Friday, September 16, 2016

After upset in Seattle, Emerald City driver wins Gold Cup before San Diego season finale commences



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...