Powerboat P1 USA Brings Superstock Boat Racing Series to Morehead City | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Spectators will be thrilled by the speed and dynamic competition of the Crystal Coast Grand Prix, August 19–21 in the Bogue Sound, Morehead City. The race is part of the Powerboat P1 SuperStock Championship series, sanctioned by the American Powerboat Association (APBA), brought to the United States for the first time this year. The event will also feature the Offshore Super Series competitors as part of the APBA-sanctioned event.



    Sponsored by R.A. Jefferies Distributing, Bud Light, and Jack's Waterfront Bar, this year's sixth annual race offers a two-day festival of nonstop action, as racers go head-to-head in single-elimination matches that see winners advance to the finals. The victor of Saturday's racing earns pole position for the first SuperStock endurance race on Sunday.



    The P1 SuperStock Championship series already has an established fan base in the United Kingdom, with races in England, Scotland, and Wales this year. Powerboat P1 USA, which is located in Greenville, N.C., is proud to bring the series to a new U.S. audience. Morehead City is P1 USA's third stop in an inaugural season that has included Indiana's Madison Regatta and the APBA Gold Cup in Detroit.



    "What makes this series unique is that all the boats are identical," says P1 USA Managing Director Martin Sanborn. "The boats are the same. The engines are the same. The propellers are the same. It's not how much money you have to get you to the front of the pack. It's how good you are in the boat. This type of single-design series means that the pilot is the difference in the race. What we're doing is bringing real boat racing back to America."



    At the heart of the series is the P1-28SS Panther, an all-new boat that's equally at home running the racecourse or pulling your kids on a wakeboard. Built in North Carolina for Powerboat P1, the boat easily converts from a championship racer to a four-seat pleasure craft. The boat's versatility may be why racing is rapidly becoming a family affair. "Many of our race teams are father-son teams," Sanborn says. "This type of series lends itself to entry-level racers, and we have quite a few family teams, as well as provides a level of competition that veteran racers find challenging."



    Tickets to the Crystal Coast Grand Prix are $10 per day ($5 for members of the military) and are available at the gate and at Jack's Waterfront Bar. Parking is FREE. Spectators will be able to see the entire course from the North Carolina State Port. There will also be a designated zone for those wishing to watch the action from their own boats. In conjunction with the Grand Prix, the fifth annual Crystal Coast Car and Bike show will take place on Saturday on the Morehead City waterfront. And after the racing is complete on Saturday, Digger Foot, a popular eastern North Carolina band, will take the stage at Jack's Waterfront Bar.





    •  For more information about the Crystal Coast Grand Prix, go to p1superstock.com.
    •  Download the Crystal Coast Grand Prix flyer here.
    •  Check out our Calendar Event for the Crystal Coast Grand Prix here.