Along with the launch of its new-and-improved website earlier this month, Super Boat International (SBI) announced a new offshore race for its 2010 schedule—the Thunder on the Beach Space Coast Grand Prix in Cocoa Beach, Fla.

The event (Aug. 20-22) will mark the first time since the early 1990s that the Space Coast beaches have hosted an offshore race.

“This is the kind of event needed in the area to encourage economic activity,” said Kerry Bartlett, executive producer of the Thunder on the Beach race. “When Space Coast Grand Prix founder, Josh Blakely, and I approached SBI about holding a race here, they were very receptive and worked to make the race happen this year. We are just a few months away from the August event and we look forward to a great turnout.”

SBI’s John Carbonell said they worked hard to get the race in this year, and hope to schedule it in the month of May in 2011 and 2012.

“Having a place to park boats and crane right into the water, with hotels and restaurants all in one compact area, is great,” Carbonell said. “Port Canaveral is a very large working port and all the people are very excited about the race. We worked hard to get the race in this year with all the necessary permitting and requirements.”

The addition of the Cocoa Beach event gives SBI a nine-race national series, followed by the final event—the 30th anniversary of the Key West World Championships in Florida. This weekend (May 21-23), SBI will join Offshore Super Series (OSS) at the Smokin' the Sound race in Biloxi, Miss. The season opener for OSS is the first of four joint races the organizations are doing together in 2010. For more on SBI and to check out the new site, visit www.superboat.com.

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