2016 Cocoa Beach Super Boat Races, News and Videos

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COCOA BEACH and PORT CANAVERAL, Florida -- The 7th annual "Thunder on Cocoa Beach" super boat race has returned once again to Florida's Space Coast. According to event organizers, this year's race will feature more world class race teams than ever before.

Friday May 13: Parade of Super Boats

From 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., the Super Boat Parade will head south along State Road A1A from Port Canaveral to downtown Cocoa Beach. A block party and VIP race party will be take place later that night in downtown Cocoa Beach.

Saturday May 14: Race Village Opens

The Race Village on Dave Nesbit Drive in the Cove at Port Canaveral will open from noon until 10 p.m. on May 14, 2016. The event will feature the powerboats on display along with food, drink, live music, and the 2016 Miss Thunder on Cocoa Beach Bikini Contest .

Sunday May 16: Race Day

On May 15, 2016, the first super boat race start time is at noon, followed by a second race that begins at 2 p.m. The race route runs from Jetty Park to Lori Wilson Park. The race will also pass The Cocoa Beach Pier, Fischer Park, and Shepard Park.

For more information, visit www.thunderoncocoabeach.com

http://news.brevardtimes.com/2016/05...aces-this.html

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Thunder on Cocoa Beach Super Boat Race Parties

Guests come from all over the state to visit Cocoa Beach and watch the Thunder on Cocoa Beach Space Coast Super Boat Grand Prix, so it’s no surprise that the parties during race week (May 11-15) are the most entertaining and epic parties of the year. Thunder on Cocoa Beach hosts every type of party, from family-friendly dinners to awesome block parties. The Super Boat Race Parties are something you won’t want to miss.

Wednesday & Thursday

The VIP, Media and Sponsor Reception at the Hilton in Cocoa Beach will be on Wednesday, May 11. On Thursday, the party will head to Juice N’ Java Cafe in downtown Cocoa Beach for the High Octane Kick-Off Party. There will be live music, food, drinks and the chance to see the amazing super boats up close. You’ll also have a chance to meet the race teams that make it happen. The party is open to the public, but VIP ticket holders get their own VIP area to hangout and have a good time.

Friday

Friday, May 13, will be jam-packed with awesome race-related activities and parties. Grab the family and get ready for a parade of Super Boats! Sometime between 3 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. a parade of Super Boats will be traveling from Port Canaveral to downtown Cocoa Beach.

Friday evening from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., Hunker Down Hideaway will be hosting a Power Pre-Race Party. This beach-shack bar is the perfect place to get the party started. At 6 p.m. the Thunder on Cocoa Beach Street Party will take over the streets of downtown Cocoa Beach. An average of 8,000 people attend the Street Party. There are countless vendors, bars, and delicious food. Several of the big name race teams and their super boats will be at the Street Party to sign autographs. Bring your camera and take a picture with the race teams and boats! Right down the street, Coconuts on the Beach will be hosting their VIP Party where guests can meet the Racers.

Saturday

On Saturday guests will see the Super Boats in the water. While you’re watching the boats get craned in and out of the water and in the Wet/Hot Pits, stop by one of the many vendors and jam out to the live music that will be in Race Village. Later that night stop by the VIP Party (location to be announced) and meet the Racers.

Sunday

Sunday! The big day – Race Day. Purchase your VIP Premium Viewing package and watch the race in style at one of the VIP Hospitality Tents at the Cocoa Beach Pier, Lori Wilson Park or Shepard Park. The VIP Premium Viewing tents will have flat screen TVs with live stream video of the race and race commentary to let you know whats going on in the race.

All of the parties will be from 6 p.m. until 10 p.m.

For more information on the Super Boat Race Parties please visit ThunderOnCocoaBeach.com.

http://www.brevardnightlife.com/thun...-race-parties/

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Main Race Link

http://thunderoncocoabeach.com/

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Fast and furious: Thunder on Cocoa Beach
Lyn Dowling, for FLORIDA TODAY

Space Coast Superboat Grand Prix takes place May 11-15.

Mark Niemann likes to go fast. He can speed along on the streets or even on grass, on a polo pony, but he really likes to move it, move it on the water, where he pilots the sleek Phantom No. 9 at speeds as high as 95 mph.

On water, that’s really speedy. Perilous? Of course.

Watch Neimann and other offshore racers in various classes, some of which feature boats that go as fast as 200 mph, defy wind and waves Sunday, May 15, when Thunder on Cocoa Beach, the Space Coast Super Boat Grand Prix, will produce smoke on the water for the seventh year.

As much festival as competition, activities will start at 6 p.m. Wednesday with a sponsor reception, continue with parties and “race village” events during the weekend and end with races Sunday afternoon.

Some of the world’s great power boats: Miss Geico, Stihl, Broadco, etc., will return to contest in races sanctioned by Super Boat International, the official sanctioning body for offshore powerboat racing.

Organizers and tourism officials estimate about 100,000 people will watch. But before that, the grand start actually will be an hourlong parade of boats from Port Canaveral to downtown Cocoa Beach at 3 p.m. Friday, in advance of the parties.

“People just love to see those boats, and we’ve timed the route: It takes about 48 minutes to get from the Port to Minutemen, and we think people will line up to see them,” race director Kerry Bartlett said.

“Drivers love Cocoa Beach because it has one of the warmest welcomes, better than any other city,” said Niemann, a native of Germany who was a professional racer in Europe before moving here in 2011. “You drive through town, and they’re waving and yelling encouragement. They seem to love it. The spirit is obviously there, and when we come to the parties to tell them about our boats, they listen. It’s just a cool atmosphere.”

Bartlett, who has arranged all those parties and has oceanfront cabanas for those who prefer to watch with style, is delighted to hear it.

“This has become a huge event, and about 30 to 32 teams (will participate),” he said. “It is Brevard County’s biggest (tourist) event; last year it brought 100,000 people. People love it. The teams love it. It’s going to be a great weekend."

The details

What: Thunder on Cocoa Beach, the Space Coast Super Boat Grand Prix, Super Boat International-sanctioned offshore racing featuring 30-32 teams

When and where: Wednesday through Sunday, May 11-15

• Sponsor reception starts at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Hilton Cocoa Beach Oceanfront, 1550 N. Atlantic Ave.

• “High-octane kickoff party” with food and live music starts at 6 p.m. Thursday at Juice N’ Java Café, 75 N. Orlando Ave., Cocoa Beach

• Pre-party starts at 4 p.m. at the Hunkerdown Lounge, 7 S. Atlantic Ave., Cocoa Beach

• The traditional street party featuring boats and drivers on Minutemen Causeway, concurrent with a VIP party starts at 6 p.m. Friday at Coconuts on the Beach, 2 Minutemen Causeway, Cocoa Beach.

• Launching, testing and viewing of vessels kicks off at 10 a.m. Saturday at Bluepoints Marina, 726 Scallop Drive, Port Canaveral.

• “Race village” at Port Canaveral opens at noon Saturday with live music, vendors and food, followed by a VIP party at 6 p.m.

• Races start at noon, 1:15 and 2 p.m. Sunday with turns at Lori Wilson Park, 1500 N. Atlantic Ave., Cocoa Beach, and Cocoa Beach Pier, 401 Meade Ave.

Cost: Premium viewing with VIP chalet ranges from $26.59 (Sunday only) to $79.84; kids are $21.27.

Info: Call 321-799-9444 or visit thunderoncocoabeach.com.

http://www.floridatoday.com/story/en...each/84134598/

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Thunder On Cocoa Beach

May is a month for the races. In Kentucky, they run for the roses. In Talladega, Dover, and Charlotte, NASCAR fans are spinning right round for their favorite drivers. Here in Cocoa Beach, the 7th Annual Space Coast Super Boat Grand Prix Grand Prix brings the thunder.

In the days leading up to the race, thousands of racing fans and spectators will flock to Cocoa Beach and join the locals to enjoy a slew of receptions and parties leading up to Thunder on Cocoa Beach. Then, on Sunday, May 15th, it’s off to the beaches to watch the various teams in their powerboats race each other around an approximately five mile course at speeds of up to 180 miles per hour.

Although these explosive races only take place on one day, the Space Coast Super Boat Grand Prix celebration actually starts on Wednesday, May 11th. The event commences with a party at the Hilton Cocoa Beach Oceanfront at their Longboards Tiki Beach Grille from 6pm-10pm. Open to the public, this party is the first gathering of various Super Boat sponsors, the media, VIP guests, and of course, the fans. It’s a sure way to get over the hump in the week.

On Thursday, head to Juice N’ Java for the High Octane Kick Off Party. As the days to the race begin to count down, the anticipation mounts. The folks at Juice N’ Java are thrilled to channel this excitement into their party with plenty of food, drinks, live entertainment, and the opportunity to meet the various race teams in an intimate environment.

As the weekend begins, Thunder On Cocoa Beach really gets into gear. Starting Friday at 9am, it is down to business for all race teams as registration and inspection takes place. Boats and the teams will be in the Dry Pits, and all of the logistics and technical bits are getting situated. Then, for the first time ever, a convoy of sorts will begin at 3:30pm as the Parade of Super Boats begins make their way down A1A to downtown Cocoa Beach. If you can start your weekend festivities early, head over to Hunkerdown Hideaway Lounge for the Power Pre Party from 4pm-6pm. If you have the daily grind until 5pm, have no worries because both the Street Party on Minutemen Causeway and the Rev It UP VIP Race Party at Coconuts On the Beach will be in full force from 6pm-10pm. Check out the boats, meet the teams, and enjoy various food vendors, beverages, and live entertainment.

The day before the races is one of the most jam-packed for both the fans and the teams. There are more inspections and registration at Port Canaveral, and then the launching, testing, and viewing of the boats will take place at Bluepoints Marina from 10am-5pm. Race Village will be open at the Port from noon until 10pm, with even more food, live music, and Power Boats on display. Not to mention the Annual Miss Super Boat Bikini Contest! The evening is capped off with yet another party at Milliken’s Reef from 6pm-10pm.

Finally, it’s Sunday and time for the races. This year there will be three, with the first taking place at noon, the second at 1:15pm, and the third and final race will take place at 2pm. For all the races, the first turn will be at Lori Wilson Park and the second will be at the Cocoa Beach Pier. This is when you hear the roar of the boats as they skim and skip across the water, plumes of spray bursting behind them. Some of the best names in the game come to Cocoa Beach, including Miss Geico, Stihl, Warpaint, and Perdition- there’s nothing like these races.

When it comes to special events like Thunder On Cocoa Beach, how you experience it makes a world of difference. Every single event during Race Week is open to the public, including all the parties, events at the Port, and the viewings on the beach. People come from all over to experience this, and you can join the throngs and meet fellow fans. But, keep in mind that you have the opportunity to take your Super Boat viewings to the next level. Thunder On Cocoa Beach offers various VIP packages, and these pack a serious punch. Platinum Premium Viewing allows you to watch the races in VIP Chalets at any of three locations including the Cocoa Beach Pier, Lori Wilson Park, and Shepard Park. Imagine shaded seating with real-time audio and video of all the race action, and you don’t have to drag your chairs and coolers to the beach because there are designated food and drinks available just for you, and a limited amount of beach chairs specifically for VIP’s. This package offers this deluxe experience as well as entry into all of the pre and post race parties, including the media reception. You also get a commemorative race t-shirt. The Thrillseeker Premium Packages includes everything in the Platinum package, but no t-shirt. If you’re only in it for Sunday, you can get the Sunday Only Premium Viewing, guaranteeing you your spots in the Chalets and access to any after parties. These Chalet’s are your chance to experience the races up close and personal, in cool comfort without lines and crowds. Also, free pours from Carroll Distributing until they run out. There’s even something for the kids, allowing them a VIP experience of their own.

Remember, Premium Viewing is called that for a reason- these are the very best ways to witness the Space Coast Super Boat Grand Prix. In addition the race day perks, there’s always a little something extra for the VIP people at the various events. Get your tickets fast, as they are limited in number and odds are they will sell out. You won’t want to miss a thing.

Learn more about one Cocoa Beach’s most exciting events of the year and order your VIP tickets online at thunderoncocoabeach.com

http://thebeachsideresident.com/2016...r-cocoa-beach/

[Ratickle]

Stock Cat Outboard was interesting!!

Gary hung back with his 300's with the other guys and their 2.5's. Then Papa's Pilar ran into the back of him and really smashed the heck out of Gary's boat. I'm not sure how much damage, but first reports are it's bad.

Interestingly, Papa's Pilar was one of the main teams pushing for the 300's to be used, even though the cost is way higher than the 200's Gary ran last year and almost took the national championship with. But, Papa's Pilar also showed up with the 2.5's instead of having the 300's.

Odd set of circumstances. I can't wait to learn more........

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