Austin Homes/SV Offshore-Dressed Super Cat To Debut At Midwest Challenge

Thanks to new primary sponsor Austin Homes, a fresh team name will grace the hullsides and deck of the Super Cat-class, 39-foot Outerlimits raceboat owned by Vinnie Diorio of Wisconsin. The Austin Homes/SV Offshore-dressed catamaran will debut at the Midwest Challenge set for August 9-11 in Sheboygan, Wis.

The Kentucky-based, pre-manufactured home builder is the team’s first major outside backer.

“Sheboygan is our home-race,” said Diorio. “So it’s the perfect venue for us to show off the boat and introduce our new sponsor. We can’t wait.”

Vinnie Diorio’s Super Cat-class raceboat will have a completely new look at the upcoming Midwest Challenge in Wisconsin. Photo by Jeff Helmkamp copyright Helmkamp Photos.

In advance of the new graphics application, the 39-footer has been completely stripped and buffed. Diorio said he is hoping the graphic-wrap will be completed a week from now. Regardless, it will be ready in plenty of time time for the Powerboat P1-produced Midwest Challenge, which is the fourth event of the American Power Boat Association Offshore National Championship Series and the third event of the Union Internationale Motonautique Class 1 World Championship.

Less than a year ago, Tom Austin—the founder and owner of the company that bears his name—saw offshore racing in person for the first time. Like Rollin Transport team driver Matt Jamniczky, Austin has a powerboat in an A-dock slip in Kuttawa Harbor Marina in Kuttawa, Ky. Their friendship grew through boating weekends, and Austin developed an interest in the sport.

Stephen Miles created the cat’s bold new graphics package.

So in early November 2023, he headed to Key West, Fla., to enjoy his first offshore racing event in person and hang out for the week with the team and its fellow fans from A-dock. The group included Donnie and Cara MacLeod and Stephen Miles and Heather Miles.

Austin was hooked.

“I’ve always loved boating and I know Matt really well, so I thought, ‘Let’s go check out these races,’” he said. “I fell in love with it.

For team owner Vinnie Diorio, the Wisconsin race debut couldn’t be more perfect. Photo by Pete Boden copyright Shoot 2 Thrill Pix.

“I want to help out the team,” he added, then chuckled. “I haven’t even told my son and daughter about the sponsorship yet.”

Jamniczky learned Austin wanted to be involved with the team as a sponsor through their mutual friend Donnie MacLeod.

“I asked Tom if he was interested and he said, ‘Yeah, I am,’” Jamniczky recalled. “He’s very excited about it.”

Captured here with his wife, Jennifer, Matt Jamniczky got to know Tom Austin as A-dock slip-holders at the Kuttawa Harbor Marina.

“Austin Homes will be our sponsor for the rest of the season and, we hope, for many years to come,” Diorio said. “We want to help Tom show off his business and get what he wants out of his sponsorship. We’re very happy to have him as part of our team.

“Tom is really into it,” Diorio added. “He’s even getting his own center console wrapped with the same graphics.”

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