As publisher of Poker Runs America, I would like to extend a special thank-you to the many readers who, in such a short time, have been responsible for the runaway success of the magazine. While our main editorial thrust emphasizes another wildly popular concept - namely, poker runs - our front cover also proudly bears the words "The essence of performance boating."

In addition to featuring some of the leading poker runs across the continent (including, of course, our own sanctioned events) each issue of Poker Runs America is published for readers who have a special love for power on the water. Not only do we present in-depth reports on the hottest boats afloat, we keep you up-to-date on the newest performance bolt-ons. And, even though it wasn't our original intention, we also focus on offshore racing, and the men and women who make it happen.

For three years in a row, we were selected to produce a race program for a venue on APBA's national circuit. The response from both APBA and race fans was tremendous. This year, we were approached by the organizers of the Great Lakes Silver Cup Series, a divisional arm of APBA Offshore, to publish a program for their events.

Many hours behind closed doors resulted in the publication of the issue you're reading now. After careful deliberation, we felt something more than just a program was in order. If we were going to expand our efforts on the race scene, we knew that we had to introduce yet another unique concept.

The end product is Offshore Racing 2000, the premier edition of an annual supplement to Poker Runs America. With the help of offshore racing's top photographers and the cooperation of APBA, Offshore Racing 2000 is a never-before-seen magazine that, I believe, will earn its place as the official "Who's Who of Offshore Racing."

On the following pages you'll find the majority of teams racing on national and divisional circuits, listed by class and in numerical order. APBA Offshore's newly restructured race categories have been explained in an easy-to-read manner. There's even a guide to the different flags used at events.

I hope you enjoy our labor of love and, if you're not already one of thousands of subscribers to Poker Runs America magazine, that you'll soon sign up. In the meantime, let's get race ready!