Serious News
07-18-2015, 11:52 PM
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The Go3Racing unlimited hydroplane, the last piston-powered boat, last raced on the Columbia River in 2009. BOB BRAWDY — Herald file
By Jeff Morrow
Tri-City HeraldJuly 10, 2015
There just might be some thunder among the unlimited hydroplanes yet when the APBA HAPO Gold Cup takes place in the Tri-Cities on July 24-26.
The Go3Racing Team, the only piston-powered boat in the unlimited fleet, is looking for sponsors to race at the Gold Cup.
Mitch Evans, a former driver of the U-3 who owns a business at Lake Chelan, said he talked to U-3 owner Ed Cooper Jr. on Friday.
“Ed has been in progress working with H1 (Unlimited) to come up with an agreement to race again,” said Evans.
Cooper beached his boat and team back in 2010 after he had a falling out with then-H1 Chairman Sam Cole.
He drew a line in the sand then, saying he wouldn’t be back to race until Cole was out as chairman.
Cole stepped down last season, and former Oberto driver Steve David has taken over.
There has been work from both Cooper’s side and H1’s side in trying to make things happen again.
David was unavailable for comment Friday.
“There was some contractual stuff in the past that Ed had trouble with,” said Evans. “It sounds like they’ve worked through some of those issues — technical issues and referees.”
Close enough that Cooper told Evans and Rick Bowles to go ahead and start looking for sponsors.
Cooper is in Valleyfield, Quebec, this weekend, watching Grand Prix races with his current driver, Jimmy King — who is racing in them.
The possible addition of the U-3 would give the HAPO Gold Cup a 13-boat count for the unlimiteds.
Anyone interested in helping sponsor the U-3 should email rick@go3racing.com.
“Or they can call me at (509) 670-8261,” said Evans. “What I did is I committed personally for my business, Evans Marine, for seed money. We’re just gonna beat the brush to see what we can find.”
While the U-3 hasn’t raced competitively since 2010, Cooper did bring out the boat in June of 2014 for a match race exhibition in Evansville, Ind., against the gbr11 Peters & May.
“It was awesome!” said King, who was interviewed by the Herald last July at the Columbia Cup. “Absolutely spectacular. The last time we ever qualified we hit 149 mph. We got out there in Evansville and hit 154. I fell back into old home week.”
And if Cooper ever decides to race the U-3 on a consistent basis, King said he’d be ready for that.
“I keep telling Ed that it’s my ride,” King said.
Read more here: http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2015/07/10/3647138/hydros-coopers-u-3-may-race-at.html#storylink=cpy
The Go3Racing unlimited hydroplane, the last piston-powered boat, last raced on the Columbia River in 2009. BOB BRAWDY — Herald file
By Jeff Morrow
Tri-City HeraldJuly 10, 2015
There just might be some thunder among the unlimited hydroplanes yet when the APBA HAPO Gold Cup takes place in the Tri-Cities on July 24-26.
The Go3Racing Team, the only piston-powered boat in the unlimited fleet, is looking for sponsors to race at the Gold Cup.
Mitch Evans, a former driver of the U-3 who owns a business at Lake Chelan, said he talked to U-3 owner Ed Cooper Jr. on Friday.
“Ed has been in progress working with H1 (Unlimited) to come up with an agreement to race again,” said Evans.
Cooper beached his boat and team back in 2010 after he had a falling out with then-H1 Chairman Sam Cole.
He drew a line in the sand then, saying he wouldn’t be back to race until Cole was out as chairman.
Cole stepped down last season, and former Oberto driver Steve David has taken over.
There has been work from both Cooper’s side and H1’s side in trying to make things happen again.
David was unavailable for comment Friday.
“There was some contractual stuff in the past that Ed had trouble with,” said Evans. “It sounds like they’ve worked through some of those issues — technical issues and referees.”
Close enough that Cooper told Evans and Rick Bowles to go ahead and start looking for sponsors.
Cooper is in Valleyfield, Quebec, this weekend, watching Grand Prix races with his current driver, Jimmy King — who is racing in them.
The possible addition of the U-3 would give the HAPO Gold Cup a 13-boat count for the unlimiteds.
Anyone interested in helping sponsor the U-3 should email rick@go3racing.com.
“Or they can call me at (509) 670-8261,” said Evans. “What I did is I committed personally for my business, Evans Marine, for seed money. We’re just gonna beat the brush to see what we can find.”
While the U-3 hasn’t raced competitively since 2010, Cooper did bring out the boat in June of 2014 for a match race exhibition in Evansville, Ind., against the gbr11 Peters & May.
“It was awesome!” said King, who was interviewed by the Herald last July at the Columbia Cup. “Absolutely spectacular. The last time we ever qualified we hit 149 mph. We got out there in Evansville and hit 154. I fell back into old home week.”
And if Cooper ever decides to race the U-3 on a consistent basis, King said he’d be ready for that.
“I keep telling Ed that it’s my ride,” King said.
Read more here: http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2015/07/10/3647138/hydros-coopers-u-3-may-race-at.html#storylink=cpy