H1 Unlimited Historian Fred Farley’s statistical recap shows fifteen hulls appeared at one time or another during the 2011 Air National Guard Series tour. Sixteen drivers made at least one legal start in a heat of competition. Two teams–the U-1 and the U-100–used back-up hulls.
 
Jeff Bernard’s 5 Graham Trucking team completed all 25 heats started for the only perfect season in that category. 

Results for the season -

For the purpose of this compilation, a boat is not considered to have finished a heat unless it has received points in that heat. An exception to this rule is participation in “Provisional Heats,” which do not award points but which help determine who is admitted to the Final Heat.
 

“Dash-For-Cash” heats are not included.

 **********

U-1 OH BOY! OBERTO/MISS MADISON

Driver: Steve David

Heats: 20
 
Finishes: 19

 

Percentage: .950
 
1st: 12
 
2nd: 3
 
3rd: 1
 
4th: 1
 
5th: 2
 
**********
 
U-5 GRAHAM TRUCKING

 

Driver: Jeff Bernard
 
Heats: 25
 
Finishes: 25

 

Percentage: 1.000
 
1st: 3
 
2nd: 11
 
3rd:  5
 
4th: 4
 
5th: 1
 
6th: 1
 
**********
 
U-7 VALKEN.COM

 

Driver: Scott Liddycoat
 
Heats: 25
 
Finishes: 23

 

Percentage: .920
 
1st: 5
 
2nd: 10
 
3rd: 6
 
4th: 1
 
5th: 0
 
6th: 1
 
**********
 
U-9/U-1 MISS VISIT TRI-CITIES.COM/OH BOY! OBERTO (back-up hull)

 

Driver: Jon Zimmerman
 
Heats: 10
 
Finishes: 9

 

Percentage: .900
 
1st: 0
 
2nd: 1
 
3rd: 2
 
4th: 6
 
**********
 
U-11 PETERS & MAY

 

Driver: J.W. Myers
 
Heats: 22
 
Finishes: 15

 

Percentage: .681
 
1st: 2
 
2nd: 1
 
3rd: 6
 
4th: 2
 
5th: 3
 
6th: 0
 
7th: 1
 
**********

 

U-17 MISS RED DOT

 

Drivers: Kip Brown & Cal Phipps

 

Heats: 24

 

Finishes: 22

 

Percentage: .916

 

1st: 8

 

2nd: 8

 

3rd: 3

 

4th: 1

 

5th: 2

 

**********

 

U-21 LAKERIDGE PAVING/ALBERT LEE APPLIANCE/TAPOUT-MUSCLEPHARM

 

Driver: Brian Perkins

 

Heats: 22

 

Finishes: 20

 

Percentage: .909

 

1st: 1

 

2nd: 5

 

3rd: 6

 

4th: 6

 

5th: 1

 

6th: 0

 

7th: 1

 

**********

 

U-22 MISS BROADWAY TAVERN/MATRIX SYSTEM/CAMPAIGN WSU/GREAT SCOTT

 

Driver: Mike Webster 

 

Heats: 15

 

Finishes: 6

 

Percentage: .400

 

1st: 0

 

2nd: 0

 

3rd: 4

 

4th: 2

 

**********

 

U-25 SUPERIOR RACING/JARVIS FIRE-WATER REPAIR/MISS 97ROCK/PROCRAFT WINDOWS

 

Drivers: Dr. Ken Muscatel & Ryan Mallow  

 

Heats: 12

 

Finishes: 7

 

Percentage: .583

 

1st: 0

 

2nd: 0

 

3rd: 1

 

4th: 2

 

5th: 4

 

**********

 

U-57 FORMULABOATS.COM

 

Drivers: Mark Evans & Jimmy Shane

 

Heats: 20

 

Finishes: 15

 

Percentage: .750

 

1st: 0

 

2nd: 1

 

3rd: 7

 

4th: 6

 

5th: 0

 

6th: 1

 

**********

 

U-88 DEGREE MEN

 

Driver: J. Michael Kelly

 

Heats: 24

 

Finishes: 21

 

1st: 3

 

2nd: 9

 

3rd: 2

 

4th: 3

 

5th: 3

 

6th: 0

 

7th: 1

 

**********

 

U-96 SPIRIT OF QATAR

 

Driver: Dave Villwock

 

Heats: 25

 

Finishes: 23

 

Percentage: .920

 

1st: 20

 

2nd: 1

 

3rd: 1

 

4th: 0

 

5th: 0

 

6th: 1

 

**********

 

U-99 MISS HAPO

 

Driver: Ryan Mallow

 

Heats: 3

 

Finishes: 0

 

Percentage: .000

 

**********

 

U-100 LELAND UNLIMITED/MISS AL DEEBY/MISS BEACON PLUMBING (original hull)

 

Driver: Greg Hopp

 

Heats: 14

 

Finishes: 12

 

Percentage: .857

 

1st: 1

 

2nd: 1

 

3rd: 4

 

4th: 4

 

5th: 2

 

**********

 

U-100 MIRAGE BOATS/LELAND UNLIMITED (replacement hull)

 

Driver: Greg Hopp

 

Heats: 8

 

Finishes: 8

 

Percentage: 1.000

 

1st: 0

 

2nd: 2

 

3rd: 3

 

4th: 0

 

5th: 3

 

 

H1 is collecting Fan nominations for the 2011 ANG Series FAN FAVORITE AWARD. The award can go to a team, owner, driver or any person or group chosen by the fans.

Nominate your favorite in an email to (Enable Javascript to see the email address).  Nominations also become votes.

Time for photogs to pick their favorite shots for the 2011 photo contest. The 3 categories are Professional Boat/Action Shot, Professional People Shot, and Fan Photograph. Fans can send in up to 2 photos of anything they’d like and the pro’s can send one boat/action and one people.

Email digital files to (Enable Javascript to see the email address) or mail a CD to P.O. Box 3694, Pasco, WA 99302. Call 877-783-RACE for questions. Entries will be printed out and displayed at the Awards Banquet where attendees will vote for their favorite. Winners will be announced at the banquet. Entries must be submitted by February 13th.

The Pro category includes anyone who was issued a blue photo vest during the season and team photographers.

A few tickets are still available for the H1 Unlimited 2011 Awards Banquet  Saturday  February 25^th at the Westin Hotel in downtown Seattle.  There will also be a no-host social gathering at the Hydroplane and Raceboat Museum Friday, February 24^th. 

H1 Unlimited’s annual meetings will take place at the same location Saturday, February 25th, with an H1 Board of Directors meeting slated for Sunday.

H1 Has a special room rate at $139 per night.  For reservations CLICK HERE or call 1-888-627-8513

Click here for Banquet Registration

 

AGENDA

Friday, February 24^th   

7:00 pm                        Informal Social (Open to Public)– Hydroplane and Raceboat Museum

                                          5917 S. 196th St.   Kent, WA  98032          

 Saturday, February 25^th  

Elliot Bay Room – Open to Public

8:00 am                                Welcome – Sam Cole

8:30 am – 10:00 am        Marketing –  David Gatti, Canyon Marketing

10:00 am – 10:15 am      Break

10:15 am – 11:30 am        Sponsorship and ROI – Kristine Smutek, K16 Marketing

11:30 am – 1:00 pm          Lunch on own for attendees – Closed Board Meeting,

Vashon  Room

1:00 pm – 2:00 pm           Safety/Rule changes, Mike Noonan, H1 Chief  Referee

2:00 pm – 3:00 pm          Social Media and Websites –  Melissa A. Jurcan, Seafair

3:00 pm – 3:15 pm           Break

3:15 pm – 4:30 pm           Race Site Meeting (Closed to Public) – What’s expected for 2012

Elliot Bay Room

3:15 pm – 4:30 pm           Owner Meeting (Closed to Public) – What’s expected for 2012

Vashon Room

5:30 pm – 6:30 pm           Social Hour – Foyer outside Cascade Ballroom

6:30 p m                                Dinner – Cascade Ballroom

7:00 pm                                Award Program – Cascade Ballroom              

 Sunday, February 26^th  

7:30 am – 10:00 am         Closed H1 Executive Committee Meeting

 

In a career as an unlimited crewman dating back to 1972,  Tracy Bratvold built Rolls Royce Merlin and Griffon engines for teams like Circus Circus, Budweiser, Tide and Pringles.

With the dawn of the turbine era, Tracy became one of the sport’s premier turbine technicians and eventually grew his knowledge into a thriving family industry that supplies turbine power to a number of racing and other applications.

In 1989 Tracy and wife Cindi combined their love of the beautiful Bitterroot Valley of Western Montana with the opportunity to start a business that would meet the growing need for turbine technology in racing and aviation.  In 1990, their company received FAA approval for turbine overhaul and repair and the shop outside of Hamilton, Montana began to grow.  Today, son Adam is the company’s lead turbine mechanic and is a familiar face on the Unlimited Hydroplane and Offshore circuits.

2011 was a Banner Year for Whispering Turbines as WTI engines powered the U96 to the 2011 H1 National Championship and the team’s  fourth consecutive Gold Cup in Detroit.  The Miss Geico Race Team won the World Championship for the 6^thyear (the last 3 with WTI engines) and Bill Tomlinson’s “My Way” set the Unofficial record for the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout 2011 at 208/223MPH.

Tomlinson’s impressive 208 mph pass can be seen in the video HERE.

Whispering Turbines customers are quick to sing the company’s praises, including – Erick Ellstrom, owner of the 96 Spirit of Qatar, who says, “Having campaigned now for 18 years one of the winningest H1 Unlimited Hydroplanes, I want to send out a big “Thank You” to Tracy and Adam Bratvold at Whispering Turbines, Inc. They have given us their continued support and have provided our race team with gas turbine engines that have powered us to several National and World Championships.  Since the inception of this race team, we have relied exclusively on WTI prepared engines.  Their expertise and knowledge of their product shows in the results that our team has achieved over the years.  WTI is the best in their field, and it shows by the engines they produce- dependable, gorgeous, fast engines!

 Scott Colton, manager of the Miss Geico offshore team says, “The World Champion Miss GEICO Race team has enjoyed tremendous success with its Whispering Turbines engines. These two T-53 703 turbine engines from Whispering Turbines that power Miss GEICO to speeds in excess of 200 mph have raced almost twenty (20) races in the harshest extreme salt water environments under the most difficult conditions and yet Miss GEICO continues to gobble up victories.  “We couldn’t be happier with our friends, Tracy and Adam Bratvold”, quips Marc Granet, driver. Gary Stray who oversees the Miss GEICO Race Team and has over 25 years in the marine racing industry concurs, “we are really pleased with the performance of our engines.” Heading into the World Championships Miss GEICO is seeking its sixth consecutive World Title. 

Mark Duffy of Central Copters in Bozeman, Montana adds, “I appreciate the great work that Tracy, Adam, and Crew have performed on my helicopter engines.  These days it’s hard to find the personalized service and attention to detail that Whispering Turbines provides.   I know that when the engine work is completed at their shop they have my best interest in mind, I appreciate that!”

John Cosker of Mystic Powerboats says, “I have been building and running turbine boats for well over 10 years now.  After dealing with a number of different turbine builders I have found Whispering Turbines to be the best built most dependable turbines on the market.  At the 2011 LOTO Shootout I had the privilege of running Bill Tomlinson’s “My Way” boat on the course for most of the day on the Sunday of the event with a pair of WTI T55 engines at nearly 3,000 HP each.  Run after run the Whispering Turbine engines pulled strong with unbelievable power accelerating the boat hard even at 223 mph.  Being able to run a boat as hard as we did that day and then driving it back on the trailer at the end of the day to go home without one issue with the engines is a testament to true build quality.  I would recommend Whispering Turbines for their absolute dedication to quality as well as their professionalism. 

And Bill Tomlinson adds, “I have owned four turbine powered cats over the last 15 years .Over that period I have dealt with a few other turbine shops with limited confidence.  The T 55s which are in the current “My Way” were built by Whispering Turbines and have run great. My first choice is always to deal with honest and fair people. Tracy and Adam are both and go the extra mile whether at their shop or if necessary at your location.”