Thunder was held each year on the Ohio River in downtown Evansville, Indiana, United States.

Evansville was the world headquarters of Atlas Van Lines, Inc., which sponsored Bill Muncey's race team.

From 1938 through 1940 the 725 Cubic Inch Class boats, the forerunners of the modern unlimiteds, raced at Evansville for the Thunder on the Ohio title.

In 2009, Thunder on the Ohio broke away from the Evansville Freedom Festival, and moved towards the end of August as a stand-alone event.

Years down the road he slightly regretted the name and argued that it could have been the reason his paddle boat did not beat miss Budweiser.