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Bud Light St. Louis Grand Prix
St. Louis, MO - August 4-5, 2007 |
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Tim
Seebold Captures 2nd Season Victory At St. Louis
California Gold’s Torrente & Bowden 2nd And 3rd
St. Louis, Missouri – August 5, 2007 – Local hero Tim Seebold
played a conservative card, stayed out of trouble and came home with his 2nd
straight victory of the season and his 3rd overall in his hometown to win the
36th Annual Bud Light St. Louis Grand Prix the 3rd round of the 2007
F1-ChampBoat Grand Prix Series in front of thousands of race fans on Creve Coeur
lake in suburban St. Louis, Missouri.
“I’d rather be lucky than good”, stated Tim. “Some days things go your way and
other days they don’t and today it went our way. I’ll take the win.”
The eventful day wasn’t without controversy as “on the water” victor Todd Bowden
of the California Gold Race Team thought he was the winner in the 43 lap event
for the first time in St. Louis only to be docked a lap by the officials for
taking out a buoy, losing a lap and eventually be classified in third place.
Teammate, Shaun Torrente of Miami, Florida, took 2nd overall when fellow Florida
driver Terry Rinker of the Amsoil Racing Team was also docked for a driver
infraction losing two spots and finishing 4th. Shaun had a great run coming up
five positions from his 7th starting position off the pontoon.
Wyatt Nelson of Syracuse, New York came home in 5th position after starting 4th
off the dock, with local driver Lynn Simburger taking 6th on a steady run after
starting 13th. Series point leader Chris Fairchild ended his weekend in 2nd
overall with 1552 points and now 47 points behind Tim Seebold who with his win
moves to the top of the board with 1599 points.
Canadian driver Mark Major put in a good effort racing a very unfamiliar boat
after crashing his main hull on Saturday and jumping into a Fred Bowden owned
Gran Prix boat that was an extra hull loaned to him for the weekend finishing
8th.
Fellow Ontario driver Brian Venton came home a steady 9th in his older RAM
designed boat, with Randy Rinker of Syracuse, Indiana finishing where he started
in the 10th position in his Amsoil sponsored Leecraft designed hull.
Early on at the 6th lap Chris Fairchild got together with Terry Rinker down in
the first turn stopping the race on the sixth lap. Both drivers were able to go
back to the dock and restart with Chris going to the back of the field while
Terry started back in his 2nd starting position.
Louisiana driver Brian Normand crashed out on the right hand turn on the restart
forcing the second of three restarts with veteran and six time St. Louis winner
Michael Seebold crashing at the same spot on the restart forcing the boats back
to the start dock for the third time.
St. Louis native Todd Beckman, who had climbed up to as high as 3rd early in the
race in a guest ride got caught up in a crash with another boat and barely made
it back to the launch ramp ending his day.
Italian first timer Marco Gambi came home in a steady run to an 11th place
finish with a series of teething problems all weekend one spot ahead of final
race finisher Page Mihajlovic of Belgarde, Serbia and Florida in the 12th
position.
In the Champ-2 Class Texan Glynn Mathews won the race here on the lake for the
2nd straight year by a commanding 20 seconds, with Michigan rookie Kevin Ladd
taking second and Doug Young of Louisville, Kentucky 3rd in the 25 lap main.
In the Champ Lights division Colorado driver Scott Economy came home first from
his 3rd starting position just ahead of Canadian teenager Dan Orchard and
veteran Bud Nollman of Osage Beach, Missouri in the 30 lap event.
The 4th round of the 2007 F1-ChampBoat Grand Prix Series is in two weeks time to
the lovely community of Warsaw, Kentucky with new points leader Tim Seebold
looking for his third straight victory with young star Shaun Torrente and
veteran Chris Fairchild hot on his heals just a few points back. It’s a long
road to Savannah, Georgia and one that will have more drama before this season
of excitement comes to a close on the Savannah River in early November.
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Tim
Seebold wins Pole for hometown Bud Light St. Louis Grand Prix
Last Years Champion Terry Rinker Wins Heat And Will Start 2nd
ST. LOUIS, Missouri – (August 4, 2007) -- St. Louis favorite son, Tim Seebold of
the Bud light ChampBoat Racing Team won his 10 lap heat race and had the day’s
quickest race time to capture pole position for tomorrow’s 36th Annual Bud Light
St. Louis Grand Prix the 3rd Round of the F1-ChampBoat Grand Prix Series in
front of thousands of race fans around the 6 turn 1.25 course on the west side
of downtown St. Louis on Creve Coeur Lake.
The 43 year-old native of Fenton, Missouri started off the afternoon with a
qualifying time of 39.10 which turned out to be second fastest of the day and
placed him on pole position for the 2nd group who would race for tomorrow’s pole
position.
The quickest lap of the afternoon went to last year’s winning driver Terry
Rinker of the Amsoil Rinker Racing Leecraft boat with a time of 38.94. Terry
went on to win from pole position in the days first 10 lap heat race ahead of
the other Bud Light Racing Team driver Michael Seebold who has won this race six
previous times and will now start from 3rd position looking for victory for the
first time since 1999 in his home town.
Tim had an easy time of it in his heat defeating Wyatt Nelson of Syracuse, New
York by over 23 seconds as the architect from upstate New York will now start
from the fourth position. Another St. Louis driver, Todd Beckman, in a guest
ride with Matt Sadl’s Racing Seebold built boat is starting 5th and searching
for his 2nd victory in St. Louis and his first since 2000.
Last year’s Rookie-of-the-Year runner-up Brian Normand was 3rd in the 2nd heat
and will start 6th overall in his Dobson/Swipes sponsored Seebold as he searches
for his first ever victory. Next to him in 7th will be Shaun Torrente of Miami,
Florida in the Gary L Barton sponsored California Gold entry. The ex-Florida
State student is 2nd in the points race and one spot ahead of series points
leader Chris Fairchild from Paw Paw, Illinois who will line up 8th off the dock
looking for his 2nd win of the season.
Todd Bowden of Los Angeles, California will start a disappointing 9th in the
California Gold Gran Prix boat while Randy Rinker of Syracuse, Indiana will take
the final qualifying position in 10th place with the remainder of the field
being forced to run a “B” main to decide the final 7 positions for tomorrow’s 50
final.
Missing the final top 10 cut today were Jeff Sheperd of Tennessee, Brian Venton
of Toronto, Ontario, Chuck Unkle of Thomasville, Georgia, Mark Major of Toronto,
Ontario, Ned Mihaljovic of Pompano Beach, Florida by way of Belgrade, Serbia,
Lynn Simburger of Elsah, Illinois and Marco Gambi of Milan, Italy.
Drivers from four different nations and two different continents are set for 50
laps around the 1.25 mile 6 turn course as the 3rd Round of F1-ChampBoat Grand
Prix Series and the 36th Annual Bud Light St. Louis Grand Prix is scheduled to
start at 3 pm (15.00) CDT, 16.00 Eastern Daylight Time and 21:00 GMT tomorrow
afternoon.
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Legend
Mr. Bill, Ready To Host St. Louis Classic
ST. LOUIS, MO – July 17, 2007 – The legend of F1 powerboat racing, Bill
Seebold Jr. has his St. Louis Grand Prix crew ready to once again host the
stellar classic that is the Bud Light St. Louis Grand Prix. Celebrating its 36
year, the St. Louis event traditionally brings out all the competitors making it
the crown jewel of F1 powerboat races in North America.
“After last year’s 35th anniversary event, I wasn’t sure I wanted to keep
working this hard, but we are excited about this year’s event as its dedicated
to my dad, Grandpa”. Bill Seebold Sr., known throughout the world of powerboat
racing simply as “grandpa”, passed away earlier this year leaving a heavy hearts
and gaping hole in the sport.
Grandson’s Tim and Michael will be representing the family on home turf as
strong as ever with Tim fresh off his Bay City win. “We want to win this one for
Grandpa”, states Tim, the Bud Light driver from nearby Osage Beach who sits
comfortably 2nd in points and focused on a fifth title. “The boat is good, but
the competition is good too, so it won’t be easy”.
Many teams are expected to compete in St. Louis. In fact, the series is
expecting the largest competitor fields that have been seen the past several
years. “With a 36 year history, St. Louis has a massive tradition for powerboat
racing, so everyone wants to win in St. Louis”, say’s series director, Mike
Schriefer. “Saying St. Louis in powerboat racing is like saying Indy or Daytona
for auto racing”.
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As The Prop Turns: Rumors Flying For St.
Louis Event?
Rumors are part of any racing series and the “rumor mill” is spinning at
full speed as the teams of the ChampBoat Grand Prix Series for North American F1
powerboats head off shortly for the 36th Annual Bud Light St. Louis Grand Prix
on the weekend of August 4th and 5th on Creve Coeur Lake.
The “buzz” all stems from the expected arrival of both new drivers and
ex-Champions beginning with St. Louis native Mike Seebold joining younger
brother Tim in the Bud Light Seebold Racing team giving the 48 year-old driver
another chance to improve on his 5 previous victories in his home town dating
back to his first win in 1982 and culminating with his final triumph in 1999.
Another rumor that has been spreading rapidly throughout the F1-ChampBoat series
is the arrival of a few European teams that are in the middle of their 2007
U.I.M. F1 World Championship season that is in the middle of their summer break
before heading off to China in early October for their next Grand Prix. UIM.F1
Tamoil Driver, Marco Gambi, has sent a DAC hull over and has several people
working hard getting ready for St. Louis. A few other Italian drivers have been
bantered about but we won’t know officially until we get to the final stages of
race week in St. Louis.
Fred Bowden’s California Gold team will be very strong in St. Louis as they have
been the past two seasons, but with Todd running up front at both races thus far
this season, the team is hungry for a win. The team is also rumored to be
considering adding a third boat for their home base West Coast rounds with a
“mystery” third driver who maybe coming from Europe as well.
Next month’s Warsaw, Kentucky event is being co-promoted by former race team
owner’s Bob Thompson and Tim Meyer who also own the Indianapolis based, “Just
Add Water Boats” and Warsaw’s “Smuggler’s Cove Marina”. It seems that they have
set up a Seebold hull with their former driver, ex-F1 World Champion Ben
Robertson, who spy’s have said has his name on the side of the hull and his old
number already painted on it ready to go racing? Could an old dark horse native
of South Carolina be coming out of retirement? We shall see?
All in all, over 18 F1-ChampBoats are expected for the exciting 36th edition of
the Bud Light St. Louis Grand Prix along with a solid field of Champ2 (SST-120)
and Champ Lights (SST-45) teams for the weekend of August 4th and 5th on Creve
Coeur Lake in St. Louis.
With all these rumors spilling about, it makes the 2007 edition of one of
America’s most historic events on water a truly worthwhile venture to attend.
For tickets or additional event information, please see…
www.stlgrandprix.net
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Bud
Light Seebold Racing; A Cornerstone To Success In St. Louis
Hometown Team Looks To Continue Their Excellence With Bud Light
ST.LOUIS, MO. – July 2, 2007 – The story goes back to 1972 and for over three
decades, drivers from around the world, including Italy, Germany, Norway, Great
Britain, The Netherlands, Canada, Mexico and even Brazil, have come to the home
waters of Anheuser-Busch in St. Louis, Missouri in search of glory while hoping
to win the Bud Light St. Louis Grand Prix crown.
This challenge has almost become “mission impossible” for most race teams since
a local family from Fenton, Missouri, the Seebold’s, have put a stranglehold on
the outcome of the Bud Light St. Louis Grand Prix since its inception back in
1972. Led by the sports legend, father Bill, who has won a record 7 times, the
native of Granite City, Illinois, scored his first victory back in 1975 and went
on to capture six more wins securing his final event on his way to the
championship in his final season of racing in 1997.
Older son Michael, who raced against his father for 17 years at the Bud Light
Grand Prix, found his own success with 5 victories spanning a 19 year history
recording five victories himself dating from his first in 1982 to his last in
1999. The Marco Island, Florida resident continues to hold the mark for most
wins in a career with 28 Grand Prix victories and will join bother Tim once
again at this year’s event.
Fresh off his dominating performance and his first win at the 2nd Round of the
2007 ChampBoat Grand Prix Series season, in Bay City, Michigan, youngest son Tim
Seebold of the Bud Light Racing Team knows he’s not just another “brick in the
wall” when it comes to the history of Seebold family at their home race.
“I’ve won in St. Louis many times in the supporting classes, but when I took my
first F1-ChampBoat victory here at home in 2004, it was truly something
special,” said Tim. “I could now add my name to the family list and shake off
all the ribbing I received from the family and enjoy a bit of my own success.”
The 43 year-old, a four-time series champion who now makes his home in Osage
Beach, Missouri, has back to back trophy’s since he won again in 2005 and brings
his momentum to Creve Coeur Lake on the 4th and 5th of August when the 36th
annual Bud Light Grand Prix event takes place.
“Having another win in St. Louis would not only bring me up to third on the
all-time win list here ahead of Reggie Fountain, Scott Gillman, Greg Foster and
Terry Rinker, but get me a step closer to my brother Michael’s all-time mark of
28 total victories on the tour,” said Tim. “I would like to win one for the
thousands of loyal fans and Anheuser-Busch who support us each year and there’s
no better place to do it then here at home.”
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EVENT SCHEDULE
Tentative Event Schedule: subject to change
FRIDAY AUGUST 3, 2007: |
| 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM |
Registration And Safety Inspection
All Boat Must Be Inspected Before Testing On Saturday |
| 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM |
Media Day Two-Seater Rides |
| 5:00 PM – TILL |
Drivers Party At Pits |
SATURDAY AUGUST 4, 2007: |
| 7:00 AM - 7:45 AM |
Drivers And Crew Meeting At Pavillion (All Classes) |
| 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM |
Champ-2 (SST-120) Testing |
| 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM |
Champ Testing |
| 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM |
Champ-Lights (SST-45) Testing |
| 11:00 AM - 11:30 AM |
Champ-Lights (SST-45) 1ST. HEAT |
| 11:30 PM - 12:00 PM |
Champ-Lights (SST-45) 2nd Heat |
| 12:30 PM - 1:00 PM |
Opening Ceremonies - Doc’s Harley-Davidson Water Ski
Show |
| 1:00 PM - 1:30 PM |
Environmental Operations - Champ-2 Time Trials, 2-Laps |
| 2:00 PM - 2:30 PM |
ENVIRRONMENTAL OPERATIONS / CHAMP - 2 1ST. GROUP HEAT
1-A, 10-LAPS |
| 2:45 PM - 3:15 PM |
Environmental Operations / Champ - 2
2nd.Group Heat 2-A |
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Doc’s Water Ski Show |
| 3:30 PM - 4:00 PM |
Bud-Light Cup Time Trials , 2 – Laps |
| 4:00 PM - 4:30 PM |
Bud-Light Cup Champ 1st Group Heat 1-A, 10-Laps
Split Field |
| 4:30 PM - 5:00 PM |
Bud-Light Cup Champ 2nd Group Heat 2-A |
| 5:00 PM - 5:30 PM |
Doc’s Harley-Davidson Water Ski Show |
SUNDAY AUGUST 5, 2007: |
| 8:00 am - 8:30 am |
Champ Lights (Sst-45) Testing |
| 8:30 am - 9:15 am |
Environmental Operations Champ – 2 Testing |
| 9:30 am - 10:30 am |
Bud-Light Cup Champ Testing |
| 10:30 am - 10:45 am |
Drivers Meeting |
| 10:45 am - 11:00 am |
MRO Non-Denominatioal Services In Pit Area |
| 11:15 am - 11:45 am |
Champ Lights (Sst-45) Final 30 Laps |
| 12:00 pm - 12:30 pm |
Environmental Operations Champ - 2 Last Chance Heat 15 -
Laps |
| 12:30 pm - 1:00 pm |
Open Ceremonies - Doc’s Harley-Davidson Water Ski Show |
| 1:00 pm - 1:30 pm |
Bud-Light Cup Champ Last Chance Heat 15 Laps |
| 1:00 pm - 1:30 pm |
Drivers Autography Session / Water Ski Show |
| 2:00 pm - 2:30 pm |
Environmental Operations Cup Champ - 2 Final 30-Laps |
| 2:30 pm - 3:00 pm |
Doc’ Harley-Davidson Water Ski Show |
| 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm |
Bud-Light Cup Champ Finals 50-Laps |
| 4:3o pm |
Awards Ceremony At Big Bud-Light Tent |
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HOTEL
SHERATON WESTPORT HOTEL
Lakeside Chalet
191 Westport Plaza
St. Louis, MO 63146
Tel: (314) 878-1500
Fax: (314) 212-2180
ChampBoat Members Rate: $82.
DIRECTIONS TO HOTEL
http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&cp=38.748193~-90.411987&style=r&lvl=12&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&scene=7976095&rtp=null~null&sp=Point.qfk19s7fsm5x_Creve
Coeur Lake (lake), Missouri, United States___~Point.qfkm857fx7d8_Untitled
item_Sheraton Westport__&encType=1
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Race Team Entries:
Contact ChampBoat Series for membership and entry forms.
Membership download:
http://www.champboat.com/membership.htm
Event Entry
Form:
http://www.champboat.com/entryforms.htm
Credentials/Passes:
ChampBoat credentials and passes will be issued at ChampBoat registration at
race site. They must be worn at all times.
Paddock
Parking: Passes will be issued to ChampBoat members on site. (1
hauler, 2 cars per team. Do not park race trailers anywhere, ChampBoat
official will direct you to your team spot.
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DIRECTIONS
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