarasota powerboat team, REDS Offshore Racing/Watt-Ahh, won first place (Class Pro-Am 1) at the 31st Annual Sarasota Powerboat Grand Prix on Sunday, July 5, 2015! We want to share our open letter published in the editorial section of of the Sarasota Herald Tribune last week:
Best Offshore Racing Fans and More! Our hometown has the best racing fans and the best grand prix festival – hosted for over thirty years by the nonprofit, Suncoast Charities for Children. The fans have supported the legacy of this festival to help children in need.
We also were motivated to try to help and have participated in the volunteer Water Patrol since 2008. A year later, we became even more involved by joining a race team.
For the festival itself, this was a transition year with a new race organizer, Offshore Powerboats Grand Prix (OPGP). Although some of the world-renown race boats did not participate, we witnessed a high level of race professionalism from OPGP. There was an overall cooperative and inclusive spirit that improved upon safety for both the public and the racers, including more comprehensive safety inspections of the boats, great radio communication with water patrol, and an improved course layout to better protect the spectator boats. The purses for the race teams were generous, and checks were provided to the winning teams at the awards ceremony.
For the first time, CBS Sports Network will be airing a program on the races this year (Wednesday, July 15, 2015 at 7 p.m. ET and encore at 11 p.m.), which will be showcasing our own hometown and its fans to the World. The foundation for building an even better festival is in the works, and we will not be surprised if the larger race boats will also be thundering off our beaches next July!
~Dana and Rob Gourley, Team REDS Offshore Racing/Watt-Ahh
Ahh-some Racing, Throttles Eddie Tamberino of Englewood, FL. and Driver Nate Hunt of Naples, FL. Go Team REDS!
Be the Ahh! – Drink Watt-Ahh®!