Greg Hopp charged past Paul Becker in the near outside lane to win the Graham Trucking Thunder Cup for Unlimited Lights at the Columbia Cup.
Hopps UL-15 Happy Go Lucky came from the outside to pass Becker in the identical UL-14 Miss Critical Logic.
Hopp established a commanding lead in the season high points standings with the victory.
Becker finished second, followed by Terry Troxell in the UL-8, Michael Flaherty in the UL-11, and Mike Sadlon in the UL-89.
J. Craig Fletcher missed a buoy in the first turn and had to circle his UL-13 Celtic Racing around to make it up. He finished sixth.
The unlimiteds are taking the course now for the Columbia Cup, and I will have more details of both races coming up.
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HYDROS: Villwock, David win second heats in Qatar
HYDROS: Villwock, David win second heats in Qatar
Veteran drivers Dave Villwock and Steve David each won their second heat races Friday at the Oryx Cup World Championships for unlimited hydroplanes.
Villwock, whose earlier victory clinched the season championship for his team, the U-96 Spirit of Qatar, had no problem starting in lane 2 of heat 2A as he raced uncontested to the win.
Greg Hopp, starting in lane 1 in the U-100, held off Scott Liddycoat in the U-7 Valken.com and Kip Brown in the U-17 Miss Red Dot to finish second.
Liddycoat declared of hydro race in Qatar
Liddycoat declared of hydro race in Qatar
Driver Scott Liddycoat completed a magical rookie season Saturday by capturing his first unlimited hydroplane victory during a controversial finish at the Oryx Cup UIM World Championship.
Liddycoat was declared the winner by officials after they reviewed film of the start and saw that drivers Steve David, Dave Villwock and J Michael Kelly had crossed the start line early. Those drivers were given a 1-minute penalty and Liddycoat got his first career victory on the H1 Unlimited tour.
“It’s not the way I would have liked to win the first one but I’ll take it,” Liddycoat said. “This year has been unreal. I don’t think it’s quite sunk in yet.”
HYDROS: David steers Oberto to Oryx Cup title
HYDROS: David steers Oberto to Oryx Cup title
Steve David and the U-1 Oh Boy! Oberto may not have defended their national high points championship, but at least they finished the season on a winning note.
David, running from lane 3, hit the start-finish line almost perfectly and was never threatened after that in the 5-lap final of the Oryx Cup World Championship unlimited hydroplane race Saturday in Doha, Qatar.
Rookie Scott Liddycoat, driving the U-7 Valken.com, had the inside lane in the seven-boat final. But he couldn't overtake David. Liddycoat still finished second.
Unlimited hydroplanes update
Unlimited hydroplanes update
Here’s a quick update on the H1 Unlimiteds, which of course race here in the Tri-Cities every July.
Dave Villwock, who drives the U-96 Spirit of Qatar, has already clinched the drivers championship with just one race left — the Oryx Cup UIM Championship on Nov. 17-19 in Doha, Qatar.
The boat itself has not clinched the title, but should do so in Qatar.
Columbia Cup broadcast Oct. 30 on Versus
Columbia Cup broadcast Oct. 30 on Versus
KENNEWICK -- The 2011 Lamb Weston Columbia Cup is scheduled to be replayed on VERSUS at 1 p.m. on Oct. 30.
The event, won by U-96 Spirit of Quatar driver Dave Villwock in late July, will be televised as a result of a partnership between ANG/H1 Unlimited and the VERSUS network.
VERSUS can be seen in the Tri-Cities on Charter Communications channel 36, on Direct-TV channel 603 or Dish Network channel 151.
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