ARLINGTON, Texas – Jason Belmonte, the world’s No. 1 bowler and four-time Professional Bowlers Association Player of the Year known for his powerful two-handed style, teamed with NASCAR star Aric Almirola to unleash the fastest strike in the sport of bowling.
With Almirola driving Stewart-Haas Racing’s No. 10 Go Bowling! Ford Mustang, Belmonte took aim at the 10 pins that were set on Charlotte Motor Speedway’s start/finish line and delivered what can only be described as a thunderous strike.
“That was easily one of the most fantastic strikes I have delivered in my bowling career,” said Belmonte, who used a specially designed Storm bowling ball to blast the pins. “I’ve had the chance to ride with Aric before and I put my total trust in his ability to get me perfectly lined up for the shot.”
Almirola said delivering a strike while going 140 miles per hour is not exactly easy without the right equipment.
“If you need a strike, it helps to have one of the all-time great bowlers in the seat next to you,” Almirola said. “I know Jason is a two-hander, but I think the No. 10 Go Bowling! Ford probably generates a little more power. It was a great challenge, and I can’t tell you how much fun it was to team up for that strike.”
Almirola is in his second year with Stewart-Haas Racing and eighth year competing in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. He met Belmonte at the Go Bowling! at The Glen race at Watkins Glen International in 2018. Belmonte served as the PBA ambassador at the race.
The two met again in early 2019, joining forces for the CP3 PBA Celebrity Invitational presented by Go Bowling! in January. At the celebrity tournament, Belmonte brought up the idea of attempting the world’s fastest strike.
With GoBowling.com, Smithfield, the primary sponsor of the No. 10 Ford Mustang for Stewart-Hass Racing, and Storm Bowling, the bowling ball company that sponsors Belmonte, the wheels were put in motion.
Stewart-Haas Racing provided the specially wrapped and outfitted No. 10 Go Bowling! Ford Mustang to safely accommodate Belmonte for the attempt.
Storm produced 12 “Pro Motion” rock-solid bowling balls to withstand the 140-mph launch from the racecar and Go Bowling! provided the branded pins for the attempt on the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval Course, which will host the Sept. 29 Bank of America ROVAL 400 on Sept. 29.
“GoBowling.com was excited to team with Aric, Jason, Stewart-Haas Racing and Storm Bowling on this amazing feat,” said John Harbuck, president of Strike Ten Entertainment, the marketing arm of the bowling industry. “Our partnerships in the racing world have been very effective as we seek to put bowling in front of consumers. I’m certain the video of the world’s fastest strike will give us even further reach.”
The parties met Sept. 4 at Charlotte Motor Speedway to attempt at the world’s fastest strike.
The pins were set up at the start/finish line and the No. 10 Go Bowling! Ford Mustang started its run halfway around the road course to get enough speed for the attempt.
While the first few attempts were a little off-target, Belmonte showed he can read any lane condition – even a road course lane – and struck on the fifth attempt from his passenger seat.
The nationwide premiere of the Go Bowling! World’s Fastest Strike video is set for Thursday, Sept. 19 at 8 p.m. (Eastern). Go to GoBowlingWorldsFastestStrike.com to watch the video.
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ARLINGTON, Texas – After reviewing feedback from industry partners, the United States Bowling Congress Equipment and Specifications Committee has revised the implementation dates for the new bowling ball specifications announced earlier this year.
The Equipment and Specifications Committee determined the specification allowing increases in static weights for bowling balls without balance holes will begin this fall to allow for a smoother transition for bowlers.
Starting Aug. 1, 2018, bowling balls weighing more than 10 pounds will be allowed to have up to three ounces of static side, thumb or finger weight and up to three ounces of top or bottom weight, provided the ball does not have a balance hole.
Bowlers still can have a bowling ball with a balance hole until Aug. 1, 2020, but any balls with a balance hole must stay within the current static weight specification of one ounce for finger, thumb or side weight, and three ounces for top or bottom weight.
The specification eliminating the use of balance holes still will go into effect Aug. 1, 2020.
“After hearing from all stakeholders, the committee decided it was the right move to make the static weight specification an option starting this fall,” Andrew Cain, chair of the USBC Equipment and Specifications Committee, said. “Bowlers now have a two-year window to work with their pro shops to ensure their equipment will meet specifications on Aug. 1, 2020.”
With the elimination of balance holes as of Aug. 1, 2020, bowlers may have up to five holes for gripping purposes and all gripping holes must be used on every delivery. A bowler who chooses not to use a thumb hole would need to mark by scribe, engraver or tool their intended center of palm with a plus (+) mark to indicate their grip orientation.
Bowlers who do not use their thumb for delivery and decide to use the higher static weight specification cannot have a thumb hole – it would be classified a balance hole – and immediately will be required to follow the specification requiring them to mark their intended center of palm.
The USBC Equipment and Specifications Committee did decide the gripping rules that become effective Aug. 1, 2020, will have an exception for house balls, for bowlers who use house balls and might not have the strength to use all gripping holes.
House balls are defined as balls supplied by the center where the competition is taking place, have a polyester or basic urethane cover, a differential RG of less than 0.025 inches and the ball is not specifically drilled to fit the bowler.
The dates for implementing the new specification for the oil absorption rate of bowling ball coverstocks do not change. The initial step on the oil absorption specification will begin Aug. 1, 2018, when bowling ball manufacturers are required to submit oil absorption data as part of the USBC bowling ball approval process. The specification requiring a bowling ball’s oil absorption rate to be more than 2 minutes, 15 seconds (2:15) for the ball to be approved will take effect Aug. 1, 2020.
However, because all current bowling balls will be grandfathered in regardless of oil absorption rate, the Equipment Specifications Committee determined the production of balls that do not meet the 2:15 oil absorption time limit must be stopped as of Jan. 31, 2022.
The new bowling ball specifications announced in April were designed to sustain the playing field both currently and in the future.
The Equipment and Specifications Committee has delegated authority from the USBC Board to make changes to equipment specifications.
Visit BOWL.com/EquipAndSpecs for more about the specification changes
The United States Bowling Congress (USBC), the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority (RSCVA) Board of Directors and the Reno City Council have approved revisions to the hosting agreement for USBC Championships tournaments.
Key changes include shifting the USBC Open and Women’s Championships back to their historical rotation of visiting Reno once every three years, adjusting the site fee and extending the completion date for renovations at the National Bowling Stadium (NBS).
“With this agreement, the RSCVA and the City of Reno are demonstrating a deep and unquestionable commitment to bowling and our USBC membership,” USBC Executive Director Chad Murphy (pictured right) said.
“Reno’s city and business leaders are true partners for USBC, and we thank everyone involved for supporting these revisions, which will strengthen the future of our sport and bowling’s relationship with Reno.”
As part of the amendment, the RSCVA will increase the site fee to USBC from $20 per bowler to $30 for the duration of the agreement except the 2015 and 2018 events.
The agreement also allows a more flexible timeline for the city in renovating the NBS. Stadium seating demolition now is shifted from 2016 to 2020 and exterior renovations from 2018 to 2022.
According to RSCVA President and CEO Christopher Baum, “The Reno tourism community cherishes our longstanding relationship with USBC, and the fact that the City of Reno, the RSCVA and our major resort partners were able to respond to our largest customer’s concerns with a new, win-win agreement through 2026 speaks volumes about our friendship and mutual respect for each other.”
The schedule change in the new agreement allows the Open and Women’s Championships to visit an eastern location more regularly and opens up the 2022 Open Championships and 2024 Women’s Championships for new host cities.
USBC and Reno leaders expect this will boost excitement and participation in Reno years. To accommodate the new rotation, the amendment changes the length of the USBC contract with Reno to run through 2026 instead of 2030 as previously agreed.
“Members in the eastern half of the country have asked our leadership for USBC Championships to visit near them more frequently,” Murphy said.
“The reason we approached our partners in Reno for this change is to meet the needs of the customer and build more participation in the tournament. Traveling east will be a big part of the future as we expose new bowlers to the championships. The goal is to keep them coming back to all of our host cities including Reno.”
“Bowling is incredibly important to Reno’s economic well-being, and we are excited to continue welcoming USBC participants to The Biggest Little City in the future,” Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve said. “This amended agreement is a big win for our community, as we look ahead to continuing our long-term partnership with the USBC.”
In order to accommodate the schedule changes in the amendment, an adjustment also was required to previously announced Las Vegas host dates for the 2022 Women’s Championships and 2023 Open Championships.