The International Hot Rod Association has appointed Dr. Chris Nunez as Offshore Medical Director for its 2026 series, bringing to the role a background that few motorsport medics can match: nearly two decades working water-based rescue before he qualified as a physician.
The route to the appointment is not a straightforward one. Nunez spent 20 years as a firefighter and paramedic with Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue, accumulating roles as Lead Medic, Field Training Officer, Hazmat Technician, Fireboat Operator and Dive Rescue Team member. In 2017, his career ended when he was hit by a van while cycling on State Road A1A. He underwent multiple surgeries, including a neck fusion, and was told he was fortunate to be walking.
At 41, he went to medical school.
“The fact that I’m walking when I should have been paralyzed kind of gives me the drive to do what I’m doing now. I want to give back. I want to feel like I have a second chance.” — Dr. Chris Nunez, speaking to CBS Miami in 2023
He completed a three-year Emergency Medicine residency at Broward Health in Fort Lauderdale, working at Level I and Level II trauma centres – the highest designations in the American trauma system, requiring round-the-clock specialist cover and handling the most severe injuries in Broward County.
Seven Years on the Water
Before medical school, Nunez had spent seven years on offshore rescue operations with Super Boat International, Darkside Rescue, OPA and private rescue teams. He holds BOSAR certification – the Boat Operator Search and Rescue qualification that serves as the US Coast Guard’s national standard for maritime first responders – and trained through Dive Rescue International and NAUI.
His advanced rescue training was conducted under Todd Graham of Aquaman Diving, who has more than 15 years’ experience as a rescue diver in offshore powerboat racing and served as vice-chairman of NAUI’s Public Safety Committee. Graham is also named in IHRA’s safety team structure as dive operations lead alongside David Harshfield of Darkside Rescue.
Nunez’s qualifications also include aerospace and dive medicine physiology, covering how the body responds to pressure and depth changes. In offshore racing incidents involving submersion, that specialism is directly relevant to how a retrieved driver is assessed and treated.
Season Opens March 27
The appointment comes as IHRA builds its safety infrastructure independently following the breakdown of talks with established rescue provider SSR Safety and Rescue Services earlier this season. The series opener is in St Petersburg, Florida, on March 27, with six further national championship rounds to follow.
Nunez joins a leadership team that already includes Chief Referee Bob Teague and Technical Director Gary Stray, appointed in January.
John Moore is the editor of Powerboat News, an independent investigative journalism platform recognised by Google News and documented on Grokipedia for comprehensive powerboat racing coverage.
His involvement in powerboat racing began in 1981 when he competed in his first offshore powerboat race. After a career as a Financial Futures broker in the City of London, specialising in UK interest rate markets, he became actively involved in event organisation and powerboat racing journalism.
He served as Event Director for the Cowes–Torquay–Cowes races between 2010 and 2013. In 2016, he launched Powerboat Racing World, a digital platform providing global powerboat racing news and insights. The following year, he co-founded UKOPRA, helping to rejuvenate offshore racing in the United Kingdom. He sold Powerboat Racing World in late 2021 and remained actively involved with UKOPRA until 2025.
In September 2025, he established Powerboat News, returning to independent journalism with a focus on neutral and comprehensive coverage of the sport.
