Points leaders Steven Bridges and David Selley are within striking distance of claiming a maiden Super Stock National Championship title heading into the season finale XInsurance Great Lakes Grand Prix in Clearwater Beach, Florida tomorrow.

The professional powerboat racers have dominated this year’s series with an iron fist, winning four races and finishing second twice in their 32ft twin-engined catamaran S25Team Bermuda, to thrust themselves on the brink of clinching the overall title.

“We got a lot of line. It’s the last race of our championship and we can win it, so that’s important to think about,” boat owner and throttle man Bridges told The Royal Gazette.

“We don’t necessarily have to have a chequered flag. We just have to finish well and we should have the championship.

“I’m not saying we are not are going to go for a chequered flag. We want a chequered flag, but if it’s not in our reach we just have to be smart about it. It’s the same as every race so we will get the boat ready and be smart about it but run hard.”

Bridges said winning the championship would mean a lot to him and his team-mates.

“These boats are so competitive and so closely matched that to get an S class championship is like winning the Olympics. It’s a huge deal,” he said.

Driver Selley is taking matters all in stride.

“It’s just another day in the office and we’ve raced here before,” he said.

“We were just out here last week and everything is good. I don’t know how it’s going to work out with so many boats, but looking forward to it.”

Bridges and Selley took the opportunity to test out new propellers during yesterday’s practice run in choppy seas.

“We got a new set of props on to see what they run like and they might be the ones we are going to run on Sunday,” Bridges said.

“It’s supposed to be really calm on Sunday, so that’s a difference in what we are testing and what we are qualifying in.

“It’s going to be totally different probably than what we are going to race, that is some of the thought process that goes into this event. You got to figure it out and make sure you pick the right set up, and everybody has to do the same thing.”

The XInsurance Great Lakes Grand Prix was originally scheduled to take place in Michigan City last month but was cancelled due to adverse conditions.

Also flying the island’s flag in Clearwater Beach is Luis Martins and Nick Imprescia, who haven’t made any changes to their boat S12Nuff Said from their previous outing in Fort Myers Beach, Florida.

The pair are holding their own in the championship having picked up their first win together at the Lake of Ozarks Shootout in Missouri in June. They have finished in the top six in all but one race this year.

“The season has been going great. It's been going good and we're having fun,” driver Martins said.

“We've had some highs and some lows and learning a lot as we go along; adjusting to the conditions to what we need to do to progress to the top and we just keep trying.”

Bermuda’s two teams will have plenty of support as a large group of local fans have travelled to Florida to wish them on.

“We have a bunch of them here now and there’s more coming so it makes us proud,” Bridges said.

“We’re coming from a tiny island, we’re a tiny team and we have a lot of people coming to watch us. It’s great and feels good to have the support.”

Team Bermuda and Nuff Said will also be action today in the XInsurance Clearwater Offshore Nationals, featuring up to 90 teams spread across 14 classes. Points accumulated from the race do not count towards the Super Stock National Championship series.