Poker Run To Key West
Stu Jones, leader of the Florida Powerboat Club, says he is “picking up all the pieces” following his epic Key West Poker Run that took well over 200 teams from Miami to the USA’s Southernmost city for six days of fun, sun and Race World Offshore‘s Key West Offshore World Championships. Jones also revealed his group’s 2020 schedule, which will closely mirror this year’s itinerary. (See below for the complete schedule.)
Jones said the 2019 poker run season outpaced previous years, and credited the strong economy for the growth.
“This year turned out to be really successful, in that we launched a lot of new events and we set records on some of our bigger events, like the Key West Poker Run,” he says. “I think it reflects the state of the economy being at a very high level. The sport continues to grow, just because it’s a great sport and a great way to enjoy performance boating. We’re getting more people coming into this sector, and that’s why these events have become more successful. Seeing Key West go to record numbers, and going off without a hitch, was a real highlight.”
It’s been just about a decade since Jones operated his ubiquitous pace boat, 39′ Nor-Tech King of Clubs, which was a familiar fixture on FPC’s numerous runs through the years. This year, Jones could be seen driving his Project 1080 Cigarette (showcased in the May issue of Speedboat Magazine) during nearly every one of his group’s events, which was another red-banner moment.
“We put in 150 hours on the boat from January to November,” he reports. “That was a highlight for sure. The fact that I could start enjoying these poker runs in my own boat put a different slant on it for me and made them more enjoyable. Certainly one of the reasons it made my Key West run more fun is that I was able to drive my own boat all the way there and all the way back, and I haven’t been able to do that for a long time.”
Key West Poker Run by Florida Powerboat Club, Pompano Beach, Florida. 5,976 likes 25 talking about this 25 were here. A Boating Poker Run with members of the Florida Powerboat Club which happens. Key West Poker Run. Over the years, Peterson's Harley-Davidson of Miami/South has built a reputation for supporting the South Florida community. Florida Keys Information including Key West, Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon, Big Pine and all of Florida Keys, FL.
The Cigarette project boat celebrates the club’s 25th anniversary and perfectly captures the whole spirit of what the poker runs are for Jones. “It was truly special for me,” he says, “and I think it was one of the reasons I really enjoyed the 2019 Key West run.”
Jones says that the international participation at his club’s events continues to expand, “not only from Canada, which has always been strong, but European boaters are making transatlantic crossings, putting their boats on freighters and bringing them over here for the season to enjoy,” he says. “We had about 10 teams this year from European nations—all of them had brought their boats over for this event.”
With more participants than ever, the onus was on FPC to give away a colossal amount of shirts and other goodies. “It all goes bye-bye at Key West—we finish it off there,” he grins. “There might’ve been a few things left over. Smalls and mediums.”
COMMENTS
the PHIL PETERSON’S FLORIDA KEYS POKER RUN has been cancelled due to covid-19 concerns.
cancelled - OCTOBER 9,10,11th 2020
https://www.facebook.com/events/168873687890779/
Find the bike of your dreams for our next Poker Run! Click HERE to find a new Harley® or HERE to view our pre-owned inventory!
Agenda:
Stay tuned for the most up to date information.
Details for Poker Run:
It costs $10 per hand in the Poker Run for your chance to win a brand new Harley-Davidson®! We have groups who ride from the dealership at different times of day; there are no set schedules of groups of riders heading down to the keys.
Trust me, while riding down to the keys you will see PLENTY of bikers along the way to meet up with! Especially at the stops or parties mentioned above.
More info for the event can be found here:
Hope to see you on the open road! Only at #PetersonsHarley
Instagram: @PetersonsHDSouth @PetersonsHDofMiami
EVENT History
Phil Peterson's Key West Poker Run started some 45 years ago as an idea to drum up some business during a normally slow time of the year for his motorcycle business in Miami and Key West. Phil thought if he made a Poker Run event to Key West in August that would do the trick. Phil and a handful of local Motorcycle Clubs, decided to try it. The Run started early Saturday morning with sign-ups at the Miami Store. The Poker Run consists of a ride to Key West hitting five restaurants or bars along the way to draw a card, and arriving in Key West in time to get cleaned up for the Awards Dinner, Dance and Bike Show. The best hands would win prizes and as an added attraction, they had a Best Dressed Contest (where riders and their passengers) would wear matching boots, pants and shirts with their helmets painted to match their bikes so not only was the bike judged but also the riders were judged for the best looking couple and they were awarded trophies. On Sunday morning they would have a Field Meet showing off their rider skills and scored for different events ,i.e. slow race, roll a barrel with your front tire, ride over the feeler-totter plank etc., competing for trophies) in those days there were small well-organized riding clubs with a lot of camaraderie and friendly competition between clubs. Everyone would return home on Sunday afternoon and this went on for many years in the early days of the Poker Run. Today the Poker Run has grown into a major event with police estimates of 10,000 to 15,000 riders. In the recent years it has managed to sell out of all Key West hotels for the day. Drew Peterson, Phil's son, now manages and promotes the Poker run and believes another way that we can grow this event is to make it a Key's Bike Week with a Keys Poker Run.
In previous years we have had motorcycle ride events and attractions throughout the Middle and Lower Keys to attract riders to come and stay for the Week and Island hop. There are thousands of hotel rooms and places to stay throughout the middle and lower keys. The idea is to ride down and ride all over the keys for the first three or four days and enjoy many of the things, like snorkeling or dive trips, fishing and fishing trips, kayaking, jet skiing, para-sailing and of course, enjoying Paradise while eating, drinking and shopping. Then there is the Poker Run that will start on Friday, October 11th this year and end on Sunday the 13th at 4pm at the last stop.
Again this year, the Peterson's Harley-Davidson® Dealerships will start the week off with a Pre-Poker Run Party on October 5th. Come and sign up for the Poker Run, get ready to have good time partying with us.
You can sign up in person starting October 1st, at either one of the Peterson's Harley-Davidson® Dealerships. Buy as many hands as you like and increase your chances. Sign up for the Poker Run is $10 a hand.
For general questions please contact Peterson's Harley-Davidson® south at 305.235.4023 or email to drake@petersonsharley.com
POKER RUN - HISTORY
Over the years, Peterson's Harley-Davidson® of Miami/South has built a reputation for supporting the South Florida community. They regularly sponsor bike events, including breakfast rides, bike nights, dinner runs, weekend trips, and parties. Peterson's Harley-Davidson® also sponsors numerous charity events like the annual “Christmas Toys in the Sun Run”; the world’s largest toy run. Each year, their premier charity event is the Key's Poker Run, sponsored by Peterson's Harley-Davidson® of Miami, Peterson's Harley-Davidson® South, and this year Yuengling & Cartel Baggers.
45 years ago, Phil Peterson came up with the idea of a poker run to boost the motorcycle business, and the Key West tourist trade during the slow September season. What started with 46 riders has grown to become South Florida's biggest motorcycle party weekend of the year. Today, more than 10,000 riders from all over the U.S. enjoy this event. They rumble from Miami to the Keys, enjoying the sunshine, ocean breezes, and riding on the many bridges that cross over the beautiful turquoise water.
Along the way, they make five stops and draw a card at each stop. The winner is the lucky guy - or gal - who draws the best hand. If you draw one of the top ten hands, you get a chance to play one round of Texas Hold ‘Em for the grand prize!
Riders who want to participate in this year's 45th Annual Phil Peterson’s Key West Poker Run can sign up at Peterson's Harley-Davidson® of Miami, 19400 N.W 2nd Avenue (U.S. 441) or at Peterson's Harley-Davidson® South, 19825 S. Dixie Highway where the turnpike crosses over U.S.1 in Cutler Bay.
You can purchase your poker hands starting September 1st, and also in early September at our Open House, and until 12:00 noon on Saturday, September 15th.
The Poker Run does not begin until Friday, September 14th at 9:00 a.m. We only request a $10 donation per hand, and there is no limit to the number of hands you can play.
Any make of motorcycle, car, or truck is welcome. It doesn’t matter what you ride or drive, just don't miss this one-of-a-kind bike event!!!
WINNERS OF THE 2016 POKER RUN/'TEXAS HOLD-EM':
1st prize winner of $10,000:
Roy Bram from Miami, FL -
Winning the final Texas Hold-Em w/2 Qs
1st: Roger Tapanes, Miami, FL/5 Queens = $1000.00 & Plaque
2nd: Robert Hart, MPort St. Lucie, FL/4 Aces = $500.00 & Plaque
3rd: Chuck mantegazza, Hollywood, FL/4 JKings = $300.00 & Plaque
4th: Sally Mishmash, Marathon, FL/4 Jacks, King High = $200.00 & Plaque
Miami To Key West Poker Run Route Map
5th: Roy Bram, Miami, FL/4 Jacks, 10 High = $100.00 & Plaque
6th: Girolamo Dicembrino, Pembroke Pines, FL/4 Jacks, 5-4 High = Plaque
7th: Mike Sizer, from ?/4 Jacks, 5-3 High = Plaque
8th: Bryant Wade, from ?/4 10s = Plaque
9th: Thomas Evans, Hollywood, FL/4 9s = Planque
10th: Miguel Marino, Miramar, FL/4 7s = Planque
Winner of the Diabetes Research Institute 50/50 Raffle: Chad Herzog won the CASH!
The Longest Traveled Winner is - with 1,806 miles:
Robert Dixon, Omaha, Nebraska, who a $300.00 Peterson's Harley-Davidson® Gift Card.
Winner of the Oldest Poker Run T-Shirt: K.C. Casper, Miami, FL - a 1985 T-Shirt won him a $200.00 Peterson's Harley-Davidson® Gift Card.
Poker Run Miami To Key West
Congratulations!A 'GREAT BIG THANK YOU' TO EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED, DONATED AND PAID FOR PARKING ON DUVAL STREET.
The Peterson's Harley-Davidson® Family and the DIabetes Research Institute, would like to thank everyone for participating in another successful and fun-filler Poker Run weekend.
WOW, that a great 'Poker Run Bike Week' and weekend this turned out to be!
The weather did not look good according to the weather reports with an 80 to 90% chance of rain for Thursday and Friday but that is NOT how it turned out! The Harley® Gods shined on us once again with only an occasional shower or downpour depending on where you were and when, but with a smartphone and the radar app it was very manageable. The Keys Bike Week with parties and entertainment scheduled for Monday to Thursday started off very slow again this year due to poor weather.
On Friday morning I headed down with Stu Jones from Paradise Riders to film the Run and ride down for another episode of 'The Florida Motorcycle Riding Life Style' show to be aired on Fox Sun Sports Network this Fall.
The weather for Saturday and Sunday was Blue Skies and Beautiful for the Duval Street Bike Show with all the show bikes parked in front of Rick's/Dirty Harry's and Sloppy Joe's dominated by all the Custom Baggers from all the local builders. They really amped it up this year with their beautiful detailed creations of rolling art producing Booming Music and some great showmanship.
Congratulations to Peter Gonzalez for taking the Best in Show and Cartel Baggers for winning Best Pro Shop (See ALL the winners on our website!)
We signed up about the same amount of people to play poker as we did last year about 3,000 but we had a lot more people pay for parking on DUval STreet.
Thanks you all who played and participated!
Drew Peterson
BIKE SHOW WINNERS - 2016
1st Place | 2nd Place | 3rd Place | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Custom Buid | Robert Navarro | Rick Coles | |
| Chopper | Shawn King | ||
| Bobber | The Shop | ||
| Café Racer | Randy Dell | ||
| Trike | Kevin Chavez | ||
| Spyder | Amanda Ricardo | ||
| Sling Shot (Original) | Mauro Caballero | Envy Motoring | Thomas Home |
| Sling Shot (Modified) | Tommy Olbe | ||
| T-Rex | Alain Nieva | ||
| Metric Cruiser | Leo Navarro | Ray Díaz | |
| Dom. Touring (Original) | Ghira | Soto Eric | |
| H-D® Sportster® (Original) | Alex De Armas | Henry Vidal | |
| H-D® Dyna® (Original) | The Shop | Skip Donmeyer | |
| H-D® Dyna® (Modified) | Rey Melchor | ||
| H-D® Softail® (Original) | Dean Rivera | Dean Rivera | Alain Díaz |
| H-D® Softail® (Modified) | Gersey Alonso | Christian Newberry | |
| H-D® Road King® (Original) | Ricky Arenas | Delano Reid | Osniel Jimenez |
| H-D® Road King® (Modified) | Bobby (Cartel Baggers) | Humberto Conception | Jeff Hill |
| H-D® Road Glide (Original) | Markos Krung | Marcus Moon | Joe Roldon |
| H-D® Road Glide® (Modified) | Michael Delatorre | Fermin Essan | Alain Díaz |
| H-D® Street Glide (Original) | Eddie Quintero | Hickmat Kilzi | Lynard Bolden |
| H-D® Street Glide (Modified) | Eddie (Unique Custom Cycles) | Pete Gonzalez | Enrique Garcia |
| Boss Hoss | Joe Dipola | ||
| Vintage (Domestic) | John De Rojimo | Peter | |
| Home Built | Buster Carroll | Scott Bolozmy | |
| Best Of Show | Bobby (Cartel Baggers) | ||
| People's Choice | Lynard Bolden |