:
The 50th Anniversary of the "Great Race" from Trinidad to Tobago will
get underway early on Saturday morning, August 18. 43 entries, including
"#77 Lucas Oil SilverHook" running in the top A-Class Division, will
challenge the100+ mile course between the two islands.
The last time a USA entry competed in the "Great Race" was in 1989
when "Dollar Marine Special" took the victory in a time of 1:48. Last
year, "Mr Solo Too" took top honors with an elapsed time of 1:12:35.
29 years later, Lucas Oil #77 SilverHook will have its work cut out
to claim victory for the USA in the A-Class. Top contenders include "Mr
Solo Too," "Jumbie," "Paramount," "Ironman," "Monster," and "Cat
Killer."
The race will feature 43 boats in nine different classes, all
scheduled to receive staggered starts on the day, starting at 7:15 am ET
for smaller boats and 8 am ET for the A-Class competitors.
A-Class speeds should average 80mph, with top speeds in the 130mph
range. During the race, #77 Lucas Oil SilverHook will attempt to outpace
the competition and set a new UIM sanctioned world/race record.
The north coast of Trinidad is known for its rough seas with waves in the 6-8 foot range.
#77 Lucas Oil SilverHook is owned and captained by Nigel Hook, who
will control the throttles during the record attempt. Hook is a 30-year
veteran of international powerboat racing and has won three World
Championships and set four World Speed Records. He and his co-pilot,
long time driver and friend Jay Johnson, were inducted into the APBA
Hall of Champions in 1998 and they are currently racing the #77 Lucas
Oil SilverHook 48GP in the Superboat International Unlimited class.
The "#77 Lucas Oil SilverHook" is already in the record books
including setting a one-way time of 1 hour, 18 minutes and 3 secs
(Guinness® World Record – and APBA/UIM sanctioned) a year ago on
Thursday, August 17, 2017 from Key West, USA to Havana, Cuba.