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500H up next
500H provide all the excitement we needed for a Friday as Doug Hall took the top spot to claim the title and the Gerry Drake memorial trophy. Not without a fight from Dan Kirts as Dan won a heat and finished second in a heat, to set up the third heat as the battleground for the championship. As the three minute gun went off a number of drivers came out right away with Tim Borway in the yellow buttercup starting to mill. Doug Hall and Dan Kirts prefer to wait a bit for the time to run off the clock before coming out to do battle. As Tim came down the straightway toward the first turn with another boat to his inside, he took the outside line as Dan Kirts was coming out of the pits in the far west corner of the pit area. Dan struck the side of Tim’s rig and overturned him while Dan bounced off and floated outside the course. Tim was quickly out from under the boat and had a few nicks on his leg, but otherwise unhurt as was Dan. Thank you capsules. That opened the door for the rest of the field as Jake Hoffert, running better then he has, due to working on the airtraps and set up took the 2nd spot while Dan with his win and 2nd spot gave him enough points for the 3rd spot on the podium.
Doug
Jake
Dan
500 Runabout up next
Jared Gryskiewicz had to be proud of his son Hudson as rookie doing well here in the USTS Pro Nationals, went out and smoked the field in the first two heats, while Derek Gesler solving a problem in that beautiful laydown runabout went out and won the 3rd heat. Jared and Derek were super fast and did the job they came to do, while Andrew Thirlby finished on the podium as well. Tim Small the defending champion was unable to run as he had injured his back a couple of weeks ago and missed both 250R and 350R as well. A loss to all of us to see this great competitor on the sideline. We wish you good health Tim.
Jared
Derek
Andrew
700H up next
Doug Hall was looking to double up having won the 500H on Friday went out and did just that. He won the first two heats of racing and came up gingerly for the start of the 3rd heat not wanting to jump the gun and that opened the door for a heat win for David Hooten. Nick Shakeshaft having joined the Title Series caravan at Constantine, put together 3 good heats for the 3rd spot overall.
Doug
David
Nick
700R up next
Austin Van Over having just come back from Moses Lake, ran off two heat wins for the Thirlby Automotive team and finished 3rd in the heat as Andrew Thirlby in the other team boat, won a heat and was able to take the 2nd spot on the podium. Joe Franc, having the best National’s finished in the 3rd spot for the medal. Daniel Hooten gave us scare as he went out of the boat in the bottom corner but was okay, but the boat was damaged and Jim Apel, came to his aid to get him ready for 1100 runabout on Sunday.
Austin
Andrew
Joe
1100 H up next
Doug Hall was looking for a threefer, but it was not to be as he broke a driveshaft in the first heat while David Hooten took the win. The usual strong effort from Thirlby Auto was cut short by a broken motor in the third heat, while Jim Kirts put three strong heats to finish on the podium.
The 2nd finish in this class along with the two wins in 500 and 700 hydro gave Doug enough points in the capsule classes to take home the Nick Davis Memorial trophy.
David
Doug
Jim
1100R up next
Austin Van Over ran away with the first two heats with Sydney Hellsten taking her first ride and they had the speed on the field. A great run for the Chance McGrath team as they struggled with the engine in testing, but sorted it out to give a great accounting of themselves with Kearny Hemp at the wheel and Shannon McGrath along for a wild ride. Andy Kirts and Amanda Shank, also her first ride ever, took a solid 3rd in his heats. Andrew Thirlby took the final heat, but missed the first heat with engine problems as he and Ashley Rucker took the final heat.
Andy Kirts told me it was the first podium finish for him and the first time to finish 3 heats. A great new beginning Andy was injured with the boat also hurt in an accident at Pleasant Prairie, so it was a great comeback to enjoy.
Austin/Sydney
Kearny/Shannon
Andrew/Amanda
OSY400
Dr. Rick Miller of the What’s up Doc team took home the title once again to Ok as Braxton Miller had won it last year so it stayed in the Miller family. Mike Werner down from Canada chased Rick, while Ray Hammond, driving the Tom Fernandez entry, as Tom had an infection in his foot and dared not race finished on the podium as well.
Rick
Mike
Ray
Some really great stories were in the Vintage classes as David Tenney was able to bring his father’s, the great Bill Tenney’s motor back to the states from Italy and Jack Campbell went out with it and finished the first two heats, but found a mechanical issue and did not want to do anything to destroy that beautiful restoration by Karl Williams. Congrats to you David.
Craig Ingall’s came to run with us with an engine that his father had run back in the 50’s and had a replica of the boat he ran then and came from Bakersfield with it to run. He hit the water twice, but his enthusiasm remained high all weekend and vowed to come again to Depue next year to run again. Thanks Craig.
The other story here was Chick Larose getting back in the Vintage classes and going for it. So happy to see what a great weekend the Larose team had this weekend.
Jack Campbell was able to defend his championship as the young army tank driver proved he can drive the dickens out of that CSR for the win. Duke Johnson had a great weekend finishing on the podium multiple times
Justin Gibson had some motor trouble, but was able to put it all together for the win in CRR with Jay Walls Sr. bring his rig out for a shot finished 2nd and Duke for 3rd.
Devin Huff smoked them in the Hydro classes as he won both the CSH and the CRH classes and did a wonderful job in both.
CRR - Justin Gibson Jay Wall sr Duke Johnson
CSR - Jack Cambell III Duke Johnson Jay Walls sr
CRH - Devin Huff Justin Gibson Kyle Deptula
CSH - Devin Huff Justin Gibson Jay Wall sr
My thanks to our great sponsor the Depue Men’s Club and all the friends there that we have made over the years, the barge personnel, led by our chief scorer, Sue Sailer and able assistant in crime, her Sister Denise Eldredge and all the others on the barge. Our pit runner, Rick Jedwabny, sailing up and down the beach making sure everyone is ready, great job Rick. Paul, Big Pal, Bosnich, on it all week and into this week to help clean up the park, thanks Buddy. And to our leader and Pit boss, Todd Brinkman, overseeing it all and leading a successful organization and a Pro National Championship
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