Annual Gala Honors 2011 Champions
Seattle, Wash., February 25, 2012— H1 Unlimited’s Air National Guard Hydroplane Series honored its teams and drivers Saturday night at The Westin Seattle with Spirit of Qatar team collecting four awards for its record-breaking 2011 season.
Driver Dave Villwock accepted the Bill Muncey award for his 2011 National Championship and he joined his Spirit of Qatar team to receive the Martini Rossi trophy for the team’s fourth national championship. Villwock became the sport’s all-time winningest driver last season, passing the late Bill Muncey’s career race wins.
The Seattle-based team was also the Kings Fast Lap Winner for running the fastest lap during the season and won Crew of the Year as voted on by the teams, race sites and H1 Unlimited officials.
“Tonight was a great way to wrap up the 2011 season,” said Erick Ellstrom, whose family owns the Spirit of Qatar team. “The team did a great job all season long. They fought through a lot of adversity to bring home the national championship.”
The Oh Boy! Oberto team, which had won the last three national high points championships, collected its second-place trophy. While accepting the award, driver Steve David bet $5,000 (representative owner Bob Hughes added another $5,000) that the Oh Boy! Oberto team will finish higher than Spirit of Qatar in the 2012 points standings. Erick Ellstrom took the bet and said if they win, the money would most likely go to charity.
“We’re not going to let them beat us again next year,” David said. “We knew after the crash in Madison that it was going to be an uphill fight.”
Valken.com driver Scott Liddycoat was voted the Peters & May Rookie of the Year and capped a phenomenal season with a win at the Oryx Cup UIM Championships in Doha, Qatar. He finished third in the points standings and accepted the award. His 2011 teammate, Jeff Bernard, driving the Graham Trucking boat took home the second-place trophy.
Other awards as voted on by the teams and H1 Unlimited went to Scott and Shannon Raney and JW Myers for Owners of the Year and Miss Red Dot’s Nate Brown was tabbed as the Mechanix Wear Crew Chief of the Year. The APBA Gold Cup in Detroit was picked as the Race Site of the Year and its sponsor the Detroit Yacht Club was named Site Sponsor of the Year.
More than 240 people attended the banquet with about two dozen awards presented to sponsors, media and various individuals for their special contribution to the sport.
“I want to again thank the Air National Guard for their partnership with the series,” said Sam Cole, chairman of H1 Unlimited. “It’s their support and all of the sponsor’s support that helped make 2011 such a great season. And the incredible dedication of the volunteers from the teams to the race sites shouldn’t go unnoticed.”
CLICK HERE to view slide show of banquet photos by Chris Denslow or click on any image below to view larger image.
Series Sponsor Recognition
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| Air National Guard |  |
| Peters & May |  |
| Mechanix Wear | |
| Sacramento Kings | |
| Plunkett & Cooney | |
| GoPro | |
| Tampa Digital | |
Banquet Sponsor Recognition
|
|
| Ellstrom Mfg–QMSF | |
| Seafair | |
| Hydroplane & Raceboat Museum | |
| Plunkett & Cooney | |
| Bob Hughes | |
H1 Unlimited Award Winners |
|
| Special Contribution | Peter Thomson |
| Special Contribution | Oh Boy! Oberto |
| Special Contribution | Greg O’Farrell |
| Special Contribution | Mike Noonan |
| Special Contribution | Patton Family |
| Special Contribution | Doug Bernstein |
| Nelawake Award | Bob Senior |
|
Fan Favorite Award Mark Evans |
|
| Official of the Year | Walt Ottenad |
| Marketing Award | Air National Guard |
| Marketing Award | Degree Men |
|
Marketing Award Peters & May |
 |
| Marketing Award | Albert Lee |
|
Boat Sponsor of the Year Degree men |
 |
| Site Sponsor of the Year | Detroit Yacht Club |
| Race Site of the Year | Detroit Gold Cup |
| Website of the Year | H1 Unlimited |
| Best Print Race Coverage | Mike Brudenell-Detroit Free Press |
| Best National Print Coverage | Larry Lage – AP |
| Best Print Race Coverage | Peninsula – Doha |
| Best Print Seasonal Coverage | Madison Courier |
| Best New Media Feature | TransLogic |
| Best Radio Coverage | KONA Tri-Cities |
| Best Television Coverage | KSWB TV San Diego |
| Best Live Television Coverage | KIRO TV – Seattle |
| Best Television Coverage | Peter Butler |
| Best Television Coverage | Tampa Digital – Doha |
|
Owner of the Year Scott & Shannon Raney – JW Myers 11 Peters & May |
 |
| Crew of the Year | Spirit of Qatar |
| Mechanix Wear Crew Chief of the Year | Nate Brown |
| Kings Fast Lap Winner | Spirit of Qatar |
|
Chairman’s Award David Holley Peters & May |
 |
| Award of Excellence | Tri-Cities Race Committee |
| Award of Excellence | Ted Porter |
|
Peters & May Rookie of the Year Scott Liddycoat 7 Valken.com |
 |
| Professional Action Photo |  |
| Professional People Photo |  |
| Fan Photo |  |
| Third Place National High Points – Driver |
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| Third Place National High Points – Team | Graham Trucking |
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Second Place National High Points – Driver Jeff Bernard 5 Graham Trucking |
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| Second Place National High Points – Team | Oh Boy! Oberto |
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National Champion Driver Dave Villwock 96 Spirit of Qatar |
 |
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Martini Rossi National Champion 96 Spirit of Qatar |
 |
Banquet Video:
Banquet Presentation:
Annual Gala Honors 2011 Champions
Seattle, Wash., February 25, 2012— H1 Unlimited’s Air National Guard Hydroplane Series honored its teams and drivers Saturday night at The Westin Seattle with Spirit of Qatar team collecting four awards for its record-breaking 2011 season.
Driver Dave Villwock accepted the Bill Muncey award for his 2011 National Championship and he joined his Spirit of Qatar team to receive the Martini Rossi trophy for the team’s fourth national championship. Villwock became the sport’s all-time winningest driver last season, passing the late Bill Muncey’s career race wins.
The Seattle-based team was also the Kings Fast Lap Winner for running the fastest lap during the season and won Crew of the Year as voted on by the teams, race sites and H1 Unlimited officials.
“Tonight was a great way to wrap up the 2011 season,” said Erick Ellstrom, whose family owns the Spirit of Qatar team. “The team did a great job all season long. They fought through a lot of adversity to bring home the national championship.”
The Oh Boy! Oberto team, which had won the last three national high points championships, collected its second-place trophy. While accepting the award, driver Steve David bet $5,000 (representative owner Bob Hughes added another $5,000) that the Oh Boy! Oberto team will finish higher than Spirit of Qatar in the 2012 points standings. Erick Ellstrom took the bet and said if they win, the money would most likely go to charity.
“We’re not going to let them beat us again next year,” David said. “We knew after the crash in Madison that it was going to be an uphill fight.”
Valken.com driver Scott Liddycoat was voted the Peters & May Rookie of the Year and capped a phenomenal season with a win at the Oryx Cup UIM Championships in Doha, Qatar. He finished third in the points standings and accepted the award. His 2011 teammate, Jeff Bernard, driving the Graham Trucking boat took home the second-place trophy.
Other awards as voted on by the teams and H1 Unlimited went to Scott and Shannon Raney and JW Myers for Owners of the Year and Miss Red Dot’s Nate Brown was tabbed as the Mechanix Wear Crew Chief of the Year. The APBA Gold Cup in Detroit was picked as the Race Site of the Year and its sponsor the Detroit Yacht Club was named Site Sponsor of the Year.
More than 240 people attended the banquet with about two dozen awards presented to sponsors, media and various individuals for their special contribution to the sport.
“I want to again thank the Air National Guard for their partnership with the series,” said Sam Cole, chairman of H1 Unlimited. “It’s their support and all of the sponsor’s support that helped make 2011 such a great season. And the incredible dedication of the volunteers from the teams to the race sites shouldn’t go unnoticed.”
CLICK HERE to view slide show of banquet photos by Chris Denslow or click on any image below to view larger image.
Series Sponsor Recognition
|
|
| Air National Guard | |
| Peters & May | |
| Mechanix Wear | |
| Sacramento Kings | |
| Plunkett & Cooney | |
| GoPro | |
| Tampa Digital | |
Banquet Sponsor Recognition
|
|
| Ellstrom Mfg–QMSF | |
| Seafair | |
| Hydroplane & Raceboat Museum | |
| Plunkett & Cooney | |
| Bob Hughes | |
H1 Unlimited Award Winners |
|
| Special Contribution | Peter Thomson |
| Special Contribution | Oh Boy! Oberto |
| Special Contribution | Greg O’Farrell |
| Special Contribution | Mike Noonan |
| Special Contribution | Patton Family |
| Special Contribution | Doug Bernstein |
| Nelawake Award | Bob Senior |
|
Fan Favorite Award Mark Evans |
|
| Official of the Year | Walt Ottenad |
| Marketing Award | Air National Guard |
| Marketing Award | Degree Men |
|
Marketing Award Peters & May |
|
| Marketing Award | Albert Lee |
|
Boat Sponsor of the Year Degree men |
|
| Site Sponsor of the Year | Detroit Yacht Club |
| Race Site of the Year | Detroit Gold Cup |
| Website of the Year | H1 Unlimited |
| Best Print Race Coverage | Mike Brudenell-Detroit Free Press |
| Best National Print Coverage | Larry Lage – AP |
| Best Print Race Coverage | Peninsula – Doha |
| Best Print Seasonal Coverage | Madison Courier |
| Best New Media Feature | TransLogic |
| Best Radio Coverage | KONA Tri-Cities |
| Best Television Coverage | KSWB TV San Diego |
| Best Live Television Coverage | KIRO TV – Seattle |
| Best Television Coverage | Peter Butler |
| Best Television Coverage | Tampa Digital – Doha |
|
Owner of the Year Scott & Shannon Raney – JW Myers 11 Peters & May |
|
| Crew of the Year | Spirit of Qatar |
| Mechanix Wear Crew Chief of the Year | Nate Brown |
| Kings Fast Lap Winner | Spirit of Qatar |
|
Chairman’s Award David Holley Peters & May |
|
| Award of Excellence | Tri-Cities Race Committee |
| Award of Excellence | Ted Porter |
|
Peters & May Rookie of the Year Scott Liddycoat 7 Valken.com |
|
| Professional Action Photo | |
| Professional People Photo | |
| Fan Photo | |
| Third Place National High Points – Driver |
|
| Third Place National High Points – Team | Graham Trucking |
|
Second Place National High Points – Driver Jeff Bernard 5 Graham Trucking |
|
| Second Place National High Points – Team | Oh Boy! Oberto |
|
National Champion Driver Dave Villwock 96 Spirit of Qatar |
|
|
Martini Rossi National Champion 96 Spirit of Qatar |
|
Banquet Video:
Banquet Presentation: