Port Neches, TX – April 30 – May 2
2022 Port Neches River Fest Schedule
Friday April 29, 2022
1:00-8:00 Safety Inspection / Registration
3:00 Testing Formula 1
4:00 Testing Formula Lights
5:00 Testing Tri-Hull
5:30 Testing Formula 1
Saturday April 30, 2022
7:00-8:30 Safety Inspection / Registration
8:30 Driver’s meeting: Formula 1 / Formula Light Only
9:00 Tri-Hull Testing
9:30Formula Lights Testing / Qualifying / 3 minutes + 1 lap
10:30 Formula 1 Testing / Qualifying / 4 minutes + 1 lap
11:30 J-Hydro Testing
12:00 Driver’s Meeting All Classes – River Open
1:00 Tri-Hull – Heat #1 / 7 laps / draw for position
1:30 Formula 1 – Group A – Heat #1 / 6 minutes + 1 lap
1:50 Formula 1 – Group B – Heat #1 / 6 minutes + 1 lap
2:15 Formula Lights – Heat #1 / 6 minutes + 1 lap
3:00 J-Hydro – Heat #1 / 3 laps / draw for start and props
3:15 River Open
3:45 Tri-Hull – Heat #2 / 7 laps / reverse order of points
4:15 Formula Lights – Heat #2 / 6 minutes + 1 lap / reverse order of points
4:45 J-Hydro – Heat #2 / 3 laps / draw for prop
5:00 Formula 1 – Group A – Heat #2 / 6 minutes + 1 lap / reverse order of points
5:20 Formula 1 – Group B – Heat #2 / 6 minutes + 1 lap / reverse order of points
Sunday May 1, 2022
9:00 Formula Lights – Heat #3 / 6 minutes + 1 lap / reverse order of cumulative points
10:00 J-Hydro Heat #3 / 3 laps / reverse order of cumulative points
10:30 Tri-Hull – Heat #3 / 7 laps / reverse order of cumulative points
11:00 Driver’s Meeting – River Open
12:00 Tri-Hull – Heat #4 / 7 laps / reverse order of cumulative points
12:30 Formula 1 – Group A – Heat #3 / 6 minutes + 1 lap/rev order of cumulative pts
12:50 Formula 1 – Group B – Heat #3 / 6 minutes + 1 lap / rev order of cumulative pts
1:15 J-Hydro – Final / 5 laps
1:30Formula Lights – Final / 15 minutes + 1 lap
2:00 River open
2:30 Tri-Hull – Final / 20 laps
3:15 Formula 1 – Final / 17 minutes + 1 lap
4:00 Awards Presentation – River Open
The Formula 1 Powerboat Championship will be roaring into Southeast Texas April 29-May 1, 2022 for the 20th annual “Thunder on the Neches” powerboat races as the highlight of the five-day Port Neches “River Fest”. Come and enjoy the festival of fun with various food vendors, arts & crafts, talent show, car show, pet show, horseshoe, washerboard, fishing tournament, fireworks and powerboat racing. The grand celebration, held at Port Neches City Park, will feature something for every member of the family, starting on Wednesday, April 28th and running through Sunday, May 1st, the “front and center” race course seating gives fans the best viewing of the entire race course. Boat racing finals will be held on Sunday and is free to the public! Fans will be entertained by all four F1 Powerboat series classes; the junior racers of J-Hydro, Tri-Hull, Formula Light and the blistering-fast Formula 1.
Sanctioned by the American Powerboat Association (APBA) and conducting club S.P.O.R.T. will be handling all racing activities throughout the event. We’ll be kicking off the festivities on Thursday April 28th when we begin setting up the pits at noon. Friday’s action in the pits continues throughout the morning into the afternoon test sessions. The action begins early at 7:00 am on Saturday April 30th with the opening of registration and inspection followed by a Tunnel Boat only drivers meeting before hitting the water. The event will conclude on Sunday May 1st after 2 full days of racing action followed by the awards ceremony.
Live-Streamed racing coverage will be produced by Live Race Media throughout the weekend available on the series Facebook page. Visit the F1 Facebook Powerboat Championships page at: https://www.facebook.com/F1PowerboatChampionship/ . Find additional information on the F1 Powerboat Championships on the website, www.f1powerboatchampionship.com.
Directions: Port Neches City Park
From US 69 take FM 365 North 3 miles to FM 366 turning right. Continue ½ mile to Merriman St. turning left continuing to the park.
GPS Directions us the following:
Neches River Wheelhouse, 720 Lee Ave., Port Neches, Tx. 77651
Truck Route
Boat Launch:
The city park has great concrete ramps, 6 wide, will accommodate trucks, UTV’s, and ATV’s. Follow direction from the Pit Manager.
Fuel: F1- VP Racing Fuel MS98L (2 strokes) & C9 (4 strokes) is the series class spec fuels and the only legal fuels for the class, It must be purchased at registration at each event. It may be mixed with Petroleum based or Synthetic Oil complying with Series Standards. Teams are required to take all empty fuel containers with them at the conclusion of the weekend. Pricing and quantities are as follows: MS98L (2 stroke) 35 gallons @ $10.00 per gallon
C9 (4 stroke) 24 gallons @ $10.00 per gallon
Tri Hull & F-Lights: Fuel of the day must be purchased from specified local gas station per inspector’s direction.
Parking in the pit area:
Pit move in is not open until Thursday April 28th at 12:00 pm (Noon) Series Pit Manager will direct all participants to their designated parking area. Pre stage on Merriman Street next to the park, no pit parking prior to being placed by series staff!
Due to the large number of competitors no passenger vehicles will be allowed in the pit area. Tow vehicles and support vehicles only, No Exceptions! A designated team passenger vehicles parking area will be at the North end of the grass pit area.
Officials:
Race Director- John Schubert
Referee- Doug Rea
Inspector- Ken Scoville
Scorer- Lyndsay Mathews
Risk Manager- Matt Sadl
Pit Boss- Chris Keefer
Race Start: Modified Lemans Dock Start for the Formula One and Formula Lights classes. Rolling Start for the Tri Hulls and J-Hydros.
Race Format: Race format per the F1 Powerboat Championship 2022 Drivers Rule Book. We will no longer extend a 5-minute rule to hold any race for a competitor. Start at the end of the dock if you are not able to load in your original starting position in the correct time.
Website: www.pnriverfest.com
Timing System: We will be utilizing our new Timing/Scoring/Course Management System (TSCM) at this event in the F1 class. Systems pricing is $700.00 includes a transponder, GPS antenna, and RF frequency antenna. The GPS antenna must be mounted on top in front of the driver area of the capsule 40” back from the furthest forward point of the pickle fork tips. Weekend rental (maximum of 2 times) rate is $200.00 per weekend plus $50.00 for the antenna kit (includes both antennas). Either option can be paid at registration.
Series Information:
Please assist us by supplying your team/driver bio information. The sooner we receive the information and the more information we have on you, your team, and sponsors the better job we can do to promote your package. We will be using this information for pre and post press releases along with the live streaming show. There are two way of getting this information to us, fill out the forms in the series drivers information guide and email or fax, go to the series website and fill it out then send in. https://f1powerboatchampionship.com/driver-info/. We will have all series required sponsor decals and patches available at registration, they must be in place prior to safety inspection. We are working on updating drivers information and will be taking pictures of all competitors in their driving suit with helmet at this event, we will give you the location at registration.
Hotel Information:
Quality Inn & Suites Port Arthur Holiday Inn Park Central
8040 Memorial Blvd2929 Jimmy Johnson Blvd.
Port Arthur, TX 77642Port Arthur, Tx. 77642
409-729-3434 phone: 409-724-5000
Holiday Inn ExpressComfort Inn & Suites
3115 Central Mall Drive 7800 Memorial Blvd.
Port Arthur, TX 77642Port Arthur, Tx. 77642
Phone:(409) 853-4114Phone: 409-729-0500
Hampton Inn Super 8 Arthur/Nederland Area
7660 Memorial Blvd 7700 Memorial Blvd.
Port Arthur, TX 77642Port Arthur, Tx. 77642
Phone:(409) 722-6999 409-527-9923
American Best Value Inn & SuitesDays Inn & Suites Port Arthur
7440 Memorial Blvd.7340 Memorial Blvd.
Port Arthur, Tx. 77642Port Arthur, Tx. 77642
Phone: 409-722-1034Phone: 409-999-3430