FOND DU LAC, Wisc. — Team Donzi, a 38-foot Donzi V-bottom hull driven by Doug Valentine of Tallevast, Fla, with Michael Stancombe of Indianapolis, Ind., on the throttles, won the 2002 American Power Boat Association Pro Series Factory 2 national championship October 20 off Grand Bahama Island. The APBA Offshore Pro Series is presented by Mercury Racing.

In rough conditions, the team averaged 86.19 mph on a
52.5 mile course to win the event and the national championship. R&S Offshore Racing took second and 'Herbott Racing for a Cure finished third. Per Factory 2 class specifications, all boats were
powered by twin Mercury Racing HP500 EFI engine packages.

Factory 1

In the most hotly contested class of the season, BJ Maher of Bothwyn, Pa., and Mark Schnepf of Coram, N.Y., claimed the Factory 1 race lead on lap one in their 27-foot Activator. Typhoon' pilots Glenn Murray of Bridgewater, N.J. and Randy Schleuss of Edison, N.J. took the lead on lap four, only to lose it back to 'Activator' on the sixth lap. Maher and Schnepf held on to win the eight-lap, 42 mile race (averaging 67.97 mph) and the APBA Factory 1 national championship. All were powered

Super Cat

Hugh Fuller of Clearwater, Fla., drove and John Tomlinson of North Miami, Fla., piloted Drambuie on Ice, a 39-foot MTI catamaran, to another Super Cat National Championship. The father/son team of Paul and Mark Nemschoff led Drambuie for much of the 94.5-mile race.

"The Nemschoffs had a great start and great speed,
especially going into the turns," said Tomlinson. "Then they broke and we made our move."

Hidden Agenda finished second and Airborne took third.

The American Power Boat Association's World Championships will be held November 18-24 in Key West, Fla.