Unlimited Hydro Gold Cup trophy race on Ohio River

MADISON, Ind. (July 3, 2019)—Seven H1 Unlimited Hydroplane Racing Series race boats will begin testing and qualifying Friday for Saturday and Sunday’s Madison Regatta American Power Boat Association’s Gold Cup trophy race on the Ohio River. The Gold Cup trophy is the oldest active racing trophy in the world and this weekend will be contested for the 110th year.

Favored among the excepted entries is last weekend’s Southern Cup winner in Guntersville, Ala, Jimmy Shane, driver of the U-6 “Miss HomeStreet.” Shane’s race’s team is operated by Miss Madison Racing and is owned by the citizens of the city of Madison, this weekend’s host city.

The stress and pressure is squarely on Shane’s shoulders as many of his nearly 12,000 team owners will be cheering him on. Shane said, “It’s going to be very emotional.” The last time a driver won a Gold Cup in Madison was 1971 when Jim McCormick drove the Miss Madison (Racing team), “so I have some big shoes to fill,” Shane said.

Shane in his sixth year driving for the team and is only the team’s 21st driver since 1961 said, “I am just a very fortunate person to be a member of the Madison (Ind.) community.”

Shane has won the prestigious trophy on three different occasions, first in 2014, 2015 and 2017, all when the race was held in Detroit. He is just the 12th driver in the 116-year the trophy has been contested to win the Gold Cup at least three times.

J. Michael Kelly of Bonney Lake, Wash. will drive the U-12 “Graham Trucking”, a former winner of the APBA Gold Cup. Kelly placed second at the season opener last weekend.

Kelly won the trophy in 2016 and comes into this weekend’s race second in the H1 Unlimited Hydroplane Racing Series national points. “We are happy with our performance after last weekend’s race in Guntersville but now looking to improve on that.”

“It’s great to be back after missing the last two years of racing here in Madison,” Kelly said. Kelly and his Graham Trucking team skipped every race but the Washington State races a year ago and he is thrilled to be running back on the Ohio River. “We are coming back to a race that this team has been successful at before and I plan on putting up a good fight to win the Gold Cup,” Kelly said.

Andrew Tate, from Walled Lake, Mich., driver of the U-1 “Delta/Realtrac” and last year’s national champion is expected to join the fleet of race boats after missing the first race last weekend due to a scheduling conflict. Tate won five of the six races last season and is expected to continue as a front-runner.

Although Tate missed the first race, he was able to test in May and is expected to be a potential spoiler to Kelly and Shane’s desire to win the Gold Cup.

Tate said, “ I am looking forward to joining the rest of the fleet this weekend in an effort to defend the Gold Cup I won last year.”

The 29-year-old Tate is the youngest driver in this weekend’s races as said, “we hope to bring an element of excitement and unforgiving competition to the Series.” Tate said he only wishes race officials would change the course length back to 2-1/2 miles for faster lap speeds and a chance to race under the Madison-Milton bridge.

The last time the APBA Gold Cup was held in the southern Indiana town of Madison was 1980.

This weekend’s racecourse is the only race on the circuit that occurs in two states, the front-stretch is in Indiana and the back-stretch is in Kentucky.

Hydroplanes must meet the minimum average speed of 130 m.p.h. for two consecutive laps on the 2-mile course in order to qualify for the holy grail of powerboat racing.

Other boats expected for the 69th annual race in the historic town included U-7 “Spirit of Detroit,” driven by Canadian Bert Henderson, U-11 “J&D’s presented by Reliable Diamond Tool” driven by Tom Thompson, U-98 “Graham Trucking American Dream” and her driver, rookie Corey Peabody, and Dustin Echols in the U-440 “Bucket List Racing.”

Action on the water for this weekend’s APBA Gold Cup will begin on Friday and is free for race fans. The H1 Unlimited Hydroplane Racing Series boats as well as other power boat classes will be on the Ohio River all day and H1 Unlimited hydroplanes are scheduled for qualifying from 2-4 pm

Racing begins on Saturday with two sets of heats. More racing will follow on Sunday with the Gold Cup final set for 3 p.m.

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb is expected to present the trophy to the winner Sunday afternoon.

Madison Regatta’s H1 Unlimited Hydroplane Racing Series Schedule

Friday, July 5, 2019

11:30 am-12:30 pm H1 Unlimited Hydroplane Racing Series testing

2:00 pm-4:00 pm H1 Unlimited Hydroplanes Qualifying

Saturday, July 6, 2019

11:40 am-12:40 pm H1 Unlimited Hydroplanes Testing

1:20 pm-1:40 pm H1 Unlimited Preliminary Heat 1A

1:40 pm-2:00 pm H1 Unlimited Preliminary Heat 1B

2:15 pm-3:15 pm H1 Unlimited Driver’s Autograph Session with the fans.

3:30 pm -3:40 pm H1 Unlimited Preliminary Heat 2A

3:40 pm-4:00 pm H1 Unlimited Preliminary Heat 2B

Sunday, July 7, 2019

11:00 am-12:00 pm H1 Unlimited Testing

12:00 pm-1:00 pm H1 Unlimited Preliminary Heat 3A

1:00 pm-1:30 pm H1 Unlimited Preliminary Heat 3B

2:30 pm-3:00 pm H1 Unlimited Preliminary Heat 4A

3:00 pm-3:30 pm H1 Unlimited Preliminary Heat 4B

4:00 pm-4:30 pm American Power Boat Association’s Gold Cup Championship Final Heat

http://www.h1unlimited.com/2019/07/h...on-ohio-river/

Gold Cup race returns to Madison Regatta this weekend

MADISON, Ind. (WDRB) -- Teams and fans are gearing up for another great weekend of racing at the Madison Regatta. This year feels a little extra special, though, since the Gold Cup is back in Madison for the first time in nearly four decades.

The Gold Cup, the sport's premier event, hasn't been held in the area since 1980. The entire event is a huge deal for the teams racing and the fans who come out in droves to watch.

The City of Madison still owns and operates its own hydroplane, and many people are hoping the team can pull off a hometown championship win. The team's driver, Jimmy Shane, is feeling a bit of pressure, but she's excited to get out on the water.

"I'm just honored to be their driver to represent their city, their hometown boat," Shane said. "The city of Madison is unbelievable, and I'm just lucky to be a part of it."

This year's regatta also features a music festival and a full carnival for the kids. Wristbands are available for both events or just one. Online ticketing has closed, but tickets are still available in person.

Story and Video: https://www.wdrb.com/news/gold-cup-r...619fc3c37.html

Shane sweeps weekend and brings home the 112th Gold Cup Trophy

MADISON, Ind. (July 7, 2019)—U-6 “Miss HomeStreet/Miss Madison” and the hydroplane’s driver Jimmy Shane from Maple Valley, Wash. had a perfect weekend winning the 112th American Power Boat Association’s Gold Cup trophy during the Madison Regatta on the Ohio River.

Shane began his weekend as the top qualifier among the seven world’s fastest race boats. He won each of the four preliminary heats and power boat racing’s pinnacle trophy.

Today’s win by Shane makes it his fourth Gold Cup win in his 12 years driving in the H1 Unlimited Hydroplane Racing Series.

The win also etches his team, Miss Madison Racing, into the record books with four Gold Cup wins, with all but one with Shane at the wheel. The team’s first Gold Cup trophy win came in 1971 when the team won in the hometown of Madison, Indiana with driver Jim McCormick.

Last year’s Gold Cup winner, Andrew Tate in the U-1 “Delta/RealTrac took an early lead, followed closely by Shane. In the back stretch, Tate increased his lead over Shane and the U-7 “Spirit of Detroit” driven by Bert Henderson, U-11 “J&D’s Reliable Diamond Tool” pilot Tom Thompson and the U-12 “Graham Trucking” with J. Michael Kelly in the cockpit of the six lap championship final.

In the first turn of lap two, with Tate in the lead, his boat fell into a huge hole on the racecourse that turned him hard left, slowing him enough for Shane to pull in front exiting the turn. Shane pulled ahead by 1-1/2 roostertails. Henderson followed Tate nearly 5 roostertails.

There was no looking back for Shane during the remaining three laps.

Tate ended up crossing the finish line second but officials ruled he jumped the gun, adding a one-minute penalty to his final finish time. Henderson in the “Spirit of Detroit” finished third but moved up to second after the ruling against Tate.

Third place went to Kelly in the U-12 “Graham Trucking.” Thompson finished fourth and Tate finished fifth. Rookie Corey Peabody was unable to start his U-98 “Graham Trucking American Dream” hydroplane.

There was a bit of good news for Tate, he did have the fastest lap in the final averaging 146.053 mph in lap one.

The H1 Unlimited Hydroplane Racing move west July 26-28, 2019 in Kennewick, Washington, followed by Seattle August 2-4, 2019.

112th Running of the Madison Regatta Gold Cup Championship Final

1) U-6 “Miss HomeStreet/Miss Madison”, Jimmy Shane, 135.046 mph

2) U-7 “Spirit of Detroit”, Bert Henderson, 126.76 mph

3) U-12 “Graham Trucking”, J. Michael Kelly, 125.165 mph

4) J&D’s Reliable Diamond Tool, Tom Thompson, 111.524 mph

5) U-1 “Delta/RealTrac” Andrew Tate, 109.09 mph

DNS “U-98 “Graham Trucking American Dream”, Corey Peabody

Preliminary Heat 3A Results

1) U-1 “Delta/RealTrac, Tate 128.731 mph Average

2) U-98 “American Dream,” Peabody, 115.68 mph average

3) U-440 “Bucket List Racing”, Dustin Echols, 105.668 mph average

4) U-7 “Spirit of Detroit,” Henderson, 100.256 mph average

U-7 one minute penalty, jumped the gun

Preliminary Heat 3B Results

1) U-6 “Miss HomeStreet/Miss Madison, Shane, 131.482 mph average

2) U-11 “J&D’s presented by Reliable Diamond Tool, Thompson, 124.185 mph average

DSQ U-12 “Graham Trucking,” Kelly,

U-12 level three penalty for striking buoy, DSQ for entering safety zone, one minute penalty + $350 fine

Preliminary Heat 4A Results

1) U-1 “Delta/RealTrac, Tate, 135.605 mph average

2) U-12 “Graham Trucking, Kelly, 132.854 mph average

3) U-7 “Spirit of Detroit,” Henderson, 128.249 mph average

DNF U-440 “Bucket List Racing,” Echols

Preliminary Heat 4B Results

1) U-6 “Miss HomeStreet,” Shane, 126.111 mph average

2) “U-11 “J&D’s, Thompson, 123.977 mph average

3) U-98 “American Dream,” Peabody, 110.448 mph average

U-98 “American Dream,” level one penalty, did not maintain 10 spacing in turn one, $250 fine.