BobKat Racing LLC – formed 2007
Owner / Driver – Bob (JR) Noble Jr.
Throttleman – Grant Bruggemann
Crew Chief – Dave Hutchinson
Crew – Jake Noble, Sherry Bruggemann
Primary Sponsor – STIHL Southeast
Class Racing – Super Boat International – Supercat
The STIHL Offshore Racing Team has achieved tremendous levels of success in a short period of time. The team is lead by driver, Bob “JR” Noble, and Grant Bruggemann on the throttles. Noble is originally from Grand Rapids, Michigan and moved to Orlando, Florida in 1989. He is employed at Stihl Southeast Inc., a wholesale distributor representing STIHL® outdoor power equipment serving Florida, Alabama, Georgia and many of the islan territories. He started with the company in 1989, when it opened, acting as Sales Manager and was promoted to President in 1999.
The STIHL Offshore Racing Team formed in 2007 when Noble commissioned Doug Wright to build a 32’ catamaran. Grant’s Custom Rigging completed the boat with the inaugural race being in Panama City, FL October 2007. In 2008, JR and Grant drove the STIHL boat to a National and Wold Championship. Mid-year 2010, JR sold the Doug Wright catamaran and purchased a 388 Skater from Douglas Marine. The boat is powered by a pair of 525 HP Mercury engines with Mercury #6 drives and was rigged by Grants Custom Rigging. Racing in the SuperCat series, the team ran a limited schedule in 2010, crossing the finish line 1st in half its races and 2nd in the remainder. The 2011 campaign proved to be a triumphant one as the team captured the National Championships winning four of the six races, including the final three of the year.
Bruggeman started in the marine industry at the young age of 16 at his home in Australia. He currently owns and operates Grant’s Custom Rigging in Ft. Lauderdale, FL drawing on 25 years of performance boat experience. Over the past 10 years, Grant has raced with over 12 Offshore Powerboat teams across the US, Canada, the Caribbean and the Middle East, including SuperCat, Cat Light, SuperBoat 750, SuperBoat Unlimited, SuperStock, Cat Outboard and X-Cat teams. He resides in Cooper City, FL with his wife Sherry and daughter Kenlee. When he’s not in a boat, Grant spends his time racing mountain and road bikes throughout the Southeast and Bahamas.
