DETROIT -- Dave Villwock has found many different ways to earn his 58 career unlimited hydroplane victories.
But on Sunday, even he was surprised with the new way he found to win the 100th running of the APBA Gold Cup, as he drove the U-16 Miss Elam Plus to victory on the Detroit River.
Prior to the start of the race at the 1-minute gun, Villwock hadn't even made a complete warm up lap, as he barely made "forward progress" on the race course.
He positioned himself in Lane 1 and U-1 Oh Boy! Oberto driver Steve David had to settle for Lane 2.
Instead of an "on-plane" as in prior years, ABRA officials said drivers would only need to make "forward progress" approaching the start of the race.
In essence, Villwock's boat became a drag racer, as he hit the gas at the starting line. David spent the rest of the race trying to catch Villwock, but he couldn't do it.
"That was pretty cool," Villwock told the Herald on Sunday. "The other drivers are used to seeing me slice around the field. They're not used to seeing these drag race starts."
Villwock said the team came up with the perfect setup for the boat.
"We had a setup for high speed, but we had been setting up this morning to go super slow, then go to a high speed," he said. "In the final, we threw them a big changeup. It's a pretty difficult task if I didn't make a perfect start and I didn't get out in front.
"It was an all-or-nothing play."
David just couldn't do anything to catch Villwock after the start.
"Lane 1 is still the shortest way around this angry Detroit River, and Villwock just got to Lane 1 before us by 'trolling,' " David said. "We knew what he was up to when he made the slight modification to his boat last night. He used the rules to his advantage."
Villwock won with an average speed of 141.239 mph, while David was second at 138.270.
Jeff Bernard in the U-5 Formulaboats.com was third at 136.266, while J.Michael Kelly drove the U-7 Miss Graham Trucking to a fourth-place finish at 136.200.
Greg Hopp was fifth in the U-100 Jarvis Painting at 66.094 mph.
David still led the weekend with 1,980 national points, and Villwock left Detroit with 1,677.
But Villwock drove away with his seventh career Gold Cup victory.
"Old age and treachery wins out over youth and exuberance," he said.
Similar stories:
Villwock wins again in San Diego
Villwock wins again in San Diego
SAN DIEGO -- Dave Villwock won his second consecutive Air National Guard Championship at San Diego Bayfair on Sunday, sweeping through all of his heats and closing in on his first national championship in four years.
Villwock won for a record ninth time on Mission Bay and as a result his U-96 Spirit of Qatar boat has more wins than any other hull in the sport's history.
Villwock also became the sport's all-time winningest driver earlier this season in Detroit. He has 65 career victories.
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.
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: 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.
Hydros arrive in Qatar with new starting rules
Hydros arrive in Qatar with new starting rules
What's it like trying to race an unlimited hydroplane in the Middle East?
Steve David will tell you it's not easy.
Forget about the fact he completely flipped his U-1 Oh Boy! Oberto two years ago during the Oryx Cup World Championships in Doha, Qatar, landing right-side up, only to turn the ignition on and limp the boat back to the pits.
Print
Email Story
