Offshore powerboat racing returns to Fort Myers Beach for the first time since 2021 on September 11-13, 2026, as Roar Offshore reopens under new ownership. Shaun Torrente and Cole Leibel bought the event brand from founders Tim and Cyndee Hill in June, and this year’s edition is a Super Stock-only affair, presented by Margaritaville Beach Resort.
The race is sanctioned jointly by the American Power Boat Association and the Canadian Boating Federation, run by ROAR Offshore Club #522 out of APBA Region 5. Roar Offshore previously held the APBA Offshore National Championship before Hurricane Ian wrecked much of Fort Myers Beach’s infrastructure in September 2022. Organisers are billing Sunday’s race as the “ROAR Offshore Super Stock Championship Race.”
Dates: September 11-13, 2026
Venue: Margaritaville Beach Resort, 251 Crescent Street, Fort Myers Beach, FL
Class: APBA Super Stock only
Admission: Free to watch from the beach; VIP tent packages available
What to Expect
Super Stock is one of offshore racing’s most tightly regulated classes. Boats are enclosed-cockpit catamarans between 28 and 32 feet, weighing exactly 4,900lb, powered by twin 300hp Mercury Racing outboards capped at 6,500rpm. With the equipment fixed, racing comes down to the driver and throttleman rather than raw horsepower, and boats run in tight packs at 80 to 100mph plus, close enough to the shoreline at Fort Myers Beach to watch the whole lap from the sand.
Organisers Torrente and Leibel are expecting 17 to 18 teams, close to a full Super Stock field. Torrente is a four-time UIM F1H2O World Champion; Leibel swept the APBA Super Stock National Championship, World Championship and overall high points in 2025 alongside throttleman Gary Ballough.
Weekend Schedule
Timing is provisional and subject to weather, water conditions and final permit approvals, per the organisers.
| Session | Local Time (EDT, UTC-4) | Your Time |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday, September 10 | ||
| Welcome Party, meet the racers | 7:00 PM | |
| Friday, September 11 | ||
| Drivers meeting | 8:00 AM | |
| Official practice | 11:00 AM | |
| Qualifying | 2:00 PM | |
| Kickoff Party, live music from Rock Republic | 6:00 PM | |
| Saturday, September 12 | ||
| Drivers meeting | 8:00 AM | |
| Super Stock Heat Race 1 | 12:00 PM | |
| Speed Cat Runs, high-speed exhibition passes | 3:00 PM | |
| Pit Party, boat show and car show, Times Square | 6:00 PM | |
| Sunday, September 13 | ||
| Drivers meeting | 8:00 AM | |
| Morning warm-up | 11:00 AM | |
| Roar Offshore Super Stock Championship Race | 1:00 PM | |
| Awards ceremony | Evening, time TBC | — |
All times shown in Eastern Daylight Time (EDT, UTC-4). Your local time is calculated automatically.
Getting There and Watching
All Roar Offshore activities, including registration, drivers meetings and the awards ceremony, are based at the Margaritaville Beach Resort, 251 Crescent Street, Fort Myers Beach. The race itself runs on a closed offshore circuit on the Gulf of America immediately off the beach, a four-mile lap with seven turns and a pace boat rolling start.
Watching from the beach is free. For an elevated view, Margaritaville is offering private 10ft x 20ft VIP beach tents for the full weekend, each seating up to six with dedicated food and drink service. Competitors and crew register through the APBA Trackside system; there is no entry fee, though a valid current-year APBA membership is required.
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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.
