Roar Offshore Fleet Reaches 60 Boats, Class Mix Updated And More

While the 50 teams already registered for Roar Offshore Fort Myers Beach—the final race of the American Power Boat Association Offshore National Championship Series—were either getting settled in the dry pits or testing, another 10 teams were signing up for the Southwest Florida event. Today’s 60-boat, APBA series finale fleet matches that of the season-opener in Cocoa Beach, Fla.

Captured here during yesterday’s test session, Graydel is running its second Supercat race of the season. Photos by Pete Boden copyright Shoot 2 Thrill Pix.

In 2019, the inaugural Roar Offshore contest attracted 70 boats that included four Class 1 catamarans (and one V-bottom) no longer in the mix and a larger Supercat fleet. Those two classes alone account for much of the dip in the fleet count.

Classes that saw big sign-up surges yesterday include:

• Stock V now with nine teams.
• Mod V now with seven teams.
• Bracket 600 now with six teams.
• Bracket 700 now with four teams.

Fleet mixes for the today’s races also have been updated and finalized. Here’s how it breaks down

• Race No. 1, 10:30 a.m.—Stock V, Bracket 600 and 700.
• Race No. 2, 12 p.m.—Super Stock.
• Race No. 3, 1:30 p.m.—Mod V, Bracket 500, 400 and 300.
• Race No. 4, 3 p.m.—Supercat, 450R Factory Stock, Vee Extreme, Bracket 200.

The Supercat class will run 13 laps on the 7-1/2-mile course. Super Stock, 450R Factory Stock, Vee Extreme and Bracket 200 will run 10 laps. Mod V, Stock V and Bracket 400 will run nine laps. Bracket 500 will run eight laps, Bracket 600 will run seven laps and Bracket 700 will fun five laps.

Running with Brian Forehand in Marker 17 Marine—competing in its second event of the season—Vinnie Diorio is pulling triple duty today.

“Conditions are calm now with a nine mile-per-hour onshore south/southeast breeze,” said Cole McGowan, who has covered the 2021 APBA series for speedonthewater.com. “There is potential for isolated thunderstorms mid-day.

“The wind picked up a bit yesterday afternoon and the water was bumpier than many teams expected during yesterday’s practice session,” he continued. “The expectation today is that will repeat.”

Race No. 1 was underway when this story went live. All of the action is being broadcast live on the P1 Offshore Facebook page. A complete recap of the event will appear on speedonthewater.com.

Roar Offshore Fleet Reaches 60 Boats, Class Mix Updated And More

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