Owned by Stephen Moniz of Bermuda, the newest Super Stock-class Nuff Said raceboat was slated to debut this weekend at the Clearwater Nationals in Southwest Florida. That was the plan, and Grant’s Signature Racing of Bradenton had the eye-popping 32-foot Doug Wright Powerboats catamaran rigged and prepped for the Race World Offshore-produced event, reports Matt Trulio from Speed on the water.
Hurricane Helene erased those plans. The organizers canceled the Clearwater races yesterday thanks to the coming Category 2 storm.
Still, Grant Bruggemann and his crew had the Doug Harrell-painted catamaran powered by Mercury Racing 300R outboard engines ready to go. Yesterday they ran the cat for the first time and then turned it over to throttleman Andy Stoneham and driver Luis Martins, who, like team owner Stephen Moniz, are from Bermuda.
The 32-footer arrived at Grant’s Signature Racing as a painted hull in July. The first order of business for the crew was to weigh the boat so Bruggemann and the team could “see what we were working with.” Per American Power Boat Association guidelines, each Super Stock raceboat can weigh no less than 4,900 pounds when it comes out of the water. So weighing every Super Stock cat before they rig it is crucial standard operating procedure for Grant’s Signature Racing.
So, too, is wrapping the boat in protective foam to avoid scratching its paintwork, in this case vibrant pink and a tribute from team-owner Moniz to those he has lost—including his parents—to cancer.
“Everything we need is there when the boat arrives,” Bruggemann explained. “The seats had already been fitted to Andy and Luis—they came from Bermuda for a fitment session. We installed the seats on different brackets because Martins and Stoneham are not the same height. We installed the throttles in the right position for Stoneham and the helm/steering wheel the right distance from Martins.”
Flanked by a pair of four-inch GMI digital speed read-outs and two monitors for the cat’s AIM telemetry systems, a 16-inch Garmin unit was mounted at the center of the dash.
“It’s important for both the driver and co-pilot to have a clear line of sight to all the instruments,” Bruggemann said. “Our goal in raceboat dash setup always is to keep it functional, minimal and tasteful.”
No holes were drilled for the requisite wiring and cable-routing in the cockpit. Instead, the crew used carbon-fiber clips epoxied in place to support all wires and cables. The boat employs a Bluetooth communication system for the driver, throttleman and crew. For redundancy, the cockpit crew also has a hard-wire push-to-talk system.
With the Clearwater event scrubbed, the team plans to race the boat the for the first time at the St. Petersburg Grand Prix next month. The race isn’t part of the now-completed 2024 Super Stock-class national championship points-chase, so competition on the racecourse will be minimal. Neither the team’s driver or throttleman has extensive offshore racing experience—and zero Super Stock experience in the current short-course, big-fleet form of the fiercely competitive class. The St. Pete event will provide good experience in a low-stress environment for the team before it moves on to the Race World Offshore Key West World Championships in early November.
In a somber announcement, Race World Offshore conveyed their regret: the Final Race Weekend of the season—an eagerly anticipated event—had to be canceled. The reasons were twofold: Pinellas County found itself under a State of Local Emergency, and Sand Key Park faced temporary closure due to the impending impacts of Tropical Storm Helene.
The Official Statement:
“Race World Offshore regrets to announce that, due to Pinellas County being under a State of Local Emergency and the temporary closure of Sand Key Park in response to the forecasted impacts from Tropical Storm Helene, we have no choice but to cancel this weekend’s Clearwater Nationals Event. The safety and well-being of our participants, spectators, and staff are our utmost priority. Unfortunately, due to permitting and logistical challenges, this event will not be able to be rescheduled. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation during this challenging time.”
The weight of this decision rested heavily on the organizers. Safety considerations prevailed, and the logistical complexities proved insurmountable. The racing community—both competitors and fans—would miss out on a thrilling finale.
Amidst the disappointment, there emerged a silver lining. David Selley and Steven Bridges, in their first season in the Super Stock Class, secured a commendable third place overall in the National Points series. Their dedication and skill had not gone unnoticed.
Taking to social media, the duo shared their sentiments: “It’s been a privilege representing our tiny, but beautiful island of Bermuda. Huge thanks to all that made this possible—our crew, our families and friends, and, of course, our sponsors (both on the boat and privately). Next up is the Key West World Championships!”
Friday, September 20, 2024
S-12 NUFF SAID / BERMUDA Unveiled
IslandStats.com
With just over a week to go until the 15th Annual XINSURANCE.COM Clearwater Offshore Nationals, teams including Bermuda’s newest off shore boat “S-12 NUFF SAID / BERMUDA” are wrapping up their registrations and getting pumped for the action!
The boats will be on the dry pits at Sand Key Park and the thrilling races will be off Clearwater Beach.
The long awaited debut of the S-12 NUFF SAID / BERMUDA will be next week at the Race World Offshore Clearwater Nationals. Driver Luis Martins and Throttleman Andy Stoneham look forward to showcasing the fresh new 32' Doug Wright.
Sunday, September 15, 2024
Selley and Bridges Back in Sarasota Action
IslandStats.com
The conditions started to play a role on Day Two of the American Power Boat Association Offshore National Championship Series in Sarasota Florida when David Selley and Steven Bridges along with the rest of the Super Stock fleet took to the water.
Starting positions were determined by how the boats finished in the previous race. That put owner/driver Daren Kittredge and throttleman Casey Boaz in the 32-foot Doug Wright, Northwing Offshore, in lane one with owner/driver Chris Hopgood and throttleman Jay Muller in the 32-foot Doug Wright, CELSIUS, in lane two and Ricky and Ricardo Maldonado in the 32-foot Fazza, Steele Racing, in lane three. Throttleman Torrente and driver Sean Conner were in the fourth slot in their 32-foot S2 Powerboat/Allied Construction, while Selley and Bridges in their 32-foot Doug Wright, Team Bermuda boat started sixth.
When the green flag waved, Northwing got out to the early lead with Jackhammer giving chase. The two quickly separated themselves from the pack and when they passed the finish boat to end the first lap, Langheim and Maldonado made their move to take the lead.
Owner/driver Cole Leibel and throttleman Gary Ballough made a last minute propeller change and moved weight in their 32-foot Victory, Big East Construction. They were running third just ahead of Allied Construction with Steele having its best showing of the season in fifth.
Allied Construction, took a flier and came down hard on the starboard side, knocking the water diverter off the back of the boat. Then Northwing pulled off with mechanical problems at the north end of the course.
Local favorite Ryan Beckley was on the throttles of the 32-foot Doug Wright, Atlas/Professional Plumbing with driver Connor Toomey and then moved up to third place with the only boat in the fleet powered by two-stroke Mercury Racing outboards.
By the sixth lap out of nine, Jackhammer was comfortably in the lead with Big East holding second place and Professional Plumbing battling for third. Making a charge for the podium were owner/throttleman Bill Allen and driver Randy Keys in their new 32-foot Doug Wright, Team Allen Lawncare and Landscaping. Torrente and Conner slowed with problems and as the race went on, Steele got lighter and was getting flighty so the Maldonados had to slow down.
Selley and Bridges were also making a late charge, but when the spray settled and the checkered flag waved, Jackhammer claimed the hard-fought win, with Big East in second and Altas/Professional Plumbing third. Team Allen wound up fourth.
Saturday, September 14, 2024
Team Bermuda Fininsh 6th on Championship Day 1
IslandStats.com
Day One of the American Power Boat Association Offshore National Championship Series concluded in Sarasota Florida, with Team Bermuda with David Selley, and Steven Bridges taking to the course.
Competing in the Super Stock Class, Team Bermuda finished 6th clocking a time of 46:19.31.
