2008 Columbia Cup
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Columbia Cup, Friday-Sunday
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The fastest speeds so far this season have been registered at the 2008 Lamb Weston Columbia Cup in Tri-Cities, WA, providing the U13 Graham Trucking a spectacular venue as always, to prove that the 20 year old hull can still run with the best of them. J Michael Kelly, driver, took to the 2.5 mile course on Friday mornings test session leading off, and turned a blistering 161.550, but the time was disallowed because of an N2 violation. However later that day, Kelly took to the water again and qualified the green and yellow Dave Bartush’s hydroplane with a speed of 158.699mph.
That afternoon, the lineup for the Dale Thomas HVAC Dash for Cash saw the following boat camps run for the money.
With the U-3 Hoss Mortgage Investors Too not making the starting gun, the Dave Thomas HVAC Dash for Cash became a four boat race. The U-6 Oh Boy! Oberto led from wire to wire edging out J. Michael Kelly in the U-13 Graham Trucking and the U-50 Miss Albert Lee driven by Brian Perkins. Rookie Kip Brown in the U-17 Our Gang Racing used the water time to accumulate more laps toward qualifying as a driver.
A little bit of wind has picked up on the Columbia River course at the 2008 Lamb Weston Columbia Cup during the Saturday morning testing session, but it didn’t seem to affect the speeds of the boats that hit the water.
With the format for the racing on the Columbia River allowing for Heats 1A, 1B and 1C to be ran on Saturday; however a throttle linkage came undone on the U-13 Graham Trucking which caused the Detroit-based craft to miss Heat 1B. The team is disappointed that they were unable to accumulate any qualification points.
Only three boats made the one minute gun in Heat 2B as the U-7 Formulaboats.com was unable to get its turbine engine started in time.
The U-13 Graham Trucking driven by J. Michael Kelly was first to cross the start finish line in lane three, but the U-6 Oh Boy! Oberto/Miss Madison used the inside lane to claim the lead at the exit of the first turn. David pulled away from the field and won by one and half rooster tails.
The U-37 Beacon Plumbing and the U-13 were side by side in lap two battling for second place but the inside position of U-37 driver Jean Theoret allowed him to finish a rooster tail ahead of Kelly.
Heat 3A saw the U13 entry face some of the fastest boats in the fleet as the, U-1, U-7, U-13, U-37, U-50, U-100 all raced for the checkered flag. Leading them across the line JMK took lane 4 at the start and ran with the Elam and Beacon as they played their game of cat and mouse. Mike holding off the rest of the field waiting for one of the two boats in front to make a fatal mistake and take the checkered flag away from them. Finally settling for third and garnering the much need points to get into the final.
Gremlins have been chasing the U13 all year long with a propeller issue in Evansville, and now at the start of the provisional the boat made a loud shuddering sound and stopped dead in the water, the cause, a thrown prop.
Next week the fleet travels to Seattle for the Chevrolet Cup on Lake Washington.
Columbia Cup, Friday
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The U-13 Graham Trucking Spirit of Detroit enjoyed a successful day of qualifying on the Columbia River today, as driver, J. Michael Kelly and the hardworking crew ran through several sessions on the water throughout the day. Extremely hot, and sunny weather prevailed as the team experimented with several engine and prop choices, narrowing down the program in preparation for the first round of qualifying heats tomorrow. The U-13 also participated in the Dash for Cash where a heat of Unlimited’s ran a “flag-started” three lap race for a cash prize. Kelly ran a competitive deck-to-deck race closely alongside two other boats eventually finishing second.
The team had a surprise for the pits today, as Kelly graciously stepped aside in one of the test sessions to allow well known inboard Grand Prix and Unlimited Light driver Cal Phipps to begin qualifying as an Unlimited driver. Phipps crewed for the U-13 at the Gold Cup earlier this season, and also played a role in reconstructing the hull in preparation for the Gold Cup after a thrown propeller blade caused very serious damage to the hull in Evansville. Phipps ran three strong laps, averaging lap speed of 148, 150, and 151 MPH.
2008 Gold Cup
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Gold Cup, Sunday
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As the sun peeks through the cloudy skies greeting the U13 Dick Scott Presents the Miss DYC unlimited hydroplane, the team works diligently over the engine compartment. Installing a different motor last evening, and trailer firing it this morning, they obviously are happy with their decision. The Detroit River greets them with calm waters.
J Michael Kelly, driver of the U13 from Puyallup, Washington waits patiently as the team prepares his boat for a test this morning, no doubt thinking of the racing that awaits him later in the day.
The morning test session was a success, as the team tried out a few different setups. Running a couple of laps in the 146mph range, Crew Chief Curt Tavener was happy. “We are running the same speeds that we were running yesterday. Looks good”
Before each heat, J Mike and Curt talk strategy, both asking each other questions to come up with ideas on how to win this race. “Three boats are right there close with the team in points, I just want to make sure we can handle them” Stated Kelly.
With a fitting tribute to the great nation that we live in, the teams all stood in formation at the singing of the National Anthem. Following that a fly by of two F18 jets.
“You know it’s the 13th of July. It’s our day, our day! Noted team owner Dave Bartush as the team gets prepared to take to the water in Heat 3A. Joining Mike in this heat was four of the premier drivers on the circuit today. Mike Allen, Jean Theoret, Jimmy King and Dr Ken Muscatel. Scoring up to at the start taking lane four Kelly and the rest of the drivers were making it up the back stretch as they entered the apex of the turn, both the 13 and the 3 came very close, “we did everything but touch” said a smiling JMK. Down the front straight away all five boats were running hard into the lower turn, suddenly Mike Allen in the formulaboats.com boat went over and landed on its top. Driver Allen was awake and talking as he was brought back to the pits by safety and rescue. The boat however did not fair as well.
Mother nature decided that the river was to calm, and after the heat was stopped and the boats brought back in, the winds picked up. ABRA and the Detroit River Regatta Association were faced with a very difficult decision. Hold all racing while waiting for the winds to die down, or just call the race then and there. After five hours of waiting the decision was made, this year’s 100th running of the Gold Cup would be cancelled. That means that there will be no winner and no points will be given. The 100th anniversary will be run next year in 2009.
The U13 heads west to Tri-Cities Washington for the annual 2008 Lamb Weston Columbia Cup.