Tuesday, June 19, 2018

It's Time for the Roostertails to Fly Again!




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)
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...

Saturday, June 16, 2018

LE MANS: Will-Will this-this be-be Toyota's-Toyota's Year-Year - I Said, Will This be Toyota's Year, finally?



Can the "Mad Russian," (Mikhail Aleshin) Countryman Vitaly VO5' Petrov and Bloody Jense', nee Jenson Button pilot Thar' Shiny, New #11 SMP Racing's BR Engineering LMP1 Prototype to the top step of the Podium this weekend at Le Mans? (Image source: motorsport.com)
As I'm ARSE-Suming that third time's the Charm for Toyota, especially since their main competition Audi & Porsche have Quit Sports Car racing's pre-eminent class...

While the FIA has "Supersized" the 2018 World Endurance Championship's (WEC) Sports Car Season, expanding it to now encompass 2018-2019, including both year's Le Mans outing. I really Don't understand the rationalization for switching to a Winter-Summer season calendar...


As this year's field appears to have increased to 60 entries, which are perfectly split 50-50 between the Prototypes, with 10 LMP1 & 20 LMP2 entrants. While the Tintops'; Err Gran Torismo ranks see 17 GTE Pro & 13 GTE Am entrants, with the bulk of the field being comprised of the 36 WEC Season's contestants.


As this is my attempt to briefly cover the ten 'lil P1 runners', who I'd expect to win the race outright, barring reliability issues, which could be froth for this new class's first 24 Hours event...

Rebellion Racing
Country: Switzerland
Chassis: Rebellion R13
Engine: Gibson 4.5-litre Normally Aspirated V-8

Drivers
#1. Andre Lotterer, Neal Jani and Bruno Senna
#3. Mathias Beche, Gustavo Menezes and Thomas Laurent

Obviously the No. 1 cars loaded for "Bear" with two Le Mans winners and a driver with the last name Senna.

The chassis is produced by the winning French concern ORECA, who's simply evolved upon their past LMP2 chassis for this new Non Hybrid B-I-G BOYZ' effort. While Gibson, who builds the mandatory P2 lumps', has also Super-sized their V-8 engine. As theoretically, I'd ARSE-sume that these normally aspirated V-8's will be more reliable than the new-spec turbo's.


As I'd have to pick the No. 1 car as a Dark Horse Contendah', especially with its winning driver's combination at its controls...

ByKolles Racing
Country: Austria
Chassis: Kolles CLM P1/01
Engine: Nissan 3.0-litre V-6 Turbo

Drivers
#4. Oliver Webb, Dominik Kraihamer and Tom Dillman

The only driver I know of in this entry is Tom Dillman who won the 2016 Formula V-8 3.5 series. As this chassis run by the legendous' Dr. Colin Kolles of past Midland and Hispania Formula 1 fame, is the only Privateer chassis that ran last year's World Endurance Championship in the same guise. Therefore you'd hope that reliability's upon its side.

CEFC-TRSM Racing
Country: China
Chassis: Ginetta G60-LT1
Engine: Mecachrome 3.4-litre V-6 Turbo

Drivers
#5. Charlie Robertson, Mike Simpson and Leo Roussel
#6. Oliver Rowland, Alex Brundle and Oliver Turvey

Was surprised to discover that this is actually the old, original Manor Motorsport F1 Team, now known as Manor Endurance Racing, with backing from China's TRS concern. Albeit scuttlebutt suggests that funding issues arose earlier this year, causing the team to miss the first round of the season at Spa, since reportedly they ran the Le Mans test devoid of any CEFC Deckles'


Also, at one point Dean Stoneman was slated as one of the drivers, but has subsequently left, with either Alex Brundle or more likely, Ginetta test driver Mike Simpson replacing him?


Therefore the cars will be making their WEC debut at Le Mans, for which should be a most daunting task. Along with the new Mecachrome turbo lump' not having raced in anger. So don't count on either car to go the distance.

Toyota Racing
Country: Japan
Chassis: TS050 Hybrid
Engine: 2.4-litre V-6 Turbo

Drivers
#7. (Kamui Kobayashi, Mike Conway and José Maria Lopez
#8. Sebastien Buemi, Kazuki Nakajima and Fernando Alonso

As the only Factory Hybrid effort in the field, Toyota should be miles 'N miles ahead of the competition. Although the past two years have been especially cruel to the Japanese auto-maker.

but with first Audi, and then Porsche Quitting Sports Car racing, you'd have to ARSE-Sume it'll be an intra-squad Scrum for Overall Honours this year, Ci?

And whilst Fernando will be getting All of the Attenzione, and I won't have a Problema with him winning. Nevertheless, I'll be rootin' for the Seester' Toy-Yoter to win, since :K-Squared's: (Kobayashi) suffered indignantly at Le Mans, whilst Mike "Ice-Ice, Baby!" Conway's a past IndyCar Driver.

DragonSpeed
Country: USA
Chassis: BR Engineering BR-1
Engine: Gibson 4.5-litre Normally Aspirated V-8

Drivers
#10. Henrik Hedman, Ben Hanley and Renger van der Zande

This is the team for which Pietro Fittipaldi suffered his major Shunt at the Mighty Spa Francorchamps aboard earlier this May, which totally destroyed' the team's first chassis!

Thus, they've thrashed Madly to build-up a new Dallara-based car, and I'd enjoy seeing Thar' IMSA "Ringer" Renger van der Zande & Co. having a successful outing.

SMP Racing
Country: Russia
Chassis: BR Engineering BR-1
Engine: AER 2.4-litre V-6 Turbo

Drivers
#11. Mikhail Aleshin, Jenson Button and Vitaly Petrov
#17. Matevos Isaakyan, Stephane Sarrazin and Egor Orudzhev

You'd have to say that the team's got a fairly stout Driver line-up, albeit I've only ever heard of half of the Rooskies' on the squad. Although I don't know how competitive the car will be, or if the AER turbo unit can G-O the distance?


As the #11 has to be my sentimental favourite in the field, since I'd enjoy Aleshin smiling broadly atop thou podium, with Petrov deserving some glory too...