NGK Spark Plugs (U.S.A.), Inc. has announced the launch of a 10-race partnership with Seebold Racing, to form “Team Seebold NGK Race Team.” The new team’s participation in the Formula One Powerboat Tour race series runs May through August of this year.
NGK and Seebold Racing have been partners on an associate sponsor capacity for several years; however this partnership is the first new major corporate sponsorship to come into the sport of F1 powerboat racing in the last 10 years.
NGK Spark Plugs Corporate Marketing Manager, Mark Sprague, said, “We’re excited to work with Seebold Racing. This [partnership] offers an opportunity for both brands to further engage with an audience who is interested not only in Formula One boat racing, but the highest-quality spark plug and oxygen sensor technology on the market—NGK and NTK products.”
Tim Seebold’s grandfather started the family tradition of racing boats back in 1938, and the tradition has carried on ever since. Seebold Racing started in 1973, with the family building and working on racing boats and related parts. Seebold’s older brother, Mike Seebold, won many championships worldwide, while their father, Bill Seebold, is the winningest driver in the history of the sport.
Tim Seebold has had a 41-year racing career, starting at the young age of eight years old when his grandfather signed him up to race a 6.5hp Mercury on an eight-foot hydroplane in J-stock class, where his top speed was 38 mph. Seebold won his first professional race at just 13 years old. Since then, he has come a long way; he has raced all over the world with accelerations of 0-100mph in less than 3.5 seconds, with top speeds in excess of 140mph, and has won more F1 championships in the U.S. than any other racer.
“Seebold Racing uses the highest-quality of products and NGK certainly knows what they’re doing when they make the best plugs money can buy.” Seebold continues, “By partnering up for this series, we have two brands coming together and connecting with fans that enjoy the same passions.” Seebold adds, “The main thing for me—I have been able to race and share all of this with my heroes from childhood, all of them.”
Tentative 2013 Formula One Powerboat Tour dates:
May 31-June 2 Maple City Grand Prix
LaPorte, Ind.
June 7-9 OSS Offshore Races
Lake of the Ozarks, Mo.
June 21-23 Bay City River Roar 26th Annual
Bay City, Mich.
July 12-14 Regattes Valleyfield
Valleyfield, Quebec, Canada
August 2-4 Seattle Seafair
Seattle, Wash.
August 24-25 Lake of the Ozarks Shootout
Lake of the Ozarks, Mo.
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