Peabody withdraws after blowover – Championship tightens ahead of Bill Muncey Cup
The U-9 Beacon Plumbing driven by Corey Peabody takes flight behind the U-27 Miss Apollo.
Saturday’s racing at Mission Bay took a dramatic turn during Heat 1 when Corey Peabody, driver of the U-9 Beacon Plumbing, was involved in a blowover incident. Thankfully, Peabody was unharmed, but the boat sustained substantial damage, forcing the team to withdraw from the remainder of the weekend. Video: https://youtu.be/FrkJeli9_dw
In a statement, Peabody expressed both his gratitude and determination:
“The boat came unhooked twice and ended up in Dave Villwock’s spray. We’ll fix it and be back stronger. I want to thank my crew for everything they do, Vanessa and Darrell Strong for the trust they put in me, my family for always being by my side, and all the fans who supported us through the season. We’ll fix it and be back stronger.”
The setback removes a key contender from the weekend, but it also emphasizes the risks and resilience that define hydroplane racing.
On the water, the competition remains fierce. J. Michael Kelly in the U-8 Beacon Electric and Andrew Tate in the U-91 Goodman Real Estate traded victories on Saturday, while veteran Dave Villwock piloted the U-27 Miss Apollo to consistent podium finishes. Tate also set the pace in qualifying Friday with a blistering lap of 163.666 mph, proving the U-91’s speed heading into the final weekend of the season.
Saturday Heat Results
- Heat 1 – Stopped due to Peabody’s blowover; will be rerun Sunday morning.
- Heat 2 – J. Michael Kelly (U-8 Beacon Electric) scored the win after a thrilling battle with Andrew Tate (U-91 Goodman Real Estate). Dave Villwock (U-27 Miss Apollo) finished third.
- Heat 3 – Andrew Tate (U-91 Goodman Real Estate) powered to victory, with Nilsen and Villwock rounding out the podium.
With Kelly and Tate trading victories and Villwock and Nilsen staying in the mix, the championship battle is wide open heading into Sunday’s finale.
Sunday H1 Unlimited Schedule (Pacific Time)
- 9:00 a.m. – Heat 1 (rerun): U-8, U-11, U-27
- 11:10 a.m. – Heat 4: U-11, U-8, U-91
- 1:30 p.m. – Heat 5: U-8, U-11, U-27, U-91
- 3:40 p.m. – Final for the Bill Muncey Cup
The day will conclude with the Awards Ceremony at 4:30 p.m.
With emotions running high after Peabody’s withdrawal and the championship on the line, Sunday promises to be one of the most memorable finales in recent H1 history.
Peabody withdraws after blowover – Championship tightens ahead of Bill Muncey Cup
The U-9 Beacon Plumbing driven by Corey Peabody takes flight behind the U-27 Miss Apollo.
Saturday’s racing at Mission Bay took a dramatic turn during Heat 1 when Corey Peabody, driver of the U-9 Beacon Plumbing, was involved in a blowover incident. Thankfully, Peabody was unharmed, but the boat sustained substantial damage, forcing the team to withdraw from the remainder of the weekend. Video: https://youtu.be/FrkJeli9_dw
In a statement, Peabody expressed both his gratitude and determination:
“The boat came unhooked twice and ended up in Dave Villwock’s spray. We’ll fix it and be back stronger. I want to thank my crew for everything they do, Vanessa and Darrell Strong for the trust they put in me, my family for always being by my side, and all the fans who supported us through the season. We’ll fix it and be back stronger.”
The setback removes a key contender from the weekend, but it also emphasizes the risks and resilience that define hydroplane racing.
On the water, the competition remains fierce. J. Michael Kelly in the U-8 Beacon Electric and Andrew Tate in the U-91 Goodman Real Estate traded victories on Saturday, while veteran Dave Villwock piloted the U-27 Miss Apollo to consistent podium finishes. Tate also set the pace in qualifying Friday with a blistering lap of 163.666 mph, proving the U-91’s speed heading into the final weekend of the season.
Saturday Heat Results
- Heat 1 – Stopped due to Peabody’s blowover; will be rerun Sunday morning.
- Heat 2 – J. Michael Kelly (U-8 Beacon Electric) scored the win after a thrilling battle with Andrew Tate (U-91 Goodman Real Estate). Dave Villwock (U-27 Miss Apollo) finished third.
- Heat 3 – Andrew Tate (U-91 Goodman Real Estate) powered to victory, with Nilsen and Villwock rounding out the podium.
With Kelly and Tate trading victories and Villwock and Nilsen staying in the mix, the championship battle is wide open heading into Sunday’s finale.
Sunday H1 Unlimited Schedule (Pacific Time)
- 9:00 a.m. – Heat 1 (rerun): U-8, U-11, U-27
- 11:10 a.m. – Heat 4: U-11, U-8, U-91
- 1:30 p.m. – Heat 5: U-8, U-11, U-27, U-91
- 3:40 p.m. – Final for the Bill Muncey Cup
The day will conclude with the Awards Ceremony at 4:30 p.m.
With emotions running high after Peabody’s withdrawal and the championship on the line, Sunday promises to be one of the most memorable finales in recent H1 history.