As another Unlimited Hydroplane season comes to an
end this weekend, at least there was one new winner this year...
Know
it doesn't mean SHIT! But I was so happy for the tiniest 'O reasons Sunday
evening, 'Wayback on August 7th...
As Y'all know the
drill. Like that feels like it was a lifetime ago. Especially since it'd RAINED
OUT that weekend's NHRA Northwest Nationals finals in Kent, WA, before we got
our summer's Heat Wave...
So-So
Happy that I was Doin' my 'lil Happy Dance here in Nofendersville. Yeah, that's
quite the picture, me dancin'; Hya!
But I'd
had a feeling all weekend long then, after scramblin' to poond out my riveting
Seafair Preview for this 'lil No Fenders BLOB' posted Friday morning of race
weekend.
As I
just felt that the boat with thee "Detroit Kid" - in a Hull we'd just
helped sponsor minutely the weekend prior in "enumscrath" (Enumclaw) would
W-I-N Seafair's "Fat Albert-Sarah Lee" Appliance Cup, which is
exactly what happened! While technically the race is called the Albert Lee
Appliance Cup.
As
you're A-L-L probably saying' HUH? What's a Hydroplane, eh? But perhaps Y'all
have noticed, I've become quite fond 'O choosin' Duh little guys to win awhile
now.
With the
driver of my choice for Seafair being the U-9 Sound Propeller presents Les
Schwab Tires is rookie Andrew Tate, who's father Mark Tate has won Seafair
previously, along with also having won the sport's Mac Daddy, the prestigious
Gold Cup twice during the 1990's.
As the
26yr old Michigan native pulled off quite the upset on Lake Washington! Whilst
even more remarkable though, is the fact that it was the younger Tate, a fourth
generation Boat Racer, who in only his third ever race as a rookie in the B-I-G
BOATZ', nee Unlimited Hydroplanes, which reputedly hit 200mph on the
straightaway's on water! WON his maiden Unlimiteds' race in Seattle!
Which
is even more remarkable since the boat partially sponsored by "Sound"
Propeller Services threw a prop; Err propeller blade just one week prior at Tri
Cities, which caused much damage to the hull's underside...
As
guess I should have bought a lottery ticket that weekend, eh? Chuh-ching! Since
my current favourite Hydro Driver Cal Phipps U-27 Dalton Industries wasn't
racing and we'd just personally invested in Les Schwab, that was the boat I was
pullin' for to score the upset in the Jet City.
SWEET!
Ironically, we were having our Eh-Team's
other cracked upper control arm, Drag Link and other assorted suspension bits
replaced the very morning of Seafair Sunday.
Thus feeling like may be we'd purchased one
of the boat's mirrors stalks? Although sure can't afford the $15,000 per
Propeller blades Unlimited Hydroplanes utilize!
And
even though I should have been rootin' for one of the myriad of boat Pilotes'
who make Seattle home. Nonetheless I was hoping that Tate could become the
first rookie to win the Gold Cup since when? Anybody know beside Mwah?
As it
would be fun to see young Andy winning his debutant Gold Cup outing in his
Hometown. As Tate got everyone there excited by winning the day's final appetizer,
the Silver cup for Grand Prix boats before the Unlimiteds were slung into the
water to go racing.
Yet
unfortunately in his haste to get the inside lane, Tate clipped and dislodged a
buoy during what's called the Milling period, the five minutes of jockeying
allowed for all competitors to get lane position before the race's start. thus
Tate eliminated himself before the flag even waved green by incurring a One-lap
penalty!
As it
was Bonney Lake, Washington's J Michael Kelly winning for local Graham
Trucking, securing Kelly's maiden Gold Cup victory ahead of APBA National High
Points championship leader and fierce rival Jimmy Shane and the U-1 Miss Home
Street.
As the only rookie to win the Gold Cup to date is
Ted Jones behind the wheel of the Miss Slo Mo Shun IV in 1950, when the Slo Mo
from Seattle shocked the Boating World and more importantly Detroit!
And
now we come to the end of another H1 Unlimited season, albeit it'll probably be
a bit deflated with the current lack of competitive Hulls, and Unlimiteds in
general. As perhaps we'll still be missing the U-27 which was damaged mightily
at the season opener at Madison, Indiana in a 'Mega Blowover!
since NO idea if the U-27's massive repairs
will finally be completed, or whether they'll wish to incur the costs of
transporting their Hull cross-country for one race outing?
Also,
it appears that the U-16 Ellstrom Elam-plus apparently could only muster
sponsorship from Oh Boy Oberto for the two Washington Rounds this season.
Whilst the U-18 Bucket List Racing and U-3 GO Racing, the only piston powered
Hull in the fleet both are apparently also suffering from lack of sponsorship,
while the U-18 also missed Seafair reportedly due to Gearbox woes.
Alas,
it appears only eight boats will journey to Bayfair Bay in San Diego for the
Bill Muncey Cup's season finale, where Jimmy Shane's U-1 Miss Home Street leads
with 6,690 points ahead of J Michael Kelly's U-5 Graham Trucking's 6,106.
As believe
everyone from third place overall's Brian Perkins with 4,667 points down to
last place, are not mathematically alive? Since Shane would have to have the
strangest of all weekends and score zero points for Perkins to possibly have a
remotely vague chance, as a win's worth 400 points, so Y'all do the math.
Hence,
in reality, one of these top two drivers will be crowned the 2016 APBA National
High Points champion Sunday, Sept 18th, when many of us will have our
Attenzione focused upon Sonoma and Indy Cars instead, perhaps?
Although Me Thinks Y'all can Put a Fork in
I-T! As I'm pretty sure that "symone Pagenoe" (Simon Pagenaud)
effectively clinched his maiden IndyCar championship for Team Penske at Watkins
Glen. As apparently I'll be missing the season finale for both the Hydros and
Indy Cars. Then
again may be I'll tune in to see Pageantry' crowned champion before another
STUPENDOUSLY long Offseason begins...
