Here’s this week’s WCJ Weekly Racing Roundup, where we check in with the organizations, racers, and championship battles shaping the 2026 personal watercraft racing season. As summer racing continues to build momentum, the IHRA Professional Watercraft Series moves closer to its championship finale, HydroDrags prepares for a major World Championship event with new improvements and procedures, and Nauti Water Racing returns to action with both regional competition and a major schedule shakeup ahead.
IHRA Professional Watercraft Series
With Round 3 at Lake of the Ozarks now in the rearview mirror, the IHRA Professional Watercraft Series is entering the championship stretch. Three events remain on the inaugural 2026 schedule, and with points battles tightening across nearly every division, the race for season titles is beginning to take shape.
Series officials recently opened hotel reservations for the Mercury Midwest Challenge, set for August 7-9 in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Racers and teams are encouraged to reserve rooms before the July 26 deadline, as the event marks the first of three remaining stops before the season concludes with September races in Williamsburg, Virginia, and the World Cup at Lake Havasu City, Arizona.
One of the closest championship races continues to be the Endurance Team Championship, where Team Caldwell Racing Monster Energy leads with 520 points. Team JETX & Snyderbuilt sits just nine points behind at 511, while Team Farthing Racing remains well within striking distance with 492 points. With three events remaining, the title is still very much up for grabs.
Individual championships are shaping up just as closely. Jay Edworthy holds a narrow lead in Pro Endurance over Deven Farthing and Noah Skipps, while Garrett Loftin leads AM Endurance 300 and Baron Mernik tops the AM Endurance 200 standings.
Several other divisions remain highly competitive heading into Sheboygan. Straus Mernik continues to pace Sport Spec ahead of Talan Farthing, Sadie Mir leads Ski GP2, Kashe Crawford holds the advantage in Ski GP3, and Emy Garcia sits atop the Women’s Ski GP standings. Eric Lagopoulos leads Runabout GP3, Cash McClure heads the Junior Ski championship, Jason Seeley maintains a slim advantage in Runabout 1100 Limited, Mike “The Klipper” Klippenstein leads Vet Ski, Jeff Wright sits atop Vintage 550, and Coy Curtis continues to lead the Pro Ski championship over Revin Harris and Ryder Wildeboer.
Although the next green flag won’t drop until August, the championship picture is beginning to come into focus. With Sheboygan, Williamsburg, and the season-ending World Cup at Lake Havasu still to come, every remaining moto will carry significant championship implications.
HydroDrags
While the next FuelTech HydroDrags event is still several months away, preparations are already well underway for the 2026 World Championships, and series founder Billy Tew recently shared several event updates with The Watercraft Journal as organizers continue refining one of personal watercraft racing’s premier drag racing weekends.
Among the biggest improvements planned for this year’s event is a redesigned staging area intended to eliminate the lengthy waits racers experienced in previous years. Tew also confirmed the launch pad has been further secured, the electronic starting light system is now fully operational, and both the centerline and finish-line buoy systems have been upgraded with larger, brighter markers to improve visibility for racers and officials alike.
Several procedural changes are also being introduced. Racers will be required to complete a mandatory check-in before the riders meeting to receive their event wristbands and sign a secondary waiver. Every personal watercraft must display matching race numbers at least three inches tall on both sides of the hull, while technical inspections will be conducted before competition and again for the top four finishers in each class following the event. Approved machines must display a visible tech inspection sticker at the launch area, and all competitors will be required to wear an approved helmet, life jacket, neck protection, and closed-toe shoes while competing.
The 2026 FuelTech HydroDrags World Championships are scheduled for November 21-22 at Sunset Cove Amphitheater in Boca Raton, Florida. Organizers note that racing will conclude by 5 p.m. each day because of the earlier November sunset, and entries in each class will be limited. Competition will include Junior (13-16), Sea-Doo vs. Sea-Doo, Pro Stock, Pro Spec, Super Stock, Turbo No Nitrous, Unlimited, and Drag Slalom classes for both stand-up and runabout watercraft, with cash payouts awarded to the top three finishers in every division.
Registration is handled exclusively through the HydroDrags mobile app, which also serves as the series’ central information hub. Available for both Android and iOS devices in English and Spanish, the app provides racers and spectators with live brackets, real-time speed tracking, current rules, event news, ticket information, and additional race weekend updates.
Nauti Water Racing
Nauti Water Racing returns to action this weekend as the Mid-America WaterX Series heads to Branched Oak Recreation Area near Raymond, Nebraska, for Rounds 2 and 3 of the regional championship on July 11-12.
The organization continues its push to make racing more accessible by once again offering free entry for first-time racers, while experienced competitors will be chasing valuable championship points as the Mid-America season continues to build momentum following its June opener at Hillsdale Lake, Kansas. Racing begins Saturday morning following a riders meeting at 8 a.m., with two motos scheduled each day before awards conclude the weekend.
Beyond this weekend’s racing, Nauti Water Racing is also preparing for one of the biggest schedule changes of the season. After the cancellation of the planned Pro Watercross stop at Grand Lake, Oklahoma, organizers moved their Outlaw Series event in Paris, Texas, up to July 25-26. The weekend will now serve as a double-points event for the Dale’s Jetsports Series, significantly increasing the championship stakes.
Rather than simply changing dates, Nauti Water Racing is using the opportunity to introduce a completely redesigned race course. The Paris event will feature a mandatory “Joker Lane,” requiring every rider to take an alternate route once during each race, adding a strategic element rarely seen in personal watercraft competition. Organizers are also planning a shorter, more technical course designed to reward precision and close racing while improving the show for spectators.
Current national championship battles are already beginning to emerge across several classes. Travis Billings leads Junior Ski 10-12 Lites, while Mark Queen tops Junior Ski 13-15 Lites. Andrew Cecere has built a comfortable advantage in Ski 2-Stroke Limited, Sophia Benson holds a commanding lead in Women’s Ski Lites, and Brice Chambers continues to pace Pro-Am Ski Lites. One of the closest contests remains Pro-Am Ski GP, where Ryan Poper’s narrow lead over Brayden Sebben leaves little margin for error as the summer schedule heats up.
That’s a wrap on this week’s WCJ Weekly Racing Roundup. From championship points tightening across national series to organizers refining events and introducing new challenges for racers, the 2026 season continues to evolve at every level of personal watercraft competition. With the biggest battles of the year still ahead, the second half of the racing season promises plenty of action both on and off the water.
