Sarasota, FL - (June 27, 2007) – The GEICO gecko won’t be the only screaming green to hit the Gulf of Mexico when Miss GEICO dazzles go-fast fans in Sarasota this weekend. The powerboat racing industry’s premier team recently made boat racing history with the world’s first official run on green racing fuel with hometown hero Marc Granet in the driver’s seat. Granet and world-class throttle man Scotty Begovich are all set for a repeat performance at the 23rd annual Suncoast Offshore Superboat Grand Prix in Sarasota.
 
“From the beginning, AMF Offshore has been about progress,” said Granet, veteran driver of Miss GEICO and St. Petersburg businessman. “That philosophy continues to manifest this weekend. We’ve engineered a fuel formula that will encourage eco-friendly racing while preserving every bit of our performance.”

Green Equals Speed When It Comes To AMF
Miss GEICO set a world record during its last weekend of racing on a 23-mile run whizzed through in a record-setting 14 minutes, seven seconds, maintaining a speed of 145 mph the entire way. The team’s impressive performance will continue with this weekend’s Sarasota race, a July 4th holiday tradition.

But, not before running some serious speed and performance tests off St. Petersburg’s shore and stopping by All Children’s Hospital to provide cheer to children in need. “It’s an honor to come back home and reach out,” Granet said. “The Miss GEICO team is all about giving back.” That philosophy holds true whether the team is reaching out to the community or giving back via their commitment to the environment with their use of green fuel.

Equilibrium is everything and the key to Miss GEICO’s winning combination of performance, fun and commitment to the community. The fastest powerboat in the country, the crew behind the winning team works hard to ensure their efforts to give back are balanced with their intention to be the best. The conversion to eco-friendly bio fuel serves as a tangible example of that commitment.

Designed to defy conventional laws of logic and maximize the science of aerodynamic acceleration, Miss GEICO’s primary purpose is a four-letter word – speed. The eco-friendly evolution to green fuel has been a key priority for AMF Offshore owner John Haggin – but a significant sacrifice of speed was not an option. “And, so we did what we do best,” he said of the challenge to find balance between going green and going fast. “We worked on it until we got it right. AMF Offshore has the finest race professionals this sport has seen, working hard and smart every day to not only ensure AMF is the best in the business – but that the sport of offshore racing continues to grow and get better. When AMF wins – powerboat racing wins.”

No sacrifice of speed was seen for Miss GEICO during its record-setting run last week and none is expected in this weekend’s racing. “We can still proudly claim to be the fastest boat on our country’s waters,” Granet said. “If we can go that fast and go green, everybody can. We hope everybody will. “

And, while winning is one of the biggest focuses for this team of champions, the definition of victory continues to grow each day. “We depend on the elements and beauty of our Earth to enjoy our sport and the daily activities that define our lives,” Begovich continued. “The thought of giving back by going green and helping the environment will be our biggest win this weekend.”