St. Petersburg Grand Prix Essentials: What To Watch And How To Watch It

Offshore racing returns this weekend to Southwest Florida with the St. Petersburg Grand Prix, the sixth event in the eight-race American Power Boat Association Offshore National Championship Series and the fourth of eight contests in the Union International Motonautique Class 1 World Championship Series. For the second consecutive year, P1 Offshore is producing the St. Petersburg event.

Class 1 offshore racing action resumes this Sunday in St. Petersburg, Fla. Photo from the 2022 Great Lakes Grand Prix by Jeff Helmkamp copyright Helmkamp Photos.

The action begins Saturday with testing and practice from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will be followed by races in the Bracket 500, 600 and 700 classes. Those contests are slated to conclude at 2:45 p.m. and will be followed by two rounds of Class 1 pole-position qualifying, in which each Class 1 has two laps to complete its fastest turn around the four-mile course. Though much of the racecourse will be visible from downtown waterfront area, the best option for on-site viewing is the St. Pete Pier.

AT A GLANCE: CLICK HERE FOR THE ST. PETERSBURG GRAND PRIX RACING SCHEDULE

Neither Saturday’s Bracket class races nor Class 1 pole-positioning qualifying will be broadcast live.

Led by veteran offshore racing broadcaster Mike Yowaiski, Livestream coverage begins on the P1 Offshore website and its Facebook page Sunday at 10 a.m. with contests in the Stock V, Mod V and Bracket 300 and Bracket 400 classes.

As it has for the entire season, the Super Stock class will boast the largest fleet in St. Petersburg. Photos by Pete Boden copyright Shoot 2 Thrill Pix.

The green flag for Class 1 is scheduled to fly at 11:15 a.m. With five teams registered, it is likely to be—as previously reported on speedonthewater.com—the best turnout for the class so far this season.

The Super Cat and 450R Factory Stock contests will follow at 12:45 p.m. Both classes should see their biggest turnouts so far this season with seven teams signed up in Super Stock and three in 450R Factory Stock.

In the final race of the day, which is scheduled to begin at 2:15 p.m., 10 Super Stock-class teams will take the course.