Clearwater Offshore Nationals 2026 Race Recap | Ride Legal
09/28/2026 · Ride Legal
The 2026 XINSURANCE Clearwater Offshore Nationals ran September 25–27 in Clearwater Beach, Florida, with roughly 90 teams entered across 14 classes. It was the largest fleet the event has ever drawn, and the racing lived up to the entry list.
The stakes were real. Clearwater was the third stop on the APBA National Championship Series and the final Race World Offshore regular-season event before the Key West World Championships. For a lot of teams, this was the last chance to bank points and lock in their season.
The course was a 5-mile loop run parallel to the beach, with Turn 1 sitting right off Pier 60. That put fans on the sand within earshot of boats ranging from 60 mph bracket racers to Super Cat and Class 1 machines running around 150 mph.
Two Days, Two Kinds of Water
Saturday brought the rougher water, and it showed. Sunday laid down flatter, which opened the door for the fastest boats to run closer to the edge. Weather held up both days, a welcome change after rain and wind shut down most of the Great Lakes Grand Prix in Michigan City earlier this season.
That Michigan City washout shaped the whole Clearwater format. Several classes raced for Clearwater points on Saturday, then ran a Michigan City makeup race on Sunday to settle the points they lost in Indiana. Two races, two sets of points, one weekend.
Watch the Racing
Missed the action? Watch the race coverage from Clearwater below.
Race coverage from the 2026 XINSURANCE Clearwater Offshore Nationals, September 26–27, Clearwater Beach, Florida.
Class 700: The Dirt Legal Velocity Factory Team Takes the Checkered Flag
The Dirt Legal Velocity Factory Team, boat #789, came into Clearwater leading Class 700 with 1,208 points after Atlantic City. It left having done exactly what a points leader needs to do: win when it counts.
On Saturday, in the race for Clearwater points, owner/driver Brad Christopher and throttleman Connor Langheim took the checkered flag in the 22-foot Velocity, racing as Dirt Legal/XINSURANCE/Velocity. It wasn't a walkover. Lou LaFerrara and Bobby Barneschi pushed hard in the 22-foot Progression Team Progression/RedRum to finish second, with Jeff Pritchard and Scottie Young third in the 22-foot Activator Pist'n Broke.
Sunday's Michigan City makeup was a three-boat fight, since those were the only three Class 700 entries at Michigan City. This time RedRum got the jump and took the win, with Dirt Legal second and Pist'n Broke third. A second-place finish in a race where your closest rival wins is the kind of result that protects a season lead.
| Race | Points counted for | Dirt Legal Velocity #789 finish |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday, Sept. 26 | Clearwater | 1st |
| Sunday, Sept. 27 | Michigan City makeup | 2nd |
Official Clearwater results and season points are posted on the Race World Offshore 2026 Results page.
Follow the team at @velocity_factory_race_team_789 and see the full program on the Dirt Legal racing page.
Class 600: Ride Legal Velocity #611 in a Deep, Hard-Fought Field
Class 600 ran the same two-race format as 700: Clearwater points on Saturday, a Michigan City makeup on Sunday. Mike Lange and Johnny Saris set the pace in the 26-foot Modern Marine Moderation, winning both days.
Ride Legal Velocity #611, the 26-foot Velocity with Scott McCormick on the throttle and Bob Spitulski driving, lined up for both races. Saturday's rougher water tested every boat in the bracket, and Sunday's flatter conditions turned the makeup race into a straight fight for speed and clean lines through the turns.
Follow the team at @velocitypowerboats, track the class on the Bracket Class 6 standings, and see more on the Ride Legal racing page.
From the Pits to Pier 60: Our Crew on the Ground
Members of the Dirt Legal and Ride Legal teams were in Clearwater all weekend, backing both boats from the dry pits at Sand Key Park to the beach off Pier 60. That meant early mornings with the crews, watching launches, and catching every pass from the sand when the flags dropped.
There's no substitute for being there. You hear the boats before you see them, you watch a crew turn a boat around between races, and you feel the whole beach react when a fire or a rollover stops the show. Being on site let us capture the weekend the way racers and fans lived it.
Here's a look at our weekend in Clearwater.
Race weekend at the 2026 Clearwater Offshore Nationals. Follow @velocitypowerboats and @velocity_factory_race_team_789 for more.
Next Stop: Key West
With Clearwater done, the regular season is in the books. Everything now points to the Key West World Championships, November 1–8, 2026, with race days on November 4, 6 and 8 at Truman Waterfront Park.
The Dirt Legal Velocity Factory Team heads south as the Class 700 boat that won in Clearwater, and RedRum's Sunday win means the fight isn't over. Ride Legal Velocity #611 will be chasing its own result in Class 600. Clearwater race footage is set to air as an ESPN Network special in early 2027.
FAQ
When was the 2026 Clearwater Offshore Nationals?
September 25–27, 2026, with races on Saturday, September 26, and Sunday, September 27, off Pier 60 in Clearwater Beach, Florida.
How many boats raced at Clearwater in 2026?
Roughly 90 teams entered across 14 classes, the largest fleet in the event's history.
Who won Class 700 at the 2026 Clearwater Offshore Nationals?
The Dirt Legal Velocity Factory Team (#789), with Brad Christopher driving and Connor Langheim on throttle, won Saturday's race for Clearwater points. RedRum won Sunday's Michigan City makeup, with Dirt Legal second.
Why were there two races for some classes?
Rain and wind shut down most of the Great Lakes Grand Prix in Michigan City. Several classes raced for Clearwater points on Saturday and ran a Michigan City makeup race on Sunday.
Where can I watch the 2026 Clearwater Offshore Nationals?
You can watch the event on YouTube.
When is the next Race World Offshore event?
The Key West World Championships, November 1–8, 2026, with race days November 4, 6 and 8.
Sources
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