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XINSURANCE Clearwater ‘Nationals’ Schedule And More

The second event of the season produced by Race World Offshore and the final contest in the American Power Boat Association Offshore National Championship Series—the 14th annual Clearwater ‘Nationals’ presented by XINSURANCE—is on tap this weekend in Southwest Florida. But unlike the first Race World Offshore event this season and all Powerboat P1 -produced contests in the 2023 APBA series, racing action will happen Sunday rather than being spread across both weekend days in Clearwater.

The Clearwater Nationals are the final event in the 2023 APBA Offshore National Championship Series. Photo by Pete Boden copyright Shoot 2 Thrill Pix .

“We could have changed the Coast Guard permit to make Clearwater a two-day format, but we would have had to apply for that change six months ago,” explained Rodrick Cox of Race World Offshore. “We did a two-day racing event in Marathon and we’re definitely thinking about that for Clearwater in 2024. But this year we’re going to start early and run everything on Sunday.”

Racing action on Saturday was essential for the P1 Offshore events as they included Class 1 competition, which means pole-position qualifying a day ahead of racing as is standard operating procedure under Union Internationale Motonautique guidelines. But with the Class 1 series completed earlier this month in St. Petersburg, Fla., there were no constraints for the Clearwater event.

Here’s a quick look at Sunday’s race schedule:*

11 a.m. Bracket  200, 300 and 400 (start No. 1) Bracket 500, 600 and 700 (start No. 2)

12:30 p.m. Mod V/Stock V

1:30 p.m. 450R Factory Stock (start No. 1) V Extreme (start No. 2)

2:30 p.m. Super Stock

3:30 p.m. Super Cat

*Race times and fields are subject to change based on weather and other factors beyond the race producer’s control.

At present, 47 teams have registered for the event.

Key West radio personality/veteran offshore racing play-by-play man Todd Swofford and speedonthewater.com contributing editor Eric Colby will handle the livestream broadcast from Clearwater. The broadcast will be carried on the Race World Offshore Facebook page .

“It’s been a while since Marathon in May, so we’re eager to get going again,” said Cox. “And then in November, of course, we have the Key West Offshore World Championships to produce.”

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Clearwater powerboat race revs up this weekend

September 24, 2021 - The Hooters Clearwater Offshore Nationals kicks off this weekend. The race, presented by Visit St.Pete/Clearwater, starts on Saturday with the powerboat racing starting Sunday at Clearwater Beach. On the race day, typically 50,000 people attend and over 2,500 boats line the beaches of the 2.5-mile-long course. View the full schedule and details here.  

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More Than 2,500 Power Boat Racers Expected At Clearwater Offshore Nationals This Weekend

More than 2,500 power boats will line clearwater beach this weekend for the annual hooters clearwater offshore power boat races..

D'Ann Lawrence White , Patch Staff

CLEARWATER, FL — More than 2,500 power boats will line Clearwater Beach this weekend when the city hosts the annual Hooters Clearwater Offshore Nationals power boat races this weekend.

More than 180,000 power boat racing fans, vendors and sponsors are expected to pack the 2.5-mile Saturday and Sunday for the event sanctioned by Race World Offshore.

In addition to boat races, the weekend will feature parties, fireworks, vendors and live entertainment.

Find out what's happening in Clearwater with free, real-time updates from Patch.

The weekend kicks off Friday at 8 p.m. with a party at Shephard's Beach Resort , 619 S. Gulfview Blvd., Clearwater Beach with live music, DJ dancing and drink specials. There is a cover charge to attend.

The action continues with power boat testing in the Gulf of Mexico on Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. Spectators can watch from Pier 60 on Clearwater Beach.

Nicknamed the “Dry Pits” power boats will be staged along Clearwater beach and fans will have a chance to see them up close, visit with the teams and get autographs.

There will be vendors and entertainment from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday at Pier 60 and Shephard's Beach Resort will host a party from 8 p.m. to close with a live band and DJ. VIP pass holders will be admitted for free. There will be a cover charge for everyone else.

Powerboat races will take place Sunday beginning at 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. at Pier 60. Entry to Pier 60 begins at 9 a.m. Tickets are available the day of the race at Pier 60 for $20 for adults and $10 for children.

Amplify Clearwater will host a post-race Sunday Funday with live music, an NFL watch party and free access to the beach and hotel bars at 4 p.m.

A race party and awards ceremony will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Marina Cantina Tequila Bar & Grille , 25 Causeway Blvd., Clearwater. All fans and teams are welcome. There will be happy hour specials and the awards presentation at 6 p.m.

VIP passes are available for $100 for adults and $20 for children 16 and under and include the Baystar Race VIP Party Friday from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at Clearwater Marine Aquarium where fans can meet race teams and get autographs and photos, enjoy live entertainment and heavy appetizers with liquor, wine and beer, and receive full access to Amplify Clearwater's Taste Fest from 6 to 9 p.m. on the fourth floor of the aquarium where attendees can sample food from more than 20 restaurants.

Other perks for VIP pass holders include:

• Free admission to select weekend events and participating venues.
• 10 percent off your bill at Baystar Restaurants .
• 10 percent off your bill at Evy’s Terrace Bar & Bistro at the Hampton Inn .
• 50 percent off a race-watching cruise with The Tropics Boat Tour .
• Free admission to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium.
• Free parking downtown.

What You Need To Know

• Spectators can watch all the action from the beach or Pier 60. No chairs or coolers are allowed on the pier.
• Parking may be a challenge on Clearwater Beach. Some parking options to consider are the North Beach Parking Plaz a , the Jolley Trolley and the Clearwater Ferry .
• The Seminole Boat Ramp and trailer parking area will be closed Sept. 24-26. Residents looking to launch their boat or park their trailer should seek alternative locations. Limited parking for vehicles without trailers will be available for those visiting the marina or bait shop.

The 2021 Hooters Clearwater Offshore Nationals Festival proceeds will support Tampa Bay Charities Inc. which includes the Clearwater Community Sailing Center and Sailability.

For information, click here.

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Powerboat P1 Announces TV, Livestream Broadcasts

Powerboat P1 will film its upcoming races in Cocoa Beach, Sarasota and Clearwater events—part of the APBA Offshore Championships—for one-hour broadcasts to be aired in the USA nationally on CBS Sports Network, followed by airing on Fox Sports Florida/Sun, as well as additional Fox Sports Regional Networks.

The races will also be streamed on P1’s Facebook page . The Sunday races will be streamed live, race by race.

Mike Yowaiski is slated to be furnishing commentary for the races; Martin Sanborn will most likely be broadcasting with him.

All P1 SuperStock Championship events will also be filmed and broadcast on Fox Sports Florida/internationally as per usual. The P1 SuperStock class will race with the bracket classes within the Florida APBA Offshore Championship events, but will be filmed to have their own television show.

In other offshore racing news, Sunoco Racing Fuels has entered into a partnership with Offshore Powerboat Association (OPA) and Powerboat P1 as the official fuel provider for this year’s APBA Offshore Championship race series.

“Sunoco has a long history of supporting Offshore Racing dating back to the early days, and we are excited to be a part of this race series,” says Southern Racing Fuels President Rick Williams . “Sunoco has provided many National and World Champion race teams with performance fuels, and we appreciate their support over the years.”

With an anticipated increase in registered race teams participating in the upcoming season, Sunoco performance fuels will be available at each race venue offering professional and consistent on-site service. Both Powerboat P1 CEO Azam Rangoonwala and OPA President Ed Smith have agreed that forming corporate partnerships and series sponsors like Sunoco are critical as they focus on growing this new race series.

For more information on the upcoming race series, please visit the P1 website by clicking here .

2019 APBA Offshore Championship Race Calendar

May 17-19—Cocoa Beach, FL May 31-June 2—Lake of the Ozarks, MO July 5-7—Sarasota, FL July 26-28—St. Clair, MI August 2-4—Michigan City, IN Sept. 28-29—Clearwater, FL

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7 Hour Offshore Powerboat Races Spectator Cruise

Starlite majesty dining yacht.

Sunday, September 29th, 2024

Watch the Offshore Powerboat Races from the water. This 7 hour special cruise is aboard the StarLite Majesty Dining Yacht and takes you up close to these spectacular races into the Gulf of Mexico.

Continental Breakfast and Lunch Buffet Muffins, Cinnamon Rolls, Fresh Fruit, Coffee & Tea

Caesar Salad, Penne Alfredo, Beef Burgundy, Parmesan Crusted Tilapia, Chicken Parmesan, Herb Roasted Red Potatoes, Green Beans, Peel & Eat Shrimp and Dessert

Full cocktail service is available for purchase on board.

7 HOUR OFFSHORE POWERBOAT RACES SPECTATOR CRUISE View the Offshore Powerboat Races up close on the water! The luxuriously appointed StarLite Majesty Dining Yacht will take passengers through Clearwater Pass and out into the Gulf of Mexico just north of Pier 60 to view the races. Passengers will enjoy a continental breakfast during the cruise out, before the first race and a lunch buffet during the break between the first and second race. Each party will have reserved seating at shared tables.

• Sunday, September 29, 2024 - Boarding at 9:00 am; Departing at 9:30 am
• Departs: 25 Causeway Blvd. Slip #152, Clearwater Beach ( Directions, Parking & FAQ )
• Cruise and meal service are included on this special cruise
• Service charge and tax are additional
• Children are ages 12 & under
• No infant complimentary fares are available for this special cruise
• Reserved seating at shared tables on this special cruise
• Return time is 4:30pm or after the finish of the last race
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30th St. Clair powerboat races taking over downtown

ST. CLAIR — The roaring of powerboats will return to the river in St. Clair this weekend — and the festivities that take root around it downtown — for a milestone installment of the St. Clair River Classic.

The offshore race will close down M-29, or Riverside Avenue, from 6 p.m. Wednesday when the Racing Village will be set up nearby the water through noon next Monday, according to the St. Clair County Road Commission.

Then, on Thursday, boat teams from all over the country will begin to arrive ahead of the accompanying weekend events and the races on Sunday.

But Bob Currier, race director for the Blue Water Offshore Racing Association, said this weekend marks the 30th year for the classic, and that to help make it stand out, they’re hosting a boat parade and street party Friday night.

“Being a St. Clair guy, born and raised in St. Clair, involved in the community for a number of years, this is probably one of the largest community events of the summer,” he said. “The fireworks on the Fourth of July draw a huge crowd to St. Clair, and that’s always a good time, but this spans over four days, and the race teams absolutely love coming to St. Clair for a couple of reasons.”

“First and foremost, our race venue is relatively compact. They’re able to, for the most part, walk from their spot in Race Village on Riverside to the staging area or the wet pits, which is on the Pine River and Rotary Park right on Clinton Avenue, and the crane area is walkable as well,” Currier said. “They love the interaction that they have with the race fans in St. Clair and the St. Clair area. A lot of the teams say it’s like their second vacation. Even though they’re working hard to race, they enjoy coming to St. Clair because of the community welcome. … A lot of the other race sites, it’s a four- or five-mile drive from where they get and display the boats to the area where the crane is to put them in the water.”

What does the powerboat race entail?

Held in conjunction with the Offshore Powerboat Association, St. Clair’s event is the third stop and one of six this season on the OPA racing schedule.

Participants compete in 10 classes, or sizes of race boats, depending on how long their boat is, as well as what kind of engine and horsepower it has, with individual teams competing for points for a national championship that’ll be awarded in November.

Currier said between 36 and 40 teams are coming to St. Clair this season, citing it as an average boat count over the last several years.

Teams are expected to come in from as far away as Florida, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Missouri, and other parts of Michigan.

Local competitor Knucklehead Racing returns this year with owner Ed Smith, who also owns Rivers Bend Marina in St. Clair. “We think Ed may have been or may be one of the only racers this year that has competed every year in the event in St. Clair,” Currier said.

Magna Electrical Vehicle Structures, in its third year, also returns as the title or presenting sponsor for the classic among 30 sponsors overall.

How can people celebrate downtown?

With race boats arriving all day Thursday, several areas will also be set up to accommodate them with the crane and ramp areas off Fred Moore Highway and the St. Clair city boat harbor, respectively, and the wet and dry pits at Rotary Park and on Riverside.

Live entertainment will be provided on Riverview Plaza in St. Clair each evening on Thursday through Sunday.

The boat parade and street party is set for 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Friday.

For the parade, Currier said the boats will leave Race Village on Riverside heading north to Brown Street before heading west to Ninth Street, south to Clinton Avenue, and west back toward downtown.

The street party will be held on Clinton from Fred Moore to Riverside.

“Where a number of race boats will be on display,” Currier said. “On the street, teams will be available to sign autographs, meet and greet fans, folks can get up close and personal and get photographs, all that kind of stuff. And that’s kind of taking the street party, if you will, from Race Village to Clinton Avenue. So, Murphy’s (Inn), the Riverside Pub, Pepper Joe’s, and the Voyager all have a part in the festivities. Give them an opportunity to welcome the race fans to their establishments because the city has an open footprint for adult beverages.”

Though not in a state-sanctioned social district, the city of St. Clair has an ordinance that sets an area that allows possession and consumption of adult beverages in a couple of public parks and rights of way.

Also, as part of the street party, Currier said, there will be a face-painter for kids and a balloon guy making characters.

There will be an opening ceremony for the offshore boat races on Sunday, tentatively set for 11:15 a.m., with races set for noon to 5 p.m. There will be an award ceremony at Riverview Plaza at 7 p.m.

Where can we find more information?

For more race-specific events, including boat testing and inspections, course setting, and more, visit www.oparacing.org/sc .

Plenty of updates are also being shared on the Blue Water Offshore Racing Association’s Facebook page at Facebook.com/stclairriverclassic .

Currier encouraged those unable to attend to keep an eye on the Facebook page for a livestream of the races Sunday.

Contact reporter Jackie Smith at (810) 989-6270 or [email protected] .

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Powerboat club races to 5 Lake Michigan towns for charity. Here’s where to catch them.

• Updated: Jul. 21, 2024, 8:08 a.m.
• | Published: Jul. 19, 2024, 11:48 a.m.

The West Michigan Offshore powerboat club is hosting a charity boat race and show to benefit Shields of Hope, a nonprofit by public safety officers helping those with cancer. On Friday, July 19, members will give powerboat rides to those receiving cancer treatment. On Saturday, July 20, a group of 55 powerboat racers will zip up and down Lake Michigan for a poker run. (Photo provided by Brian Caswell |Speedshot Photography) Photo Courtesy of Brian Caswell |Speedshot Photography

• Lindsay Moore | [email protected]

GRAND HAVEN, MI -- A group of powerboaters is taking the waterways from Muskegon to Saugatuck this weekend to raise awareness and give cancer patients a day of fun on Lake Michigan.

The West Michigan Offshore powerboating club, based in Grand Haven, is hosting their annual Rock the Coast event − equal parts boat show, race and charity event.

For the third year, the club is supporting Shields of Hope , a Zeeland-based nonprofit made up of public safety officers who visit with cancer patients.

Charitable causes were part of the original mission when the club started in 2015, club president Scott Otterbein said.

“[We want] to show that the powerboat community, they’re fast, loud boats, but they’re also willing to give back and donate to local causes,” Otterbein said.

The first event of the Rock the Coast lineup starts at noon Friday, July 19.

About 25 powerboaters have volunteered to take children who have been diagnosed with cancer out for an exclusive ride on the big lake.

The Shields of Hope Kids Warrior Rides will leave from the Grand Haven Municipal Marina. Otterbein invites the public to come out on Grand Haven’s pier to wave and cheer as they go by.

“This gives them an hour of freedom to get an experience they could never get anywhere else,” he said. “Come down and watch these kids go for rides and look their faces and see the excitement in their eyes.”

On Friday evening, boaters will head to Adelaide Pointe in Muskegon for a memorial run celebrating powerboater Keith Holmes, who died while racing in 2019.

Friday’s schedule ends back in Grand Haven at the Municipal Marina for a dock party and light show from 7-9 p.m.

RELATED: Where to find free summer concerts in Grand Haven four nights a week

Events on Saturday, July 20 kick off with a poker run, with 55 powerboats racing from Muskegon to Saugatuck.

Drivers will gather at 11 a.m. at Grand Haven Municipal Marina and receive their first poker card. They’ll jet out around 12:30 p.m., so it’s encouraged spectators get to the marina around noon to get a spot.

The next stop is Mona Lake in Muskegon County, then down to Saugatuck, before turning back north to Holland’s Lake Macatawa then to Port Sheldon on Pigeon Lake.

Boats are expected to return to the Grand Haven marina to turn in their poker hand by 5 p.m.

The winner will be revealed at 7 p.m. after a buffet meal from Porter’s Smokehouse Catering as well as 50/50 raffle prizes and a bike auction.

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