Oakwood’s Grant Hearn dominated the Junior Hydroplane Class at the American Powerboat Association’s Winter National Championship, held March 30 through April 1, in Lakeland, Fla. As a 13 year-old student at Oakwood Junior High School, Hearn swept all four heats of competition in the class giving him a big jump on the 2012 season point’s battle.
In the first heat of Friday’s race, Hearn jumped to an early lead and put so much distance between himself and the competition that he broke the world record for a hydroplane of that class. Piloting his nine-foot hull powered by a 10 hp Mercury engine, Hearn reached speeds close to 50 mph and averaged 39.379 mph for three laps over the one mile oval. He upped the existing record of 39.248 and took nearly a full second off of the previous record setting time.
Nowhere near done, on Saturday Hearn also won the Junior Runabout class as well as the faster AX Hydroplane class.
Competing for The Hearn Family Racing Team and Crown Partners Racing, Hearn has been racing boats and competing on the APBA National Circuit for four seasons and has become an absolute force in APBA’s Junior Division. Holding countless records and APBA Championships, Hearn is following closely in the footsteps of his grandfather Steve, uncle Ed and father Richard.
Race fans and fast boat enthusiasts can follow the action at www.apba-racing.com. or at www.michiganhydroplane.com