The "Beer Can Races" go back for half a century but the now crowded waterway no longer has space for 40 foot sailboats to race at top speed, according to the Department's Harbor Patrol.
The controversy over the race and the challenge it poses for Harbor Patrol was reported ina story in today's Los Angeles Times.
The story said in part: Sailboat racing in Newport Harbor is a beloved summer pastime that borders on obsession for some. But now that harbor police are stopping boats -- midrace -- to issue speeding citations, many longtime racers consider dropping out.
To read the whole story click here.