About 5,000 boaters hugged the coastline in Pinellas County to watch the 7th annual Clearwater Super Boat National Championship. Clearwater Beach was also full of spectators.One of the hardest thing to ignore is the loud sound coming from the engines. The boats run about 150 mph.
"You definitely hear it, it's loud," said Jesse Smith.
The sound is even more intense when you are riding inside one of the boats. We rode in a Miss Geico boat with Captain Gary Goodell. He said the Tampa Bay area is a perfect fit for these boat races.
"Tampa-Clearwater is probably one of the best venues in the country, location, major market, big airport, tons of hotels and the price is right," said Goodell.
The event brings about 150,000 spectators to the beach area in Clearwater.
" The experience itself is kind of surreal no matter who you are the second you see how fast these boats are on the water your breath is taken away," said driver Marc Granet.
He said the fans in the Tampa Bay area are very energetic.
"It's a water way life down here," said Granet. We've got some great boating talent in the area from the builders of the fishing boats to the performance boats in the area."
