#3 Comes Into Play at HomeStreet Bank San Diego Bayfair
SAN DIEGO– Folklorists say the belief that good or bad things come in threes are an ancient superstition that remains a strong modern belief. For the H1 Unlimited Hydroplane finale on Mission Bay this weekend, the digit is once again in play.
The number three could play out two-ways this coming weekend at the HomeStreet Bank San Diego Bayfair Championship (Sept. 16-19).
Jimmy Shane is seeking his fourth consecutive national high point championship but his third consecutive title driving the Madison, Ind. community owned U-1 Miss HomeStreet Bank while J. Michael Kelly, driver of the U-5 Graham Trucking owned by Ted Porter, is looking for his third H1 race victory of 2016. (Shane won the 2014 National High Point Championship driving the U-5 boat owned by Porter.)
Of course, rookie Andrew Tate, driver of the U-9 Delta/RealTrac, has other things in mind. He has already made the number three a relevant number on this year’s circuit, and he is looking for win number two.
While Shane won the MainSource Bank Indiana Governor’s Cup Madison Regatta presented by Belterra Casino Resort on the Ohio River in Madison, Ind. in the season opener and Kelly won the HAPO Columbia Cup on the Columbia River in Kennewick, Wash. and the UAW-GM Hydrofest featuring the APBA Gold Cup on the Detroit River, it was Tate capturing the Albert Lee Appliance Cup on Lake Washington in Seattle that gave H1 three different race champions this season.
Shane holds a 584 point lead over Kelly for the National High Point title and the opportunity to keep the U-1 number on his boat owned by the community of Madison, Ind. for a third straight year. But while the point spread of 6,690 to 6,106 seems insurmountable, racing can sometimes be fickle sport—especially racing on the salt water of Mission Bay.
“I remember when each time we won the National High Point Championship with the Miss Madison Racing Team,” said H1 Unlimited Hydroplane Chairman Steve David, a six-time National High Point Champion driver himself. “We were sponsored by Oh Boy! Oberto and when we got to San Diego, we knew if we didn’t finish one or two heats, the outcome could have been a lot different.
“Salt water and turbine engines do not mix well and this drives crew chiefs crazy,” added David. “I am sure each and every crew chief preparing for San Diego is taking every precaution, and I bet the HomeStreet Bank team is working overtime to make sure the boat will run perfectly.”
The H1 teams will first take the 2.5 mile Mission Bay Course Friday (Sept. 16) at 9:00 a.m. PDT for testing. Preliminary heat racing will take place both Saturday and Sunday with the championship final battle for the Bill Muncey Cup taking place at 4:15 p.m. PDT. A fleet of eight unlimited hydroplanes will race for the title.
For more information on the HomeStreet Bank San Diego Bayfair Championship go to www.sandiegobayfair.org and for information on the H1 Unlimited boats go to http://www.h1unlimited.com/ and download the new H1 2016 mobile app.
THE FLEET
| No. | Boat | Driver |
| U-1 | Miss HomeStreet Bank | Jimmy Shane |
| U-5 | Graham Trucking | J Michael Kelly |
| U-7 | Graham Trucking II | Jeff Bernard |
| U-9 | Delta/Realtrac | Andrew Tate |
| U-11 | Peters & May | Tom Thompson |
| U-21 | All Access Equipment Racing | Brian Perkins |
| U-27 | Dalton Industries | Cal Phipps |
| U-99.9 | Leland Racing presents Miss Rock | Kevin Eacret |
NOTES
— Since 2005, a boat owned by either the City of Madison or Ted Porter has won the national high point championship except for 2007 and 2011 when driver Dave Villwock and owner Erik Ellstrom won the titles.
— Jimmy Shane and the Miss HomeStreet Bank have won 13 heat races this season. J. Michael Kelly has won nine heats.
— Shane has been the fastest qualifier twice this season (Madison, Detroit), second once (Seattle) and third once (Kennewick). Jean Theoret was the fastest qualifier for the races in Kennewick and Seattle.
— The U-27 Dalton Industries boat driven by Cal Phipps is expected to make its return to the H1 circuit in San Diego. Phipps was running in second place behind Shane in the championship final of the Madison race when the boat went airborne on the backstretch just past the midpoint of the heat. Phipps did not suffer any injuries but the hydroplane suffered major damage.
— San Diego Bayfair has a rich history on Mission Bay with the first race staged in 1964. The legendary driver Bill Muncey was instrumental in developing this race site, and the championship trophy is named after him — the Bill Muncey Cup.
#3 Comes Into Play at HomeStreet Bank San Diego Bayfair
SAN DIEGO– Folklorists say the belief that good or bad things come in threes are an ancient superstition that remains a strong modern belief. For the H1 Unlimited Hydroplane finale on Mission Bay this weekend, the digit is once again in play.
The number three could play out two-ways this coming weekend at the HomeStreet Bank San Diego Bayfair Championship (Sept. 16-19).
Jimmy Shane is seeking his fourth consecutive national high point championship but his third consecutive title driving the Madison, Ind. community owned U-1 Miss HomeStreet Bank while J. Michael Kelly, driver of the U-5 Graham Trucking owned by Ted Porter, is looking for his third H1 race victory of 2016. (Shane won the 2014 National High Point Championship driving the U-5 boat owned by Porter.)
Of course, rookie Andrew Tate, driver of the U-9 Delta/RealTrac, has other things in mind. He has already made the number three a relevant number on this year’s circuit, and he is looking for win number two.
While Shane won the MainSource Bank Indiana Governor’s Cup Madison Regatta presented by Belterra Casino Resort on the Ohio River in Madison, Ind. in the season opener and Kelly won the HAPO Columbia Cup on the Columbia River in Kennewick, Wash. and the UAW-GM Hydrofest featuring the APBA Gold Cup on the Detroit River, it was Tate capturing the Albert Lee Appliance Cup on Lake Washington in Seattle that gave H1 three different race champions this season.
Shane holds a 584 point lead over Kelly for the National High Point title and the opportunity to keep the U-1 number on his boat owned by the community of Madison, Ind. for a third straight year. But while the point spread of 6,690 to 6,106 seems insurmountable, racing can sometimes be fickle sport—especially racing on the salt water of Mission Bay.
“I remember when each time we won the National High Point Championship with the Miss Madison Racing Team,” said H1 Unlimited Hydroplane Chairman Steve David, a six-time National High Point Champion driver himself. “We were sponsored by Oh Boy! Oberto and when we got to San Diego, we knew if we didn’t finish one or two heats, the outcome could have been a lot different.
“Salt water and turbine engines do not mix well and this drives crew chiefs crazy,” added David. “I am sure each and every crew chief preparing for San Diego is taking every precaution, and I bet the HomeStreet Bank team is working overtime to make sure the boat will run perfectly.”
The H1 teams will first take the 2.5 mile Mission Bay Course Friday (Sept. 16) at 9:00 a.m. PDT for testing. Preliminary heat racing will take place both Saturday and Sunday with the championship final battle for the Bill Muncey Cup taking place at 4:15 p.m. PDT. A fleet of eight unlimited hydroplanes will race for the title.
For more information on the HomeStreet Bank San Diego Bayfair Championship go to www.sandiegobayfair.org and for information on the H1 Unlimited boats go to http://www.h1unlimited.com/ and download the new H1 2016 mobile app.
THE FLEET
| No. | Boat | Driver |
| U-1 | Miss HomeStreet Bank | Jimmy Shane |
| U-5 | Graham Trucking | J Michael Kelly |
| U-7 | Graham Trucking II | Jeff Bernard |
| U-9 | Delta/Realtrac | Andrew Tate |
| U-11 | Peters & May | Tom Thompson |
| U-21 | All Access Equipment Racing | Brian Perkins |
| U-27 | Dalton Industries | Cal Phipps |
| U-99.9 | Leland Racing presents Miss Rock | Kevin Eacret |
NOTES
— Since 2005, a boat owned by either the City of Madison or Ted Porter has won the national high point championship except for 2007 and 2011 when driver Dave Villwock and owner Erik Ellstrom won the titles.
— Jimmy Shane and the Miss HomeStreet Bank have won 13 heat races this season. J. Michael Kelly has won nine heats.
— Shane has been the fastest qualifier twice this season (Madison, Detroit), second once (Seattle) and third once (Kennewick). Jean Theoret was the fastest qualifier for the races in Kennewick and Seattle.
— The U-27 Dalton Industries boat driven by Cal Phipps is expected to make its return to the H1 circuit in San Diego. Phipps was running in second place behind Shane in the championship final of the Madison race when the boat went airborne on the backstretch just past the midpoint of the heat. Phipps did not suffer any injuries but the hydroplane suffered major damage.
— San Diego Bayfair has a rich history on Mission Bay with the first race staged in 1964. The legendary driver Bill Muncey was instrumental in developing this race site, and the championship trophy is named after him — the Bill Muncey Cup.