Thunder on the Ohio

:"Also see: Sports in Evansville".

Infobox sports league

pixels = 150px
caption = Thunder on the Ohio
sport = American Boat Racing Association
founded = 1979
motto =
teams =
country = USA, Evansville, Indiana
champion = Miss Beacon Plumbing- Jean Theoret
website = [http://www.evansvillefreedomfestival.org/ Freedom Festival]

Thunder on the Ohio is a hydroplane boat race and is the first official race of the American Boat Racing Association season. The race is held on the last week of June on the Ohio River in downtown Evansville, Indiana, USA. Evansville has hosted Thunder on the Ohio since 1979 as a part of the city's annual Evansville Freedom Festival. The winner of Thunder on the Ohio receives the Four Freedoms Trophy, which is named after the nearby Four Freedoms Monument which rests along the Ohio River. The race has frequently been broadcasted on ESPN and the SPEED television network.

History

Thunder on the Ohio has been an Unlimited hydroplane mainstay for 30 consecutive years. "Ideal Evansville" replaced Owensboro, Kentucky, on the unlimited calendar in 1979. Evansville was the world headquarters of Atlas Van Lines, Inc., which sponsored Bill Muncey's race team. Muncey played a major role in Evansville being awarded its first sanction.

Prior to Thunder on the Ohio, the 725 Cubic Inch Class boats, the forerunners of the modern unlimiteds, raced at Evansville from 1938 through 1940.

Dave Villwock has won more Evansville races than anyone else, including seven with "Miss Budweiser".

List of Thunder on the Ohio winners

External links

* [http://www.evansvillefreedomfestival.org/ Evansville Freedom Festival]
* [http://www.abrahydroplanes.com/ American Boat Racing Association]