Team Fountain's Rio Roses Fountain Mercury Wins First Overall and Top Gun Award with 150-MPH Performance at Marathon Super Boat Offshore Race

May 22, 2006 - WASHINGTON, NC - The Fountain Super Boat Rio Roses Fountain Mercury left the rest of the fleet in its wake at the 4th Annual Marathon Super Boat Grand Prix, held in Marathon, FL, May 19-21. Teammates David Knight and Mike Seebold in the new 47 Lightning Super Boat with its Positive Lift Hull and twin super-charged motors finished far ahead of the competition in both 49-mile legs "Nobody else was even close," Knight said. "This boat is in a class by itself." The 47 Lightning was recently named Offshore Boat of the Year by Powerboat magazine.

After winning the Super Vee Unlimited Class in the first two SBI/APBA Offshore Racing events of the 2006 season, the Rio Roses Fountain Mercury team arrived in Marathon ready to take on all contenders - whether they were on board a Super Vee or Super Cat Unlimited. The two-day race had a festival atmosphere thanks to the Bash at the Bridge, held the same weekend, which brought famous bands like Kansas and the Edgar Winters Band to Marathon. The weather cooperated both days, with sun, light winds and a two-foot chop on the race course - perfect for airing out the Fountain's twin-stepped hull. By Sunday, Knight and Seebold had the new Rio Roses Fountain Mercury totally dialed in. "With every race this season, we've increased our speed by ten miles an hour," Knight said. "We had speeds of 130 miles an hour in Miami Beach, 140 in Fort Lauderdale and over 150 miles an hour in Marathon."

That performance earned Knight and Seebold the prestigious Top Gun trophy at the awards ceremony on Sunday afternoon. Race officials gave Rio Roses Fountain Mercury the Top Gun Award for displaying greatness during the entire event, as well as for running the fastest lap on the Marathon course on Sunday - averaging speeds of 150 mph or more on the back straight. The team also won line honors and first place in the Super Vee Unlimited class.

Knight, who is the Executive Vice President for Fountain, and Seebold, a member of the famous unlimited hydroplane racing family, are looking forward to the next race in the 2006 SBI/APBA Offshore Racing Series, presented by Fountain Powerboats. It's scheduled for June 16-18 in Hollywood, FL.