14 News, The Tri-State's News and Weather Leader-Champ Boats ready to hit Ohio River

Champ Boats ready to hit Ohio River

By Chris Goodman - bio | email | Twitter

EVANSVILLE,IN(WFIE)-The Formula One Champ Boat series will roar on the Ohio River this weekend as part of the Freedom Festival. 25 of the 17 foot, half ton speed machines will kick off the summer tour for the racing series.

"The biggest thing fans are going to be in awe of is the way they turn," says two time national champ driver Chris Fairchild. "They'll come down the straightaway 130 miles an hour and in the blink of an eye will be going the other direction. There is nothing on earth that turns like these. They are going to see a combination of airplanes, dirt bikes and Indy cars. If you could take an Indy car out on a supercross track, and try to turn it. Now you've got what we are going to have out here."

"This sport is so fantastic," says Mike Schriefer, owner of the series. "We can take it to downtown markets across the country and enjoy these natural marine stadiums like they've built here in Evansville. This is one of the best I've seen in the country."

On Friday afternoon, many of the drivers experienced a meet and greet with young fans from the Evansville YMCA. They'll get down to business tomorrow on the Ohio. Practice begins at 11AM Saturday morning with time trials at 1:15 and the first heat race at 3pm.

On Sunday, the finale is scheduled for 3:30PM.