ORANGE BEACH, Ala. – Back in 2002 Gary Nichols and some other locals were looking for a way to put heads in the condo beds on the somewhat idler weekends during the summer season.

The businessmen gathered came up with the idea of powerboat racing on the Gulf in front of the condos.

“We put on a great race and I would guess 75,000 to 100,000 people there,” Nichols said. “Now it’s all over the Southeast.”

And all over the television airwaves.

“Thunder on the Gulf doesn’t really get the credit that we should,” Nichols said. “Our races are televised all over the world. They’re not live. They may air three or four weeks later and some places like China they play them once a month. People throughout the world are looking at Orange Beach, Ala., and realizing it isn’t just a bunch of cotton. Its white sugar-sand beaches and a great community with a lot of love.”

The thunder of the big boats will roll again across the Gulf as they take the water in May and early June. Activities will begin on Thursday, May 30, and culminate with races on Sunday, June 2.

Nichols not only was a promoter for the local race, he caught the racing bug as well in the early years of racing here.

“I bought a race team and didn’t realize how much that was going to cost me, but I had a lot of fun doing it,” he said.

He said the biggest crowds and best venue was in Orange Beach.

“The greatest place to race that had the most amount of fans anywhere in the world, including Dubai, was Orange Beach, Ala.,” he said. “We have 6,000 condos on the race course. We’ve got a very friendly city and the racers love coming here. The best thing is this year we’re glad to SBI back. We’ll have the biggest boats in Orange Beach.”

Nichols, the founder of the Gulf Coast Powerboat Association, said Super Boat International is a big player in powerboat racing and is putting on the 2013 edition of Thunder on the Gulf.

“The circuit racing here, Super Boat International, is the biggest circuit in the world,” he said. “If you don’t keep your dates with the racing circuits, especially the biggest ones, then somebody else is in line to grab it up in other cities.”

He and other officials with the GPBA are excited to bring the race back to Orange Beach after 2012 when there was no race.

“This is a great family event,” Nichols said. “It’s a wide-open race course so we can’t charge like you can in a NASCAR race. We have to count on donations to put the race on and there are so many sponsors that have helped us over the years. That’s when it’s been successful. The years that we’ve missed was Hurricane Ivan, the oil spill was tough on all of us.”

This year the dry pit will be at The Wharf in the big parking lot on Canal Road. The boats will be launched just inside Perdido Pass at Outcast Charters.

“Cobalt will be a viewing area for the pits once again,” GPBA President Damon Collins said. “The boats will again be at Outcast Charters. We’ll have bleachers out there so you can watch the boats launch in the area. That’s a great way to spend the afternoon.”

Collins said there are a variety of VIP packages available to enhance the race weekend experience.

“Also we’ll have special VIP passes this year where you can watch the race under the tent on the beach,” he said. “Also free access to the events, to the dry pits themselves and there will be a special tent within the dry pits.”

Two local Mardi Gras krewes will have events tied to Thunder on the Gulf. The Mystics of Pleasure will sponsor a poker run complete with before and after parties. To enter a boat in the event, call 251-229-1908 or send an email to mop.pokerrun@admixtelcom.com.

The Mystical Order of Mirams will have a viewing party from a Turquoise Place penthouse on Sunday, June 2, from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. For a $50 entry fee there will be live music, cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and a great view of Thunder on the Gulf powerboat races. For ticket information call 251-550-5002 or send an email to toritown101@gmail.com.

Nichols said the plan is to make this the best Thunder weekend ever and keep it coming back for years to come.

“We’re shortening up the race course a little bit, giving it a few more laps, maybe a little bit more spectator friendly,” he said. “We have more events going on the race weekend. We’re excited for everybody to be here and enjoy our hospitality. It’s a new Thunder on the Gulf and we want to make sure it’s an annual event from now on.”

GPBA officials were also pleased to announce the charity partner for the event is St. Jude’s Children Hospital.