As of early this morning, registration for the November 1-8 Race World Offshore Key West World Championships stood at 93 teams. That bodes well for another 100-plus-team turnout as teams often sign up at the last minute and 10 days remain before the first green flag flies.
The Key West World Championships are on track for another big turnout. Photo by Pete Boden copyright Shoot 2 Thrill Pix.
No surprise to informed fans of the sport, the Super Stock class leads the registration pack with 14 teams signed up so far. The Super Cat class has eight teams inked, while the Class 1, Class 2 and Mod V categories each have seven teams on the current roster.
Bracket class registration has been equally strong. Both the Bracket 700 and 500 categories have nine teams on the list. Bracket 400 and 600 each have six teams signed up, followed by Bracket 300 and 400, each with four teams.
Fans who want more information can click here here to view the current registration numbers.
More than 100 teams also registered for the 2025 event, which made for the largest Key West turnout in decades. Some of the push certainly came from welcome prize money put up by the International Hot Rod Association. But the IHRA is gone from the sport and the 2026 Key West event is on track for a similar turnout—minus a cash purse.
So what gives?
The most likely explanation is two-fold. First, the IHRA imploded after just four of its eight planned events including its own world championships in Miami. Most IHRA-loyal teams had skipped the late-June Race World Offshore season-opener in New Jersey, which left them the Great Lakes Grand Prix in Michigan City, Ind., and the Clearwater Nationals in Southwest Florida as options after the IHRA cratered midway through the season.
Weather scrubbed Sunday’s action in Michigan City. Clearwater attracted 90-plus teams, a record for the venue.
Translation? Pent-up demand among racers to simply go racing after a season of broken dreams and promises is high.
Second, Key West is Key West. It’s not easy to get to. It’s expensive. And crowded. Yet it remains the sport’s greatest stage.
And it’s coming back next week with a massive fleet.
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