IHRA Offshore Race Schedule.

[Bobcat]

 

[Ratickle]

That is interesting. No one is sure what's really gonna happen at this point.

Supposedly, to claim any of the purse or tow money, you have to enter and race in every one of their events. Not sure if that is true or not, at this point just rumors.

Obviously that's a shit-pot full of money. $331,250 per race, if they fill the final two spots, to make 8 events!

 

[Pete B]

Strictly the facts not hearsay!

 

[rschap1]

That will have to add a lot of motivation if true.

 

[Ratickle]

Yeah, it will certainly do something if true.

If they had 8 races and divided the money up evenly for the races and the boats, (and averaged 50 boats per race); they would give every team a check for $6,625 at every race, (if my math is correct).

 

[Pete B]

79 days to St Pete, curious when more info will be put out?

 

[Ratickle]

They have added Cocoa Beach to their schedule. Made them an offer they couldn't refuse.

Their rulebook is supposed to be released the 15th.

Not sure what's next. Certainly is interesting.

 

[Serious News]

IHRA OFFSHORE SERIES AS OF 3-10-2026

MARCH
MAR 27-29 ST. PETE POWERBOAT GRANDPRIX, PRESENTED BY VISIT ST. PETE CLEARWATER, St Petersburg, FL
APRIL
APR 10-12 NEW ORLEANS POWERBOAT GRANDPRIX, PRESENTED BY HARVEY GULF INTERNATIONAL MARINE, New Orleans, LA
MAY
MAY 15-17 THUNDER ON COCOA BEACH, Cocoa Beach, FL
JUNE
JUN 12-14 SHOOTOUT OFFSHORE, Lake Ozark, MO
JULY
JUL 24-26 ST.CLAIR RIVER CLASSIC, St. Clair, MI_
AUGUST
AUG 7-9 MERCURY RACING MIDWEST CHALLENGE, Sheboygan, WI

 

[Ratickle]

Looks like they lost Orange Beach.

 

[Ratickle]

This is getting really weird. If you go to their website to see the St Petersburg results, nothing. The races were done on Sunday, and as of today, still no results. That is really strange.

 

[Ratickle]

And, on their same website, if you go to the rules, still nothing even though they have had their first race. I know some racers were really pissed because they were doing rules different than what they had been told.

They only have rules posted for Drag Racing and Stock Cars. Even though their website says Official IHRA rules for all sanctioned competitions. So, they have had Tunnel Boat races, Jet Ski races, and now Offshore races and still no rules for any of those? No wonder people are pissed.

 

[Ratickle]

They did get the results up for St Pete.

https://newshero.blob.core.windows.net/images/documents/7840b1fa-b039-46fa-9be6-05f27b99b1cc.pdf

 

[Ratickle]

And they finally got their rules up. Odd that it's after the first race is long over.

 

[Serious News]

IHRA Drops St. Clair, OPA Partnership Ends​

When the International Hot Rod Association entered offshore powerboat racing, it did not build everything from scratch. It brought in partners, established organisations with race experience, venue relationships and loyal followings, and put them under the IHRA umbrella.

One of those partners was the Offshore Powerboat Association (OPA), a New Jersey-based organisation with roots stretching back to the 1970s and a reputation built on the northeast US race circuit. OPA president Nick Smith took on a dual role: running OPA and serving as IHRA’s race director and logistics manager for offshore events.

The plan was a unified US offshore calendar. OPA would produce three races under what it called the Divisional Triple Crown: Freeport, New York in July; the St. Clair River Classic in Michigan in July; and the Lake Hopatcong Grand Prix in New Jersey in September, each with a $50,000-plus purse and each counting toward the broader IHRA offshore picture.

On May 29, IHRA’s legal counsel sent a letter to Nick Smith terminating the partnership agreement with OPA.

The Freeport Offshore Grand Prix, due to run July 10-12, is cancelled.

IHRA confirmed: St. Clair will not be an IHRA-sanctioned event in 2026. It will not carry championship points. It will not be televised. It will not receive IHRA funding.

On the OPA side, the Lake Hopatcong Grand Prix in New Jersey is confirmed for September 18-20, independent of IHRA. The St. Clair River Classic is also confirmed under OPA sanction for July 24-26 — the Blue Water Offshore Racing Association has published an official statement confirming the race goes ahead as planned.

IHRA Drops St. Clair as OPA Partnership Ends

IHRA has dropped St. Clair from its 2026 offshore championship and terminated its partnership with OPA Racing. Here is what it means for the season.

powerboat.news

 

[Ratickle]

I'm worried about participants at St Clair. ALl who have chatted with me say they are not going now.

I hope they get a decent turnout, it's a great race site and event.

 

[Ratickle]

61 boat's in LOTO, and 135 ski's.

But Farthing is a ski racer.

 

[Ratickle]

He announced there is no guarantee of a Miami race, they are cutting way back on the budget because Leah was spending over a million a race and unless they tighten down the budget they will run out of money. Supposedly over 20 people have been let go since Leah.