In Class 6, the PFE Team let it all hang out a little too much, and that handed over the win to Tyler Crockett with Wazzup II in second and Joker Powerboats in third. All photos courtesy/copyright Lucididee Fast Boats.

The second round of the Amsoil Offshore Racing Series made its stop in beautiful St. Clair, Mich., for the 17th Annual St. Clair River Classic last weekend.  Although with 37 entries spanning multiple classes, the boat count was down from that of previous years—the event has seen as many as 55 boats in the field—the weekend lacked for nothing, especially hospitable and enthusiastic crowds. Racers and out-of-town fans alike had local folks actually thank them for bringing the event to their town. Throughout the weekend I heard from one local after another, “It’s the highlight of our summer.”

At a time when more than a few offshore races are struggling to find happy homes, they would do well to look for such venues where they’re not just welcome, but actually wanted.

Hardware, shown here during the lunch stop, at Jammin’ on the James was as good as it gets. All photos courtesy Ted Ginnity.

Most of us in the performance-boat world have heard of the big, “marquee” poker runs such as Key West, Miami Boat Show/Islamorada, 1,000 Islands and Desert Storm. But what most of us don’t realize—or just forget—is that a whole bunch of poker runs happen every weekend across the country. And while these smaller run don’t get as much recognition as the better-known events, they are equal—if not sometimes better—to their larger counterparts.

Case in point? Jammin’ on the James, which happens annually on the James River in Virginia. The event starts in Hopewell and ends in Portsmouth, two locations you would not necessarily think of for a spectacular go-fast boat event. And yet this poker run offers everything you could ask from a poker run including amazing performance boats on fast water, great scenery and, of course, awesome parties.

I was on hand at Jammin’ on the James this year not just to make this epic run once again, but to cover it for speedonthewater.com. Here’s how it went down.

Amsoil picked up two wins during the weekend, including one in the Cat Light class.

Even though Edward Smith, the head of the Offshore Powerboat Association, has a full name, the only one he needs among the OPA faithful is “Smitty.” (He’s like Madonna and Prince that way.) When I caught with him yesterday before the Sunny Isles OPA race, he was busy getting his own “Wazzup” boats ready (he races one Fountain with his son Anthony in Super V and then Anthony races in another Activator as “Wazzup II” in Class 6 with younger son Nicholas) and overseeing the activity in the pits for the whole race. 

“When people ask me how I run a race organization and also race, I tell them that’s why I run a race organization, so I can race,” he said.

Smitty explained his organization’s essence,

“OPA is a brotherhood,” he said. “We’re a bunch of guys who really enjoy what they do.  There’s no flack.  If we have to run into the fire, we do it. Lots of people think we’re a little organization that runs races in the Northeast, but by default, we’ve become the biggest.”

The Dezer team got lost it its 28-foot V-bottom, but made it back safely.

Every event has a personality, most often a product of its location and promoters. This weekend’s Sunny Isles Beach Offshore Challenge is, well, sunny, and not just because it happens in North Miami in June. Event founders Brad Schoenwald and Larry Goldman put their hearts, souls and wallets into it. They’ve created a festival with a family atmosphere and endless entertainment on and off the water.

New renovated and expanded, Gulfstream Park Racetrack and Casino plays host, and it’s a fine one, for the weekend’s off-water activities. Centrally located in Hallendale, nearby the wet pits in Haulover Park, the Race Village is paved, clean and loaded with eye-candy—South Florida women, exotic cars and motorcycles and (oh yeah) an excellent array of race boats. It’s a motorhead’s delight.

On the water, the event is a trifecta of high-performance powerboating that offers something for everyone—yesterday’s Miami-Bimini Challenge endurance run, today’s Florida Powerboat Club Poker Run and tomorrow’s Offshore Powerboat Association race that has attracted an impressive fleet. Parties in the Gulfstream courtyard, rock and roll, food and drink. What more could race fans ask?