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If "fast" and "loud" sound like your idea of a good time, Mission Bay will be your kind of place for one weekend this fall. The event, which has taken place in Mission Bay since 1964, features 23 different race classes, making it the largest event of its kind. Thunderboats (formerly San Diego Bayfair), the "World Series of Powerboat Racing," returns Sept. 17-19 for three full days of rip-roarin' water competition, starring some of the fastest boats in the world. How fast? Try 210 mph, the peak for an unlimited hydroplane. And in only six seconds, unlimiteds can reach 100 mph. That's fast. Powerboats of just about every kind will crowd the bay, from formula ones with their small tunnel hulls and Mercury engines, to cigarette boats, built long and narrow. Like their automobile counterparts, drag boats will race quarter-mile stretches, while other vessels, like the unlimiteds and stock boats, will race around pre-marked courses. Coinciding with the races will be several musical performances and a fireworks extravaganza following the concert Saturday. Crown Point is the spot to catch drag boat races, while unlimited hydros can be best seen from Fiesta Island. A three-day ticket package is $40 in advance or $45 at the gate.
Single-day passes are $25 for Friday and Saturday and $35 for
Sunday. Pit passes range from $15-$25 and parking is anywhere from
$10-$20 daily. Kids six and under get in free. September 19, 2004 |
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