F1 powerboat racing returns to Marble Falls
F1 boats compete for top position in the International Hot Road Association F1 Powerboat Championship Series. Photos courtesy of IHRA
The International Hot Rod Association F1 Powerboat Championship Series returns to Marble Falls with the Battle on the Colorado from June 5-7. The series swooped in to take the place of LakeFest in 2025, and organizers are now staking a checkered flag on Lake Marble Falls in the hope of making it a regular competition site.
The “Battle” features three days of action-packed powerboat circuit racing on Lake Marble Falls. Festivities will be based out of Lakeside Park at 305 Buena Vista Drive. This year’s event will be held in conjunction with the kickoff of the 2026 Marble Falls Summer Concert Series at nearby Johnson Park, 230 Avenue J.
“The cool thing about Marble Falls is the setting,” F1 Powerboat Championship Series founder Tim Seebold told The Picayune. “With that natural hillside (at Lakeside Park), it is like built-in bleachers. There is not a bad seat in the house.”
The Marble Falls race is just one stop in the IHRA series, with professional drivers from across the country competing for top position, cash prizes, and points in the overall championship. Race categories include the 100-mph-plus F1 boats, the open seating tri-hulls, the zippy formula light class, and the new talent cup, which features junior racers.
The F1 Powerboat Championship was held in Marble Falls for the first time in 2025 after the Southern Drag Boat Association chose to not return to the city for LakeFest. According to F1 organizers, Lake Marble Falls is the perfect venue for circuit-style racing because of its calm water, consistent level, and lack of debris.
“To be honest, this is a race site that I’ve known about and coveted for over 20 years,” organizer Chris Keefer said. “This is arguably one of the best, if not the best, race sites in the country for what we do.”
The Marble Falls/Highland Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce is handling ticket sales. Admission to the event on Friday, June 5, is free. General admission on Saturday and Sunday for the main racing is $20 each day, but children ages 8 and younger get in for free. Purchase tickets online or call 830-693-2815 to learn more about special box seating and VIP experiences.
“To see the performance of these boats at high speed, going into turns at 100 mph, it’s pretty impressive,” Keefer said. “It’s an action-packed weekend with very little downtime. We’re keeping boats on the water and the fans engaged.”
EVENT SCHEDULE
All events take place at Lakeside Park unless otherwise noted
Friday, June 5
11 a.m.-1 p.m.: F1 two-seater race ride experience
1 p.m.—F1 boat testing
2 p.m.—Formula light testing
3 p.m.—Talent cup testing
3:15 p.m.—Tri-hull testing
4 p.m.—F1 testing
5 p.m.—Boats on display
6 p.m.—Racer Rally Street Party
7 p.m.—Marble Falls Summer Concert Series at Johnson Park
Saturday, June 6
9 a.m.—Tri-hull testing
9:30 a.m.—Formula light testing and qualifiers
10:30 a.m.—F1 testing and qualifiers
11:30 a.m.—Talent cup testing
Noon—Opening ceremony
12:15 p.m.—Tri-hull heat one
12:45 p.m.—F1 heat one
1:30 p.m.—Formula light heat one
2 p.m.—Talent cup heat one
2:15 p.m.—Tri-hull heat two
2:45 p.m.—Formula light heat two
3:30 p.m.—F1 heat two
Sunday, June 7
9 a.m.—Talent cup heats two and three
10:30 a.m.—Formula light heat three
11:30 a.m.—F1 two-seater race ride experience for raffle winners
Noon—Opening ceremony
12:15 p.m.—Tri-hull heat three
12:45 p.m.—F1 heat three
1:15 p.m.—Formula light final
2 p.m.—Talent cup final
2:15 p.m.—Tri-hull final
3 p.m.—F1 final
4 p.m.—Awards presentation and driver autograph session