Spring Boat Shop Tour – 88
2011 Rookie of the Year Scott Liddycoat and his new ride in the shop at Hydroplanes, Inc. South of Seattle.
One of boat racing’s most popular families makes a very welcome return to the Air National Guard H1 Unlimited Tour in 2012.
The last time the USA Racing Partners of Las Vegas appeared at a race was in 2008 in Seattle. Driver David Bryant had a blow-over accident in the South turn which ended the team’s day.
Debbie Gregory's smiling face will once again brighten the pit area.
While the boat was being repaired in Seattle, owner Kim Gregory lost a short battle with an aggressive cancer and the team went on a long hiatus.
Bryant would later lose his life in a flat bottom accident in Australia and the team’s future appeared to include a sale of the racing inventory.
But Matt Gregory, who literally grew up in the family’s boat racing operation, was always dreaming of the day the team would return to Unlimited racing.
When he secured sponsorship from the Degree Men brand of the Unilever Corporation, he was able to convince mother Debbie and brother Adam to continue the family’s boat racing legacy.
Matt Gregory is the team's Director of Competition and Crew Chief. Brother Adam is VP of Operations.
Kim Gregory and family entered the hydroplane racing arena with the Wildfire Unlimited Light driven by George Stratton, following a long and successful experience in flat-bottom racing. In 1998 the team acquired two unlimiteds with support equipment from the estate of the late Steve Woomer.
They later upgraded to the former Miss Budweiser T-3 which is the current primary hull. The boat was originally built in 1989 but virtually every piece of that boat was replaced during a rebuild in 1995. The hull received additional upgrades along with sister ships T-5 and T-6, the boats currently owned by Ted Porter.
Scott Liddycoat in his new office.
While planning the team’s return, Matt Gregory was watching the 2011 Madison Regatta on-line and witnessed the impressive debut of rookie driver Scott Liddycoat. He then flew to Detroit for the Gold Cup and saw more great driving from the future Rookie of the Year.
A brief meeting that weekend grew into a relationship which will have Liddycoat, from Havre de Grace, Maryland, driving for the team in the 2012 season.
The beautiful newly painted 88 Degree Men made its debut at a test session in the Tri-Cities on May 18. This actually put the team a little ahead of most on the circuit in terms of preparation for the 2012 tour.
The team's home is in the spacious Hydroplanes, Inc. facility South of Seattle.
The team is headquartered in the Hydroplanes, Inc. facility in Tukwila, Washington, just South of Seattle. The former home of the Budweiser Race Team, it is the most spacious and well equipped in the sport.
Former Bud Crew Chief Mark Smith manages the shop for owner Joe Little and has been involved in the preparation of Gregory’s boat and motors.
The team will have four freshly dynoed turbines, three gearboxes and a good inventory of propellers in the truck when they depart for the season opener.
One of the team's four race ready turbines in the shop.
After the Tri-Cities test session, owner and driver were very pleased with the speed and handling of their race boat. Liddycoat, who impressed fans and owners in 2011 driving a newer version of the same boat, was particularly pleased with his new ride.
“I think it corners at least as good as the boat I drove before, “ said Liddycoat. “It seems to be even a little easier to drive. I think we might have a little more horsepower also. The acceleration and top end are real strong.”
Scott Liddycoat and the 88 Degree Men on the Columbia River during May testing.
So can the 2011 Rookie of the Year make the return of the USA Racing Partners successful to the point where they run with the fastest boats in the field?
“I don’t see why not,” he answered. “That will be the plan!”
Spring Boat Shop Tour – 88
2011 Rookie of the Year Scott Liddycoat and his new ride in the shop at Hydroplanes, Inc. South of Seattle.
One of boat racing’s most popular families makes a very welcome return to the Air National Guard H1 Unlimited Tour in 2012.
The last time the USA Racing Partners of Las Vegas appeared at a race was in 2008 in Seattle. Driver David Bryant had a blow-over accident in the South turn which ended the team’s day.
Debbie Gregory's smiling face will once again brighten the pit area.
While the boat was being repaired in Seattle, owner Kim Gregory lost a short battle with an aggressive cancer and the team went on a long hiatus.
Bryant would later lose his life in a flat bottom accident in Australia and the team’s future appeared to include a sale of the racing inventory.
But Matt Gregory, who literally grew up in the family’s boat racing operation, was always dreaming of the day the team would return to Unlimited racing.
When he secured sponsorship from the Degree Men brand of the Unilever Corporation, he was able to convince mother Debbie and brother Adam to continue the family’s boat racing legacy.
Matt Gregory is the team's Director of Competition and Crew Chief. Brother Adam is VP of Operations.
Kim Gregory and family entered the hydroplane racing arena with the Wildfire Unlimited Light driven by George Stratton, following a long and successful experience in flat-bottom racing. In 1998 the team acquired two unlimiteds with support equipment from the estate of the late Steve Woomer.
They later upgraded to the former Miss Budweiser T-3 which is the current primary hull. The boat was originally built in 1989 but virtually every piece of that boat was replaced during a rebuild in 1995. The hull received additional upgrades along with sister ships T-5 and T-6, the boats currently owned by Ted Porter.
Scott Liddycoat in his new office.
While planning the team’s return, Matt Gregory was watching the 2011 Madison Regatta on-line and witnessed the impressive debut of rookie driver Scott Liddycoat. He then flew to Detroit for the Gold Cup and saw more great driving from the future Rookie of the Year.
A brief meeting that weekend grew into a relationship which will have Liddycoat, from Havre de Grace, Maryland, driving for the team in the 2012 season.
The beautiful newly painted 88 Degree Men made its debut at a test session in the Tri-Cities on May 18. This actually put the team a little ahead of most on the circuit in terms of preparation for the 2012 tour.
The team's home is in the spacious Hydroplanes, Inc. facility South of Seattle.
The team is headquartered in the Hydroplanes, Inc. facility in Tukwila, Washington, just South of Seattle. The former home of the Budweiser Race Team, it is the most spacious and well equipped in the sport.
Former Bud Crew Chief Mark Smith manages the shop for owner Joe Little and has been involved in the preparation of Gregory’s boat and motors.
The team will have four freshly dynoed turbines, three gearboxes and a good inventory of propellers in the truck when they depart for the season opener.
One of the team's four race ready turbines in the shop.
After the Tri-Cities test session, owner and driver were very pleased with the speed and handling of their race boat. Liddycoat, who impressed fans and owners in 2011 driving a newer version of the same boat, was particularly pleased with his new ride.
“I think it corners at least as good as the boat I drove before, “ said Liddycoat. “It seems to be even a little easier to drive. I think we might have a little more horsepower also. The acceleration and top end are real strong.”
Scott Liddycoat and the 88 Degree Men on the Columbia River during May testing.
So can the 2011 Rookie of the Year make the return of the USA Racing Partners successful to the point where they run with the fastest boats in the field?
“I don’t see why not,” he answered. “That will be the plan!”