Offshore Grand Prix Revving Up For 2023 Point Pleasant Beach Race

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On Saturday, June 10, the Pit Area will be open to the public to see the boats up close. There will be official race T-shirts for sale by the Point Pleasant Beach Rotary, with the funds raised going to Harvey’s Closet, a thrift shop at Harvey United Methodist Church that offers gently used clothing at very reasonable prices, and has provided clothing free to people in emergency situations.

Saturday’s festivities finish with a parade of the boats from Arnold Avenue east to Ocean Avenue and north on Ocean Avenue to Inlet Drive. The parade of boats begins at 5 p.m.

Race Day is Sunday, June 11. Spectators can watch the teams launch from Channel Drive at the Port of Point Pleasant, where boats will be lowered into the water by crane, or at Deep Creek Cove Marina in Manasquan, for boats launching without crane assistance.

Spectators can line Manasquan Inlet to watch as the boats go out through the inlet to the ocean.

Once in the ocean, the boats can be watched from the Point Pleasant Beach boardwalk as they cover the 4-mile course from in front of Jenkinson’s to Bay Head and back. There are two races, with the first slated for a noon start. The return leg from Bay Head will be close enough to the beach for spectators to see the boats, organizers said.

There are two races, with the first slated for a noon start. More information on the schedule can be found on the Offshore Powerboat Association website, the sanctioning body for the race. The New Jersey Offshore Powerboat Racing Association is producing and organizing the event.

The races, which still draw thousands of fans, provide “a vital infusion” to the economy of Point Pleasant Beach during the slower weeks between Memorial Day and the Fourth of July, Point Pleasant Beach Mayor Paul Kanitra said. “It’s a vital, vital time.”

Kanitra, whose grandparents owned the Harbor Lights Motor Lodge when he was growing up, said he remembers how much they looked forward to hosting the races and the teams every year.

“I am proud to keep this legacy and vital event alive,” he said. “NJOPRA runs everything with a strong focus on details and each year we have watched it grow larger.”

Bill Curtis, mayor of Bay Head where the critical first turn of the race is made — racers must maintain their lane until they are through Turn One, and cannot pass another boat until then — said the annual return of the grand prix is a welcome sight.

“It’s tremendous for Point Pleasant Beach and the Jersey coast,” Curtis said.

Schleuss said the hospitality that’s been shown to the racers has been a big draw all these years, dating back to the days when the race was named Benihana by Rocky Aoki, the owner of the famed hibachi restaurants who founded the race in the mid-197os.

But just as important, he said, are the features of the ocean off Point Pleasant Beach.

“It’s really good, competitive water,” Schleuss said, explaining that the ocean swells are typically 3 to 4 feet, “ideal for a good, rough race” that allows the race teams to show off their skills handling the boats as they speed along at anywhere from 60 to 100 mph, depending on the race.

Schleuss, of Edison, who ran in 300 races and won eight Offshore World Championships before retiring, said that while some of the races have some prize money attached to them, many do not and are primarily for bragging rights and about the camaraderie of the racing community.

“Most of us racing have the same missing screw,” he said with a laugh. The races were like family reunions, with everyone hanging out together as one big happy group until they got on the water, when the competitive streaks dominate.

It’s not a cheap pursuit, either; the boats can cost anywhere from $100,000 to $1 million, and that’s before you get into the costs of fuel, maintenance and travel, it adds up in a hurry, Schleuss said, adding that most are fortunate enough to have families who support their passion for the sport.

Schleuss said that’s typically why there are teams that compete, to share the expenses. He said he had different partners with him over the 25 years he raced, with some in it 50-50, and others who could afford it carrying a higher percentage of the costs.

Part of the reason he retired was because of the costs, he said, but also to spend more time with his family that didn’t tie up all of their vacation time with racing.

Making the transition from the adrenaline rush of racing to being a spectator has had its positives.

“I don’t have to worry about going to bed early (the night before a race),” Schleuss said, “and I can have a beer while I’m at the bar.”

Competitors running in the races must register a zero on a Breathalyzer on race morning or they are barred from competing, he said.

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There are other safety measures for the races including a rescue diver who will be in a helicopter over the race course ready at a moment’s notice; support from the U.S. Coast Guard, New Jersey State Marine Police, volunteer first aid squads, dive teams and fire departments, all ready if there is a serious incident.

Each team consists of a driver, whose sole responsibility is steering, and a throttle person, who determines the speed, Schleuss said. There are speed limits on races, with some that go up to 100 mph; Schleuss said Typhoon raced in the 75 mph class.

“It’s very fast,” he acknowledged. Schleuss said he always got nervous the morning of a race, even after having run so many times, because there is an element of danger; a racer was killed in a crash during the 2017 event.

“That feeling of danger fades once the race starts,” he said.

While he won’t be on the water this year — Schleuss said the physical demands of the race are more than he can comfortably tolerate now — he will be soaking in the scene, seeing old friends and enjoying the atmosphere.

Race officials and Point Pleasant Beach officials and businesses hope spectators will as well.

For those unable to attend or who want a different perspective on the race, officials said it is expected to be televised on Motorsport.tv.

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