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The original U-99.9 Miss Rock's Hull, Circa 1995. (Source:
Bing.com images)
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Hopefully this year's season opening
Unlimited Hydroplane regatta on the Madison will go more smoothly than last
year's aborted race. As the sport seems to be in a holding pattern, with the
same five races on the cards, i.e.; Madison, Tri Cities, Seattle, Detroit and
San Diego, albeit last year Detroit was on shaky ground after originally having
its storied Gold Cup event cancelled.
Although H1 Unlimited has confirmed scant weeks ago
that the series would be returning to Lake Guntersville in 2018, where they
last raced in 1969!
Meanwhile, there will be less Hulls in the
water, at the very least for Round-1 with only eleven Hydros taking part, one
less than last year's count, albeit most likely there will be more than last
year's five competitors in the water overall when the 2016 season kicks off
this weekend.
For Mwah, there appears to be four legitimate
competitors vying for the National High Points crown, with Jimmy Shane as the
defending champion aboard the newly minted U-1 Miss Home Street, the same Miss
Madison outfit that for years successfully campaigned as the Oh Boy Oberto,
which sadly ended its association as the team's sponsor last year.
Shane's fiercest rival most likely will be J.
Michael Kelly aboard the potent U-5 Graham Trucking I, as the team has put its
second Hull, the U-7 Graham Trucking II on hiatus, presumably to focus upon
winning the elusive championship, along with the monetary savings it'll incur,
which leaves Jesse Robertson currently without a ride in Thy B-I-G BOATZ', nee
Unlimiteds this season.
And I'll put Eric Ellstrom's U-96 Elam-plus's
Jean Theoret ahead
of Cal Phipps for the simple reasons that Theoret's a proven winner, with Ellstrom's
Hulls having won multiple championships before.
As the U-27 Dalton Industries is still
relatively new to the scene, being the only team not based in Washington,
residing in Alabama instead. While veteran driver Phipps is still in search of overall
victory, having won multiple Heat Races to date, with Messer Phipps becoming my
favourite Thunderboat Jockey last year.
A few more Hulls of interest, albeit not sure
of whether they'll be successful this season or not? Include the likes of the
U-3, U-18 and U-99.9.
The U-3 Unlimited Hydroplane piloted by Jimmy
King is the only non-turbine powered Hull in the Unlimiteds fleet, being propelled
by a World War II era Allison V-12 that's twin turbocharged, and most
definitely is a Fan Favourite harkening back to the throaty roar 'O Yesteryear!
And even better yet, the boat seems well suited for the lumpy waters of
Detroit.
Meanwhile, Kelly Stockman, the owner/driver
of the U-18 Bucket List Racing Hull, who suffered injury in a spectacular Blow
over accident at San Diego last year has completely rebuilt the boat along with
recovering, and is ready to go Full Throttle once again this season.
And although Diehard Pacific Northwest
Hydroplane Aficionados have seen the demise of Miss Budweiser, Squire Shop,
Atlas Van Lines and now Oh Boy Oberto disappear from the scene. Fans will
rejoice with the return of another 'Ol Mainstay, as Miss Rock will once again
race upon Lake Washington this summer.
While certainly the title sponsors of our
yearly Seafair regatta known as the Albert Lee Appliance Cup will be hoping for
Brian Perkins to at least skipper the U-21 into the final heat on Lake
Washington later this year...
2016 PROVISIONAL
ENTRY LIST
No. Name Driver
U-1 Miss Home Street Jimmy Shane
U-3 GO 3 Racing Jimmy
King
U-5 Graham Trucking I J. Michael Kelly
U-9 Les Schwab R-Andrew
Tate
U-11 Miss Peters & May Thom Thompson
U-14 Centurion Racing Dave Warren
U-18 Bucket List Racing Kelly Stockman
U-21 Miss Albert Lee Brian Perkins
U-27 Dalton Industries Cal Phipps
U-96 Ellstrom Elam Plus Jean Theoret
U-99.9 Car Star Miss Rock Kevin Eacret
UPDATE
Ah, the Joys of trying to do a season preview
via the Intrawoods', along with being too Darn Blasted Busy! As news broke
after I'd finished this riveting post that Team Porter racing has now inked
Jeff Bernard to pilot it's second Graham Trucking Hull, which will see the
return of the U-7 and its previous two-strong team line-up after previously
being placed temporarily in "Dry-dock."
Apparently several of the Unlimiteds fleet
aren't competing this weekend, with the U-3 still seeking the requisite
sponsorship to go racing, while I'm guessing others aren't making the trip east
due to the financial burden? As most surprisingly to Mwah is the absence of the U-96 Ellstrom Elam Plus entry, as
we'll begin the season with a rather smallish field 'O competitors, presumably
swelling for the two Warshingtonion' events and hopefully beyond.
MADISON ENTERANTS
The following eight contestants are competing in
this weekend's MainSource
Bank Indiana Governor’s Cup presented by Belterra Casino and Resort Unlimited
Hydroplane race upon the Madison River in Indiana...
No. Name Driver
U-1 Miss Home Street Jimmy
Shane
U-5 Graham Trucking I J.
Michael Kelly
U-7 Graham Trucking II Jeff
Bernard
U-9 Bellos
Pizza presents Realtrac Performance ERP - R-Andrew Tate
U-11 Miss Peters & May Thom
Thompson
U-21 PayneWest Insurance Brian Perkins
U-27 Dalton Industries Cal
Phipps
U-99.9 Car Star Miss Rock Kevin Eacret