To add to the excitement leading into the 2018 P1 SuperStock USA Championship season, the entire fleet of P1 Panther raceboats is currently undergoing hull replacements that are expected to be finished well before the opening race in late April at Miami Marine Stadium, which marks the first time in more than 25 years that the historic venue has hosted a boat race.

Wilson Custom Composites is currently building new hulls for the P1 SuperStock USA race series. Photos courtesy Craig Wilson

According to a press release from the organization, the hull-replacement work is being handled by specialist boat builders, Wilson Custom Composites, whose owner, Craig Wilson, has nearly 20 years of racing experience.

“The new P1 hulls are being built with a very advanced infusion system,” Wilson said. “The system, foam core and custom-blend resins are ground breaking in the marine industry. The strengths we are achieving along with almost 800 pounds of weight loss—just in the hull—is unheard of. Wilson Custom Composites is very proud to partner with the most competitive racing series worldwide.”

P1 SuperStock CEO Azam Rangoonwala is ecstatic about the advancements being made within the series.

“The addition of these new hulls alongside the 300XS Mercury Racing engines will implement the use of cutting-edge technology and materials to provide the most level playing field in powerboat racing,” Rangoonwala said.

The P1 SuperStock USA team has already done some testing on one of the new hulls.

Once the hulls have been completed, the boats are going to be delivered to Kinetic Animation in Bradenton, Fla., where longtime offshore powerboat racer Ryan Beckley will apply new graphics.

The upgrade process began in November and is expected to be wrapped up by the end of February so the boats will be ready in time for the first race of the P1 SuperStock USA series, which is now in its eighth season.

Here’s a look at the 2018 schedule, which takes place completely in Florida:

Round 1: Miami Marine Stadium (April 21-22)
Round 2: Kissimmee/St Cloud (May 12)
Round 3: Jacksonville (June 2)
Round 4: St Pete Beach (June 16-17)
Round 5: Sarasota (June 30-July 1)

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