Corey Peabody wins the Columbia Cup in the Tri-Cities
KENNEWICK, Wash. — It was a perfect weekend for Corey Peabody of Covington, Wash., the driver of the Beacon Plumbing on the H1 Unlimited Racing Series. Not only was he the fastest qualifier for the Columbia Cup race in the Tri-Cities, Wash., and the winner of every preliminary heat he entered, he also came away with the victory in the winner-take-all final heat. It was his second career victory on the Columbia River racecourse and the second of the 2023 season.
“I absolutely love this course,” Peabody said when it was over. “What a heck of a run.” His boat, the oldest in the sport, was completely rebuilt during the offseason because of an end-over-end, blow-over accident in the second event of the 2022 season. “This boat is something special,” Peabody added. “We’ve been working our tails off for a year, so thank you to all of our crew.”
Peabody’s win in the final heat came courtesy of a start where three of the six boats crossed the starting line before the starter’s gun had fired, which earned each of them a one-lap penalty. One of those early starters was J. Michael Kelly of Bonney Lake, Wash., in Beacon Electric, who led the field throughout the contest. Another was Andrew Tate of Canton, Mich., in Miss Goodman Real Estate, who battled side by side with Peabody through most of the race even though he was a lap behind.
In the end, Dustin Echols of Monroe, Wash., driving Flav-R-Pac, took second-place honors while Kelly finished third and Tate took fourth. Jamie Nilsen of Gig Harbor, Wash., driving Legend Yacht Transport presented by The Truss Company, was running in second place until his boat went dead in the water.
Not only did Peabody win both of his preliminary heats earlier today, but Tate did the same. Nilsen drove Legend Yacht Transport presented by The Truss Company to an early lead in Heat 2A, but was caught by Tate in Miss Goodman Real Estate just as the boats completed the first lap. Peabody then won a battle with Kelly to take the victory in Heat 2B.
In the day’s second set of preliminary heats, Peabody and Beacon Plumbing led the field into the first turn and took command while Kelly in Beacon Electric again followed in second. In Heat 3B, Tate was racing side by side with Runne in Miss HomeStreet through the first lap, moved into the lead, but was almost caught by Runne as the two crossed the finish line.
The H1 Unlimited Racing Series now moves on to Seattle for the final contest of the 2023 season and also the biggest race of any season—the APBA Gold Cup, the oldest trophy in American motorsports. Kelly goes into the season’s final race with just a slim 19-point advantage over Peabody in the race for the 2023 national championship.
Testing and qualifying on Lake Washington is scheduled for Friday, there will be two sets of preliminary heats on Saturday, and two more sets of preliminary heats and the winner-take-all final on Sunday. Ticket information is available on H1Unlimited.com.
COLUMBIA CUP at the Tri-Cities, Wash.
HEAT 2A — 1, Andrew Tate, Miss Goodman Real Estate, 400 points, 150.763 avg. speed; 2, Jimmy King, Griggs presents Miss Ace Hardware, 300, 147.099; 3, Dustin Echols, Flav-R-Pac, 225, 140.052; Jamie Nilsen, Legend Yacht Transport presented by The Truss Company, DSQ.
HEAT 2B — 1, Corey Peabody, Beacon Plumbing, 400, 153.450; 2, J. Michael Kelly, Beacon Electric, 300, 152.289; 3, Dylan Runne, Miss HomeStreet, 225, 148.972; 4, Bobby King, Graham Trucking, 169, 136.636.
HEAT 3A — 1, Corey Peabody, Beacon Plumbing, 400, 152.302; 2, J. Michael Kelly, Beacon Electric, 300, 148.321; 3, Jamie Nilsen, Legend Yacht Transport presented by The Truss Company, 225, 146.377; 4, Dustin Echols, Flav-R-Pac, 169, 140.987.
HEAT 3B — 1, Andrew Tate, Miss Goodman Real Estate, 400, 150.161; 2, Dylan Runne, Miss HomeStreet, 300, 149.874; 3, Bobby King, Graham Trucking, 225, 142.872; Jimmy King, Griggs presents Miss Ace Hardware, DNF.
FINAL HEAT — 1, Corey Peabody, Beacon Plumbing, 400, 146.395; 2, Dustin Echols, Flav-R-Pac, 300, 126.342; 3, J. Michael Kelly, Beacon Electric, 225, 123.771; 4, Andrew Tate, Miss Goodman Real Estate, 169, 120.317; 5, Dylan Runne, Miss HomeStreet, 127, 111.720; Jamie Nilsen, Legend Yacht Transport, DNF.
ACCUMULATED POINTS — Corey Peabody, Beacon Plumbing, 1700 points; Andrew Tate, Miss Goodman Real Estate, 1244; Dustin Echols, Flav-R-Pac, 1064; J. Michael Kelly, Beacon Electric, 1185; Dylan Runne, Miss HomeStreet, 901; Jamie Nilsen, Legend Yacht Transport presented by The Truss Company, 655; Bobby King, Graham Trucking, 649; Jimmy King, Griggs presents Miss Ace Hardware, 340.
NATIONAL STANDINGS — 1, J. Michael Kelly, Beacon Electric, 3499 points; 2, Corey Peabody, Beacon Plumbing, 3480; 3, Jamie Nilsen, Legend Yacht Transport presented by The Truss Company, 2970; 4, Dustin Echols, Flav-R-Pac, 2782; 5, Dylan Runne, Miss HomeStreet, 2565; 6, Andrew Tate, Miss Goodman Real Estate, 2314; 7, Jimmy King, Griggs presents Miss Ace Hardware, 670; 8, Bobby King, Graham Trucking, 649.
Corey Peabody wins the Columbia Cup in the Tri-Cities
KENNEWICK, Wash. — It was a perfect weekend for Corey Peabody of Covington, Wash., the driver of the Beacon Plumbing on the H1 Unlimited Racing Series. Not only was he the fastest qualifier for the Columbia Cup race in the Tri-Cities, Wash., and the winner of every preliminary heat he entered, he also came away with the victory in the winner-take-all final heat. It was his second career victory on the Columbia River racecourse and the second of the 2023 season.
“I absolutely love this course,” Peabody said when it was over. “What a heck of a run.” His boat, the oldest in the sport, was completely rebuilt during the offseason because of an end-over-end, blow-over accident in the second event of the 2022 season. “This boat is something special,” Peabody added. “We’ve been working our tails off for a year, so thank you to all of our crew.”
Peabody’s win in the final heat came courtesy of a start where three of the six boats crossed the starting line before the starter’s gun had fired, which earned each of them a one-lap penalty. One of those early starters was J. Michael Kelly of Bonney Lake, Wash., in Beacon Electric, who led the field throughout the contest. Another was Andrew Tate of Canton, Mich., in Miss Goodman Real Estate, who battled side by side with Peabody through most of the race even though he was a lap behind.
In the end, Dustin Echols of Monroe, Wash., driving Flav-R-Pac, took second-place honors while Kelly finished third and Tate took fourth. Jamie Nilsen of Gig Harbor, Wash., driving Legend Yacht Transport presented by The Truss Company, was running in second place until his boat went dead in the water.
Not only did Peabody win both of his preliminary heats earlier today, but Tate did the same. Nilsen drove Legend Yacht Transport presented by The Truss Company to an early lead in Heat 2A, but was caught by Tate in Miss Goodman Real Estate just as the boats completed the first lap. Peabody then won a battle with Kelly to take the victory in Heat 2B.
In the day’s second set of preliminary heats, Peabody and Beacon Plumbing led the field into the first turn and took command while Kelly in Beacon Electric again followed in second. In Heat 3B, Tate was racing side by side with Runne in Miss HomeStreet through the first lap, moved into the lead, but was almost caught by Runne as the two crossed the finish line.
The H1 Unlimited Racing Series now moves on to Seattle for the final contest of the 2023 season and also the biggest race of any season—the APBA Gold Cup, the oldest trophy in American motorsports. Kelly goes into the season’s final race with just a slim 19-point advantage over Peabody in the race for the 2023 national championship.
Testing and qualifying on Lake Washington is scheduled for Friday, there will be two sets of preliminary heats on Saturday, and two more sets of preliminary heats and the winner-take-all final on Sunday. Ticket information is available on H1Unlimited.com.
COLUMBIA CUP at the Tri-Cities, Wash.
HEAT 2A — 1, Andrew Tate, Miss Goodman Real Estate, 400 points, 150.763 avg. speed; 2, Jimmy King, Griggs presents Miss Ace Hardware, 300, 147.099; 3, Dustin Echols, Flav-R-Pac, 225, 140.052; Jamie Nilsen, Legend Yacht Transport presented by The Truss Company, DSQ.
HEAT 2B — 1, Corey Peabody, Beacon Plumbing, 400, 153.450; 2, J. Michael Kelly, Beacon Electric, 300, 152.289; 3, Dylan Runne, Miss HomeStreet, 225, 148.972; 4, Bobby King, Graham Trucking, 169, 136.636.
HEAT 3A — 1, Corey Peabody, Beacon Plumbing, 400, 152.302; 2, J. Michael Kelly, Beacon Electric, 300, 148.321; 3, Jamie Nilsen, Legend Yacht Transport presented by The Truss Company, 225, 146.377; 4, Dustin Echols, Flav-R-Pac, 169, 140.987.
HEAT 3B — 1, Andrew Tate, Miss Goodman Real Estate, 400, 150.161; 2, Dylan Runne, Miss HomeStreet, 300, 149.874; 3, Bobby King, Graham Trucking, 225, 142.872; Jimmy King, Griggs presents Miss Ace Hardware, DNF.
FINAL HEAT — 1, Corey Peabody, Beacon Plumbing, 400, 146.395; 2, Dustin Echols, Flav-R-Pac, 300, 126.342; 3, J. Michael Kelly, Beacon Electric, 225, 123.771; 4, Andrew Tate, Miss Goodman Real Estate, 169, 120.317; 5, Dylan Runne, Miss HomeStreet, 127, 111.720; Jamie Nilsen, Legend Yacht Transport, DNF.
ACCUMULATED POINTS — Corey Peabody, Beacon Plumbing, 1700 points; Andrew Tate, Miss Goodman Real Estate, 1244; Dustin Echols, Flav-R-Pac, 1064; J. Michael Kelly, Beacon Electric, 1185; Dylan Runne, Miss HomeStreet, 901; Jamie Nilsen, Legend Yacht Transport presented by The Truss Company, 655; Bobby King, Graham Trucking, 649; Jimmy King, Griggs presents Miss Ace Hardware, 340.
NATIONAL STANDINGS — 1, J. Michael Kelly, Beacon Electric, 3499 points; 2, Corey Peabody, Beacon Plumbing, 3480; 3, Jamie Nilsen, Legend Yacht Transport presented by The Truss Company, 2970; 4, Dustin Echols, Flav-R-Pac, 2782; 5, Dylan Runne, Miss HomeStreet, 2565; 6, Andrew Tate, Miss Goodman Real Estate, 2314; 7, Jimmy King, Griggs presents Miss Ace Hardware, 670; 8, Bobby King, Graham Trucking, 649.