Diego’s Mission Bay, September 16-18, as headliner of the region’s largest annual family beach festival and sports competition.
This year marks the first time in three years the Air National Guard Hydroplane Series and the Lucas Oil Drag Boat Racing Series have run together on MissionBay. They are joined by the automotive-powered Grand Prix West Hydroplanes and offshore series newcomer P1 USA, among others during the three-day weekend.
“The Unlimited hydroplanes and the drag boats are truly fan favorites,” said Jeff Thomas, chairman of San Diego Bayfair’s Board of Directors. “This is the only race site in the country you can experience both tours on the same body water, same weekend. If you love jet engines or the roar of the pistons and the sheer speed of seeing the fastest race craft with no wheels, Bayfair is the place to be in September.
“But it’s more than just powerboat racing, there’s something for everyone, great vendors, food, music and the shores of beautiful Mission Bay, combined with the best weather of the year.”
San Diego is the final regular season stop for The Air National Guard Hydroplane Series before wrapping up its season in Doha, Qatar in November. Ten unlimited hydroplanes compete for the famed Bill Muncey Cup, which was won last year by the tour’s all-time winningest driver Dave Villwock, who just this year passed Muncey’s record of 62 wins.
Villwock, driving the Spirit of Qatar, and his primary competition driver Steve David in the Oh Boy! Oberto have each won two races this season, though there’s a young, highly skilled group of drivers challenging the two veteran’s dominance. Speeding across the water at over 200 mph in the straightaways on the 2.5-mile Bill Muncey racecourse, the fastest body of water on the circuit, drivers are subjected to G-forces similar to what a fighter pilot experiences. Even there boats are similar, protected in cockpits designed after the Air Force’s F-16 Fighting Falcon.
Returning to Mission Bay after a one-year hiatus, the Lucas Oil Drag Boat Racing Series expects as many 120 boats churning up the water in front of Crown Point. Billed as the extreme sport of extreme sports, the series’ Top Fuel Hydros can achieve 260 mph on a quarter-mile course.
As the drivers attest, there is a fine line between winning the race and crashing. Drag boats are competing in 11 classes including sportsman, PWC and professional. In addition to the racing action, fans can meet the drivers and watch up-close the boats being prepared for competition.
Here’s a brief overview of the other classes of boat racing at Bayfair:
“But it’s more than just powerboat racing, there’s something for everyone, great vendors, food, music and the shores of beautiful Mission Bay, combined with the best weather of the year.”
Villwock, driving the Spirit of Qatar, and his primary competition driver Steve David in the Oh Boy! Oberto have each won two races this season, though there’s a young, highly skilled group of drivers challenging the two veteran’s dominance. Speeding across the water at over 200 mph in the straightaways on the 2.5-mile Bill Muncey racecourse, the fastest body of water on the circuit, drivers are subjected to G-forces similar to what a fighter pilot experiences. Even there boats are similar, protected in cockpits designed after the Air Force’s F-16 Fighting Falcon.
Returning to Mission Bay after a one-year hiatus, the Lucas Oil Drag Boat Racing Series expects as many 120 boats churning up the water in front of Crown Point. Billed as the extreme sport of extreme sports, the series’ Top Fuel Hydros can achieve 260 mph on a quarter-mile course.
As the drivers attest, there is a fine line between winning the race and crashing. Drag boats are competing in 11 classes including sportsman, PWC and professional. In addition to the racing action, fans can meet the drivers and watch up-close the boats being prepared for competition.
Here’s a brief overview of the other classes of boat racing at Bayfair:
Grand Prix West—The piston-powered boats are just 2 feet shorter than the unlimited hydroplanes, but are powered by supercharged, big-block V8s, racing at speeds over 160 miles per hour. Grand Prix West boats are a fan favorite, offering the roar of piston engines and the rumble of brute horsepower.
P1 USA—A new offshore racing series to North America, the series decides its SuperStock champion in San Diego. The tour features outboard-powered 28-foot V-bottoms head-to-head, Match Racing on Saturday and an endurance race on Sunday. The boats must maneuver an exceptionally tight course in Mission Bay, a challenge for the most experienced driver. The tour also includes twin-engine V-bottom boats.
Cracker Boxes—Appearing with the Lucas Oil Drag Boat Series, Cracker Boxes feature the engine in front of the driver and observer. The flat-bottom runabouts have the exact same bottom design as the boats when they made their debut in the 1930s. These boats can run speeds up to 100 mph.
Stock Hydros—Capable of speeds of up to 70 mph, these small hydroplanes use small outboards and run a tight course close to the fans.
PWC—Featuring many of the top riders from the West Coast on standup and sit-down PWC, these agile and fast watercraft thrill race fans. More than 15 riders will compete in various classes for fans on Crown Point.
In addition to the racing, the Air National Guard San Diego Bayfair includes live music and entertainment for the entire family. Vendor booths will be selling foods and there are carnival games for youths. For those over 21, beer gardens will be set up where fans can watch the racing action.
Tickets are $25 for a single-day entry pass or a three-day Super Pass is $45. Children under age 12 are free. Active military personnel and reservists with valid ID are free to Bayfair. Gates open at 7 a.m. and close at 6 p.m. each day, Friday through Sunday, September 16-18.
Air National Guard Big Stage Fri Sept 16th
Time Band Name Genre
10am Froghead ___________ Rock / Alternative Rock / Progressive Rock
11am Cyanide Vogue ___________ Rock / Dirty Rock n Roll
12pm SoundDrug ______________ Rock / Alternative / JAP
1pm Gloss ___________________ Trip-Hop / Nu-Disco / Electro-Funk
2pm Hocus __________________ Alternative / rock / indie rock
3pm Locked Out Of Eden _______ Alternative / Acoustic / Rock
4pm Jinx King_________________ Americana / Blues / Rockabilly
5pm Piracy & Southbay Wailers____ Reggae / Roots Music
6pm Todo Mundo_______________ Latin / Reggae / Brazilian
7pm Psydecar__________________ Reggae / Rock / Soul
8pm Shelle Blue_________________ Jazz / Blues / Soul
9pm Divided By Design___________ Rock / Hard Rock
Air National Guard Big Stage Sat Sept 17th
Time Band Name Genre
10am SECS_____________________ Alternative / rock
11am Autograph Session
12pm Autograph Session
1pm Chad Scott__________________ Pop / Reggae / Funk
2pm Cathouse Thursday _____________ Blues / Soul / Jazz / Rock
3pm Enreverie ___________________ Alternative / Indie / Rock
4pm 3 Degrees Off Center __________ Acoustic / Blues / Folk Rock
5pm Major F & Dealio ______________ Rock / Funk
6pm Girl In The Middle _____________ Rock
7pm Black Party Politics____________ Rock / Afro-Punk / Pop
8pm Wine Brew __________________ Rock / Cover
9pm Trailerpark Rockstar __________ Rock / Hard Rock
Air National Guard Big Stage Sun Sept 18th
Time Band Name Genre
10am Simple Comfort _____________ Alternative / Folk Rock / Reggae
11am Christopher Dale ____________ Acoustic / Pop / Rock
12pm Blue Mountain Mule _________ Bluegrass / Blues / Folk Rock
1pm Jet West ___________________ Rock / Reggae / Heavy Rock
2pm The Farmers ________________ Americana / Rock / Roots Music
P1 USA—A new offshore racing series to North America, the series decides its SuperStock champion in San Diego. The tour features outboard-powered 28-foot V-bottoms head-to-head, Match Racing on Saturday and an endurance race on Sunday. The boats must maneuver an exceptionally tight course in Mission Bay, a challenge for the most experienced driver. The tour also includes twin-engine V-bottom boats.
Cracker Boxes—Appearing with the Lucas Oil Drag Boat Series, Cracker Boxes feature the engine in front of the driver and observer. The flat-bottom runabouts have the exact same bottom design as the boats when they made their debut in the 1930s. These boats can run speeds up to 100 mph.
Stock Hydros—Capable of speeds of up to 70 mph, these small hydroplanes use small outboards and run a tight course close to the fans.
PWC—Featuring many of the top riders from the West Coast on standup and sit-down PWC, these agile and fast watercraft thrill race fans. More than 15 riders will compete in various classes for fans on Crown Point.
In addition to the racing, the Air National Guard San Diego Bayfair includes live music and entertainment for the entire family. Vendor booths will be selling foods and there are carnival games for youths. For those over 21, beer gardens will be set up where fans can watch the racing action.
Tickets are $25 for a single-day entry pass or a three-day Super Pass is $45. Children under age 12 are free. Active military personnel and reservists with valid ID are free to Bayfair. Gates open at 7 a.m. and close at 6 p.m. each day, Friday through Sunday, September 16-18.
Air National Guard Big Stage Fri Sept 16th
Time Band Name Genre
10am Froghead ___________ Rock / Alternative Rock / Progressive Rock
11am Cyanide Vogue ___________ Rock / Dirty Rock n Roll
12pm SoundDrug ______________ Rock / Alternative / JAP
1pm Gloss ___________________ Trip-Hop / Nu-Disco / Electro-Funk
2pm Hocus __________________ Alternative / rock / indie rock
3pm Locked Out Of Eden _______ Alternative / Acoustic / Rock
4pm Jinx King_________________ Americana / Blues / Rockabilly
5pm Piracy & Southbay Wailers____ Reggae / Roots Music
6pm Todo Mundo_______________ Latin / Reggae / Brazilian
7pm Psydecar__________________ Reggae / Rock / Soul
8pm Shelle Blue_________________ Jazz / Blues / Soul
9pm Divided By Design___________ Rock / Hard Rock
Air National Guard Big Stage Sat Sept 17th
Time Band Name Genre
10am SECS_____________________ Alternative / rock
11am Autograph Session
12pm Autograph Session
1pm Chad Scott__________________ Pop / Reggae / Funk
2pm Cathouse Thursday _____________ Blues / Soul / Jazz / Rock
3pm Enreverie ___________________ Alternative / Indie / Rock
4pm 3 Degrees Off Center __________ Acoustic / Blues / Folk Rock
5pm Major F & Dealio ______________ Rock / Funk
6pm Girl In The Middle _____________ Rock
7pm Black Party Politics____________ Rock / Afro-Punk / Pop
8pm Wine Brew __________________ Rock / Cover
9pm Trailerpark Rockstar __________ Rock / Hard Rock
Air National Guard Big Stage Sun Sept 18th
Time Band Name Genre
10am Simple Comfort _____________ Alternative / Folk Rock / Reggae
11am Christopher Dale ____________ Acoustic / Pop / Rock
12pm Blue Mountain Mule _________ Bluegrass / Blues / Folk Rock
1pm Jet West ___________________ Rock / Reggae / Heavy Rock
2pm The Farmers ________________ Americana / Rock / Roots Music
