Teams Ready For RWO Clearwater Offshore Nationals

The teams on hand for the second Race World Offshore event of the season in Clearwater, Fla., appear to be poised to put on a great show for the fans who are going to be lined up tomorrow along the beach and amongst the fleet of spectator boats.

Although the race was not on the team’s schedule originally, Pro Floors Racing tested its Supercat-class MTI in Clearwater, Fla., today in anticipation of Sunday’s Clearwater Hooters Offshore Nationals. All photos by Pete Boden/Shoot 2 Thrill Pix

With the first race of the day starting at noon EDT (it is going to be broadcast on a local AM station), the Clearwater Hooters Offshore Nationals includes three race starts and concludes with the Shephards Beach Resort After Race Beach Party starting at 4 p.m., followed by an awards presentation at 6 p.m. According to several racers on hand for the 11th annual event, which is being produced by RWO for the first time this year, today’s testing went well as did yesterday’s boat parade and downtown block party.

Speedonthewater.com chief photographer Pete Boden was on each day and sent over a handful of his favorite shots from the parade as well as from the water earlier today.

The slideshow above includes images from the Friday night boat parade and block party in downtown Clearwater.

“There was a good crowd at the parade yesterday and the beaches were packed today,” Boden said.

The biggest class of the RWO event—as you can see from Boden’s testing images below—is the Super Stock class, which has seven teams registered, including the two U.S.-based teams running new Victory Team catamarans this season, FJ Propeller and Jackhammer.

Check out the slideshow above for more images from testing today in Clearwater, Fla.

In the always exciting Supercat class, four teams are scheduled to compete—M-Con, Pro Floors Racing, Small Change Offshore Racing and WHM Motorsports. According to Pro Floors Racing throttleman Grant Bruggemann of Grant’s Signature Racing, the decision to attend the race was made at the last minute by owner/driver Wayne Valder.

“We had planned to have a test session in Sarasota after we repaired the boat,” said Bruggemann, who replaced gimbals and more on the team’s MTI after it got a little beat up on its Midwest swing to St. Clair, Mich, and Michigan City, Ind., as part of the APBA Offshore Championship Series. “We decided to come to Clearwater instead. They have safety and three other Supercat teams are here. We’re an offshore racing team so we’re here to race.”

Teams Ready For RWO Clearwater Offshore Nationals

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