International marine motorsport promoter Powerboat P1 has announced plans to host the St. Pete Powerboat Grand Prix in downtown St. Petersburg, FL on Labor Day weekend Sept. 4-5.
Powerboat and personal watercraft race teams from across the United States will compete across multiple classes of racing during the race weekend. “We began discussions for a national race event featuring a double bill of P1 powerboat racing and AquaX jet ski action in 2015, with plans to stage the two-day event near the iconic St. Pete pier,” said P1 CEO Azam Rangoonwala. “AquaX includes both professional and amateur classes of racing, which attracts riders from across the country. September’s event is part of the eight-venue APBA national race series which runs from May to October.” Visit St. Pete/Clearwater is the presenting sponsor of the event.
A custom-designed “Visit St. Pete/Clearwater” powerboat will compete in the APBA Offshore Championship races with leading personal watercraft rider Tory Snyder racing on a VSPC painted jet ski. “We are thrilled to bring P1 Offshore and P1 AquaX racing to the St. Pete Pier for the Labor Day weekend. We’re extremely pleased with the partnership with Powerboat P1 over the past several years and look forward to building the St. Pete race weekend as a signature event for community,” said Visit St. Pete/Clearwater COO Tim Ramsberger.
While the race is best viewed live along the course near downtown St. Petersburg and the pier, the high-speed racing action will be broadcast nationally on CBS Sports Network and also on Bally Sports Regional Networks. Fans outside of the U.S. will be able to enjoy the racing via live streaming on the P1 Offshore Facebook page. Earlier this year, Powerboat P1 partnered with extreme sports legend Travis Pastrana and Nitro Circus for a private invitational powerboat challenge. Competitors from the sports and entertainment world faced off in Stock V class boats powered by 525-hp Mercury Racing engines. Each round involved one driver from each team racing head-to-head against the clock on a 1.7-mile course, with the faster boat advancing to the next stage. Some of the watercraft used for the challenge will compete during the 2021 St. Pete Powerboat Grand Prix. Coverage of the event can be seen this Sunday, April 18, on Fox Sports 1. Ticket information, VIP packages, race course maps, and an event schedule will appear on the P1 website in the coming weeks: http://www.p1offshore.com.