Offshore Grand Prix Returns To Point Pleasant Beach This Weekend

POINT PLEASANT BEACH, NJ – The Point Pleasant Beach Offshore Grand Prix is returning this weekend after being canceled last year due to the COVID-19 Pandemic and will bring three days' worth of family fun and high-octane action to the borough.

“Residents and visitors alike remember the races of yesteryear with great fondness,” Toni Potthoff, Race Chair of the New Jersey Offshore Powerboat Racing Association (NJOPRA), the governing body of the event, said in a press release.

“This year’s powerboat races will include an extraordinary weekend of family fun and an exciting race day lineup that will serve as the perfect kickoff to the summer season in Point Pleasant Beach.”

Tomorrow, Friday, June 11, the Pit Area opens in the Point Pleasant Beach Train Station parking lot on Arnold Avenue with a “Meet the Racers” block party will be held downtown from Arnold Avenue at Route 35 South to the Elks Lodge from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m with the street filled with race boats, music, sidewalk sales and fun for the entire family.

The following day, June 12, the Pit Area will be open to the public, with an opportunity to see the boats up close. The Point Pleasant Beach Rotary will be selling official race t-shirts and programs, with the proceeds going to charity.

During the day, boats will go into the water at Atlantic Capes on Channel Drive from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for test runs. Saturday’s festivities continue with a parade of boats from Arnold Avenue heading north on Ocean Avenue to Broadway starting at 5 p.m.

Sunday, June 13, is the big race day, and spectators can watch the race teams launch at Atlantic Capes on Channel Drive and wait for the pace boat on the docks at Wharfside Seafood and Patio Bar on Channel Drive or watch the races from the Boardwalk.

After the race, the winning race teams will return to the Winner’s Circle at the Wharfside Seafood and Patio Bar.

Point Pleasant Beach Mayor Paul Kanitra spoke to Patch about the importance of the races this weekend and the energy it brings to the borough.

“The town and the Jersey Shore has never needed the Offshore Boat Race more than this year,” Kanitra said. “This is going to be the biggest event since the pandemic started, and we anticipate it will provide a vital infusion of tourism dollars into our local economy.

“That all said, the best part of all is the family-friendly nature of this coming weekend. Downtown block parties, parades, and good, clean, exciting fun. It’s exactly the sort of event we’re looking for.”