SEEBOLD IS READY TO RACE AT BAY CITY

Defending Formula One ChampBoat champion Tim Seebold is no stranger to the winner's circle in Bay City, Mich.

He has won two of the past three events on the ChampBoat circuit and would like to make it three of four when the series rolls into Bay City on June 21-22 for the Dow Bay City River Roar on the Saginaw River.

"It's a challenging course," said Seebold, 43, of Osage Beach, Mo., who won the event in 2005 and last season. "It's not always the fastest guy that wins. It's a guy that can make it through (the race), too."

The race, one of the toughest on the circuit, is held on the riverfront, which has seawalls on both sides and a row of buildings on one side. Wind plays a major factor.

Because of the seawalls, the water churned up by the boats during a race has no way to dissipate, so it rolls back onto the race course, making a drivers' focus even more important. While dealing with that, drivers then must adjust for the wind.

Seebold has had his share of good luck and bad luck at Bay City. The good luck has been winning. The bad luck came in 2004 while leading the field by a half-lap when a crosswind grabbed his boat and sent him into the water, injuring his right shoulder.

"It took (the boat) and I nose-dived and came down sideways at about 120 (miles per hour)," he said. "It knocked me for a loop, to say the least."

Nonetheless, Seebold likes the challenges of the river and the race.

"Bay City is a great place to go and race," he added. "I've been the fastest there a lot of times but I wasn't able to win. The rougher the course, the more attrition there is. It's one of those places where it gets you out of control without you taking unnecessary chances. You have to respect that place. Otherwise, it will make you respect it."