DETROIT---It could have been the best day of preliminary heat racing in Gold Cup history with Dave Villwock (Auburn, Wash.) in the Spirit of Qatar showing why he has won seven of these championships.

Villwock was the only driver to win both preliminary at Jarvis Restoration Detroit APBA Gold Cup on the Detroit River, winning his second heat from the outside lane and his first heat after a wild accident that sent J.W. Myers to the hospital with a broken foot.

In the second prelim heat, Villwock had to battle last week’s Indiana Governor’s Cup champion Steve David (Lighthouse Pt., Fla.) in the Oh Boy! Oberto from the outside lane to take the heat win.

"If we were going to figure how we had to set up our boat from the worst position possible, this was the heat to do it," said Villwock. "We let it all hang out in that heat."

Photo-Craig Barney

And it was a perfect weekend of unlimited hydroplane racing for Villwock.  He was the top qualifier, won all four preliminary heats and then went on to victory in the winner-take-all final Sunday afternoon.

SEATTLE, Wash. (July 8, 2010)— Red Dot Corporation announced today that it will return as the title sponsor for the U-17 Our Gang Racing unlimited hydroplane for races in Detroit, Tri-Cities, and Seattle.

The U-17 Miss Red Dot will compete for the ABPA Gold Cup in Detroit on July 9-10; the Columbia Cup in Tri-Cities, Wash., on July 23-25; and the Albert Lee Cup on August 6-8 in Seattle. The events are part of the H1 Unlimited Hydroplane series.

Jon Zimmerman-JW Myers-Brian Perkins-J Michael Kelly in action

Click picture for larger image                    Photo - Jim Simpson

The 2010 season opener for the H1 Unlimited Hydroplane Series in Madison, Indiana was won by veteran Steve David in the U-1 Oh Boy! Oberto.  Another veteran, Dave Villwock in the U-96 spirit of Qatar was expected to be David's chief rival.  But when his boat failed to start in a prelim, the loss of points cost him a place in the front row of the final. 

But much of the talk concerned younger drivers.  J Michael Kelly in the U-7 Graham Trucking and Brian Perkins in the new U-21 Miss Albert Lee Appliance looked very quick and turned in impressive driving performances and Kip Brown in the U-17 Cruisin' Auto also looked very good.

Jeff Bernard in the U-5 Formulaboats.com looked just as fast but was derailed by N2 violations.  JW Myers, a few years older than the "young guns," was also very fast in the U-37 Miss Peters &  May.