Surviving the Storm at Thunder on Cocoa Beach
May 20, 2026Round 2 of the IHRA Championship Series brought Scott Free Racing to Florida's Space Coast for the annual Thunder on Cocoa Beach, one of the biggest and most anticipated races of the season. From the moment teams arrived, the atmosphere around Cocoa Beach was electric as fans packed the streets and waterfront all weekend long.
Friday night's block party was a huge highlight for the team. Thousands of fans filled the streets of downtown Cocoa Beach, giving everyone a chance to get up close with the boats, meet the teams, and kick off race weekend in style. The support from the fans continues to make Cocoa Beach one of the most exciting stops on the tour, and the energy throughout the event was incredible.
When race day arrived, conditions quickly turned into some of the roughest the team has faced this season. Strong winds and heavy surf created brutal offshore conditions that tested every team in the field. The course became extremely challenging as massive waves and relentless pounding made simply surviving the race a battle of its own.
After a brief delay for starting the race, the violent conditions caused the driver to become severely seasick, making it impossible to continue safely. With safety being the top priority, the difficult decision was made to pull off the course and retire early from the race.
While the result was not what the team had hoped for, the weekend still showed the toughness and determination it takes to compete in offshore racing at this level. Some days are about fighting for podiums, while others are about fighting the conditions themselves.
The team will regroup, recover, and focus on the next round of the championship season as Scott Free Racing looks to bounce back stronger at the next event.
