A couple tidbits this week about hydroplanes:
This is the week Steve David is inducted into the APBA Hall of Champions in Seattle.
David, 55, won two unlimited driver championships, but has 250 limited victories in his career.
-- The H-1 Unlimited owners will meet all day Saturday to discuss the upcoming season. The question is, will the teams go back to Qatar this year, and will there be more races outside the United States? The annual meetings are still set in Las Vegas on March 5-6.
-- Notice that it's not called the American Boat Racing Association anymore. Now it's H1 Unlimited to reflect the boats don't just race in North America. One thing that has happened is the Gold Cup dates, normally in the middle of July, have been moved to June 25-27 this year.
--. Our race in the Tri-Cities, the Lamb Weston Columbia Cup, is set for the final weekend of July (like it always is), July 23-25.
-- Billy and Jane Shumacher, the owners of the U-37 unlimited hydroplane, have parted ways with driver Jean Theoret -- although through their press release they stress it was amicable. Theoret flipped the boat last year in Madison and almost drowned, and you could see how it had shaken his confidence later in the season and possibly his drive to want to be in an unlimited. He did finish the season in the boat. The Schumachers are looking for a new driver. J.W. Myers drove the U-37 last year when Theoret did not.
-- A memorial service for former Pay N Pak driver George Henley will be held from 2:30-4:30 p.m. Saturday at Emerald Downs in Auburn. Henley passed away last month after suffering a heart attack.
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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.
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.
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