Large Crowds, Big Water, and Bruised Racers Mark the 5th Annual Thunder on the Gulf R
 

August 20, 2007: Joining OSS on the fifth stop of the 2007 Offshore Pro-Series Tour, the Series was treated to some of the roughest water to date on the 2007 Tour, as more than 30 boats put on an offshore “air” show to an estimated 200,000 spectators in Orange Beach, Alabama.
In the Super Cat Class, JD Byrider took a hard earned checkered flag after the leader for much of the race; Reliable Carriers broke a drive ram and ended upside down in the choppy back stretch. Both driver and throttle man escaped uninjured; however the US-1 Cat will need some work to get it back on the water. When it was all over, more than half of the Pro-Series 750 Super Cat fleet sustained glass and structural damage, leaving some asking the question as to when the entire group will resume its 2007 Tour.
In Cat Extreme, Miss Geico once again made its way to victory lane, when the newly painted Budweiser Select retired after 2 laps with engine problems.
With a 10 boat start, the Cat Lite Series put on a great show for the Orange Beach fans as they went neck to neck in the huge Gulf Coast waters. After a ferocious battle between Team Amzoil and Motley Crew, Team Amzoil took their second consecutive win in as many races.
In summary, both participating teams and the thousands of loyal Orange Beach fans were treated to some of the most exciting and challenging offshore racing of the season, as the big water provided plenty of thrills for the cheering fans and plenty of bruises for the racers as the battled it out in this offshore race of endurance !


The Offshore Pro-Series is comprised of a consortium of professional powerboat racing teams that compete on a nationwide circuit of powerboat races, sanctioned by DRRA, OSS, SBI, OPA, and POPRA. The Series includes many of the fastest boats on the national offshore circuit.
For more information, visit the Offshore Pro-Series web site at: www.offshoreproseries.com