Clearwater has always carried a special weight on the Race World Offshore calendar. The 16th Annual XINSURANCE Clearwater Offshore Nationals drew a deep field and beachside crowds in their thousands, setting the stage for two days of high-speed theatre in the gulf off the coast of Florida. For racers, it was more than just another stop; with Key West looming, this was the last chance to shape the season before the world championship.
Race World Offshore (RWO), headquartered in Key West, has grown into one of the premier names in offshore racing. More than a promoter, it serves as sanctioning body, setting safety standards and enforcing rules with GPS technology. Having broken away from the American Power Boat Association (APBA) this season, RWO is now running its own independent campaign. The move has brought a sharper focus to competitors, with cleaner rules and a clear progression through four events: Michigan City, Chicago, Clearwater, and Key West.
GC Racing strikes first
Saturday’s opening salvo saw the season’s biggest shock so far. Pro Class 1, the sport’s headline act, had been dominated all year by XINSURANCE South, the 45-foot Victory catamaran out of Stuart, Florida. With driver Bill Pyburn and Brit Lilly on the throttle, they swept the Lake Michigan rounds and looked untouchable.
But Clearwater’s long straights and rolling Gulf chop brought change. GC Racing’s 48-foot MTI — the newest hull in the fleet, with Willy Cabeza on the wheel and Grant Bruggemann on throttles — nailed qualifying and controlled the race from start to finish. They broke XINSURANCE South’s streak in emphatic style, with Monster Energy/M•CON in second and XINSURANCE South forced to settle for third.
The Bracket classes added to the spectacle. OC Racing took Bracket 200, Simmons Marine prevailed in Bracket 400, and Proven Marine/Fuel 1 Team found the edge in Bracket 700. The smaller boats delivered some of the weekend’s most dramatic moments, not least a frightening incident involving RedRum and Blind River Bar’s Clouatre Cartel Racing.
Mid-race, while fighting through a slightly crowded turn, the Blind River Bar boat hit a wake and was launched over RedRum’s transom, striking driver Anthony Cruz’s helmet and cracking it on impact. Miraculously, Cruz emerged shaken but largely unharmed, joking afterwards that his “pants checked out OK” but admitting it was “a hard hit to the coconut.” The incident was a stark reminder of how quickly things can turn at speed — and how vital the safety gear and rescue crews are to the offshore community.
M•CON seals it on Sunday
If Saturday belonged to GC Racing, Sunday saw the balance swing again. Monster Energy/M•CON — the 40-foot Skater with driver Myrick Coil and Tyler Miller at the throttles — produced a faultless run to win the second race. XINSURANCE South chased them home in second, while GC Racing settled for third. When the points were tallied, it was M•CON on top overall with 104, enough to claim Clearwater honours ahead of XINSURANCE South and GC Racing.
Elsewhere, the big cats of the Super Cat class roared back into action. Graydel, the 38-foot Skater driven by C.J. Grant, proved strongest, holding off Dirty Money, who had swept Chicago but couldn’t repeat in Florida. The victory gave Graydel vital momentum heading into Key West.
Super Stock, the fastest-growing class in offshore racing, lived up to its billing with tight, door-to-door racing between near-identical 32-foot Mercury-powered hulls. Team Nautical Ventures found the extra pace when it mattered, topping the class ahead of Wozencraft and Demon Bikini.
Factory Stock, the newest official category in the RWO fleet, continued to showcase showroom-trim MTIs. GC Racing’s MTI dominated once again, backing up Saturday’s Pro Class 1 win with a second Clearwater triumph in Factory Stock.
The Modified Vee division delivered too, with El Bandido Tequila showing consistency and speed to take the class.
Bracket racing continued on Sunday with new divisions joining the fray. Tuff Noogies claimed Bracket 500, MDG/Fuel 1 Team topped Bracket 600, and Proven Marine/Fuel 1 Team confirmed their Bracket 700 dominance with a second straight win.
Looking ahead to Key West
By Sunday night the winners were clear, but so too were the storylines. Pro Class 1 now has three heavyweights: XINSURANCE South still leads the season narrative, GC Racing has shown it can beat them, and M•CON carries the form after Clearwater victory. In Super Cat, Graydel and Dirty Money are locked in a fight that could go either way. Super Stock remains wide open, with Nautical Ventures, Wozencraft, Hi-Tech Deck, and Coco’s Monkey all capable of winning.
For Race World Offshore, Clearwater confirmed the strength of its independent structure. The event ran smoothly, drew huge crowds, and produced thrilling competition across every class, from the grassroots Brackets to the high-tech Pro Class 1 monsters. The incident in Bracket 700 also underlined just how critical safety is to the sport — and how quickly offshore racing can swing from spectacle to peril.
Now the focus shifts to Key West. The Florida Straits are unforgiving — tides, currents, and shifting winds conspire to test even the best-prepared crews. Clearwater raised new questions. Can M•CON keep their momentum? Can Graydel outlast Dirty Money? Can Super Stock crown a clear favourite? Offshore powerboating thrives on unpredictability, and with Key West next, the season is perfectly poised.
