Petty And Glueck 'Rollin' Into Single-Engine Canopied V-Bottom Class

When the 2020 American Power Boat Association Offshore Championship Series kicks off May 14-17 in Cocoa Beach, Fla., a new Southwest Florida-based team will hit the water. Clyde Petty, the owner of the Class 4 Rollin’ Dirty Offshore racing team, has purchased a 32-foot Phantom that ran under the JRA Boat Sales banner in 2019. Petty will drive the canopied V-bottom. He will be joined by veteran throttleman Bill Glueck of Twisted Metal team fame. New Jersey’s Nick Imprescia, the son of legendary throttleman Joey Imprescia, has signed as the new Rollin’ Dirty Offshore team’s crew chief.

Though it isn’t dressed in team graphics yet, this 32-foot Phantom raceboat from JRA Boat Sales is the new Rollin’ Dirty Offshore raceboat (click image to enlarge) Photos courtesy/copyright Pete Boden/Shoot 2 Thrill Pix.

Petty purchased the 32-footer from JRA Boat Sales. It is his first canopied raceboat. (High-flying extreme sports superstar Travis Pastrana ran the then-new boat at the 2019 APBA Series season-opener in Cocoa Beach.)

“I bought it for safety reasons and to be more competitive,” said Petty, who paused to chuckle again. “And I really couldn’t think of a better way to spend money.”

Petty actually works for Glueck at his scrap metal salvage company in Sarasota. A former Superboat Vee-class competitor under the Super Boat International, Glueck has been out of the sport for the past few years.

“Clyde is a friend who asked me to help so I am, although I told him I don’t know much help I will be,” he said. “I think the boat will run well. We’ll go for a ride soon.

“I like to run boats, period,” he continued. “I don’t care about the trophies that no one remembers and I don’t care what class I’m in, I just like to have fun racing—and the fun has been gone for a while. Perhaps this will help me find it again.”

Though the Super Vee Extreme class is a natural fit for the boat, Petty declined to announce which category the team will join.

“I will let everyone know that the day of the first race,” he said, then laughed.

Petty said he sold his 28-foot Rollin’ Dirty Offshore Larry Smith Scarab to a buyer in Texas. He added that he is still working on securing sponsorship for the 2020 season.

The former Rollin’ Dirty raceboat has found a new home in Texas (click image to enlarge).

“We have one major possible sponsor, but we are still in deliberations,” he said.

Petty And Glueck ‘Rollin’ Into Single-Engine Canopied V-Bottom Class

Address

Quick Links