The IHRA F1 Powerboat Series arrives in Port Neches, Texas for Round 3 of its inaugural season on May 1 to 3, racing on the Neches River as part of the 24th annual Port Neches RiverFest. Festival admission ranges from $10 on the opening day to $30 for a weekend pass; the racing is included with entry.
The five-day festival runs from Wednesday April 29 to Sunday May 3 at Port Neches City Park and Riverfront Park, 600 Grigsby Avenue, Port Neches, TX 77651. The racecourse runs alongside the park. Sunday afternoon delivers the finals, with the best course-side viewing seats available from the front-row positions by the water.
What You Will See
Formula 1 tunnel boats are single-seat, enclosed-cockpit racing craft powered by high-performance outboard engines capable of speeds up to 140mph. They race on a closed course on open water, navigating tight buoy turns in close quarters on each lap. The Neches River circuit places boats within metres of the crowd on the bank.
Three classes compete alongside the Talent Cup junior development class: Formula 1 (the senior open class), Formula Lights, and Tri Hull. Friday is given over entirely to testing and inspection. Saturday opens with qualifying before two heats per class. Sunday delivers the finals, with the Formula 1 Final scheduled for 3:45 pm followed by the awards ceremony at 4:30 pm.
Race Schedule
| Session | Local time (CDT, UTC-5) | Your time |
|---|---|---|
| Friday, May 1 – Testing | ||
| Registration / Safety Inspection | 10:00 AM | 15:00 |
| Testing – Formula 1 | 2:00 PM | 19:00 |
| Testing – Formula Lights | 3:00 PM | 20:00 |
| Testing – Talent Cup | 4:00 PM | 21:00 |
| Testing – Tri-Hull | 4:15 PM | 21:15 |
| Testing – Formula 1 (continued) | 5:00 PM | 22:00 |
| River Open | 6:00 PM | 23:00 |
| Saturday, May 2 – Qualifying & Heats | ||
| Safety Inspection / Registration | 7:00 AM – 8:30 AM | 12:00 |
| Driver’s Meeting – Formula 1 & Formula Lights | 8:30 AM | 13:30 |
| Testing – Tri-Hull | 9:00 AM | 14:00 |
| Formula Lights – Testing / Qualifying | 9:30 AM | 14:30 |
| Formula 1 – Testing / Qualifying | 10:30 AM | 15:30 |
| Testing – Talent Cup | 11:30 AM | 16:30 |
| Driver’s Meeting – All Classes / River Open | 12:00 PM | 17:00 |
| Tri-Hull – Heat 1 (7 laps) | 1:00 PM | 18:00 |
| Formula 1 – Heat 1 (8 min + 2 laps) | 1:30 PM | 18:30 |
| Formula Lights – Heat 1 (6 min + 2 laps) | 2:15 PM | 19:15 |
| River Open | 3:15 PM | 20:15 |
| Talent Cup – Heat 1 (4 laps) | 3:30 PM | 20:30 |
| Tri-Hull – Heat 2 (7 laps) | 3:45 PM | 20:45 |
| Formula Lights – Heat 2 (6 min + 2 laps) | 4:15 PM | 21:15 |
| Formula 1 – Heat 2 (8 min + 2 laps) | 5:00 PM | 22:00 |
| Sunday, May 3 – Finals | ||
| Driver’s Meeting / River Open | 9:30 AM | 14:30 |
| Talent Cup – Heats 2 & 3 (4 laps each) | 10:30 AM | 15:30 |
| Tri-Hull – Heat 3 (7 laps) | 12:00 PM | 17:00 |
| Formula Lights – Heat 3 (6 min + 2 laps) | 12:30 PM | 17:30 |
| Formula 1 – Heat 3 (8 min + 2 laps) | 1:00 PM | 18:00 |
| Tri-Hull – Heat 4 (7 laps) | 1:30 PM | 18:30 |
| Formula Lights – Final (15 min + 2 laps) | 2:00 PM | 19:00 |
| River Open | 2:30 PM | 19:30 |
| Talent Cup – Final (4 laps) | 3:00 PM | 20:00 |
| Tri-Hull – Final (20 laps) | 3:15 PM | 20:15 |
| Formula 1 – Final (17 min + 2 laps) | 3:45 PM | 20:45 |
| Awards Presentation | 4:30 PM | 21:30 |
All times Central Daylight Time (CDT, UTC-5). Your local time is calculated automatically above.
Festival Programme
The Port Neches RiverFest runs across five days from Wednesday April 29. Alongside the racing, the festival includes concerts, a Car Show, Motorcycle Show, Talent Show, arts and crafts, carnival rides, and a full range of food and drink. Weekend competitions include a Horseshoe Tournament, Washer Board Shoot-Out, Fishing Tournament, and Pet Show. The fireworks display takes place on Saturday night.
Teams and crews begin setting up in the pits from noon on Thursday April 30, ahead of Friday’s first test sessions on the water.
Tickets and Admission
Wednesday: $10 | Friday & Saturday: $15 | Weekend Pass: $30
Tickets: riverfest.ticketspice.com/port-neches-riverfest-2026
Live Streaming and Timing
Live coverage is produced by Live Race Media throughout the weekend, available free on the series Facebook page and YouTube channel. Live timing and scoring is at f1pc.livemotorsports.com. IHRA F1 Powerboat Series highlights air on SPEED SPORT 1 – available on Amazon Prime Video, The Roku Channel, PlutoTV, and Fubo – on Tuesdays at 7pm ET.
Getting There
Port Neches City Park and Riverfront Park is at 600 Grigsby Avenue, Port Neches, TX 77651, in Jefferson County in Southeast Texas, near Beaumont. Full festival and parking information at pnriverfest.com.
Championship Context
Andrew Tate won the Formula 1 final at the Bradenton season opener in February. Round 2 follows at the Gulf Coast Grand Prix in Biloxi, Mississippi on April 17 to 19, before the series arrives in Port Neches for Round 3. The 2026 IHRA Formula One Championship Standings are updated after each round.
2026 Thunder on the Neches – At a Glance
Round: 3 of 8, IHRA F1 Powerboat Series inaugural season
Race dates: May 1–3, 2026
Festival dates: April 29 – May 3, 2026 (Port Neches RiverFest, 24th annual)
Venue: Port Neches City Park / Riverfront Park, 600 Grigsby Avenue, Port Neches, TX 77651
Classes: Formula 1, Formula Lights, Tri Hull, Talent Cup
Admission: $10 (Wednesday), $15 (Friday/Saturday), $30 (Weekend Pass)
Race information: f1powerboatchampionship.com
Festival information: pnriverfest.com
More IHRA F1 Coverage on Powerboat News
2026 IHRA Formula One Championship Standings
Andrew Tate Takes First F1 Victory at Bradenton Opener
2026 Red River Rumble: Everything You Need to Know
IHRA F1 Series Opens 2026 Entries with Eight-Round Schedule
John Moore is the editor of Powerboat News, an independent investigative journalism platform recognised by Google News and documented on Grokipedia for comprehensive powerboat racing coverage.
His involvement in powerboat racing began in 1981 when he competed in his first offshore powerboat race. After a career as a Financial Futures broker in the City of London, specialising in UK interest rate markets, he became actively involved in event organisation and powerboat racing journalism.
He served as Event Director for the Cowes–Torquay–Cowes races between 2010 and 2013. In 2016, he launched Powerboat Racing World, a digital platform providing global powerboat racing news and insights. The following year, he co-founded UKOPRA, helping to rejuvenate offshore racing in the United Kingdom. He sold Powerboat Racing World in late 2021 and remained actively involved with UKOPRA until 2025.
In September 2025, he established Powerboat News, returning to independent journalism with a focus on neutral and comprehensive coverage of the sport.
