Jimmy Shane declared San Diego race winner!

[Mrs blueskyracer]

More...

[blueskyracer]

This sport has been so screwed up this year I am suprised anyone is still interested

[Mark 72@E]

Congrats Jimmy!

Well, >>I<< still care. I watched every unlimited heat in San Diego via internet streaming except the Provisional Heat which the race announcers acted like wasn't going to happen because of attrition.

Fuel violations are hard for fans to accept because they can't be seen. Fans watch the fastest boat on the course win and don't want that to change. But to put it in perspective, a fuel violation in Unlimiteds is equivalent in Stock Outboards to forgetting to put in a restricter plate. That's an obvious win on the race course to fans but an obvious rule violation and disqualification.

Having Shane, Liddycoat, and Thompson racing Unlimiteds this year has made it exciting. Not only because they are all from my region, Region 4, but because each has been more than successful racing inboards and every one of them is transferring that success to Unlimiteds.

Add these "new" drivers to my list of existing favorites and I find it difficult to know who to root for when the race starts. It's shaking things up making Unlimited racing exciting.

It was Jimmy that made it a true boat race among the fastest boats on the race course. Congrats to Jimmy on a well deserved win!

[Racerkyle20]

Cograts Jimmy! Probably one of the nicest guys i've ever met. All this guy wants to do is eat, breath, build, and race boats! From outboards to GP to unlimited. Awesome job buddy!

[Mark 72@E]

To The Video Tape!

Villwock's DNF was due to a blown engine (maybe not the correct technical term, but he shut it down with fire coming out the back). They installed the last working engine in the trailer for the next heat and Villwock smoked the field with his "backup" engine.

In the winner-take-all final Jimmy grabbed the inside lane by "trolling", something I first watched him do in a 1.5 liter at Cambridge, MD before I even understood what that was all about.

Steve David trolled to lane 2, which left Villwock in lane 3. Even if Villwock was the fastest of the three he couldn't overtake Steve David who pulled away early in the race, and he couldn't overtake Jimmy Shane who riding the rails in lane 1.

Jimmy Shane never left Steve David's wing -- he was always there, always a threat. All three boats maintained their original lanes throughout the five lap race -- there was never a 7 boat gap between any two boats which would have allowed a lane change.

My hope is that the other teams can get their mechanical gremlins figured out so that every heat becomes a toss up as to who will win.

[Matt Dagostino]

Shimmy!!!!................

Way to go Jimmy "SUGA" Shane.............way to show the good ole boys how to nail a inside start when it counts!

All that time in Gary Pond's ASH's taught ya a thing or two!!!!!........

Matt and Val

[sam]

Congrats again to the "rookie" who doesn't drive like a rookie ... and some classy sportsmanship compared to the "old hands" in Unlimited