Six Winners In Six Gold Cup Prelims
Six preliminary heats, six different winners Saturday at the Air National Guard Hydroplane Series in Detroit, setting up an evenly matched field today for the 102nd running of the Gold Cup.
Eight-time Gold Cup champion Dave Villwock is going to need a near-perfect day Sunday to make the finals in his pursuit of becoming the sport’s all-time winningest driver. He blew a gear box during a preliminary heat and is down to just one engine and one gear box as he attempts to break Bill Muncey’s 62 career race win record.
“I have to win everything to get to the finals,” Villwock said. “I’ve been here before. All I can do is give it my best shot.”
Saturday was first preliminary heat victory for the 88 Degree Men boat driven by J. Michael Kelly. After a rough start at the season opener last weekend, the team got its first win in the new boat and added a second-place finish.
“I don’t think I could ask for anything better,” Kelly said. “The very first heat that I’ve ever run in that boat in competition and to come out with a win is pretty impressive. We still have to fine-tune it but I know I’m happy with it and so is the rest of the team.”
The last time the Air National Guard Hydroplane series has had six different winners in six preliminary heats was in Evansville, Ind., in 2008. Also picking up preliminary heat victories on Saturday were JW Myers, Detroit area native Cal Phipps, Jeff Bernard and Greg Hopp.
The Oh Boy! Oberto boat that was involved in a crash last week with Villwock in the final is going to have to make up some significant ground if it wants to be one of six boats in Sunday’s final. Running with a backup boat and backup driver Jon Zimmerman, the team is near the bottom of the field.
Bianca Bononcini became the first female driver in more than three decades to begin the qualification process for the Air National Guard Hydroplane Series. She did four laps in the Formulaboats.com boat and turned a best lap speed of 126.829 mph.
She was all smiles when she pulled up to the dock and the fans cheered the historic moment. One of the first to greet her was driver N. Mark Evans, who is serving as a mentor to Bononcini. Evans is the primary driver of the boat.
Preliminary Heat Results for Saturday at Air National Guard Series in Detroit
Heat 1A: 1. J Michael Kelly, 142.969 mph, 2. Scott Liddycoat, 3. Greg Hopp.
Heat 1B: 1. Cal Phipps, 142.115 mph, 2. Brian Perkins, 3. Jeff Bernard.
Heat 1C: 1. JW Myers, 129.822. Rest of the field DNF.
Heat 2A: 1. Dave Villwock, 147.103 mph, 2. Cal Phipps, 3. N. Mark Evans.
Heat 2B: 1. Jeff Bernard, 144.533 mph, 2. J Michael Kelly, 3. JW Myers.
Heat 2C: 1. Greg Hopp, 125.214, 2. Scott Liddycoat, 3. Brian Perkins.
Six Winners In Six Gold Cup Prelims
Six preliminary heats, six different winners Saturday at the Air National Guard Hydroplane Series in Detroit, setting up an evenly matched field today for the 102nd running of the Gold Cup.
Eight-time Gold Cup champion Dave Villwock is going to need a near-perfect day Sunday to make the finals in his pursuit of becoming the sport’s all-time winningest driver. He blew a gear box during a preliminary heat and is down to just one engine and one gear box as he attempts to break Bill Muncey’s 62 career race win record.
“I have to win everything to get to the finals,” Villwock said. “I’ve been here before. All I can do is give it my best shot.”
Saturday was first preliminary heat victory for the 88 Degree Men boat driven by J. Michael Kelly. After a rough start at the season opener last weekend, the team got its first win in the new boat and added a second-place finish.
“I don’t think I could ask for anything better,” Kelly said. “The very first heat that I’ve ever run in that boat in competition and to come out with a win is pretty impressive. We still have to fine-tune it but I know I’m happy with it and so is the rest of the team.”
The last time the Air National Guard Hydroplane series has had six different winners in six preliminary heats was in Evansville, Ind., in 2008. Also picking up preliminary heat victories on Saturday were JW Myers, Detroit area native Cal Phipps, Jeff Bernard and Greg Hopp.
The Oh Boy! Oberto boat that was involved in a crash last week with Villwock in the final is going to have to make up some significant ground if it wants to be one of six boats in Sunday’s final. Running with a backup boat and backup driver Jon Zimmerman, the team is near the bottom of the field.
Bianca Bononcini became the first female driver in more than three decades to begin the qualification process for the Air National Guard Hydroplane Series. She did four laps in the Formulaboats.com boat and turned a best lap speed of 126.829 mph.
She was all smiles when she pulled up to the dock and the fans cheered the historic moment. One of the first to greet her was driver N. Mark Evans, who is serving as a mentor to Bononcini. Evans is the primary driver of the boat.
Preliminary Heat Results for Saturday at Air National Guard Series in Detroit
Heat 1A: 1. J Michael Kelly, 142.969 mph, 2. Scott Liddycoat, 3. Greg Hopp.
Heat 1B: 1. Cal Phipps, 142.115 mph, 2. Brian Perkins, 3. Jeff Bernard.
Heat 1C: 1. JW Myers, 129.822. Rest of the field DNF.
Heat 2A: 1. Dave Villwock, 147.103 mph, 2. Cal Phipps, 3. N. Mark Evans.
Heat 2B: 1. Jeff Bernard, 144.533 mph, 2. J Michael Kelly, 3. JW Myers.
Heat 2C: 1. Greg Hopp, 125.214, 2. Scott Liddycoat, 3. Brian Perkins.