rebuild a dream that was ravaged by fire.

But the 24-year-old powerboat racer is determined to compete in the Round-the-Island race on August 13 even though the charred remains of the only boat he has ever owned now sits forlornly in a garbage dump.

The blaze destroyed his Ringcraft powerboat, worth in excess of $50,000, shortly before 10 p.m. on Monday night. Pimental, a powerboat racer for the past seven years, said that Police believe the fire was set by an arsonist.

Also destroyed in the blaze was a truck owned by his father and uncle.

"It's been very difficult week,'' said a downcast Pimental yesterday. "My main thought is why someone would do something like this to me. I was wondering if it is personal. I hope it's not because I really don't think I've done anything to anybody.'' The incident comes just two weeks before the biggest event on the Bermuda Powerboat Association's calendar and casts a further shadow on a season scarred by more battles off the water than on it.

Commodore Craig Burt -- in charge of the association for the past three years -- quit earlier this year when he grew increasingly frustrated by what he perceived as apathy and a lack of committment from racers. He eventually returned to the post, and just when harmony was being restored as the association was gearing up for its main event, Pimental's misfortune has once again fanned the flames of controversy.

There have been whispers that the boat was set ablaze by a rival competitor wishing to keep Pimental out of this year's race.

Pimental, a warehouse manager for Creative Interiors and a resident of Spanish Point, was keeping his boat on Harvey Road in Paget.

"Everyone seems to be pointing their fingers at other people in the association and I think it's an unfair perception that someone didn't want him to race so they did this,'' said Burt. "I've talked to a few people in the association and they're disappointed something like this has happened to one of our main competitors. If it's arson then the person should be locked up. We all have enemies somewhere, but for them to just go and set your boat on fire is not the thing to do.'' Pimental, who has competed in the Round-the-Island race on five previous occasions, said yesterday that he was "100 percent certain'' that the fire was not set by one of his rivals.

"Everyone in my class is like family,'' he said, rubbing eyes reddened by lack of sleep. "I mean sometimes people bicker and all that, but everybody loves to race. We thrive on competition and no one would want to win because of someone else's misfortune. I know this for a fact.'' Asked if he had faced any kind of personal threats recently, Pimental said: "No, but I kind of wished I did because we might have been able to get a trace on it.

"Police know it's arson and they're still investigating it. I hope they can do the best they can, but since there were no witnesses it'll be pretty hard to find someone.

Later he added: "It took me totally by surprise. I had a really nice weekend with my girfriend, who's from the US. I took her to the airport on Monday and when the phone rang a few hours later I thought it was her saying she had arrived, but it was the Police. It was a pretty hard blow.

"I hope whoever did this will have the same thing happen to them one day. I really hope they're caught.'' Burt admitted there had been cases of sabotage reported in the past with other boats "but nothing this drastic. I just hope that no one in the association has done it because it would be unfair. They're not setting a good example as a sportsman.'' Pimental still wants to compete in next month's race, in which he has never finished below second place in his class. He was looking forward to this year's event mostly because he was forced to withdraw last year after encountering problems with his boat.

"I'm hurt,'' he said, sighing the sigh of an athlete facing adversity. "I took the boat to the dump on Tuesday. It was pretty hard to leave it at a dump.

"I'm angry at the person who did this, but the pain of losing my boat is greater than anger.

"Don't be surprised if you see me out there on August 13. A very close friend of mine happens to have a boat and what I was able to salvage out of my engine we might throw something together.'' Two years ago Pimental overcame an accident to his boat when it nosedived into the water. Repairs to the boat were $2,000.

The fact that powerboaters cannot get insurance for their boats has been a sore point with the association for years.

Two powerboat racers -- in a closed circuit Formula One class no longer competed here -- were killed several years ago.

"Insurance companies view us as a high risk sport so they refuse to insure us,'' said Burt. "It's unfortunate for Jason because all the money he's invested is now down the drain and there's no way he can recoup it.'' The association pays $18,000 each year for insurance but that will only cover injuries suffered by spectators or damages to property.

"The only way that we can help Jason is to find a boat that he may be able to rent from someone,'' said Burt. "It's heartbreaking for him. Hopefully no one suffers the same fate.'' JASON PIMENTAL pictured in his $50,000 Ringcraft powerboat before it was destroyed in Monday's blaze.