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The USTS and the Race for Kids group with Gary Levin leading the way put on one heck of show on Saturday as the first race with the Title Series change and first race of the year came off with great racing. A great day of racing at Winter Haven as the USTS wrote a little independent history and came away with some of the best racing I have witnessed in a long time and that if you know me and how old I am, that is saying something.
A good turnout of boats with 10 125H, 9 350H 8 700R, along with good fields in all the other classes.
In 250R Tim Small scored 2 heat wins and a 2nd in the 3rd heat to win overall in the Runabout class. Buddy Tennell driving one of Bruce Nicholson’s concoctions, always the innovator, did what he needed on the water to finish 2nd overall and Paulie Bosnich winning the 3rd heat salvaged a podium finish. Paulie struggled in the 1st heat but finished and gathered up the win in the 3rd heat after having trouble and not finishing the 2nd heat in the Prop Rider entry. Clearly Tim had speed and will be a force to recon with.
Tim Small
Buddy Tennell
Paulie Bosnich
In the 350H event, can you say chaos?????? Ten beautifully prepared 350’s came to do battle In the first heat only Jim Kirts was able to keep from jumping as he took the first heat. The second heat was won by Michael W. Schmidt with tremendous speed and started toward the back, but picked them off as he went along for the win. In the 3rd heat, Michael again took the lead only to have it all end with sitting in the first turn and then for two laps Zach Malhiot and David Mitchell battled side by side with the audience, a good crowd BTW, standing and cheering these two guys. Zach took the heat win and David took second. Jim Kirts was unable to finish the 3rd heat but had enough points to take the 3rd spot. Mitchell had enough points to take home the title.
David M
Zach M
Jim Kirts
Could the chaos of the 350’s carry over to the 125H’s, why yes it could. David Tenney came back to racing after being injured in a huge flip at Depue last year and showed his tremendous speed and driving ability, starting in the 8th or 9th spot of the 10 on the water and passing them all on the outside to take the win. In the second heat the GJ Gremlin got everyone but Jon Wienandt and David Jones. Jon won the heat and David was unable to finish. In the 3rd heat it really got ugly as Todd Anderson way out front spun in the first turn and David Tenney in the bottom turn going for the lead. Bob Cronin from up in New Hampshire came for some Florida warmth and equated himself quite well in the heats and finished on the podium.
Dom Difebo, ever present in any heat of racing took home the win and overall title.
Dom
Jon
Bob Cronin
The 700R ran for the first time with the Title Series and what a race to be had, the crowd was on its feet in the first heat and never sat down. The applause as the drivers came in was not asked for, but they were so appreciative of the effort of these guys that it was spontaneous.
Mike Thirlby came from dead last out of the 8 entries at the start and finished out front going away, but the fight was on for the other podium points. Brian Payn, Derek Gesler, RC Howie and Dwight Malhoit put on an absolute show for the fans and it was a HOLY BUCKETS race par excellance!!!!!!!!
In the 2nd heat Mike ran off and hid, but the fight continued for the podium as this was the first time the 700’s had run as a Title Series Class. After this show, I am sure that there will be excitement wherever we go with these guys.
Mike Thirlby
Brian Payn
Dwight Malhoit
In K-Pro, Wendy Eldredge proved that 2 years away from racing had not dulled her desire nor her driving ability as she hit the starting line at the right moment in each heat and took the first two, with Brandon Mills, a rookie who showed immense talent and Parker Thirlby chasing her down.
In the 3rd heat Wendy and the guys headed off to the first turn with Brandon trying to get through the corner and take the lead, only to have the boat hook, he turned right and over he went, but was okay. The re-run had Parker taking the lead and winning the 3rd and final heat and having a great run.
Wendy
Parker
Brandon
My thanks to Todd and our crew on the judges stand and thanks to Fred Mason who had given us a health scare last year, but is now back on the safety boat. No one better than Fred on the water in that safety zone we need for our guys.
More tomorrow!
Ray
A good turnout of boats with 10 125H, 9 350H 8 700R, along with good fields in all the other classes.
In 250R Tim Small scored 2 heat wins and a 2nd in the 3rd heat to win overall in the Runabout class. Buddy Tennell driving one of Bruce Nicholson’s concoctions, always the innovator, did what he needed on the water to finish 2nd overall and Paulie Bosnich winning the 3rd heat salvaged a podium finish. Paulie struggled in the 1st heat but finished and gathered up the win in the 3rd heat after having trouble and not finishing the 2nd heat in the Prop Rider entry. Clearly Tim had speed and will be a force to recon with.
Tim Small
Buddy Tennell
Paulie Bosnich
In the 350H event, can you say chaos?????? Ten beautifully prepared 350’s came to do battle In the first heat only Jim Kirts was able to keep from jumping as he took the first heat. The second heat was won by Michael W. Schmidt with tremendous speed and started toward the back, but picked them off as he went along for the win. In the 3rd heat, Michael again took the lead only to have it all end with sitting in the first turn and then for two laps Zach Malhiot and David Mitchell battled side by side with the audience, a good crowd BTW, standing and cheering these two guys. Zach took the heat win and David took second. Jim Kirts was unable to finish the 3rd heat but had enough points to take the 3rd spot. Mitchell had enough points to take home the title.
David M
Zach M
Jim Kirts
Could the chaos of the 350’s carry over to the 125H’s, why yes it could. David Tenney came back to racing after being injured in a huge flip at Depue last year and showed his tremendous speed and driving ability, starting in the 8th or 9th spot of the 10 on the water and passing them all on the outside to take the win. In the second heat the GJ Gremlin got everyone but Jon Wienandt and David Jones. Jon won the heat and David was unable to finish. In the 3rd heat it really got ugly as Todd Anderson way out front spun in the first turn and David Tenney in the bottom turn going for the lead. Bob Cronin from up in New Hampshire came for some Florida warmth and equated himself quite well in the heats and finished on the podium.
Dom Difebo, ever present in any heat of racing took home the win and overall title.
Dom
Jon
Bob Cronin
The 700R ran for the first time with the Title Series and what a race to be had, the crowd was on its feet in the first heat and never sat down. The applause as the drivers came in was not asked for, but they were so appreciative of the effort of these guys that it was spontaneous.
Mike Thirlby came from dead last out of the 8 entries at the start and finished out front going away, but the fight was on for the other podium points. Brian Payn, Derek Gesler, RC Howie and Dwight Malhoit put on an absolute show for the fans and it was a HOLY BUCKETS race par excellance!!!!!!!!
In the 2nd heat Mike ran off and hid, but the fight continued for the podium as this was the first time the 700’s had run as a Title Series Class. After this show, I am sure that there will be excitement wherever we go with these guys.
Mike Thirlby
Brian Payn
Dwight Malhoit
In K-Pro, Wendy Eldredge proved that 2 years away from racing had not dulled her desire nor her driving ability as she hit the starting line at the right moment in each heat and took the first two, with Brandon Mills, a rookie who showed immense talent and Parker Thirlby chasing her down.
In the 3rd heat Wendy and the guys headed off to the first turn with Brandon trying to get through the corner and take the lead, only to have the boat hook, he turned right and over he went, but was okay. The re-run had Parker taking the lead and winning the 3rd and final heat and having a great run.
Wendy
Parker
Brandon
My thanks to Todd and our crew on the judges stand and thanks to Fred Mason who had given us a health scare last year, but is now back on the safety boat. No one better than Fred on the water in that safety zone we need for our guys.
More tomorrow!
Ray
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