Dubai: Victory Team’s Salem Al Adidi and Eisa Al Ali are unperturbed with the task at hand as the Dubai-based outfit open their campaign in the opening round of the APBA Offshore Championship at Cocoa Beach, Florida, this weekend.

Al Adidi and teammate Al Ali will be in their Victory 3 boat for the first race of the 2019 season in the P1 Super Stock category in the face of serious competition from some of the sport’s best drivers from across the world.

Winners of one race during their debut season in the US last year, the Victory Team put their boat through the mandatory dunk test on Friday making themselves eligible for a licence to race in the six-round series. “The registration process has also been completed and now we are all focused on the opening race on Sunday,” Al Adidi told Gulf News from Florida’s Cocoa Beach.

“As the countdown for the first race begins, we can only do what is in our control. We will be out there on the water trying to get the maximum out of our boat with early season points very much in our sight,” Al Adidi added.

Titled ‘Thunder on Cocoa Beach’, the first race of the season will see the Victory Team go head-to-head against some of the best drivers from across the world including a familiar challenge in the form of multiple world champion Steve Curtis in his Miss Geico Racing boat. Lining up alongside for the first time this year will be competitive boats like Raven Offshore, Racing AMH Motorsports, Done Deal Offshore Racing, Scott Free Racing and ProStock Vee OffShore Racing.

Saturday saw the official welcome party for drivers and teams as the Race Village in Cape Canaveral came alive with fans and powerboating enthusiasts getting an opportunity to get up and close with the racers. “Now we are at the business end of the race and we need to keep our focus and ensure we get the points,” Al Ali said.

“It’s important that we make an impression as there are more teams waiting on the sidelines to confirm their participation for the rest of the season,” he added.

Sunday’s action will start with the opening race for Production Class boats at 6pm UAE time followed by races for the V Bottoms, Superstock 300 and the Supercats. The Class 1 race involving Victory Team’s No. 3 boat will take place from 11pm to midnight UAE time.