J Michael Kelly was anxious to get out on the water and see how the U13 Graham Trucking hydroplane reacted to the changes that the team performed over the winter. “We have lots of spare parts and have made some subtle changes to the hull to help enhance the turning of the boat.” Stated Kelly.
The team worked all day preparing the boat for the afternoon session that took place under partly cloudy skies. Taking the boat out on to the course for the first time Mike turned a lap of 135mph with a follow-up lap of 144. After returning to the dock Kelly complained that the steering was really tight in the turns. The crew adjusted the cables and the young driver went back out with just 5 minutes to spare and turned a first lap of 144mph then jumped to 147 mph. After returning to the dock Kelly stated that “That that was much better!
“You know I never thought I would be doing this stuff.” Stated the 29-year-old driver from Puyallup, Washington. ” I mean yeah I was excited as a kid watching the races in Seattle, but I was more excited watching Seafair from home on television. When it came on I was glued to the tv for the rest of the day. Usually I was out on the weekends racing outboards and when it came time for Seafair, I was so tired I just stayed home.”
“I am a good buddy with several of these guys that I race with out here and we used to race all weekend. When Jeff Bernard moved out to Seattle from Detroit we used to spend all weekend together racing. He practically lived at my house all summer long.”
With the changes to the on plane rule that ABRA instituted over the winter which states that a boat shall be on plane and running at least 65mph before the start of the race, the U13 team states that that rule really did not affect us. “We made changes that will hopefully allow us to get into the inside lanes. We cannot win from the outside! We have to be able to go inside and race the kind of race that we need to win. And that’s what it is all about.”
On the subject of his favorite racer, Kelly stated that Chip Hanauer would have to be his favorite. “I was always a Budweiser fan, as they were the ones that were wining all of the time. When Chip came over to the team that made it even better. You know a lot of people are down on Dave Villwock, but you have to admit, he knows how to set up a boat. He is a big asset to his team.” Stated Kelly.