Powerboat P1, the international marine motorsports promoter, and energy drink Monster Energy have announced a major powerboat and personal watercraft racing sponsorship. The exclusive, multi-year agreement sees Monster Energy become the Official Energy Drink of the APBA National Championship, the UIM Class 1 World Championship and the P1 AquaX USA National Championship. This new partnership follows the news that Monster Energy will be the title sponsor of the M CON Racing Team in this season’s Class 1 series.
Jointly promoted by Powerboat P1 and Race World Offshore (RWO), the APBA National Championship comprises five offshore racing events in Florida from this month through to September. It comprises fifteen classes of racing with more than sixty teams competing.
"I'm very excited about Monster Energy coming on board as the official energy drink of the APBA national series," Race World Offshore President Larry Bleil told Speedboat. "It's great to see a major company like Monster Energy involved with offshore powerboat racing for the entire APBA National Championship, including the World Championships in Key West. I'm really looking forward to working with them and promoting offshore powerboat racing, and looking forward to our new season getting underway with the RWO 7 Mile Offshore Grand Prix in Marathon, Florida at the end of this month."
Powerboat P1 has the international rights to UIM Class 1 racing, regarded as the pinnacle of offshore powerboat racing, and the race calendar for the coming season sees the world championship heading to Wisconsin for the first time and returning to favorite locations in Florida and Indiana. A fleet of eight Class 1 boats representing Australia, Sweden, Norway and the United States will compete in the six-venue series, which kicks off at Cocoa Beach on Florida’s Space Coast next month. Powerboat P1 will film and distribute the Class 1 action through its national and international TV broadcast agreements.
The Monster Energy sponsorship also includes personal watercraft racing, with the brand becoming the Official Energy Drink of the P1 AquaX National Championship. Kicking off in Michigan City in early July, the five-venue series will feature endurance racing events in Florida and Indiana across the summer.
“Motorsports are a major part of what Monster Energy is all about and we support racers and motor racing the world over,” said Monster Energy Vice President of Motorsports Dave Gowland. “After forming an alliance with the Monster Energy M CON Racing Team in the Class 1 championship, we are now absolutely enthused to announce the relationship between Powerboat P1 and Monster Energy for the 2023 race season."
Highlighted by the UIM Class 1 series—the apex of worldwide offshore powerboat racing—with an international fleet of eight boats, Monster Energy and Powerboat P1 will "Unleash the Beast" and power on to race venues in Florida, Indiana and Wisconsin in a quest to determine the world champion, Gowland said. As part of the new, multi-year relationship, Monster Energy will be known as the Official Energy Drink of the APBA National Championship, the UIM Class 1 World Championship and the P1 AquaX National Championship for personal watercraft riders. "Racing and the spirit of competition is what Monster Energy is about, and we’re thrilled to go racing and be with the enthusiastic fans on the shorelines this summer with Powerboat P1. Bring on the Space Coast!”
“Monster Energy invests in an array of international sports and properties, and their decision to sponsor our range of marine motorsports is testament to the growth of our business over the last 20 years, with strategic partnerships and television coverage playing key roles,” said Powerboat P1 CEO Azam Rangoonwala. “They pride themselves on being ‘all-action’ and love racing, power and larger than life opportunities, and our high-energy, lifestyle events will provide the brand with a platform to get in front of people and interact with fans.”
Monster Energy will receive extensive signage opportunities on race weekends across the season, together with sampling opportunities within all event areas and at boat parades, VIP hospitality and exposure through P1’s national TV broadcast deals with Bally Sports Regional Sports Networks and CBS Sports.