AOF SANCTIONS ITS FIRST RACE
WITH OFFSHORE WORLDS

KEY WEST, FL, Oct. 17 -- The American Outboard Federation (AOF) is
pleased to sanction a milestone racing event and celebrity challenge
with the Offshore Worlds in Key West November 20th and 21st 2003, it
was announced by Tony Staron, president of AOF, and Lee Mills,
Chairman and CEO of the Key West Offshore Worlds.
"For over 30 years, the Key West Worlds has been the Indianapolis 500
of Offshore Powerboat Racing, and remains so today," said Mills.
"Nearly 30 years ago, Betty Cook, the first woman to ever win a
motor sport championship, won The Worlds in Key West. The names of
other great racers will never be forgotten because of their win in the
Key West Worlds, such as Tom Gentry, Al Copeland, Don Johnson, Bobby
Moore, Fabio Buzzi, Chuck Norris and Kurt Russell.
"We are proud to be carrying on this great offshore racing tradition,
where everyone has been invited to participate against the best in the
world. In keeping with our philosophy that we are one big fraternity
of powerboat racers we are thrilled that the AOF has accepted our
invitation to race during the week of our offshore championships.

"We have selected the Holiday Inn Beachside, on the Gulf side of Key
West, as the official venue for the Stock Outboard Races and Celebrity
Challenge. These racing events will be covered by the press corps and
be part of our nationally televised show, thus raising the awareness
of one of the oldest forms of powerboat racing. Racing times are set
for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday and Friday of Race Week."
According to Mills, the Celebrity Challenge was initiated by Jeff
Webb, former president of the Key West Chamber of Commerce when he
announced at a meeting of the Lodging Association" that he would"
welcome the chance to kick Charles Young's Aussie butt", the general
manager of the Hilton. In his typical manner, Charles responded by
saying "Let's get it on!" Now, city commissioner Tom Oosterhoudt has
challenged his fellow city commissioner Ed Scales to a similar
confrontation and states:
"I am a huge supporter of The Worlds each year in Key West and am
thrilled that Lee and Tony are bringing this very historic class of
race teams to our Southernmost City. We welcome them with open arms
and can promise they will have the time of their lives, racing and
partying in Key West."
Staron said:
"Lee Mills and I have been working on this truly historic event for
the last six months with a view of incorporating our stock/mod/pro
outboard participants, their families and fans with his offshore
teams, both as part of the race village at the Truman Annex and guests
at all their parties. Additionally we have arranged for special stock
outboard "Welcome to Key West" receptions hosted by the Radisson
Hotel."
Mills noted that promotional and marketing efforts have been kicked
off with Staron doing his first radio interview in Key West announcing
the Celebrity Challenge and the Thursday and Friday races at the
Holiday Inn Beachside. It has now become the talk of the town, Mills
said, with old rivalries surfacing in the form of one-on-one
challenges, and the community and the media look forward with great
interest in witnessing this category of racing which has not been seen
in Key West in recent years.
The stock/mod/pro outboard races will be fully insured as part of
Offshore Worlds' comprehensive festival insurance policy, said Mills,
which is handled by Rick Feltsen, of Hawk Race Consultants, and
medical and rescue support will be provided by Offshore Worlds'
professionally trained staff.
Contact:
Tony Staron
(561) 644-1200

or or
Connie Payn
(319) 849-1022

For additional information please visit:
www.fla-keys.com;
www.KeyWestWorlds.com;
www.americanoutboardfederation.com

and view the official venue of the AOF races and Celebrity Challenge,
please visit:

www.seearoomkeywest.com/holidayinnbeachside.html

For special race team rates at our host hotels, contact:

The Holiday Inn Beachside (305) 2945-2571

The Quality Inn (305) 294-6681