Sept. 18, 2015—CARSTAR Auto Body Repair Experts announced on Thursday its sponsorship of a boat in the H1 Unlimited Hydroplane boat racing series that will be piloted by one of its own employees.

The boat sponsorship was put together by the CARSTAR Puget Sound Business Group and is piloted by CARSTAR Collision Specialties employee Kevin Eacret.

“I was contacted earlier this year about running in H1,” said Eacret.  “She (the boat) had nobody. She had one guy with her, and he was the guy doing the gearboxes. I got together with a group of my friends and put together a crew and decided to take it on.”

Eacret’s Unlimited Hydroplane is powered by a Lycoming T-55/L7 Turbine engine out of a Chinook helicopter. The engine produces 3,000 horsepower, which will reach speeds of 200 mph on the 2- to 2.5-mile oval track where the race will occur.

The race team was founded by boat racing legend Fred Leland and with just one race left on the schedule, Eacret is currently in the top 10 of the series point standings.

“It’s a lot of exposure for us out here, especially during Seattle’s Seafair,” according to Brent Biggerstaff, spokesperson for the 22 CARSTAR locations of Puget Sound. “Kevin is such a nice guy. We’re in a really good situation to be on such a great looking boat.”

The last race will be held Sept. 18-20 in San Diego.