Cocoa Beach 2023

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https://www.thunderoncocoabeach.com/

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Schedule as of Today

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Tentative Pre Race Events

MAY 18 2023 (THURSDAY)
6pm – 10pm - High Octane Kick-Off Party Rusty’s and Fishlips at the Port
6pm – 10pm - Vip Party Fishlips at the Port
10pm-close - Thunder on Cocoa Beach After Party brought to you by Xinsurance at JT's Social Bar (inside the Cocoa Beach La Quinta Inn)

MAY 19 2023 (FRIDAY)
9am-5pm - Registration & Inspection: Race Village- Racer Village Flounder Dr
12:30pm - JJ Turk / Golf n Gator Invitational - Watch the racers compete against each other in go-carts before they compete in the water!
Location: Golf n Gator - 6355 N. Atlantic Ave. Cape Canaveral, FL
5pm – 10pm Thunder on Cocoa Beach Block Party – Downtown Cocoa Beach- Meet the racers
6pm-10pm Coconuts on the Beach VIP PARTY under the tent on the beach *while supplies last
110pm-close - Thunder on Cocoa Beach After Party brought to you by Xinsurance at JT's Social Bar (inside the Cocoa Beach La Quinta Inn)

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This year gain VIP access to four days of VIP parties and two days of racing hob knowing with other race enthusiasts in our VIP Chalets. The package includes food, beer & wine.

FULL THROTTLE: ELITE RACE FANS WANTED: $459
■ An elite Superboat fan race package. Get ready to be spoiled…
■ Get everything the ‘Feel the Thunder’ race fans get with these additional perks:

On Saturday & Sunday Race Days:

■ Private ‘Full Throttle Chalet’
■ Reserved Seating/Dedicated Chair for each ticket holder & umbrella
■ Includes private food bar. Complimentary beer & wine while supplies last. Private cash bar.
■ Meet & Greet with designated racers with photo (time and location TBD)
■ Full Throttle Swag Bag
■ 25% off purchase of TOCB merchendise
■ More perks to be announced!
■ Parking is not included

FEEL THE THUNDER: EXPERIENCE 4 DAYS OF THUNDER: $259
■ Commemorative Race T-Shirt
■ Exclusive VIP access to all TOCB OFFICIAL VIP PARTIES and Beer/Wine & Food included (while supplies last) at:
■ Thursday Rusty’s & Fishlips 6-10 p.m.
■ Friday Coconuts on the Beach 6-10 p.m.
■ Sunday Lori Wilson Park VIP Chalet Start/Finish Line 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
■ Premium viewing from a VIP Chalet at Lori Wilson Park on race day
■ Under tent shade, seating is first come first serve (bring your own chairs recommended)
■ Live audio broadcast and Livestream feed
■ Includes food, complimentary beer, and wine while supplies last. Cash bar. Please note the bar is not private and there is no table service.
■ Parking is not included
■ Add on Saturday VIP Chalet at Lori Wilson for $69

CHECKERED FLAG: LORI WILSON SATURDAY ONLY: $139
■ Lori Wilson Park VIP Chalet Start/Finish Line 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
■ Premium viewing from a VIP Chalet at Lori Wilson Park on race day
■ Under tent shade, seating is first come first serve (bring your own chairs recommended)
■ Live audio broadcast and Livestream feed
■ Includes food, complimentary beer, and wine while supplies last. Cash bar. Please note the bar is not private and there is no table service.
■ Parking is not included

GET WAKED AT SOUTH TURN 1: SUNDAY ONLY (COCONUTS ON THE BEACH): $139
■ This pass is for viewing the race from a special Race Fan Chalet on the beach in front of Coconuts on the Beach in front of Turn 1 (South Turn).
■ Premium viewing from the Race Fan Chalet on race day in front of Coconuts on the Beach 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
■ Includes Food, Beer/Wine while supplies last
■ Under tent shade and limited seating available (highly recommend bringing your own chairs)
■ Live audio broadcast and live stream feed
■ Does not include parking

GET WAKED AT NORTH TURN 2: SUNDAY ONLY (SANDBAR/FISH CAMP): $139
■ This pass is for viewing the race from a special Race Fan Chalet on the beach at Shepard Park sponsored by Sandbar/Fish Camp in front of Turn 2 (North Turn).
■ Premium viewing from the Race Fan Chalet on race day on the beach at Shepard Park sponsored by Sandbar/Fish Camp 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
■ Includes Food, Beer/Wine while supplies last
■ Under tent shade and limited seating available (highly recommend bringing your own chairs)
■ Live audio broadcast and live stream feed
■ Does not include parking

KIDS VIP PASS:
■ Access to VIP areas with a VIP Adult

Thunder On Cocoa Beach is proud to offer advertiser and vendor opportunities for our annual powerboat race. Partner with a proven community event and gain maximum exposure for your business. To become a sponsor or to learn more information click

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NEWS RELEASE, May 16, 2023

For immediate release

Florida’s Space Coast Set To Welcome Powerboat P1 Race Weekend

Cocoa Beach prepares to host marine motorsport event featuring two days of world class action

Final preparations are underway for Powerboat P1’s season-opener this weekend (May 18-21) at Cocoa Beach on Florida’s Space Coast, with a total of more than 60 boats expected to compete in the 16 race classes. It will be the second event of the five-venue 2023 APBA Offshore National Championship and the opening round of the UIM Class 1 World Championship.

It will be the 13th year of the four-day Thunder On Cocoa Beach event and the message from its Race Director, Kerry Bartlett is clear and simple: “We’re ready! The team here is extremely excited to welcome race teams and fans from all over the world, and the shorter course with Saturday and Sunday racing will increase the excitement and entertainment for spectators.” Action on Saturday will feature Class 1 and Super Cat qualifying, to establish lane orders for the race start, together with Super Stock racing and several Bracket classes. Combine all that with testing and practice sessions, and what has traditionally been a quieter day during a race weekend becomes action-packed. Regarded as the pinnacle of offshore racing, Class 1 will be the highlight of Sunday afternoon as boats from three continents battle for the world title.

Celebrating its 20th anniversary, Powerboat P1 will be handling the on-water operations and racing at Cocoa Beach for the fifth year and its Global Operations Director, Martin Raby explains: “With the dry pits, cranes and boat ramps more than five miles away at Port Canaveral, we need to ensure that all the boats are launched exactly on time. The full length of the offshore race course is 6.9 miles and, with their twin inboard 1100hp engines, the Class 1 boats will average 144 mph to complete a lap every 2.8 minutes. On the west side of the course, it runs parallel to the beach for 2.5 miles to give spectators a great view of the action.”

P1 USA Championship Manager, Michelle Petro works closely with the United States Coast Guard months prior to the race weekend to obtain approval on the proposed race course and to laying a myriad of racing and exclusion zone buoys using a GPS system to ensure that any excluded areas on the sea bed due to flora and fauna or underground pipes and communication cables are avoided. Cocoa Beach and the entire Space Coast has been described as ‘an eco-tourist’s dream come true,’ featuring sandy turtle nesting beaches, rich lagoon waters, dolphins, manatees, cranes, wading birds and alligators. “Within motorsport there is increasing sensitivity to the environment and Powerboat P1 has been committed to developing a corporate environmental policy and implementing effective programmes as an integral part of its business strategy,” commented Petro. “We will have a dedicated team of marine wildlife observers in place on the shore, on the water and in the air to spot and track wildlife in the extended race course area.”

The Florida holiday brochures point out that only on the Space Coast will you be able to experience a rocket launch up close, enjoy outstanding surfing in the Atlantic waves, embark on a cruise from bustling Port Canaveral and relax on uncrowded beaches. Cocoa Beach welcomes around 2.5 million visitors each year and this weekend there will be the added attraction of world class powerboat racing. Marine motorsport fans around the world will be able to watch all the action live streamed on the P1 Offshore YouTube page, and highlights will be broadcast nationally next month on the Bally Sports regional sports networks and CBS Sports Network. The potential reach of Powerboat P1’s worldwide television deals is more than 230 million homes in over 100 counties.

Roy Mantle at Powerboat P1

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STEVE CURTIS UPBEAT AHEAD OF UIM CLASS 1 SEASON-OPENER

SVEA Racing reveal new boat name and striking rebranding to kick-start title defence
Brit Lilly to start alongside Curtis at Cocoa Beach
Qualifying session tomorrow afternoon (Saturday) ahead of Sunday’s race

Friday, 19 May 2023, Cocoa Beach, Florida: SVEA Racing’s Steve Curtis says the Huski-backed outfit is in good shape to start the defence of its world title at this weekend’s ‘Thunder on Cocoa Beach’, the 2023 UIM Class 1 World Powerboat Championship season-opener on Florida’s Space Coast.

Earlier this week the Team revealed a striking rebranding of its multi-championship winning Victory hull to coincide with the product launch of a ready-to-drink Vodka cocktail - Huski Ice Spritz – and confirmed that Brit Lilly will take the wheel alongside Curtis.

Whilst pre-season preparations and testing have gone well, Curtis said their focus is beyond the first race. “We are working on two stages of development but won’t be introducing any upgrades for the opener. The conditions at Cocoa Beach are predominantly rough and our rough water set up is good. We will stay with what we had in Key West at the end of last year. What we are working on is improving our flat-water pace and set up and have some modifications that we are trying, looking at the aerodynamics and trying different prop options. But in all honesty, there is not too much to play with as these boats are well developed.”

Curtis’ focus on improving their flat water set up is ignited by the challenge he believes they will face from two key rivals. “I think the Monster Energy Skater will be fast and the MTI that XINSURANCE will be running is going to have good top speed. It has a big tunnel and is good in the corners. It’s the flat water where we need to up our game.”

Thirty-eight years on from becoming the youngest winner of the UIM Class 1 world title at 21 and the first of nine - winning in 1985 with AJ Roberts in a boat designed by his Father Clive - the British ace is as fired up and as positive as ever about the sport. “There is always work to do but the championship under Powerboat P1 and Azam [ Rangoonwala] is in very good shape and on the up,” he said. “The involvement of Mercury Racing and the introduction of the Mercury Racing 1100 Competition QC4v has improved the sport and competition. “Mercury is pushing it and their engineers and technicians are on site to ensure parity. The engine is great, it has good power, good torque and is super reliable. In the past we tried to achieve parity but there was always a stumbling block. Now we have it, and your engines are the same as the boats either side of you on the start line. We are here to race boats not engines.”

With eight Teams signed up, new boats, new driver-throttleman line-ups and all outfits running the Mercury 1100 competition engine, this season’s six-venue campaign throws up some exciting match ups, not least the growing anticipation of the sports two most successful and decorated throttlemen Steve Curtis and two-time UIM Class 1 world champion John Tomlinson going up against each other, Tomlinson teaming-up with Alegra Motorsports owner-driver Carlos de Quesada in Pothole Heroes.

Last year’s championship runners-up 222 Offshore’s Daren Nicholson and Giovanni Carpitella will be looking to go two-better than last years’ third place in Cocoa Beach, with Carpitella set to make his 50th Grand Prix start.

Two to watch out for are last season’s RWO Super Cat world champions Tyler Miller and Myrick Coil in Monster Energy/M.CON Racing’s new Skater who step-up into the top-flight to make their UIM Class 1 debut.

Two other new partnerships in 2023 sees Hugh Fuller joining Rich Wyatt in the cockpit of dfYoung and Chris Hanley teaming-up with owner-driver Mike Falco in the Team Defalco boat.

Missing from the start line in Cocoa Beach will be XINSURANCE/Goodboy Vodka and new to Class 1 Sudrheim Offshore Racing, with both outfits looking to be ready for round 2 in Sarasota at the end of June.

The action starts with Qualifying on Saturday at 14.00hrs [local time], followed by Sunday’s race starting at 13.00hrs, with both being streamed live on the championship web site, class1world.com

Roy Mantle at Powerboat P1

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