s the countrys top-ranked teams converged on Fort Myers Beach for the second stop on the APBA Offshore Pro Series

Tour, offshore fans were gearing up for a weekend of nonstop action at the seventh annual Hooters Offshore Grand Prix.

The May event, which called for a kickoff parade. pit parties and two days of powerful racing, began with sizzling temperatures on Sunday. as well as calm seas and clear skies. A line of spectator boats stretched endlessly along the course. while the Fort Myers beaches were crowded with enthusiastic race fans. The scene was a stark contrast to

Less than a month after taking top Super Cat honors in Fort Myers, 43-year-old Jack Carmody was killed while racing in the Allen Samuels

Chevrolet East-West Powerboat Shoot-Out on Corpus

In what investigators called “a freak accident,” Carmody was piloting his 43-foot Extreme Carlos ‘n’ Cha riles at speeds of about 100 mphwhen the accident occurred. The boat was reportedly traveling between wave swells, when the team veered off course. They tried to maneuver back to

submerged. Carmocly sustained head and fleck injuries and was pronounced dead at Christus Spohn Hospital Memorial. Carmody’s teammate and throttleman, Dan Jackson, rode in the left cockpit and escaped with only minor injuries

Carmody began tiis powerboat racing career in 1995 and had a successful run in the APBA for several years. In his first year. he won a World Championship in the modified class and was named Rookie of the Year by the association.

A full recap of the Corpus Christi race and a tribute to

Carmody will appear in the next issue of HOT BOAT.