Hot Cocoa, hot boats
by Bob Wonders on 19 May 2010
Hard Rock, a fabulous Fountain competing at the recent Miami Offshore Grand Prix. Rodrick Cox
Florida's Cocoa Beach is right on the Atlantic Ocean, in an area known as ‘The Space Coast' for its proximity to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) headquarters.
Well, they may not boats the horsepower of the rockets that blast off into outer space, but Super Boats International is returning to Cocoa Beach for the Space Coast Super Boat Grand Prix.
The event is scheduled for August 20-22.
It will be the first time the thundering offshore racers have campaigned off Cocoa Beach since the early 190s.
Super Boat International CEO John Carbonell rates Cocoa Beach as one of the best coastal cities to host an offshore race.
'Having an excellent dry pit area, a place to park boats, crane right into the water and hotels and restaurants all in one compact area is a great advantage to all,' Mr Carbonell said.
The port at Cocoa Beach, Port Canaveral, is also a large working port and local residents have expressed excitement at the prospect of the Super Boats returning.
'We worked very hard this year to get the race approved with all the necessary permits, and now we're looking at a more equitable timing of May for the 2011 and 2012 races,' Mr Carbonell added.
Named ‘Thunder on the Beach', the event could not have come at a better time for Cocoa Beach, according to the event's executive director, Kerry Bartlett.
'With NASA and the space program being scaled back, this is the kind of event that can encourage economic activity,' he said.
'When Space Coast Grand Prix founder Josh Blakely and I approached Super Boat International about holding a race here, they were very receptive and worked hard to make it happen.
'We're looking forward to an excellent turnout,' he added.
The Cocoa Beach event added to the 2010 race schedule make a total of nine National Series point races culminating in the final event, the legendary World Championships at Key West.
Super Boat International is the longest-running professional offshore racing organisation in the United States.
President and founder John Carbonell produces races, kilo speed events and distance attempts all across the USA.
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