Mercury Racing OptiMax Wins ‘24 Hours of Rouen’

-- Endurance event proves low emissions technology can race and win

-- Mercury teams set Rouen records 

Fond du Lac, WI (May 3, 2000)  -- In an unparalleled history-making performance at one of the toughest race events in the world, Mercury Racing swept the French endurance race ‘24 Hours of Rouen’ April 30 and May 1, setting course records and demonstrating racing’s future with low emissions two-stroke technology. 

Mercury OptiMax-powered boats took first, second and fourth place overall, beating larger displacement traditional race engines of all competitors.  Mercury powered teams took first through fifth places overall, finished in six of the top-ten overall positions and won each of the individual race classes in which they competed. 

In addition Team Mercury X1, the multi-national team of American Chris Fairchild, Norwegian Rolf Magne Sunde, and Claude Tonella (France) set records for the most laps completed (837) and fastest average speed (129.052 kilometers per hour).  The victory was particularly sweet for this team because Tonella, a race veteran is a resident of Rouen and his teammates were both rookies of the event. 

Team Vague, the French father and son pairing of Jean-Vital and Cedric Deguisne with American Bob Wartinger, ran their Mercury Racing S3000 engine to a single lap speed record of 166.417 kilometers per hour.  Team Vague was opening an impressive lead when their boat experienced hull damage and took on water, knocking them out of the race. 

Team Mercury XO, the second year teaming of Kay Marshall (Australia) Richard Hearn (United States), and Amaury Jousseaume (France), who finished third overall last year, fought to a strong second place, but there is more to the story than the stats reveal.  XO and X1 traded the lead, and XO were leading by two laps when they were forced into an unscheduled pit stop after hitting some debris in the water.  Nervous race managers, looking for overall performance of the combined teams, ordered the veterans to “lay back,” and avoid a battle between sister ships.  Team XO’s willingness to comply led to the one-two finish of Team Mercury and is a testament to their professionalism and sportsmanship. 

These finishes demonstrate that not only is OptiMax technology durable enough to race, but with fewer necessary fuel pit stops, a team can rack up laps in short order. 

Last year’s Rouen victor, the French Team Winner Performance, piloted their Mercury S3000 powered Molinari to an impressive third place finish, coming from deep in the pack after technical problems had them beached early. 

The OptiMax powered Thalassa/Dieppe Racing Team finished fourth overall, followed by Team Omega’s S3000 Molinari for a one through five Mercury power sweep of this legendary endurance contest. 

OptiMax is Mercury’s low emissions, direct injection two-stroke technology that exceeds U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 2006 emissions standards and offers up to 40-percent fuel efficiency over conventional two-stroke outboards.  Mercury Racing debuted OptiMax at Rouen in 1997, and remains the only V-6 low emissions outboard to meet the challenge of this grueling endurance event.  After the OptiMax performance at Rouen 2000, the others may be permanently scared away.

 Final standing for the 2000 ‘24 Hours of Rouen’ follow: 

Top Ten Overall:

Team Mercury (OptiMax X1-837 laps)

Team Mercury (OptiMax X0-835 laps)

Winner Performance (Mercury S3000-820 laps)

Thalassa Dieppe Racing Team (OptiMax X2-779 laps)

Team Omega (Mercury S3000-773 laps)

Team UCLA (Yamaha S3000-626 laps)

Team Marine (Mercury S2000-615 laps)

Team RMSN (OMC S3000-578 laps)

Team CMN (Yamaha S850-493 laps)

TC4 Casino (Yamaha S850-488 laps)

Results by Category:

S3000

Winner Performance (Mercury S3000-820 laps)

Team Omega (Mercury S3000-773 laps)

Team UCLA (Yamaha S3000-626 laps)

Team RMSN (OMC S3000-578 laps)

Sun Racing Team (Mercury S3000-448 laps)

S2000

Team Marine (Mercury S2000-615 laps)

Tomahawk (Mercury S2000-428 laps)

Experimental S2000

Team Mercury (OptiMax X1-837 laps)

Team Mercury (OptiMax X0-835 laps)

Thalassa Dieppe Racing Team (OptiMax X2-779 laps)

             BACK