New boats will race in annual Detroit Hydrofest

Purists will disagree but to the casual fan it really doesn’t matter what’s under the hood of the hydroplanes that will tear up and down the Detroit River next month.

For the first time in 30 years, Detroit’s Hydrofest will feature piston-powered Grand Prix boats rather than the turbine powered H1 Unlimited Hydroplanes.
Local organizers of hydroplane racing in Detroit couldn’t come to an agreement with the H1 Unlimited Series prompting the latter to move the traditional Gold Cup race to Indiana for 2019.

So Detroit River Events switched gears and is bringing in boats from the Hydroplane Racing League out of Quebec.

“It’s going to be very action-packed and extremely loud,” said Mark Weber, the president of Detroit River Events. “For the purists, it’s not H1 but if you want to watch high speed, competitive boat racing, it’s going to be on the Detroit River in August.

Tickets went on sale last week for two days of action Aug. 24 and 25.

Boat racing on the Detroit River goes back to 1916 and since then Detroit has hosted the Gold Cup race 30 times.

In recent years, however, the number of H1 Unlimited teams coming to Detroit has dwindled. Last year just six teams came to Detroit, down from eight the two previous years and half of the 12 that competed in 2015.

Weber said the two sides negotiated for over 100 days and they still couldn’t get a commitment of eight teams for the Detroit event.

The HRL has 40 teams in three classes coming to test their mettle on a smaller 1.25-mile course laid out between the city’s riverfront and Belle Isle.

There will be a dozen Grand Prix boats from Canada, the U.S. and New Zealand in the feature race. These boats are 24 feet long with a 468 cubic inch V8 Chevy engine capable of producing 1,500 horsepower and reaching speeds of 160 miles per hour.

Besides the Grand Prix boats, there will be 20 H-350 hydroplanes racing at speeds of 120 mph. A third division will feature the flat-bottomed Jersey speed skiffs for the first time on the river.

Tickets start at $10 for one-day general admission. Grandstand seating is $20 on Saturday and $25 on Sunday or $40 for a weekend package. Premium seating options start at $50 and go up to $100 for a spot in Pit Tower that overlooks the course from three stories high right in front of the Roostertail Restaurant. For those seeking the VIP experience, a $200 ticket to the Club Gold Cup includes, entrance to the race, non-alcoholic beverages and food from Andiamo Restaurant and viewing from the VIP tent.

Tickets are available online at detroitboatraces.com and Eventbrite.

Weber noted race heats each day will run from 12 noon to approximately 4:30 p.m. and the wait time between races will only be 15 minutes.

https://windsorstar.com/news/local-n...roit-hydrofest

Detroit Hydrofest will be quicker-paced this August

Boat races zooming down the Detroit River have happened since 1916, and this year will be no different, despite the loss of the traditional centerpiece event, the Gold Cup.

The Detroit River will play host to numerous hydroplane races on Aug. 24-25 as part of the 2019 Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers Hydrofest. Races will occur every 15 minutes along the 1.25-mile course.

With the absence of H1 Unlimited-class hydroplanes competing in the Gold Cup, Hydrofest will be completely piston-powered, meaning the roostertails of water on the river will remain.

Day tickets start at $10. Tickets and information are available at detroitboatraces.com or on Eventbrite.

“This year’s seating options and pricing will allow greater access and an excellent race experience for all fans,” said Detroit Riverfront Events president Mark Weber in a news release. “Races will run every 15 minutes giving fans less downtime and a more action-packed experience.”

Multiple classes of hydroplanes from Canada, New Zealand and the United States will headline the event. The stars of the weekend will be the Grand Prix boats, which are 24 feet long with 468 cubic-inch V8 Chevrolet piston engines, which produce up to 1,500 horsepower and can reach speeds up to 160 mph.

The Gold Cup, featuing H1 Unlimited-class hydroplanes will not be part of the race weekend, however, for the first time since 2015. The 112-year event was run last weekend as part of the Madison Regatta in Madison, Indiana.

There will still be a Gold Cup tie at Hydrofest, though, as three-time Gold Cup champion Tom D'Eath is serving as honorary race chairman. Joining him in honors are former Lions kicker Eddie Murray and Michelle O’Connor-Tekinski, of the Hope Network, serving as co-grand marshals

https://www.freep.com/story/sports/2...19/1715672001/