Hydro Racing

Breaking: J. Michael Kelly wins 2017 Columbia Cup at Water Follies

J. Michael Kelly in the U-12 Graham Trucking unlimited hydroplane races to a Columbia Cup championship Sunday on the Columbia River. Jimmy King in The U-3 Grigg’s Presents the Miss Ace Hardware battles for second place against Jimmy Shane, left, in the U-1 HomeStreet Bank behind the race leader
J. Michael Kelly in the U-12 Graham Trucking unlimited hydroplane races to a Columbia Cup championship Sunday on the Columbia River. Jimmy King in The U-3 Grigg’s Presents the Miss Ace Hardware battles for second place against Jimmy Shane, left, in the U-1 HomeStreet Bank behind the race leader Tri-City Herald

J. Michael Kelly in the U-12 Graham Trucking hit a perfect start Sunday, all but securing a win before the rest of the field even crossed the start line to claim the 2017 Columbia Cup, the signature event of the Tri-Cities Water Follies.

Kelly barreled through the start line at the first possible second and at full speed, with the rest of the field still firing up the horsepower and jockeying for inside position.

Jimmy King in the U-3 Griggs Presents the Miss Ace Hardware and three-time defending champion Jimmy Shane in the U-1 Miss HomeStreet battled for second place until King pulled ahead in the fourth lap. That left Shane and Andrew Tate in the U-9 Les Schwab Tires in a race for third. The two drivers dominated qualifying and heat races throughout the weekend, but had to settle for three-four (Shane then Tate) in the big race.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">J. Michael Kelly makes a statement, they found the speed, and it looks like he&#39;ll get his first win in the Tri-Cities <a href="https://t.co/nnJW0kKJFq">pic.twitter.com/nnJW0kKJFq</a></p>&mdash; Dustin Brennan (@Tweet_By_Dustin) <a href="https://twitter.com/Tweet_By_Dustin/status/891800149806141440">July 30, 2017</a></blockquote>

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This is a developing story. Check back for more information.

This story was originally published July 30, 2017 at 4:29 PM with the headline "Breaking: J. Michael Kelly wins 2017 Columbia Cup at Water Follies."

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