DOHA, Qatar -- J. Michael Kelly drove the U-7 Graham Trucking to his first hydroplane victory in grand fashion, passing an ailing U-16 Ellstrom Elam Plus on the final lap to win the inaugural Oryx Cup UIM World Championship on Saturday in Doha, Qatar.
Driver Dave Villwock, in the U-16, had engine difficulties after a bumpy ride through the west turn on the second lap.
The boat started to compression stall, and yellow flame came through the tailpipe. He managed to hold off Kelly until the final lap.
The final heat had to be rerun after Jeff Bernard in the U-5 Formulaboats.com flipped during its initial running. Bernard was talking with the media and the crowd after the incident and appeared to be fine.
Steve David and the U-1 Oh Boy! Oberto finished second, giving them enough points to lay claim to both the team and driver H1 Unlimited national high points championship and retain the coveted U-1 designation for the 2010 season.
David bounced back to take the overall title after he flipped his boat during Heat 4A.
Racing on the outside of Kelly, David's boat lifted off the water and flipped once. However, the Oberto landed right-side up, and David never actually turned off the boat.
There was little, if any damage to the boat, and although he was disqualified to run in the heat's restart, David already qualified for the final.
David and the Oberto finished the season with 7,970 points -- just 235 ahead of Villwock and the Elam (7735) and 406 ahead of Bernard and the U-5 (7564).
Similar stories:
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.
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.”
Villwock top qualifier at San Diego
Villwock top qualifier at San Diego
SAN DIEGO -- Dave Villwock took advantage of a second opportunity and was the fastest qualifier in the U-96 Spirit of Qatar on Friday at the Air National Guard San Diego Bayfair.
Villwock posted a head-turning 164.759 mph lap during qualifying, the fastest qualifying speed he's done on the Mission Bay course under the series' current fuel restrictions.
It looked as if rival driver Steve David -- in the U-1 Oh Boy! Oberto -- would earn the fastest qualifying speed on the day, but Vilwock and his team opted for a second attempt.
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.
Print
Email Story
