 |
Photo Gallery |
|
Race Schedule |
|
Statistics |
|
Team Info |
|
Related Links |
|
Contact Us |
|
Here we are at the start of Cambridge's Eastern Divisional Championship. Check out our photo gallery for more great pictures!
Bad Weather Cancels Sunday Races
In a season already plagued by race cancellations, the weather limited us to one day of racing at both Kent Narrows and Bush River, Maryland. But what great days they were! At Kent Narrows, the 1.5 Litre Stock class had enough boats to hold its first elimination heat in over five years! It was exciting to have to qualify for a spot in the final. At the start of the final, Rich boldly attempted to squeeze between T-80 and T-1, some of the fastest boats in the class. Needless to say, he was unable to steal Lane 2 and got soaked at the start. You can't say he didn't try!
The Bush River Yacht Club helped us put on a terrific show last weekend! Even if it only lasted one day. The water was smooth and the race course couldn't have been better! It had large turns so Rich could have the pedal to the floor for the entire race. The pressure was on in the final! We placed 4th by only half a boat-length since the engine seemed to be losing power in the last couple laps. What a nail-biter! Hopefully, we will have everything figured out before the National Championship at Hampton.
No Chop on the Choptank
The big chase, the Eastern Divisionals, Cambridge, and the Choptank River. The water was the smoothest we had ever seen at Cambridge. We had beautiful weather and a beautiful start. Here we are with Hostile Takeover and The Outlaw (the red one on the right). This picture would have looked better if we had gotten the boat painted before the race!
Though in Lane #8, we were too far outside to keep up through Turn #1. Once everything settled down, we tried our best to hunt down Hijacker II for 5th; but we just didn't have enough top end speed to pass them. Great racing for a finish in 6th.
Congratulations to George Kennedy and The Outlaw Race Team for a solid 1st in the Eastern Divisional Championship!
|
|
Mud Bowl?!Sounds like a sloppy dessert at your favorite ice cream spot, doesn't it? Not so! This season's first race was drowned out by rain, mud, more rain, and more mud. Most racers seemed in good spirits, though, as people made their rounds through the pits for a quick season starting "Hello." Local hospitality at Dieber's Castle was great! It's too bad Mother Nature didn't cooperate so we could put on a show. |
|
P.S.: How many Rescue Team members do fit into a hotel hot tub? We never did see it filled! |
|
Ready To Race?
We sure are! The winter has seemed longer than usual so we're eager to get out there. Check out our race schedule for upcoming events. NOTE: A couple of early season races have been cancelled so the page has been recently updated. About those pictures we promised, we should have time for that now that the boat hull is patched. See ya at Greenwood Lake!
Winter Means Work!
The team has been working hard to repair the scars of the 99 season and get The Albatross ready for its first race of the new millenium... Sorry, couldn't pass that one up! Here, Jim and Dave sand the boat to prepare it for a new paint job. It needed one after fixing the damage.
Season Ends with a Bang
The racing season ends with a bang,... or rather, a CRACK! A cracked and broken boat hull to be exact. The Albatross only made it through the first heat at the Wildwood Crest race. Apparently taking some hard hits during the heat, the boat began filling with water as our crew was fueling and changing propellers for the next heat. It was a bit strange for the boat to be leaning to one side so badly! Fortunately, we were already near the crane and could get lifted out of the water before it filled completely. Not necessarily the best ending for the season; however, we had a blast and kept improving our performance throughout the summer.
Now, on to the winter projects. Since the boat is broken anyhow, it's a perfect time to make some changes that we hope will make the front runners have to work harder to stay in front! Winter updates will be out soon so check in or drop us a line sometime.
Team Takes 2nd Place in Region 3
The Smithsons accepted the 2nd Place trophy at the Region 3 banquet in Northern New Jersey this February. The team took second place for the 1.5 litre stock class for the 1999 racing season. Region 3 consists of boats from New Jersey, Delaware, and eastern Pennsylvania.
About the Albatross...
Reaching speeds in excess of 80 mph, the Albatross Racing Team tours Mid-Atlantic coast from May to October each year to bring you the best in 1.5 Litre Stock Inboard competition!
The Albatross is a 1984 Sooy Hydroplane. The original hull design was modified by Albatross Racing for improved turning and speed. The boat is 15.5' long and 7' wide. It is powered by a stock Toyota 4A engine which is a 1600 cubic centimeter, 4 cylinder engine that has been altered within limits for performance. This motor uses a two-barrel Holley carburetor, originally used on Ford 4 cylinder engines.
Find out how to sponsor us...
Back to Home
Other News | APBA | Go Racing | Powerboating |
|
|
| [Previous] [Next] [Random] [List Sites] [Join] |
