Offshore Powerboat Association Strong Again In North Carolina
With 33 teams in the field, last weekend’s Offshore Powerboat Association Crystal Coast Grand Prix in Morehead City, N.C., wrapped up the outfit’s extensive 2021 regular season at the same venue that hosted not one but two of the three events—including the Offshore Powerboat Association World Championships—during the entire pandemic-decimated 2020 offshore racing season. The Southeastern race site has become a favorite among Offshore Powerboat Association racers and fans.
As they did in 2020, the Goofin Around and Nauti Boys teams battled for Class 7 supremacy last weekend in Morehead City, N.C. Photos from the 2020 Crystal Coast Grand Prix by Pete Boden copyright Shoot 2 Thrill Pix.
“It’s a great site—walking distance to everything,” said Ed “Smitty” Smith, the president of the New Jersey-based organization. “It reminds me of an old Northeastern fishing village.”
With nine boats in the field, Class 6 had the largest fleet for the Friday and Sunday contests. The CRC team took first place, followed by the Rum Runners and Wicked teams. Class 7 attracted six teams with Nauti Boys finishing ahead of Goofin Around and Jackhammer to claim victory.
The Stock V class boasted five teams, with the Wazzup team earning first place, NMB RV Resort finishing second and Twisted Tea taking third.
Enjoy the slideshow above featuring images from the races in North Carolina courtesy of Rudy Torres, owner of ExoticMotive Detailing.
The Class 4 fleet saw four teams in the mix. The Predator team took first place, followed by Saris Racing and Old School. In three-boat Class 5 mix, Shoreline Plumbing finished first followed by May Marine and Mean Streak.
In the two-boat Mod V class, Marker 17 Marine finished ahead of Absolutely Not. Likewise, Bat Boat bested Strictly Business in Class 2. As it has throughout the 2021 season, Knucklehead Racing ran solo in the Vee Extreme class. Also running solo last weekend was Jersey Outlaw/Camo Ammo in Class 3.
Said veteran offshore racer Johnny Saris of the Saris Racing team, “It was excellent, classic OPA—well-organized and well-run. There was an incident Friday that was handled like clockwork. Everybody was happy and safe. That’s all that matters.”
At it did in 2020 (above), the Knucklehead Racing team ran solo in Morehead City last weekend but put on a show for the fans.
In addition to being the final race of the Offshore Powerboat Association regular season notwithstanding Roar Offshore Fort Myers Beach October 7-9 in Southwest Florida—final event in the six-race American Power Boat Association Offshore National Championship Series—the Crystal Coast Grand Prix was the final contest in the organization’s new-for-2021 Northeast Championship Series. Those results, said Smith, are still being tabulated.
The 2021 Offshore Powerboat Association World Championships are set for November 18-21 in Englewood Beach, Fla.
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