APBA's largest category, outboard racing offers 3 exciting options: Stock, Modified Outboard and PRO (Professional Racing Outboard) .

Picture yourself traveling at 60 m.p.h., not sitting in your 3,000 lb. steel automobile, but crouching inches above the water, braced in a 125 lb. boat, the wind roaring in your ears. Your left hand squeezes the throttle; your right hand is glued to the steering wheel. As the boat skims above the surface, your slightest movement affects its ride over the ever-changing contour of the water. Now picture yourself surrounded by 11 other boats, just inches apart. Rough water jolts you and the other boats' spray drenches you, as you wait anxiously for your shot to pass your closest opponent, pushing your mind, will and body to the limit. Three laps of flawless timing and outsmarting your competitors puts you in front for the win. This is just a flavor of the exhilaration pulsing through you, every heat of racing. The heart-pounding excitement lasts only minutes per heat, but outboard racing leaves you thirsting for more.

Outboard races are initiated with a

flying start against a countdown clock.

Racers leave the pits under the green

flag and enter the Milling area.  There,

racers engage in a race-before-the-race

known as Milling.  As there is no qualify-

ing, outboard racers have the

opportunity to start in the lane of his or

her choice, assuming they have the skill

to get there.  This cat & mouse game

of determining racing lanes takes place

while being mindful of the countdown

clock.  As the racers establish lanes

and the clock approaches zero, the real

race begins.

A successful start has a driver crossing the start line at full throttle, in the desired lane, just as the clock reaches zero.  Arriving at the start line even a fraction of a second too early results in a disqualification for Gun Jumping.  Getting to the starting line too late means watching your competition run away with the victory.  For those who do push the clock, a team of Referees and Scorers equipped with video cameras recording the start are there to scrutinize for violations.

For those skilled enough to get a good

start, the laps of each heat race are filled

with action and excitement as competitors

dice for every inch of water.  Standard event

format consists of elimination heats used

to trim the field down to 12 drivers who

compete in final heats for the overall

victory.  Side by side competition is the hall-

mark of Stock Outboard racing and since the

powerplants are tightly regulated, the

results are primarily determined by driving

skill.

Stock Outboard racing offers a variety of

classes over a range of engine sizes and

speeds, on both hydroplane and runabout style hulls.  From the Junior classes(15 cubic inch)  up to the D classes(44 cubic inch), Stock Outboard racing provides competition for all ages.  To learn more or get started in stock outboard racing, visit www.apba-racing.com

What is outboard racing?

Team Insider