Fast boats will tear up the water today at the Three Rivers Regatta as the Powerboat Superleague takes center stage on the Allegheny River.

For those unfamiliar with these races, league partner Sherron Winer offers this primer:

"Go fast, turn left and stay upright and dry."

That's the advice she gives all the drivers, who descended on Pittsburgh this week for the second event in the six-race summer series. Last month they were in Illinois, and next week it's on to Marietta, Ohio.

The racers practiced and tested their 200-horsepower outboard engines yesterday and today will go at it in earnest. Time trials start at 12:30 p.m., qualifiers at 3:15 and the finals at 6 between the point and the Roberto Clemente Bridge.

The Formula 2 point leader so far this season is Mark Jakob, 33, of Clifton, Ill., whose wife, Tammy Wolf-Jakob, races a custom-built pink Formula 3 boat. The Formula 3 is smaller and more agile than the Formula 2 SST/120s, which have a top speed approaching 130 mph on smooth, open water.

The river is likely to be too choppy for maximum speeds today, but most of the big boats will hit 110 mph and traverse the rectangular two-thirds-of-a-mile course in about 30 seconds.

"It's exhilarating," said Mr. Jakob, who is also a pilot. "You really don't notice the speed."

The drivers -- 21 in all for the Pittsburgh event -- are strapped into cockpits and wear helmets, and it's good thing. Wipeouts aren't uncommon; at the Marietta event last year, Mr. Jakob hit a log in the Ohio River and flipped over.

The drivers compete for money, but the top prize is only $1,000, so no one is getting rich from this sport. It's a hobby for them, and with a new, tricked-out boat running upwards of $40,000, it can be a pricey one.

"They all have day jobs," said Ms. Winer, "and we encourage them to keep their day jobs."

The racers represent many professions: teachers, engineers, mechanics. Mr. Jakob is a design specialist, and Mrs. Wolf-Jakob works as a dental hygienist; they also live on a farm.

"It helps to have a job that you can leave for a few weeks," Mr. Jakob said.

Most of the drivers tend to be gearheads, heavily into horsepower, G-forces, torque and the like. But it's the camaraderie of the traveling road show that seems to be the main appeal for this group.

They drive from city to city with their souped-up boats tucked into trailers, hanging out at the hotels and sharing beers at the bars until the time comes to do battle on the water.

"We travel together and we compete together," said Mr. Jakob. "We're all good friends."