Looked good to win the Dania Beach Grand Prix, until a fuel system problem kicked in and then lightening stopped the race, leaving Lucas Oil #7 with a finish in 3rd place.

"We thought we had this one in the can," said Nigel Hook, Captain of the Lucas Oil #7. "After a bad start, being in the far outside lane and coming from the back of the field, we were neck and neck for first position by the close of lap one."

The Lucas Oil team with Nick Pavlichek on the sticks rounded turns 3 and 4 fast and wide, carrying speed down the beach straightaway. Nick said, "We were having a little difficulty settling the boat in the turns, but we had plenty of top end speed and felt confident we could control this race. That was, until the front engine choked on some bad fuel. We went from running for first to running dead last, and even a third of a lap back after we cleared the fuel blockage and switched to the back tanks."

But then the chase was on and the Lucas Oil #7 began picking off the field one by one — first overtaking the #22 boat driven by Joe Sgro, next lap the #50 boat driven by Bruce Kruglig.

While running in third place alongside the #21 boat throttled by Rick Wyatt and sponsored by DF Young, International Logistics, it started raining cats and dogs with a lightening storm moving in. Offshore race boats can race in virtually any conditions, but races are stopped when the safety helicopters can't fly. And now lightening grounded all the aircrews.

With nature's cards dealt, the race was halted, and another third place was handed to the Lucas Oil #7 team. The factory sponsored Fountain/Mercury #15 took first place honors, closely followed by second place Miccosukee Indian Gaming #30.

This race will be televised on the Outdoor Life Network on Sunday, September 5 at 5:00 pm, with commentary by Stan Lane (former wrestler and WWA commentator). The Lucas Oil Team races next August 1 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.