His safety gear kept his head turned upright and above the water.

Got me really think about the better PFDs from then on.

I bet. What is the engine / drive in that thing?

The boat class pictured uses a 135 to 150 cu. in. engine. Think old Ford flathead, Chevy II, or Ford Falcon gas engines.

That small? So it is completely stripped of all unneccesary weight and has a small draft? does it have a retractable keel for stability in the turns?

I usally think of these and others that look similar to these as Turning Fins.

Straight inboard drive with an offset rudder.

Totally missed that outrigger in the photos earlier. Was looking at the emergency escape.

A race itself typically takes 3 - 10 laps. The boats are already on plane and circling before the race begins. Drivers mash the throttle all the way down, and their first goal is to time it such that their boats cross the START line just as a big clock counts down to zero. The first boat to accomplish that has the best “legal start”. Since the course is a circuit, the start line is also the finish line. The winner must then be the first to cross the line after completing the required distance for that competition.

Penalties for crossing the line too soon.. False starts?

You go around again and thereby lose unless everyone else jumped the start with you. Many drivers try to get a new driver to jump while they just barely make a legal start.

You must make a legal start, i. e., after the clock has started the race.

If you are looking at record speeds, think about 100 mph around the course and about 130 mph for a straightaway record.

If you want to really have a thrill day, this type of boat can give it.