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Shaun Torrente Wins Pickwick Challenge; Season Opener for 2008 F1-ChampBoat Series

Champ Class Competitor Wins Using Leased Mercury Racing Powerhead

FOND DU LAC, Wis., May 5, 2008 – Shaun Torrente of Miami, Fla., won the Pickwick Challenge Powerboat Race & Festival F1-ChampBoat Series tunnel boat race Sunday, May 4, in the picturesque lakeside town of Pickwick, Tenn. The race was the season opener for the 2008 seven-race F1-ChampBoat Series.

Torrente took the lead from Terry Rinker of Tampa, Fla., who stepped out of the race with battery issues - returning for a ninth pace finish. Lynn Simburger of Elsah, Ill., and Woodlawn, Tenn., native Jeff Shepherd rounded out the 2 and 3 spots. All three ran stock 2.5 Liter EFI Champ race powerheads as produced by Mercury Racing – proving that the engine in stock form produces podium finish performance, reliably. International contestant Nithut Khunjeng of Thailand placed an impressive fourth driving his Singha T1 Team Thailand sponsored hull with a stock Mercury Racing 2.5 Liter EFI Champ race powerhead and gearcase provided by Mercury Racing as part of F-1 ChampBoat Series' International Competitor support program. Matt Sadl of Pacific, Mo., rounded out fifth place. All were powered by Mercury Racing 2.5 Liter EFI Champ race outboards.

Pole sitter Chris Fairchild of Paw Paw, Ill., and Randy Rinker of Syaracuse, Ind. were taken out during a crash on the opening lap. Mike Schubert of Richmond, Texas, Tim Seebold of Osage Beach, Mo., and teammate Todd Beckman of St. Louis, Mo., were forced back to their trailers with mechanical difficulties.

The ChampBoat Series heads north for the Bay City River Roar, June 21-22 in Bay City, Mich.

F1-ChampBoat Series Pickwick Challenge Final Results

BOAT	DRIVER	SPONSOR	HOMETOWN	POS.	PTS.
#42	Shaun Torrente	Grand Prix Boats/GLBC	Miami , Fla ,	1	400
#72	Lynn Simburger	Playcraft Boats	Elsah , Ill.	2	380
#38	Jeff |Shepherd	Shepherd Construction	Nashville , Tenn.	3	360
#1	Nithat Kunjeng	Singha Beer	Thailand	4	350
#6	Matt Sadl	XG-AD.COM/ Massageluxe.com	Pacific, Mo	5	340
#45	Chuck Unkle	Mediaccom/Make-a-Wish/ Sunoco	Thomasville , Ga	6	330
#16	Tim Seebold	Bud Light Team Seebold	Osage Beach , Mo	7	320
#17	Brian Venton	Jenkinson Telecom/ Hancock inc.	Bowmanville , ON , Canada	8	310
#10	Terry Rinker	Rinker/Amsoil Racing	Tampa , Fla.	9	300
#1	Todd Beckman	Bud Light Team Seebold	St. Louis , Mo.	10	290
#2	Michael Schubert	Sea-Way Marine	RICHMOND , Texas	11	280
#62	Chris Fairchild	Mas Epoxie/Mediacom/ Make-A-Wish	Paw Paw, Ill.	12	270
#41	Randy Rinker	Rinker/Amsoil Racing	Syracuse , Ind.	13	260

Additional information can be found on the official Web site for the F1-ChampBoat Series at www.champboat.com.

About Mercury Racing

Based in Fond du Lac, Wis., Mercury Racing, a division of Mercury Marine, is a leading provider of high-performance marine propulsion systems to discriminating boaters worldwide, offering an exciting and fulfilling powerboating experience on the water.
Using leading-edge technology, Mercury Racing produces high-performance outboards, sterndrives, propellers, parts and accessories.
Mercury Racing-powered boats worldwide win more races and set more records than any boats powered by other marine engine manufacturers.
Mercury Marine is a division of Brunswick Corp. (NYSE: BC), the world's largest manufacturer of recreational products, including pleasure boats, marine engines, fitness equipment, and bowling and billiards.

CONTACT: Rick Mackie
Mercury Racing
Senior Marketing Manager
Phone: 920-924-2032
FAX: 920-921-6533
E-mail: rmackie@mercmarine.com