FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 8, 2003
Contact: Nelson Holmberg (nelson@noslencommunication.com) (360) 521-1590

Silver Dollar Casinos, Muscatel make Tri-Cities Comeback

KENNEWICK, Wash. — The Pasco shores of the Columbia River are the site of one of the darkest days in Superior Racing Team history.

Late in the final heat of the 2002 Budweiser Columbia Cup, the team’s boat flipped and broke in half on impact. While the driver was not seriously injured, the boat was put on injured reserve, out for the season.

This week, Owner/Driver Dr. Ken Muscatel brings his Silver Dollar Casinos present Miss Rock unlimited hydroplane back to the scene of the disaster. It is the same U-25 hull that broke in two, and underwent reconstructive surgery during the offseason.

Five test sessions and the first two races have proven to be the rehab for the boat, and for Muscatel, who doesn’t expect the comeback to be difficult.

“I doubt the accident will even enter my mind,” he said. “The boat has been across a lot of water since that race, and at the speeds we run, all I can allow myself to think about is what’s happening around me on the course.”

Muscatel, “the World’s Fastest Forensic Psychologist”, has indeed gotten beyond the wreck, which severely damaged a boat his team had worked so hard to improve over the winter preceding the 2002 season, and throughout the year. It was finally going fast and riding closer to the way they wanted it to when the accident happened.

Entering the Columbia Cup, history is repeating itself.

“It was very disappointing last year,” Muscatel said. “The boat was rounding in to great shape and we broke it. I feel the same way about this year’s boat, and the way we’re entering the Tri-Cities race.”

At the Budweiser Madison Regatta two weeks ago, Muscatel was ready to start the provisional final, and after Nate Brown had gearbox failure in the Elam Plus, and Steve David couldn’t get the Oh Boy! Oberto started, “Dr. Ken” had an entry to the final, without having to run the provisional.

Muscatel took fourth place in the final, too. Last year, Superior Racing Team was in three of the six final heats, and so far this season, he’s been in one of two finals.

Miss Rock is Back!
The famous Miss Rock, a fan-favorite of the 1980s and early 1990s is back with Muscatel’s team, and it’s being presented by the Silver Dollar Casinos, which have loyally sponsored Superior Racing Team for three years now. Seattle rock-and-roll radio station KISW (99.9 FM) earned a legendary place in the sport by sponsoring hydroplanes a decade ago, but had been out of the sport for years.

U-25, Muscatel Sit in Seventh Place
The Silver Dollar Casinos present Miss Rock currently sits in seventh place in the O’Douls High Point World Championship Series. Muscatel has 142 points, and sits ahead of the likes of Nate Brown in the Miss Elam Plus (94 points), Steve David in the Oh Boy! Oberto (75 points).
By comparison, Muscatel finished the 2002 season with 254 points, so after just two races, he’s already more than halfway to his 2002 total. Last season, Brown finished second, and David was sixth.

Czar of the Hydroplanes
Basketball on TV has the “Czar of the Telestrator”, and unlimited hydroplane racing has its own Czar—Roger Newton. Newton is the man who founded R/C Unlimiteds, a 30-year old club that still races 1/8-scale radio controlled models of unlimited hydroplanes, and duplicates the real thing as closely as possible. He was the driving force in the creation of the sport, and the club, which is widely regarded across the nation. He is also in his fourth season as Superior Racing Team crew chief.

The retired Renton firefighter has served on unlimited crews including Miss Budweiser, Winston Eagle, Oh Boy! Oberto, and the Superior Racing Team. Newton also was instrumental in bringing Circus Circus into the sport back in 1978, which is where he wet his feet in the real unlimiteds. Back in R/C Unlimiteds, Newton is second in career points, and his son David is one of just three different race winners this season.

Roger Newton also recently founded another club; Electric Radio Controlled Unlimiteds, a club made up of 1/10-scale models of the unlimiteds, and is perfecting design for a 1/8-scale electric model. He also operates Newton Marine, a service in which he designs and sells plans for scale models of essentially every unlimited hydroplane that ever competed in a race. He also offers coloring books, plans for model trailers that fit the hydroplanes, and photographs of the real boats.

Dual Identity
This season, the U-25 is operating under two different names. In the east (which includes Evansville, Madison and Detroit), as well as in San Diego, the U-25 is known as Mister Home Loans, sponsored by Wayne Rosburg and Charles Hall. In the state of Washington, the boat goes by Silver Dollar Casinos present Miss Rock.

Additional Sponsorship
Superior Racing Team is proud to be supported this season by the Royal Hotel & Conference Center in Richland, and by Security Race Products. In addition to the above the Silver Dollar Casinos and KISW radio are title sponsors in Tri-Cities and Seattle.

Richland Display Scheduled
The Silver Dollar Casinos present Miss Rock unlimited hydroplane is scheduled for a display appearance at the Royal Hotel and Conference Center the afternoon of Wed., July 23. The Royal Hotel is located at 1515 George Washington Way in Richland. The hotel can be reached toll free at (800) 635-3980. The local phone number at the Royal Hotel is (509) 946-4121.

— U-25—

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