Keep an eye out for the #21 Performance Boat Center/ Jimmy Johns at the Clearwater National Championship on October 2, 2016!
If you have a need for speed, Clearwater Beach is the place to be!
The eighth annual Bright House Clearwater Super Boat National Championship and Seafood Festival zooms into town from September 30-October 2, 2016. Co-sponsored by the city of Clearwater, the three-day event kicks off Friday, Sept. 30, in downtown Clearwater at the Baystar Race Village where spectators can check out the boats that will be on display, meet with drivers and purchase food from vendors. There is no cost to attend. Free entertainment can be found in the historic Cleveland District. For those who purchase VIP tickets, the Capitol Theatre will host a live concert featuring the Black Honkeys from 7 to 11 p.m. Shephard’s Beach Resort will host Sister Hazel in concert starting at 10:30 p.m., and is free to V.I.P. members as well.
Saturday’s festivities kick off in Coachman Park with a seafood festival, featuring a variety of seafood dishes, refreshments and specialty vendors. Timed trials will take place throughout the day, offering a sneak peek to Sunday’s races. The day will end with a fireworks display after sunset.
On race day – Oct. 2 – more than 30 super boat drivers will compete for the highly coveted National Championship titles in their respective classes. The super boats are equipped with F-16 jet canopies and 6,000-horsepower engines, racing at speeds of up to 180 mph in the Gulf of Mexico. The races are classified into three heats: Super Boat Stock, Super Boat Vee and Production 3 and 4 in heat one; Super Boat Unlimited and Super Boat Extreme in heat two; and Super Boat in heat three.
The first race will take off at noon, with the following two at 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. respectively. Those wanting to check out the races should find a spot early. Spectators can find a spot along Clearwater Beach. If parking becomes congested, attendees can park in downtown Clearwater and ride the Jolley Trolley or take the ferry across to the beach. An incident Command Center composed of a mix of local emergency personnel along with U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary teams are on standby on- and off-shore to ensure the event remains safe to spectators and racers.
This article was originally posted on Tbnweekly.com.