On Sunday, May 17^th Classic Thunder held its Harmsworth Trophy Race at Coulon Park in Renton.  Our own Bill McGraw sponsored the race with help from the Hydroplane and Raceboat Museum.  Bill won the trophy last year with his Outrigger Pay’n Pak, but could not get her ready in time to defend his title.  The match-racing format in Division 1 made for a long day of racing, but the change of pace was refreshing.  Division 2 was run using our normal format.  The waters of Coulon can get pretty nasty at times.  This time we got lucky.  The weather was warm with a slight overcast and periods of sun throughout the day.  Maybe it’s just good karma.

MISS SEATTLE LAST ONE STANDING AT HARMSWORTH  DIV.1 SHOOTOUT!

14 boats made up the competitors in Division 1.  They were matched up one on one for their first three preliminary heats.   Each boat ran at least three times, accumulating 1 point for a legal start, 3 for a 2^nd place finish and 4 for a heat win.  The top scoring boats ran off in a consolation and final heat to determine finishing order for the day.  Season points were earned based on finishing order from 1^st to 14^th.  The first heat pairings were based on random draw.  The second heat pairings matched the first heat winners against other winners.  Boats that lost in their first heat faced other first heat losers (for lack of a better word).  The third pairings were seeded.  The top ranking boat after the first two heats vs. the lowest and so on. I’ll spare you the monotony of reading about each pairing one at a time and just list our competitors and tell you the results of their day from worst to first.  Then we’ll recap the Consolation and Final Heats.

Pete Schille raced his beautiful Gale’s Roostertail for the first time.  She ran fast down the straights, but had difficulty getting through the corners without swapping ends.  The wild ride was a handful for Pete and stand in driver Dale Van Wyk.  She finished 14^th and earned 250 points.  As a side note, neither driver threw up after the race. 

Mike Krone’s Hurricane IV finished 13^th and earned 300 pts.

 Doug Tulip’s Checkerboard Bardahl and Dave Sacry’s Short Circuit tied for 11^th and both earned 375 pts.

Bob VandenAkker was 10^th with his Notre Dame and earned 450 pts.

Danny Sacry’s Miss US1 and Dave Helton’s Miss Burien tied for 8^th place and both received 550 pts.

The Consolation Heat decided 5^th though 7^th places.   Craig Mullen put the $Bill out front from the beginning ahead of Pete Schille’s Mr. Ps and Bob VandenAkker’s Miss US5.  He had a good grip on the lead when he bounced and then rolled going into turn two on his third lap.  Mr. P’s inherited the lead and held on for the heat win ahead of Miss US5.  $Bill finished the day in 7^th place, earning 700 points for her effort.  Miss US5 took 6^th for the day, earning 800 pts.  Mr Ps would finish the day in 5^th place and earned 900 pts.

The Final heat for all the goodies saw Mitch Dillard’s Gale IV hold a slight lead on the outside heading into turn one.    Jeff Howard’s Miss Budweiser, Chris Cootsona’s Waferers Club Lady and Dale Van Wyk’s Miss Seattle were on her inside.  The Gale hesitated momentarily as she set up for the turn.  Just that quickly the fast charging group reeled her in and threatened to pass.  The Gale recovered only to roll in the middle of the turn.   The next time around it was Waferers Club Lady’s turn.  The Lady led at the end of lap 1, but would suffer a similar fate to the Gale.  She rolled entering turn one.  Miss Seattle took over the lead with the Miss Budweiser close behind her.  Both would have to negotiate the now hazardous turn one a few more times before a winner could be determined.  It was the Miss Budweiser who faltered first.  She cut the exit buoy while trying to steer inside the disabled Gale IV on lap 3 and was charged a one-lap penalty as a result.    Jeff Howard’s Miss Budweiser completed the rest of her laps to bring home 2^nd place and was awarded 1400 points for the accomplishment.   However, in the end, the skilled driving of Dale Van Wyk would decide the issue.  Miss Seattle would have her second win of the 2004 season in as many tries.  If you remember, she won the Sayres Memorial and did not compete in the President’s Cup.  The perfect 1600 points she was awarded were certainly earned and justified.  This was a long day of hard racing.  Congratulations to Dale Van Wyk’s Miss Seattle, winner of the 2004 Classic Thunder Harmsworth Trophy Race in Division 1!

A.S.P. GIVES HELTON FIRST CT WIN AT HARMSWORTH!

9 boats took arrived at Coulon Park to run in Division 2.  The day was filled with surprises.  Here’s what happened.

Heat 1A saw rookie Pat Malaspina get his first heat win in the Squire Shop over Dave Sacry’s Weisfields and Jeff Howard’s Dewalt Tools.  Claps and cheers went out all over the pit area.  Way to go Pat!  We saw some more impressive things from him later on.

Mitch Dillard’s Coors Dry won Heat 1B ahead of Dave Helton’s American Speedy Printing.  John Dyer’s 76 Atlas Van Lines was unable to start.

Dale Van Wyk’s stunning 83 Atlas Van Lines touched the water for the first time in Heat 1C, but was not able to finish.  Craig Mullen’s Pride of Pay’n Pak took the heat ahead of Pete Schille’s Stroh Light.

Heat 2A saw the Pay’n Pak continue its winning ways over the Weisfields and the 83 Atlas.

Heat 2B was won by the Stroh ahead of Dewalt Tools and Coors Dry.           

The Squire Shop won its second heat in a row in Heat 2C as neither the Speedy Printing nor the 76 Atlas were able to finish.

Attrition seemed to be rampant.  Heat 3A was won by Dewalt Tools, who ran the five laps by herself after the 83 Atlas and 76 Atlas were unable to make the start.

Coors Dry took heat 3B over Speed Printing and Squire Shop.

Heat 3C went to the Stroh ahead of the Pay’n Pak and Weisfields.

The Consolation in Div.2 saw Amer.Speedy Printing take the win and advance to the final heat as the trailer.  She was victorious over the 83 Atlas and Weisfields.  The 76 Atlas suffered structural damage in the preliminary heats and had to withdraw.

The Final Heat was another exciting one.  The Stroh and Pay’n Pak bolted out front with the Stroh holding a slight lead at the end of the backstretch.  Coors and Dewalt were right behind them.   Haven’t we heard this story before?  Anyway, the Squire Shop gave chase in fifth.  American Speedy started as the trailer.  The Pak spun at the exit of turn two.  The Coors was luckily on her outside and was able to slow and avoid her to the right.  Dewalt got held up on the inside, but was eventually able to steer clear.  I’m unsure as to whether she missed a buoy at that point.  Meanwhile, the Stroh blazed down the front stretch having extended its lead after the mishap behind her.  All of a sudden, the Stroh took a nasty hop and then rolled in the middle of turn one.  Coors was able to negotiate inside of her and took over a liberal lead over the charging Dewalt and Pay’n Pak.  However, I’m pretty certain that both of them had lap penalties for missing a buoy on lap one during the Pak spin.  American Speedy continued to run and avoid trouble.  Coors finished lap two and was able to avoid a now capsizing Stroh Light whose pickle forks were sticking straight up in the air in the middle of turn one.  The vulnerable bottom of the boat was exposed to oncoming racers.  Boats carefully maneuvered inside and outside of her, not wanting to cause an accident.  Coors continued to hold a comfortable lead and completed lap 3.  American Speedy passed the Squire Shop and move into second.  The Pak and Dewalt continued on with penalty laps to make up.  At the beginning of  the 4^th lap, The Coors slowed to move inside of the ailing Stroh and continue on her way when ,BONK!,  she ran right over the top of the point buoy!  Give a one-lap penalty to the Coors.  American Speedy Printing inherited the lead, avoided the carnage in turn one and went on to victory from the trailer spot.   Craig Mullen was able to regroup and finish a strong fourth with the Pay’n Pak.  Mitch Dillard’s Coors Dry took home third place.  The Squire Shop, driven skillfully by Pat Malaspina, avoided trouble and rolled in for an impressive second place finish.   Hats off to Dave Helton, who came from the trailer position and brought his American Speedy Printing across the line as the winner of the 2004 Classic Thunder Harmsworth Trophy Race in Division 2!  For reasons we may never understand, after she had finished, the Speedy Printing went dead at the exit of turn two.  The Dewalt had gone dead in the water during the final laps and was back running and trying to finish.  There was some confusion as to the events leading up to it, but a very surprised Jeff Howard was unable to completely avoid the Speedy Printing.  The Dewalt ended up catching her rudder slightly on the back of the Speedy Printing as she went by on the inside.  The Dewalt was unable to finish.  So ended a long and eventful day of Classic Thunder racing action.

Many thanks to those who attended this exciting race.  We had a good time putting it on.  Thanks to Bill McGraw for sponsoring the race and providing awards.  Thanks also to the Hydroplane and Raceboat Museum for donating prizes for the event.  We appreciate it a lot.  Thanks to Judy for letting us share in Bob’s Birthday cake.  Sorry we can’t sing very well.  We’ll work on it.  As usual, thanks to all the guys and gals of Classic Thunder and the people and organizations that support us.  Let’s keep this thing going.  Moving on to race #4, the Tommy Fults Memorial on June 6^th at Lake Pleasant in Bothell.  Bob VandenAkker will be sponsoring this event.  We will be running this race with a “fan plan” format in Division 1.  Details are on the web site.  Let’s put on a good show for the folks up in Bothell.   Lake Pleasant is a beautiful place to run a boat race.  Come join us at the race.  Hope to see you there.  Maybe we’ll have to bring a barbecue this time.  Keep an eye on the forecast.  If it’s nice, let’s grill something tasty.  Thanks again for all of your help.  Let’s go racing!

Sincerely,

 

Mitch Dillard

Classic Thunder Commissioner