Mission Bay
Sunday, September
13, 2009 
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Bayfair descends of
Bayfair, the world series of powerboat racing,
roars onto
This annual event is known to locals as a time of
thunderous racket reverberating from the bay and a chance to join the throngs
of curious gawking at fast boats and the vast amounts of effort and expense
thrown into keeping them competitive.
Less thunder this year
Unlimited hydroplanes sanctioned by the American
Powerboat Racing Association (ABRA) series will not be included in this year’s
Bayfair races due to the high expense of hosting the big boats.
“Basically, their price package is $170,000,” which includes prize money and
sanctioning costs, said Bob Davies, Bayfair race director. “This year we’ve
lost almost $200,000 in sponsorship money, so the numbers just didn’t pan out.”
The cost to host the ABRA race was in addition to
the park fees and city services fees the Bayfair committee has to contend with,
Davies said.
“We’re not having a lot of corporate sponsors this
year. Normally, we have 10 to 12 corporate sponsors,” Davies said.
The difficult economy is the main factor Davies
attributes to the decline in corporate sponsors. Leaving out the ABRA race cut
the expense in half, he said.
Still, the event will host between 18 and 22
classes of race boats and at least 200 race teams, Davies said. Among the boats
racing will be circle boats of the American Power Boat Association, unlimited
lights of the Unlimited Light Hydroplane Racing Association, drag racing boats
of the International Hot Boat Association and powerful offshore ocean racers of
the Pacific Offshore Powerboats Racing Association, which will be brought to
the confines of a track within the bay.
“Everyone loves to come to
The driver to watch this year is Kayleigh Perkins,
the 2007 Rookie of the Year who stands atop the unlimited lights’ point
standings this season.
“She is running away with the points right now,”
Davies said. “She has almost double what anybody else has.”
Three separate courses for racing will be set and
all three could be active simultaneously, Davies said. One racing circuit will
be in front of
In addition to racing, food vendors and
interactive displays will be part of the event, Davies said. Concerts for race
attendees will be held both Friday and Saturday nights, and a fireworks display
will close out Saturday night’s activities. As always, the racing finals will
be held Sunday.
Tags: Bayfair, boat races, Mission Bay, powerboats, SDNN