The 2009 North American Championships for Formula 2 and Formula 3 OPC powerboats were held in Marietta Ohio this year. Some of the best drivers in the world showed up in a small Ohio town to race for there shot at becoming a national champion. The races took place on July 11th and 12th.MCDOWELL ERNST AND GUINN BATTLE IT OUT IN A QUALIFYING RACE
Saturday was a weather shortened day due to weather but there was still plenty of excitement has the Formula 3 boats went out for qualifying,with the field split into to groups the drivers had to run single lap time trials and then back to back races in there groups to earn a spot on the dock for the Championships held on Sunday. Brent Dillard and Mike Hooper won there qualifying races to earn the 1st and 2nd spots for Sundays big race. Racing was then held up by a weather delay that forced the Formula 2 boats to qualify Sunday. With racing getting underway early Sunday morning Mark Jakob and Donnie McDowell won there qualifying races to earn the 1st and 2nd spots on the dock for the Championship race to be held later that afternoon.
THE START OF THE FORMULA 3 RACE HAS SAMMY MILLER TAKES AN EARLY LEAD
Formula 3 boats came out first to run for there shot at become the National Champion these boats are a bit smaller and run a smaller course then the bigger Formula 2 boats but they still provided plenty of excitement has racers from all over North America battled it out on the rough Ohio river. Tammy Wolf Jakob who qualified 7th and Sam La Banco who qualified 4th got together during the race resulting in both of there boats receiving damage that might have cost them a podium finish. The race leader Brent Dillard had trouble once again on the waters of Marietta but battled back to finish third. Sammy Miller and Mike Hooper were then left to battle it out for the Championships in there class with Sammy getting a solid start of the dock Hooper had to battle through some rough water but he was able to taking the lead into turns 3 and 4 with 5 laps remaining and holding on to win the National Championship for Formula 3.
2009 FORMULA 3 NATIONAL CHAMPION MIKE HOOPER
After that it was time for the Formula 2 boats to run with such and exciting showing from the Formula 3 boats the crowd was pumped to see the bigger faster boats run for there shot at a National Title. The racing was solid from start to finish with no cautions on the track it went very well and made for extremely fast racing off the start Lee Daniel's in the #2 boat got the jump on the field but before he got through turns 3 and 4 Mark Jakob proved to be to strong taking the lead and never looking back, that left a race for 2nd and Lee Daniel and Donnie McDowell battled it out running close most of the race until the later portions when Lee Daniel settled into a solid 2nd place finish leaving McDowell in 3rd.2009 FORMULA 2 NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPION MARK JAKOB
Come out in 2010 for Powerboat Superleagues Formula 2 and 3 races to be held in Marietta Ohio next season for fun times fast racing and a weekend in a historic small town come out to see some of the best racing in the world for free !To see more about these boats and race schedules for the Powerboat Superleague check this site out !!!!!!
I'll be there in 2010!
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