Before the racing teams start their engines for the official launch of the Lake Cumberland Grand Prix 2010 Offshore Super Series (OSS) powerboat race, they will showcase their boats for all to see in a colorful “Parade of Boats” June 4 throughout Somerset, Ky., on the opening day of race weekend.

The sleek, top performance powerboats—capable of reaching speeds of up to 200 mph—will be on full display to the public in a Friday night “Parade of Boats” on U.S. 27 to welcome drivers and the racing teams to Somerset and Pulaski County for the return of OSS powerboat racing on Lake Cumberland.

As part of the parade, the racing teams will form a caravan of boats starting at 6 p.m. at Race Village at The Center for Rural Development, located at Traffic Light 15 just north of the race course site at Waitsboro Recreation Area.

The parade will proceed northward up U.S. 27 to the intersection of U.S. 27 and Ogden Street at Traffic Light 4. There, units will turn right onto Ogden Street, proceed a short distance and turn left on Clifty Street at the corner of Somerset-Pulaski Convention and Visitors Bureau.

At the intersection and traffic light ahead on Clifty Street, they will turn left onto KY 80/Russell S. Dyche Memorial Highway, proceeding ahead and then turning left back onto U.S. 27 at Traffic Light 3 to travel south back to Race Village at The Center for a meet-and-greet event with the drivers and racing teams prior to the Devon Allman’s Honeytribe concert at 7 p.m.

A police escort will temporarily block both intersections at KY 80/U.S. 27 and U.S. 27/Cumberland Parkway for a short time on the day of the parade.

“We are proud to welcome back the OSS racing team to the Lake Cumberland area and look forward to a great weekend of racing at Waitsboro Recreation Area,” Jack Keeney, executive director of Somerset-Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce, said. “We encourage everyone in Somerset to come out and watch along the parade route as we kick off a great event that will draw attention to Somerset, Pulaski County, and Lake Cumberland on a statewide and national level.”

All of Friday’s activities for Lake Cumberland Grand Prix will take place at Race Village at The Center, which will be command central for OSS racing teams. The teams will set up camp in the south parking lot there, where racing fans will be able to visit with drivers, see the boats up close, and check out the assortment of vendors.

Later in the evening, Devon Allman, son of legendary singer/songwriter Greg Allman of the Allman Brothers Band, and his band, the Honeytribe, will present a free Southern rock and blues concert in The Center’s Exhibit Hall.

“We are looking forward to meeting the OSS racing teams and seeing their boats for the first time at Race Village,” Keeney said. “If you don’t want to miss anything at this year’s Lake Cumberland Grand Prix, come see the boats and meet the drivers on opening day at Race Village and stay for the qualifying heats on Saturday and races on Sunday.”

There is no admission charge to attend Race Village, which opens at 11 a.m. and will continue through 9 p.m. on June 4 with a stellar lineup of evening entertainment and plenty of opportunities for visitors to meet-and-greet the racing teams and have photographs taken with their favorite teams.

Parking for the June 4 events will be in and around The Center and on the North and South Campuses of Somerset Community College along and off of Monticello Road.

Activities will move to the race site at Waitsboro Recreation Area on Saturday and remain there through Sunday for the official start of the Lake Cumberland Grand Prix at noon when approximately 20 powerboats compete for top prizes and points in the second race of the 2010 OSS schedule.

The awards ceremony will be held at 7 p.m. on Sunday at Race Village following the conclusion of the final race.

For more information on the race, contact Larry Combs at The Center at 606-677-6000 or via e-mail at lrcombs@centertech.com.

To become an official race sponsor, contact Jeff Crowe at TOUR SEKY at 606-677-6095 or via e-mail at jcrowe@tourseky.com.

Volunteers and vendors are also encouraged to visit the 2010 Lake Cumberland Grand Prix Web site at www.lakecumberlandgrandprix.com to fill out online participation forms, or contact the Somerset-Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce at 606-679-7323 to sign up for service opportunities and register to participate in the event.