Two Winners in San Diego: Tate Wins the Muncey Cup and Shane Wins the Title
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November 2017 Two winners in San Diego: Tate wins the Muncey Cup and Shane wins the title. by Mac Clouse s competition began at San Diego’s HomeStreet Bank ABayfair, Jimmy Shane and the U-1 Miss HomeStreet led the race for the national high-points cham- pionship with 5,979 points. Andrew Tate and the U-9 Delta Realtrac had 5,700 points and J. Michael Kelly and the U-12 Graham Trucking had 5,385. Both Tate and Kelly still had a shot at catching Shane. With only five boats in the pits, H1 officials decided to run all five Lon Erickson boats in four heats, plus a final. This On the victory stand in San Diego, from the left, J. Michael Kelly and his son Carson, Andrew Tate, and Jimmy Shane. meant that Shane, Tate, and Kelly would go head-to-head in five heats straight. Tate won the final to win teams just wanted to get to the of racing. The battle for the points the Bill Muncey Cup. qualifying and racing without risk- championship would continue all ing any damage to their boats. weekend and possibly not be settled Testing and Qualifying Shane was going to be busier until the final heat. For the fans, it than normal. In addition to driving was like a race that had five final The other two boats in the pits the U-1, he would drive the Home- heats. were the U-11 Reliable Diamond Tool Street-sponsored GP-10 in the It turned out that San Diego presents J&D’s with Tom Thompson Grand Prix heats. “We built the boat had two winners. Shane’s win and the U-440 Bucket List Racing in 2011 at our Shane shop,” he said. in Heat 3 clinched the national with Dustin Echols. There wasn’t “It was a kit boat from Bert high-points championship, his fifth much interest in testing. Most Continued on page 4 IN THIS MONTH’S ISSUE: 2 My $0.02 Worth by Andy Muntz 11 Mahogany and Merlot 16 Ole Bardahl interview 3 Remembering two crewmen 14 The first Green Dragon 19 HydroFile by Lon Erickson Andy Muntz My $0.02Editorial Comment Worth n last month’s column, I told the going to put on a good show for story of the 1926 Harmsworth you.” ITrophy race and how the famous This isn’t a problem confined to He talks about changing the Gar Wood understood that his unlimited hydroplane racing, by the sport’s promotional effort from investment in his race boats would way. Perhaps there are some lessons a short-term mindset to a long- have been wasted if he didn’t have a to be learned from the efforts of term mindset. The sport needs to competitor to race against and fans Formula One racing to promote promote itself to a wider public on the beach to watch them. itself in the United States. and engage the markets where they I received a couple of letters in Under the leadership of Bernie race, he says. And, Formula One response to those comments, one of Ecclestone, Formula One used to needs to do a better job of helping which told a more recent story. sell his sport by telling potential its local partners grow the sport. It seems that the chairman of this race sites that they could experience He also said Formula One will sport some years back once spoke the glamour of grand prix racing in be taking better advantage of media to a gathering of race fans and exchange for a sizeable sanctioning channels such as Facebook and You asked them to give the hydroplane fee. But, as a noted motorsports Tube to engage more fans in every owners a big thank you for bring- journalist recently told ESPN, the way possible. ing their boats to the race. As the sport didn’t promote itself Does any of this ring a bell with letter writer told me, shouldn’t it properly. “Formula One always unlimited hydroplane racing? It have been the other way around? gave the impression in the past that: should. The problems are almost Shouldn’t the owners be the ones Give us your money, here’s your identical. And, the solutions that thanking the fans for coming to race, we’re off,” he said. Chase Carey suggests for his sport watch them race? That is now changing with the might provide a good roadmap for A number of factors have hiring of Chase Carey as the new where H1 Unlimited should want caused a downturn in the public CEO for Formula One. He has to go, as well. interest in many sports, including made it his mission to do a better The bottom line that Formula motor sports. But, unlimited hydro- job of penetrating the vast U.S. One has learned is that all of the plane racing also hasn’t done itself market by promoting Formula One participants in the sport—owners, any favors by adopting an attitude racing to a wider public audience as sponsors, and race promoters— that says, “Hey, you’re welcome to the ultimate spectacle of power and ultimately need the same thing. It come watch us race our boats,” as speed. all begins with convincing people opposed to saying, “Hey, we’re to watch them race. v EDITOR: Andy Muntz ASSOCIATE EDITORS: Craig Fjarlie, Chris Tracy, Dick Sanders HYDROFILE EDITOR/WEBMASTER: Lon Erickson HISTORIAN: Bob Greenhow EDITORIAL BOARD: Clint Newman II, Bob Senior Unlimited NewsJournal, established in 1973, is published by Unlimiteds Unanimous, an enthusiast club interested in promoting and documenting the sport of unlimited hydroplane racing. Copyright © 2017, Unlimited NewsJournal. Reproduction or transmission in whole or part is not permitted without written approval of the Unlimited NewsJournal. EDITOR: Unlimited NewsJournal, 14313 Beverly Edmonds Road, Edmonds, WA 98026. Email: [email protected] Letters may be edited for clarity and space. 2 / UNLIMITED NEWSJOURNAL / November 2017 Remembering Greg Jones, Jeff Minar. Ellstrom crew members Greg Jones Oh Boy! Oberto. On the Ellstrom crowd. Clearly, Greg Jones and Jeff and Jeff Minar passed away near crew, he was a master at quick hull Minar made their mark on the end of the 2017 season. Both repairs and working with fiberglass. unlimited hydroplane racing. Their were experienced crew members He also helped as a truck driver. skill, helpful attitudes, and years of and their passing leaves a gap in A joint memorial was held at service will be remembered by their that will be difficult to fill. the Hydroplane and Raceboat Mu- many friends and co-workers. v Jones was diagnosed with seum on Saturday, September 30, Craig Fjarlie cancer in July 2016. He was told that drew a larger-than-expected he would probably live a couple months, but he lived more than a year. In his professional life, Jones was a school bus mechanic for the Highline School District. Before joining the Ellstrom team, he worked on Dave Villwock’s flatbottom boat and later on the Miss Budweiser crew. He was an expert with propellers. Minar worked on a number of boats in a career that spanned many years. He had COPD and high blood pressure that was difficult to control. Among the boats he worked on were Mr. Bill Osborne Pringles, Executone, and Jim Harvey’s Greg Jones and his wife, Jessica. Jeff Minar Hydro’s Who’s Who: 1946-2016. Attention all the hydroplane enthu- u Drivers, when they compet- siasts. What is commonly referred ed, boats driven, and years active. to as “the bible” of reference tools u Recap of the races, the dates, for historical data on the sport of locations, and final results from unlimited hydroplane racing has 1946-2016. been updated. The latest version of Sharkey’s Jim Sharkey’s Hydro’s Who’s Who’s Who book is available Who is now current up through the through the Hydroplane and complete 2016 season. The book Raceboat Museum store and online covers the 1946 through 2016 through the museum’s website. seasons and contains chapters Sharkey is a contributing writer to dedicated to: the Unlimited NewsJournal, serves u Hull name, U number, date as an H1 unlimited official on the built, years raced, different names West Coast, and is a lifelong hydro a hull raced under, and current hull enthusiast and generously donates status, if known. all the proceeds of the sale of this u Hull roster ID numbering book to the museum. v system used by the pros, the media, fans, and R/C clubs. November 2017 / UNLIMITED NEWSJOURNAL / 3 Two winners in San Diego. Continued from page 1 Henderson. It was the winner in 2015 in Detroit as the Charger, with Jimmy King driving. It hasn’t raced since then, and it has been rebuilt. We’ll test today. It will be nice to get in a boat that my family built.” Shane knew what his main focus was, however. “We’re here to win the national championship,” he explained. “I need to stay ahead of the ‘9’ and the ‘12’ and stretch out the points lead. This weekend’s format will make it interesting and good for the show. The fans will be Chris Denslow excited. It was a good decision by The U-1 Miss HomeStreet with Jimmy Shane driving. the officials.” Kelly faced a big challenge as Tate was also ready to race. “I Detroit. This weekend will be a lot he trailed Shane by only 594 points. have a lot of thoughts right now. I of fun with good racing.