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Looking forward to Andrew Tate in the U-9 Les
Schwab Hydro passing more competitors en route to more Heat wins, a la during
last year's Columbia Cup Heat 3A. Along with more race victories this season.
Photo by Bob
Brawdy. (Image source: tri-cityherald.com)
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Although who knows how many people will be able to
listen, watch or S-E-E the mighty Unlimiteds' in action?
Per Tipicali here upon thou Shores 'O No
Fendersville, whilst your humble No Fenders scribe should still be basking in
the afterglow of this year's 24 Heurs du Mans race...
Instead as usual, I'm scramblin' playin'
Ketsup', as Der Vurld de Motorsporten Never Sleeps; Ja-Ja!
As I didn't even bother scriblin' anythingy'
about the final three rounds of last year's H1 Unlimited championship, having
simply had my turbine washed down instead.
As the final three rounds of last year's
season saw my Numero Uno Boat, the U-9 with Andrew Tate at the controls doing
multiple Hat Dances, although the Hull he pilots will always b known to Mwah as
the Les Schwab boat. As Andrew won the non-points President's Cup race in
Detroit before going into the Offseason by being victorious in San Diego at
Bayfair, where he won the coveted Bill Muncey Cup, along with finishing as the 2017
National High Points Championship runner-up.
New for this year is the long awaited
Southern Cup Hydrofest at Guntersville, Alabama, which will be the 2018
season's Kickoff race this weekend, June 22-24 on Lake Guntersville.
With the season commencing one race ahead of
the usual season opening Madison Regatta, which keeps its traditional calendar
date. As there will be an increase of one round this year to seven with the
addition of the new Alabama race., albeit I believe Madison's still an
"Exhibition" event. Whilst NO Clue if the President's Cup is part of
Detroit's Gold Cup weekend once again?
Sandwiched in the middle of Tate's two W's'
was the perennial winner Jimmy Shane capturing another Gold Cup victory in
Detroit, along with his fifth National High Points Championship crown aboard
Madison City's U-1 Miss Home Street Hydroplane. Having also won my Home Race,
Seattle Seafair's Albert Lee Appliance Cup.
As Jimmy was good
enough to take us round a lap of the Guntersville Unlimited course when the
Boats tested Thar' last year, which Y'all can check out in the video below...
While the only other Hydroplane on the
circuit to win a race was the U-12 Graham Trucking driven by fierce competitor,
and 3X Bridesmaid' (Three Times Championship runner-up) J. Michael Kelly, who
won the HAPO Columbia Cup race at Tri Cities.
But although the economy's Boomin' right now,
last year saw lean times, or pardon the pun, rough waters for the Unlimiteds'
fleet, with a paltry eight Hulls making the West Coast's Double Header swing,
i.e.; Tri Cities & Seattle.
Obviously, I'd ARSE-Sume my past favourite
driver, now P2, nee Cal Phipps in the former Dalton Industries, now apparently
the U-27 Greater Gadsden presents Chase Building Group will be back better 'N
stronger, especially since the season starts with Thar' Home-race.
As those are my Top-4 Boats for the season,
which shouldn't be much of a Shock, other than the U-27 fits that 'Ol Sesame
Street rhyme, "which One of These Doesn't look Like the Others?"
And speaking of Others, I'd have to say that
the U-11 Reliable Diamond Tools presents J&D's with Thom Thompson at the
tiller is another good Hull that seems to steadily be improving each season.
Whilst lastly, for my sixth pick, since
that's what I grew up for number of Hydros' competing against each other in
every Heat Race upon thou shores of Lake Washington. I'll select the U-3 Griggs
presents Ace Hardware, since it's the only piston powered boat in the fleet!
Propelled by a twin turbocharged Allison V-12 lump'.
Although I don't think
it's as powerful as my All-time Numero Uno piston powerplant, the Rolls Royce
Griffon that powered the Almighty Miss Bud, but I'm just guessing here...
Whilst my trailer boat would be a tossup
between the U-440 Bucket List Racing and the U-99.9 which will forever be just
the plain 'Ol Miss Rock of local Radio Station KISW fame to Mwah, with the
U-440 getting the nod, since I like Dustin Echols charisma, who seems like a
promising driver who just needs a faster ride.
With NO Disrespect to any of the other
Unlimited Hydroplane teams or Drivers competing this year, either full or part
time. Since I've got ZERO Clue if the Elstrom's U-16 Oh Boy Oberto Snausages'
Boat will return for the Columbia Cup and Seafair?
As Y'all can take a gander at the Official H1
Unlimited website's Teams lineup "Tab" link below, albeit it always seems to be
running a lap behind...