J Michael Kelly will have his work cut out for him in the first heat of racing for the 2007 Indiana Governors Cup. The U-13 pulled three of the fastest boats in the first heat of competition. The combination of Ted Porters formulaboats.com teams and the community owned U-6 Oh Boy! Oberto will be his first test. J Michael is confident that he can pull the Spirit of Detroit to victory. The team has put the best prop and engine in a effort to have the boat out in front. Unfortunately Mike jumped the gun by less than a second and was penalized one lap in the first set of heats
After the second flight of heats the U13 crew would have to work on the bottom of the boat to repair a hole that was punched in it while racing. Just behind the left sponson, it was repaired in time for driver J Michael Kelly to make the third prelims.
In the final set of heats, J Mike needed to win. He was placed with defending world champ Mike Allen and hard charging Jean Theoret, who both needed points to get into the final. Going out onto the race course first, his mind on nothing but bringing home a win, J Michael wanted to race a clean race. Jean Theoret, in the U37 Beacon Plumbing, and Mike Allen in the U1 formulaboats.com did also. The 37 proved to be the boat to beat as he led the entire race, making a dramatic first turn at more than 170mph. J Michael charged hard and held off Allen to take second. This allowed the U13 to take the trailer position in the winner take all final.
In the winner take all final, JMK did an outstanding job handling the field of the world’s fastest boats. Coming from the 6th position Kelly powered his way through the crowd of hydro’s and blasted the U13 into 3rd place. “This is quite an accomplishment considering we did not have the best equipment on the boat, we are saving that for the Gold Cup next weekend in Detroit”.