The brutal 4-to-6-foot waves of Florida’s Space Coast lived up to their ferocious reputation for Round 3 of the 2026 IHRA Offshore Series National Championship. With over 80 boats descending upon the Atlantic for the Thunder on Cocoa Beach event, the tumultuous sea state turned the weekend into a pure war of attrition, rewriting the leaderboard across multiple premier divisions.
Paddock reactions: Survival in the Atlantic
The shifting ocean conditions forced throttlemens’ hands all weekend, leaving crews battered but exhilarated by the raw power of the ocean.
In the packed Super Stock fleet, Steven Bridges, throttleman for class winners Team Bermuda (S-25), recounted the brutal path to the podium to The Royal Gazette (Bermuda publication):
“Feels great to get the win. It took a lot of hard work today, a few slams and a couple of ‘oh no’ moments along the way, but we kept pushing and it paid off.”
Steven Bridges, Throttleman — Team Bermuda (S-25)
Meanwhile, the triumphant crew of Dirty Money Racing (#3) took to social media to summarise the punishing physical toll of their Super Cat victory:
“One of the roughest races we’ve ever been a part of… and we’ll remember this one for a long time. Brutal seas, heavy chop, nonstop impact… nothing came easy this weekend in Cocoa Beach. Every lap pushed both the boats and the crew to the limit.”
Dirty Money Racing (#3) — Super Cat Winners
The dramatic comeback of the weekend belonged to Shocker (#421) in Class 4. Competitor Luke Bossert (“Captain Luke”) gave a spectacular breakdown of the race:
“I would say we had some true 5-6 footers with no rhythm to them at all in a 21 ft boat! Shocker hit a big wave while in first place, lost power, dropped to last place, and then fought back up to finish first.”
Luke Bossert — Class 4 Competitor
Rookie rise: Howe To Live secures maiden podium
Super Cat newcomers serve notice to the field
The turbulent conditions couldn’t stop the remarkable emergence of brand-new Super Cat contender Howe To Live (#10). Featuring internet icon Mike Howe on the throttles and precision racer Cade Wilson, the new owner of Sterling Engines, behind the wheel, the rookie pairing defied the brutal Atlantic chop.
Navigating the severe swell with veteran-like patience, the duo brought their Skater catamaran home to a momentous 3rd place finish — the first-ever offshore racing podium for the high-energy operation. It serves notice to the rest of the elite Super Cat field that this new team is already a serious threat.
Official Round 3 podium results
Thunder on Cocoa Beach, Florida
The relentless ocean swell severely punished the field, leading to numerous DNFs for prominent setups including Raymarine and Team Bad Decisions. Below are the official top three finishers across the major classes.
Pro & Spec Classes
| Class | 🏋 1st Place | 🥈 2nd Place | 🥉 3rd Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Super Stock | Team Bermuda (#S-25) | Northwing Offshore (#S-77) | Wozencraft (#S-8) |
| Factory Stock | 151 Express (#F-66) | Jackhammer / Manatte Marine (#F-42) | Say Less MF (#F-21) |
| Super Cat | Dirty Money Racing (#3) | CR Racing (#8) | Howe To Live (#10) |
| Extreme | Offshore Racing Services (#7) | Sole Entrant | N/A |
Divisional Bracket Standings
| Class | 🏋 1st | 🥈 2nd | 🥉 3rd |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class 7 | Pist’n Broke (#744) | Safecash / Xinsurance Racing (#742) | Team Progression Redrum (#730) |
| Class 6 | Ride Legal Velocity (#611) | Hammerheads (#628) | One Design Racing Ubre (#603) |
| Class 5 | Superboat (#568) | TFR / Xinsurance (#574) | Rum Runners (#522) |
| Class 4 | Shocker (#421) | Unleashed Racing (#436) | Jerry Hartman Racing (#409) |
| Class 2 | OC Racing (#221) | Justice League (#208) | Victory Racing (#269) |
IHRA championship points analysis: Bermuda breaks clear
The results from Cocoa Beach have significantly widened the gap at the top of the National Championship tables.
Super Cat standings after Round 3
The Super Cat division remains one of the tightest fields in the series, with a mere 22 points separating the top four teams. Dirty Money Racing conquered the Cocoa Beach surf to secure maximum points (105), allowing them to leapfrog into the number one position overall. Howe2Live Offshore team holds firm in 4th place after their 3rd-place finish at the event.
SUPER CAT Divisional OVERALL Standings
| POS | # | TEAM | ST. PETE | NEW ORLEANS | COCOA BEACH | TOTAL POINTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | Dirty Money Racing | 105 | 72 | 105 | 282 |
| 2 | 8 | CR Racing | 73 | 104 | 94 | 271 |
| 3 | 54 | C.J. Grant Racing / Graydel | 94 | 93 | 73 | 260 |
| 4 | 10 | Howe2Live Offshore | 79 | 78 | 86 | 243 |
Super Stock standings after Round 3
In Super Stock, David Selley and Team Bermuda have firmly established themselves as the team to beat. By securing 100 base points plus 15 crucial boat-count bonus points (totalling 115), they have elevated their season tally to 331 points.
This victory breaks the deadlock with rival hull Wozencraft (S-8), who managed a third-place finish worth 96 total points, bringing their season count to 304 points. Team Bermuda now commands a 27-point cushion at the top of the leaderboard with four rounds remaining in the regular season.
SUPER STOCK Divisional OVERALL Standings
| POS | # | TEAM | ST. PETE | NEW ORLEANS | COCOA BEACH | TOTAL POINTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | S-25 | Team Bermuda | 115 | 104 | 115 | 334 |
| 2 | S-8 | Wozencraft | 96 | 115 | 96 | 307 |
| 3 | S-54 | Allied-STR Powerboats | 104 | 89 | 89 | 282 |
| 4 | S-12 | Nuff Said | 77 | 83 | 77 | 237 |
Pro Class 1 standings after Round 3
Despite wild ocean conditions that saw boats spending extensive time completely out of the water, Monster Energy / M-CON managed to maintain their overall championship lead. Outta Pocket Racing surged heavily during the final laps to grab 99 fresh points, narrowing the deficit.
PRO CLASS 1 Divisional OVERALL Standings
| POS | # | TEAM | ST. PETE | NEW ORLEANS | COCOA BEACH | TOTAL POINTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 06 | Monster Energy / M-CON | 101 | 106 | 91.5 | 298.5 |
| 2 | 10 | Outta Pocket Racing | 79 | 91 | 99 | 269 |
| 3 | 32 | MT / GC Racing | 91.5 | 74.5 | 43 | 209 |
| 4 | 11 | XINSURANCE | 78 | 74 | 42.5 | 194.5 |
Modified Vee standings after Round 3
The brutal tracking conditions at Cocoa Beach favored consistency over pure top-end speed, drastically impacting the Modified Vee tier. Clouatre Cartel Offshore Racing grabbed a critical 106-point haul, extending their lead over NMB RV Resort, who struggled to mirror their dominant St. Pete opening form.
SUPER STOCK Divisional OVERALL Standings
| POS | # | TEAM | ST. PETE | NEW ORLEANS | COCOA BEACH | TOTAL POINTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 74 | Clouatre Cartel Offshore Racing | 83 | 102 | 106 | 291 |
| 2 | 33 | NMB RV Resort | 102 | 91 | 68 | 261 |
| 3 | 2 | Boatfloater.com | 91 | 83 | 62 | 236 |
On the horizon: from Inland Wakes to Jersey Shores
The powerboat calendar shifts into high gear over the coming weeks, serving up two distinctly different racing spectacles, one organised by IHRA (the International Hot Rod Association) and the other by Race World Offshore.
IHRA Round 4
Shootout Offshore
Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri
June 12–14, 2026
The IHRA fleet trades unpredictable ocean tides for the dense, chaotic boat wakes of freshwater racing. Teams will switch from setups built to survive massive ocean rollers to configurations fine-tuned for high-speed maneuverability through tight lake cross-wakes.
Race World Offshore
Atlantic City Offshore Grand Prix
Atlantic City, New Jersey
June 26–28, 2026
Right on the heels of the inland shootout, teams head back to the ocean and the tricky littoral currents of the northeast. This premier Race World Offshore event promises a return to ocean battlegrounds where hull durability and prop selection will once again separate the champions from the chasing pack.
⚡ Boating NZ Market Feature
MTI 440X — Available Now
Marine Technology Inc | Turn-Key Performance Catamaran
For those inspired by the high-speed action, an exceptional turn-key option has just hit the market. This premium, well-maintained MTI 440X catamaran is built for both blistering performance and maximum reliability, sitting on a custom tilt trailer for incredible display presence before you even launch.
| Power | Twin Mercury Racing 500R outboard engines |
| Build | Lightweight, ultra-strong carbon layup |
| Capacity | Spacious 8-seat cockpit configuration |
| Electronics | Upgraded dash with additional 12″ & 9″ Garmin displays |
| Audio | Premium upgraded stereo system |
| Hardware | Blacked-out hardware package & factory lifting eyes |
| Status | Turn-key, ready for a full summer of fun |
| Asking Price | $1,000,095 USD |
Listing details supplied by vendor. Boating NZ has not independently verified specifications or pricing. Contact the vendor directly for full details.
