PORT ANGELES — Have no fear race fans, the sprint boats are here for the sixth consecutive summer.
American Sprint Boat Racing’s Pro Series will make the first of two visits to Port Angeles’ Extreme Sports Park on Saturday.
The jet-powered boats will zoom around water-filled channels racing against the clock in time trials beginning at 10 a.m.
Gates open at 8:30 a.m. Saturday.
Finals races are typically held around 4 p.m.
Drivers and their navigators will whip around the course reaching speeds of 90 mph and above while making as many as 35 turns in as little as 40 seconds in some classifications.
And here’s the kicker: the boats follow a sequence of turns that are only predetermined and given to sprint boat teams the night prior to the race.
This means the navigators and drivers have less than 24 hours to memorize where and when to signal the driver to turn on the twisting and turning channeled race course.
Any missed corner results in a disqualification — placing a high level of importance on non-verbal hand-signal communication between navigator and driver.
Observant race fans will soon see what turns become trouble for teams during qualifying laps.
The boats ramp up speed with each round as teams become increasingly familiar with the course.
One of the most appealing aspects of sprint boat racing is the ability for fans to interact with sprint boat racers and teams.
The annual Sprint Boat Show and Shine, a free event set from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. today at Fanaticus Sports Grill, 1026 E. First St., is one such opportunity.
Race teams will be on hand to meet and greet fans, discuss the sport and receive the course layout for Saturday’s races.
Tickets for both races will be available at the gate each race day, or at www.extremesportspark.net or via area vendors listed on the ESP website.
Tickets are $25 for adults (plus online service charges), $20 for seniors and the military and free for children age 5 and younger.
The price of admission includes pit passes and parking.
Access to the pit area allows fans to check boats out up close, ask questions and take pictures with sprint boat teams.
Food vendors and a beer garden also are options for spectators at Saturday’s races.
Entertainment will continue until 7 p.m at the beer garden.
Camping also is available at Extreme Sports Park for $30.
For those who can’t make it to Port Angeles, Saturday’s qualifier — as well as the American Sprint Boat Racing National Finals — will air live on the Internet via Livestream at tinyurl.com/PDN-SprintPA.
Viewers will need to create a Livestream account or login with a Facebook account.
The race also will be taped by MAVTV, a network focusing on motorsports from the grassroots to the extreme.
MAVTV is available on DirecTV, but not Wave Broadband locally.
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Sports reporter Michael Carman can be contacted at 360-417-3525 or at
mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.
