In his blog in the latest issue of POWERBOAT MAGAZINE, U-1 Oh Boy! Oberto driver Steve David pays tribute the rescue teams who work H1 Unlimited and other boat racing events.

Read Steve’s blog “Angels on the Water” in Powerboat Magazine

Guests:

Sam Cole, Chariman, H1 Unlimited
Mike Noonan, Chief Referee, H1 Unlimited
Adam & Tracy Bratvold, Whispering Turbines
Ted Porter, Owner, Precision Performance Racing

The long awaited anticipation on who will be U-37 Schumacher Racing’s crew chief has ended Monday.   Hydroplane team owners Jane and Billy Schumacher announced that Jeff Weiding is their new crew chief –in charge of a group of maintenance specialists that make up the crew.

Weiding, a Lynnwood, Wash. resident has been promoted from within the ranks of Schumacher Racing and has been with the team for five years.  He replaced Scott Raney who left and began his own team.

Weiding began as a crew member before he had seen his first H1 Hydroplane race.  “I was working in a hot rod shop working on car restorations.  Bill Wurster’s U-8 LLumar crashed at San Diego in 2005 so my friend Dick Lynch brought me down to the boat shop to help as a volunteer,” Weiding said.  He did such great work repairing the hydro, Weiding was offered a full-time job.

Asked how he feels about being crew chief Weiding said, “I’m not thinking about it right now,” He added, “My thoughts right now are focused fully toward building on our success, and keeping the crew on-task so we are ready with our new boat at the Governor’s Cup in Indiana.”

Read the rest of this entry »

The Ellstrom family–consisting of father Sven, sons Erick and Tom, and daughter Lisa–made its debut on the Unlimited racing scene as the sponsor of an experimental four-point hydroplane, owned by Glen Davis, in 1994. The next year, the family acquired a boat of its own and, under the leadership of crew chief Erick Ellstrom, the U-16 has racked up 20 victories since 2000 and won the National High Point Team Championship in 2005 and 2007.

Despite a trio of first-place finishes in 2006, MISS E-LAM PLUS was unable to defend her High Points crown. However, with legendary driver Dave Villwock behind the wheel, the Ellstroms were determined to reclaim their spot atop the leaderboard in 2007. And they did.

The Ellstroms followed a reduced schedule in 2008 and only appeared at two races but still took first-place at their hometown Chevrolet Cup on Seattle’s Lake Washington.

In 2010, racing as the U-96 Spirit of Qatar, the team scored victories in the APBA Gold Cup in Detroit, the Air Guard Championship in San Diego and the Oryx Cup UIM World Championship in Doha, Qatar on the way to strong second place finish in 2010 Season High Points.

Driver Profile

DAVE VILLWOCK:  With 62 career victories under his belt, Dave Villwock is tied with the late Bill Muncey as the all-time winningest driver in the sport’s history. Villwock has been at the wheel of some of the best boats around – PICO American Dream, Miss Budweiser, and currently the U-16 Ellstrom Elam Plus. While driving the Miss Budweiser, Villwock won 37 races, four Gold Cups and six National Championships. As the PICO American Dream’s driver, he claimed first-place in eight races, taking home one Gold Cup as well as another National High Point Championship. All told, Villwock has been awarded the APBA Gold Cup six times and captured the National High Point Driver Championship an astounding nine times.

Dave Villwock Victories with Ellstrom Racing

(1)   2005 – Tri-Cities, WA (Columbia Cup)
(2)   2005 – San Diego, CA (Bill Muncey Cup)
(3)   2006 – Evansville, IN (Thunder On The Ohio)
(4)   2006 – Madison, IN (Indiana Governor’s Cup)
(5)   2006 – Tri-Cities, WA (Atomic Cup)
(6)   2007 – Evansville, IN (Thunder On The Ohio)
(7)   2007 – Madison, IN (Indiana Governor’s Cup)
(8)   2007 – Detroit, MI (APBA Gold Cup)
(9)   2007 – Tri-Cities, WA (Columbia Cup)
(10) 2008 – Seattle, WA (Seafair)
(11) 2009 – Madison, IN (Indiana Governor’s Cup)
(12) 2009 – Detroit, MI (APBA Gold Cup)
(13) 2009 – Seattle, WA (Seafair)
(14) 2010 – Detroit, MI (APBA Gold Cup)
(15) 2010 – San Diego, CA (Air Guard Championship
(16) 2010 – Doha, Qatar (Oryx Cup UIMWorld Championship)

Schumacher Racing was formed in 2006 by two-time Gold Cup trophy winner and three-time National Champion former driver, Billy Schumacher and his wife Jane after they purchased the race team assets of Bill Wurster’s U-8 Racing. Based in the Seattle neighborhood of Magnolia, the team has four victories. Three in 2006 with Jean Theoret driving, including the Gold Cup Trophy and World Championship Trophy. The teams forth victory came back in 2008, again with Theoret driving. Schumacher Racing’s past drivers include: Jean Theoret (2006-2009), J.W. Myers (2009-2010), Jon Zimmerman (2010), and J. Michael Kelly (2011-).

Driver Profile:

J. Michael Kelly announced in March 2011 that he is driving the U-37 Billy Schumacher Racing entry in the 2011 H1 Unlimited Hydroplane series. Kelly, resides in Bonney Lake, Wash., had started 45 races during his six year career driving an unlimited hydroplane prior to the season start. The 31-year-old Kelly was named Rookie of the Year in 2004.

In 2010, while driving the U-7 Graham Trucking, Kelly placed 2nd in three winner-take-all finals, had six 1st-place preliminary heat victories, and 25 podium finishes. He finished third in National High Points behind the winingest active driver, Dave Villwock (U-96 Spirit of Qatar) and five-time driver champion Steve David (U-1 Oh Boy! Oberto).

In 2009 Kelly claimed his first – and so-far only – Unlimited win to date when he drove the U-7 Graham Trucking to victory in the UIM World Championship in Doha, Qatar.

Kelly said, “I am excited to join the Schumacher Racing team. In a relatively short period of time, Jane and Billy (Schumacher) have won the APBA Gold Cup, a World Championship and an Albert Lee Cup and that shows we have a very competitive team and they know how to win.”

“It will be exciting to have the newest boat on the circuit, combined with the leadership of Billy and some other seasoned professionals who have joined the U-37 team. I look forward to a very successful 2011 season,” Kelly said.

Kelly began racing at age 7, in a small kneel-down type hydroplane with an outboard motor attached to the back of the boat. He scored many national championships along the way and still holds six world speed records in the outboard and inboard classes of racing.

A four-time inductee into the prestigious A.P.B.A. Hall of Champions, Kelly began his unlimited career driving for U-2 Jim Harvey Motorsports (2004-2005). He also drove for the U-13 Spirit of Detroit (2006-2008), and most recently, the U-7 Graham Trucking (2009-2010).

2010 Highlights::

• 3^rd fastest qualifier at Lucas Oil Indiana Governor’s Cup 150.360 MPH- 1^st in two preliminary heats at Lucas Oil Indiana Governor’s Cup
• 3^rd in the Lucas Oil Indiana Governor’s Cup winner-take-all final
• 4^th fastest qualifier at Jarvis APBA Gold Cup
• Boat destroyed after crashing into seawall, injuring driver J.W. Myers
• Rookie Jon Zimmerman switches out of U-25 Superior Racing team to substitute for injured Myers
• Fellow competitor Fred Leland loans boat to U-37 to finish season
• New sponsor, Degree Men come on board for San Diego Bayfair race
• J.W. Myers returns to team in Doha, Qatar in U-37 Miss Peters & May
• Three podium finishes in preliminary heats in Doha, Qatar in U-37 Miss Peters & May
• Sixth place in H1 Unlimited National Championship
• Owners reorganize in the off-season, dismissing crew chief Scott Raney
• With direction from Ron Jones, Jr., crew build’s new boat for 2011
• Hire J. Michael Kelly to drive in 2011.

2010 Recap:

The team’s return to Madison, Ind.  Governor’s Cup marked the first year since the horrific crash of Jean Theoret where Theoret crashed in the first turn, almost loosing his life.  The team showed they could put the past behind them qualifying third behind Dave Villwock (U-16 Spirit of Qatar) and Steve David (U-1 Oh Boy! Oberto) with J.W. Myers driving the U-37 Miss Peters & May. Won two preliminary heats and a podium finish. Third place over all in the winner-take-all final. Following race in Detroit, J.W. Myers was the 4^th fastest qualifier, however in preliminary Heat 1B U-16 Spirit of Qatar collided with the U-37 Miss Peters & May on lap 1 in the fourth turn.  After a lap and a half in preliminary Heat, skid fin let go forcing Myers across Villwock’s roostertail and eventually crashing the boat into cement sea wall near the famed Roostertail Restaurant.  The boat was totaled and Myers fractured his foot in the crash.  As a result, the team withdrew from the race.

Several week break between crash at the Gold Cup and the Lamb Weston Columbia Cup allowed team to borrow a back-up boat from Fred Leland, owner of Leland Racing and team’s U-100 competitor.  Zimmerman qualified newly painted loaner boat 10^th at fast 2-1/2 mile Columbia River race.  He picked up two fourth place trophies and a 3^rd place trophy in preliminary heat racing.  Finished final in sixth place.

A week-and-a half break before newly named Albert Lee Cup at Seafair, team made several modifications to the team’s backup boat.  Myers foot surgery a success and healing had begun.  In the team’s hometown race were 10^th on the qualifying ladder.  Zimmerman drove the U-37 Peters & May to one 4^th place heat finish and two 5^th‘s.  Placed 6^th in winner-take-all final.

Despite the San Diego race not originally on the schedule, H1 Unlimited officials were able to get funding together to return to the popular Bayfair race on Mission Bay after a one year absence.  Degree Men and division of Unilever sponsored the U-37 Schumacher Racing.  With Zimmerman behind the wheel of freshly decaled boat, he qualified 10^th.  Zimmerman drove to two podium finishes in heat racing and finished 5^th in the winner-take-all final.

The team hurried to continue to make modifications to the back-up boat before having to drive cross country to Jacksonville, Fla. -the departure point for freighter sailing to the next race in Doha, Qatar.  J.W. Myers returned to the cockpit of the U-37 Miss Peters & May.  Myers qualified 9^th out of ten boats but quickly returned to form, scoring three podium finishes out of four and placed 7^th in the final race of the year.

Owner’s Jane and Billy Schumacher decided to make whole sale changes in the off-season replacing crew chief Scott Raney.  Due to contractual obligations, J.W. Myers left the team as well.  Schumacher’s quickly decided Myers replacement is J. Michael Kelly who drove the U-7 Graham Trucking entry in 2009-10.

The U-22 hull was built originally by Ed Cooper in 1998.  The boat campaigned from 1998 till mid season of 2002.  It was nicknamed “Tubby” due to the weight of the boat with the Alison power plant.  Purchased in 2008 by Webster Racing LLC, the hull has gone through considerable changes and now is running with turbine power.

Driver Profile

MIKE WEBSTER: Racing for Mike Webster began at the age of 10 in the outboard category.  Over the years he has progressed through the limited ranks.  Webster is no stranger to success earning numerous World, National, and Regional titles along the way.  Mike earned 2009 Rookie of the Year honors in the Unlimited Category

Crew Chief

JOHN WALTERS:13 Wins
John Walters brings a lot to the table as crew chief for the U-22 team. A boat racer for most of his life, Walters has made his presence felt both on and off the race course. In the 1970s, he drove Limited hydroplanes and served as a crew member for the National Champion ATLAS VAN LINES Unlimited hydroplane, owned by the late great Bill Muncey. In 1982, as driver of Dave Heerensperger’s PAY ‘n PAK, John became the very first Unlimited driver to win a race with turbine power.

2010 Season Recap:

The sophomore season for Webster Racing LLC got off to a great start in Madison, Indiana earning a spot in the final.  It was a great showing for the team and their hard work over the offseason to make improvements to the hull.

The Gold Cup marked the anniversary that driver Mike Webster cut off his ring finger at the 2009 event when the canopy malfunctioned and slammed down on his finger.  The teams luck was holding out in 2010 with solid finishes in the qualifying heats until heat 4a.  As the boat sponsored by Jarvis Restoration for the weekend pulled away from the pits trouble began.  The short shaft holding the propeller broke and sent the prop into the air in spectacular fashion right in front of the grand stands.  Although the team didn’t make the final due to the misfortune the rescue diving team was able to retrieve the propeller from the swift river after the races!

Fast forward a few weeks to the Lamb Weston Columbia Cup in Tri-Cities, Washington.  The team racing as Matrix Systems Automotive Finishes ran flawlessly all weekend, but unfortunately came up a few points short of making the final.

The Albert Lee Cup in Seattle, Washington was another great race.  That weekend the boat was sponsored by Scott Carson (former CEO of Boeing) in celebration of his birthday.  The boat was appropriately named “Great Scott” for the weekend.   The Webster Racing team is glad to have the support of Scott and his wife Linda in their program as well as the sport of Unlimited racing.

In mid September the H1 fleet set off for Sunny San Diego for the last US race of the season.  Again running as “Great Scott” the team competed hard all weekend but missed making the final by a few points.

A very quick turnaround was necessary to get the boats down to Jacksonville for departure to Doha, Qatar for the 2010 World Championships.  At the end of the weekend the Webster Racing team took home 6^th place honors for the event and finished 7^th overall in high points for the season.

Consistency was the key for the teams success this year only failing to finish 2 heats due to minor troubles.  The team plans to make improvements to the hull in the offseason to better their performance.

Team website: www.websterracing.com

After struggling through the 2009 season campaigning two aging hulls, Greg & Brian O’Farrell acquired the former U-21 from Freedom Racing of San Diego.  The U-21 hull is considered “state of the art” and should give Brian Perkins a ride that will allow him to compete.

The team will retire their U-48 and U-50 numbers, campaigning their new hull as U-21 with sponsorship from Albert Lee Appliance of Seattle for the Seattle and Tri-Cities races.

Driver Profile

BRIAN PERKINS: One of unlimited hydroplane racing’s “young guns,” Brian Perkins qualified as an unlimited driver in 2007 with the U-21 Freedom Racing Team. Competing in unlimited class hydroplane racing has long been a career goal of Perkins. As a teenager, he worked as a crew member on Bill Wurster’s U-8 LLumar Window Film. Perkins comes from a racing family as his sister, Kayleigh, is a National High Point champion in the unlimited light class. At the last race prior to the Oryx Cup UIM World Championship, the team switched to their back-up boat. In 2009, Perkins has five second place qualification heat finishes and three third-place qualification heat finishes.

Career Victories: none.

Our Gang Racing LLC is a relatively new group of Pacific Northwest individuals with wide-ranging skills and expertise that share a common passion for Unlimited hydroplane racing. Now in its fourth season, the Gang was brought together by Nate Brown to design, construct, and competitively race an Unlimited hydroplane. In 2007, the U-17 team displayed their new boat at the Tri-Cities Columbia Cup. A week later, with Nate Brown driving, they qualified for and scored points in the Chevrolet Cup at Seattle. In 2008, his nephew, Kip Brown, a champion Limited pilot, occupied the U-17′s cockpit and earned ABRA’s “Rookie of the Year” award for his inaugural unlimited driving performance.

Owner/Driver: Nate Brown

Nate Brown has over 30 years of experience in boat building, racing, and driving. A Hall of Champion inductee, Nate was named the Unlimited Rookie of the Year when he built and drove the Miss Rock in 1992. In 2001, he drove the Miss E-Lam Plus to victory in Seattle and set a new world speed record in San Diego. In 2004 at Detroit, Nate won the APBA Gold Cup, the most prestigious and oldest motorsports trophy, with Kim Gregory’s MISS DYC.

In 2008, Nate began sharing the driving with his nephew Kip Brown, and experienced driver in limited classes. In 2010, Kip will become the team’s primary driver.

Driver: Kip Brown

Since 1995, Kip Brown has been racing in, and placing in, powerboat races. Recently stepping up to the Unlimiteds, he arrived with impressive driving credentials from the Limited racing circuit.This includes 2.5 Stock, 2.5 Mod, 5 Liter, E-Racing Runabout, Super Stock Runabout, and Pro Stock Runabout.
Kip’s racing accomplishments include:
• Rookie of the Year, and Inspirational Award, Seattle Drag and Ski
• Neil Yapachino Award Winner, Spanaway Regatta
• Sportsman Award, Tacoma Inboard
• 3 time High Point Champion, E-Racing Runabout
• 2nd place, APBA National High Point, Pro Stock Runabout
• 3/4 and 1 Mile Course World Records, NBRA Outlaw Flatbottom.
In 2008, he placed 4th at the Seattle Seafair Unlimited race, and was chosen Unlimited Rookie of the Year following the season’s end. In 2009, Kip finished 5th at Tri-Cities and Seattle.
He is an Officer and Board Member for Tacoma Inboard and Seattle Drag and Ski.

Racing Performance:

The U-17 raced in Tri-Cities and Seattle in its first two seasons.  Then, in 2009, Our Gang set out to run the entire season on the unlimited circuit.  Even running with a small, all volunteer crew,  the team produced respectable results, made the final heat in the last four races (including Doha, Qatar) and finished the season sixth in national points.  The u-17 and Our Gang Racing team are looking forward to an even better 2010!

More information on U-17 news, updates, pictures and videos can be found on Our Gang Racing’s website at www.ourgangracing.com.