NGK Spark Plugs (U.S.A.) Inc. has announced the launch of a 10-race partnership with Seebold Racing to form “Team Seebold NGK Race Team.” The new team’s participation in the Formula One Powerboat Tour race series runs from May through August of this year.

NGK and Seebold Racing have been partners on an associate sponsor capacity for several years; however, this partnership is the first new major corporate sponsorship to come into the sport of F1 powerboat racing in the past 10 years, NGK says.

NGK Spark Plugs Corporate Marketing Manager Mark Sprague commented, “We’re excited to work with Seebold Racing. This [partnership] offers an opportunity for both brands to further engage with an audience who is interested not only in Formula One boat racing, but the highest-quality spark plug and oxygen sensor technology on the market—NGK and NTK products.”

Tim Seebold’s grandfather started the family tradition of racing boats back in 1938, and the tradition has carried on ever since. Seebold Racing started in 1973, with the family building and working on racing boats and related parts. Seebold’s older brother, Mike Seebold, won many championships worldwide, while their father, Bill Seebold, is the winningest driver in the history of the sport.

Tim Seebold has had a 41-year racing career, starting at the young age of 8 years old when his grandfather signed him up to race a 6.5hp Mercury on an 8-foot hydroplane in J-stock class, where his top speed was 38 mph. Seebold won his first professional race at just 13 years old. Since then, he has come a long way; he has raced all over the world with accelerations of 0-100mph in less than 3.5 seconds, with top speeds in excess of 140 mph, and has won more F1 championships in the U.S. than any other racer.

“Seebold Racing uses the highest-quality of products and NGK certainly knows what they’re doing when they make the best plugs money can buy,” Seebold said. “By partnering up for this series, we have two brands coming together and connecting with fans that enjoy the same passions.”