But Can anybody Beat Jimmy Shane and the U-1 Miss
Home Street?
Author’s
Note
Otay, full disclosure here folks. I was busy
packing on race day, getting ready to effectively go on a three weeks extended
Holiday! So I don’t know the outcome of this year’s Sand Diego Bayfair Regatta
or who won the bill Muncey Cup?
Tomaso
The 2022 H1 Unlimited Hydroplane season started
out so promisingly, albeit it was an unexpected Driver-Boat Combination that
looked set to give Jimmy Shane His biggest Challenge for another year’s
Championship. Since I’d Arse-sumed that it would be J. Michael Kelly in the U-8
Miss Tri-Cities giving Shane Headaches All season long.
Instead it was Kelly’s Strong Racing teammate
Cory Peabody in the U-9 Lynx Healthcare that was pushing Shane’s buttons! Having
noted in my No Fenders Season Preview that these were the two teams to watch this
year.
http://www.nofenders.net/2022/06/hydros-2022-power-houses-which-of-these.html
The season began on Lake Guntersville Wayback at
the end of June, with the Sport’s most prestigious trophy, the gold cup being
Held there. Although when I think Gold Cup, I immediately think of Detroit
instead, the modern day (Post World War II) “Ancestrol” Home of the Nation’s Oldest
trophy.
Yet my Hometown of Seattle Had Mucho to say
about that during it’s Heated East-West Coast rivalry during the 1950’s and 1960’s!
Guntersville saw a “massive” seven Hydroplanes field
contesting the Gold Cup with two Hulls apiece from the aforementioned Miss
Madison and Strong Racing outfits. Plus single Boat entries from Bucket List
Racing, Griggs Racing and Unlimited Racing Group, Although I’ve still got Zero
clue what happened to Graham Trucking and Andrew Tate this year? Whilst initially
expecting the most Hydros to show up for this year’s return to Seattle’s Seafair
regatta…
http://www.nofenders.net/2022/06/hydros-time-to-spool-up-for-2022-h1.html
Having taken to simply “Watching,” Err listening
to the Final Heats via H1 Unlimited’s Youtube channel, I recall that whomever
the main Announcer is? Noted how Jimmy Shane aboard the U-1 Miss Home Street had
come to an unexpected, temporary stop during the five minute “Milling” period and
we’d need to keep an Eye upon that. Which would turn out to be prophetic words…
Meanwhile Dave Villwock, Skipper’ of the U-40 Miss
Beacon Plumbing had mirrored Shane’s march thru All of His preliminary Heats Undefeated.
Also coming from behind to win a la Shane was also DQ’ed in the Final! As
Villwock, the Sport’s Elder Statesman at Age 68 would be Disqualified for going
outside the course boundries during the Milling period.
But I’m getting ahead of myself Thar Mateys!
As the Starting Gun sounded, five Whooshing,
screaming Lycoming (Chinook Helicopter) turbine
powered Unlimited Hydroplanes funneled into turn one with Jimmy Shane leading
the pack. As the U-1 Miss Home Street would lead All five laps seemingly
enroute to Shane’s sixth gold Cup victory, breaking His tie with the legendous’
Gar Wood.
Yet Race Officials determined following the
race that Shane had Dipped below the minimum 80mph threshold during the
aforementioned Milling period and thus was instantly Disqualified! Meaning that
Cory Peabody behind the tiller of the U-9 Lynx Healthcare who’d originally finished
Runner-up behind Jimmy Shane was the winner of the 112th running of the
APBA Gold cup! With Peabody averaging 147.829mph over the race’s five laps.
Official second place finisher was Jeff Bernard
in the U-91 Goodman real Estate, and Jamie Neilsen in the U-11 Misss Colleen
was third. Whilst I cannot remember what happened to J. Michael Kelly, albeit I
think He was the “Trailer Boat,” but Not Classifie.
And if that wasn’t enough Drama for Yuhs, then
like Good ‘Ol Derek Daly says: “Hang Onto Your Hollyhocks!” As it’s about to
get real bumpy for one of our competitors!
The following weekend’s Madison Governor’s Cup on
the Ohio River in Indiana saw U-1 of Shane and U-91 of Bernard. Along with both
the U-8 Miss Tri-Cities of J. Michael Kelly and Peabody’s U-9, plus Neilsen in
the U-11 for the Final Heat. As Villwock had earlier Hit a unseen log at some
150mph! Shearing it’s propeller and doing serious damage to the U-40 Hull,
which made a Beeline Home to Snohomish, WA for repairs!
Shane and Peabody Had an epic Mano e Mano Duel
the entire Heat! As perennial winner Jimmy Shane couldn’t shake Cory Peabody
from His Six! With Peabody reportedly never veering less than four boat-lengths
behind. And with the duo taking the white flag on lap-4, and Peabody pressing
Shane Hard. Suddenly Cory’s U-9’s nose began catching Air and pointing
skywards! And then in an instant, Peabody’s Hydroplane went Airborne with the
U-9 completing two Summersaults in-a-row before thankfully landing Upright!
The race was immediately Red Flagged, and with
AllHydros having completed three laps, Shane was declared the winner, His 21st
Unlimiteds victory.
While the Box Score denotes that Bernard was second, Neilsen third and Kelly fourth, it really didn’t seem to matter! Although fortunately Peabody was Checked, Cleared and Released from the Infield Medical Center afterwards!
