The 60th Newberg Memorial Weekend Boat Races will be held Saturday May 24 and Sunday May 25 on the WillametteRiver at Rogers Landing in Newberg, Oregon. Racing each day will begin at approximately 10:30 am and conclude by 6:30 pm, featuring outboard boat racing ranging in speeds from 35 mph to over 90 mph. Admission is free to the public. Rogers Landing is located at the foot of River Street. River Street is at the 99W split in downtown Newberg - look for the signs.
This is one of the oldest outboard regattas in the country, and will feature 80-100 entries from Oregon, Washington, California, and British Columbia in as many as 18 classes. Entrants range in age from 9 years old to 60 plus. The race is put on by the Newberg Boat Club with assistance from the Columbia Outboard Racing Association, and is sanctioned by the American Power Boat Association.
Bleacher seating will be provided, as well as shoreline viewing along much of the racecourse. Concessions are available, featuring burgers, soft drinks, coffee, and snacks. Parking is available at the entrance to Rogers Landing (donations accepted). There will be a shuttle van available (donated by Loren Berg Chevrolet) to assist spectators down the hill to the viewing area. You can sign the insurance waiver, get a wristband, and visit the "hot" pits and talk to the racers.
For this year’s event the two clubs are planning a few special events. There will be two special feature classes running for prize money. The featured class on Saturday will be C Stock Hydro and on Sunday will be the fast tunnel boats, SST 120/Formula 150. There will be raffle tickets given out and prizes awarded to spectators. For racers, all drivers “60” years and older will have free entry for the weekend, plus, the first entry of the weekend for all drivers will be free. There is a spaghetti feed, live band, and the traditional bonfire for racers, volunteers, and their families Saturday night.
The Newberg tradition started in 1946, when a small group of men with a love for boats, speed, and water formed the Newberg Boat Club. In the beginning the members built a boat ramp each year, as the winter’s high waters would wash the previous year’s ramp away. With the Oregon rains generally not stopping until July, the ramp and surrounding area were pretty much a mud hole on Memorial Weekend. The club members eventually poured a cement ramp and built a dock and each year improved the park area. In more recent years Yamhill County has taken over management of the ramp and park and have vastly improved the area with help from the Oregon State Marine Board.
The first couple of years the club ran a marathon race from Newberg to Salem and back. Then in 1948 they decided their event needed improvement and became affiliated with the American Power Boat Association. This ongoing affair has run every year since except for one year when the water was too high to safely conduct a boat race. This event is one of the highlights of the 10 race Region 10 outboard season.
The Yamhill County Commission has authorized full closure of the Rogers Landing parking area and boat launch from 6:00 pm Friday May 23 until 11:59 pm Sunday May 25. The Oregon State Marine Board has authorized closure of the Willamette River between the St. Paul Bridge and the northern end of Ash Island from 10:00 am until 6:30 pm on both Saturday May 24 and Sunday May 25.