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Day three of the USTS Nationals dawned bright and sunny, with no humidity and the fans beginning to come into the park around 10:AM to secure their spots for the days racing. What a fabulous weekend of crowds as each day the crowds grew as the racing intensified and today was the climax of the weekend.
It kicked off with one of most spectacular classes in Pro racing the 1100R with 8 of them scheduled to hit the starting line. The crowd rose to their feet as the 3 minute gun was fired as the field hit the water. Each of the drivers along with the rider on their knees, one having fun, while the other is in silent prayer, or is that silent screams???
David Hooten, yes that David Hooten, well known Hydro champ and great competitor shows up with a runabout that son Daniel used in the 700R class and showed well, now was turned to an 1100 with David at the wheel. While leading the heat, right in front of the fans in the front stretch, the engine quit and David was seen pounding the deck, as they were very very fast. The culprit, David pulled the bungee and killed it by accident. Oh that had to hurt.
Joe Franck, taking his Dad Mike, for a Sunday ride was very competitive and took home the first heat. Talking to Mike later, I asked if he had fun and he said as soon as his body recovers, yeah I think I will say it was fun. This while Andrew Thirlby and Ashley Rucker finished back in the field with a sour engine. Whatever the magic that Andrew’s father Mike has in his head and hands, put the crew to work and wala Andrew and Ashley finished out front in the last two heats. Derek Gesler and Amy Nydahl had an issue in the first heat but finished second in the last two to get on the podium as well.
Poor Ashley’s Mom, Sheryl decided to fly out from Seattle, to surprise Ashley, but I was not sure Sheryl enjoyed Sunday much until it was all over. She was the ever nervous Mom, but coming from a long line of racers and having competed here at Depue many times, she understands the drive that her daughter has to compete. Well done Andrew and Ashley.
Andrew/Ashley
Joe/Mike
Derek/Amy
In 125H Todd Anderson was clearly the class of the field as he took all three heats of racing, with David Jones giving him a tussle until while leading in the 2nd heat, he rolled it over in the bottom turn, but was okay. Kristi Ellison with beautiful starts lead in almost every heat as well, with Candia, NH’s Bob Cronin scoring the 3rd spot over all. Weith the speed Todd was carrying, it allowed for some starts where he was 5th or 6th coming up to the first turn, but methodically ran the table.
Todd
Kristi
Bob
The second half of the program started off with 250H, however the field was red flagged with a driver conking out in the first turn before the heat could get started.
With that, we started the first heat of 350R came up and Tim Small trying for his 3rd Championship of this years Nationals did so in style. But not without one of the most exciting heats of 350R seen in years. So much so that the crowd was on their feet the whole race as Tim and Rich Krier ran 4 laps no more than a couple of feet apart side to side and at the finish Rich by about a ½ a boat length. Rich’s pits were on the main stretch and when his helmet came off, he was grinning ear to ear, with cheering crowd in his ear. Tim and Rich exchanged a hand shake and as Rich said, that race made his year.
Paulie Bosnich who had a bad luck, burn em up day on Saturday, came out to do business in this class and put great heats, a win and a podium finish in the 3rd spot.
Tim
Rich
Paulie
Now we were able to get the 250’s up and running and Kurtis Nydahl and Pete Kelly dueling in this heat was a heart stopper, only to learn that Pete had jumped the gun and did not receive the 2nd place points finishing behind Kurtis with Amy, Kurt’s sister finishing 2nd. In the next heat Pete took the lead and was never headed, although Kurtis who finished 2nd finally cleared other boats on the 4th lap and challenged Pete right at the end, but Pete held him off as Amy took 3rd.
In the final heat Kurtis jumped out front, but as luck would have it, melted a spark plug right down the front straightaway and found his Sister taking the point lead over all and the third title went into the books for Amy. Pete Kelly can only look at this as, I have one of the fastest rigs in the country and that is a great takeaway, not enough to ease the pain of that first heat, but a great place start.
Amy
Kurtis
Pete
The 2016 Nationals came to an end with the big Top Hydro prize of 2,000 dollars to win put up by Robby Galletta once again. Thank you Robby, he has been such a great supporter of the class as well as the Depue Men’s Club and we thank him for his effort. BTW, 2nd was a grand and 3rd paid 500 bucks, not a bad boat race pay day.
Well can you say a little history was repeated here???? I certainly can as another driver enjoyed 4 National titles in one weekend and that was the great driver Amy Nydahl, who also finished 2nd with Derek Gesler in the 1100R class as well.
Amy was out front in all three heats, but worked hard in the 3rd heat as Ike Yoder was on her outside next to her almost the whole last 3 laps, but Amy with speed out of the bottom corner took it all. Tim Borway who had been away from us for a couple of years, with the help of Robby Galletta’s Yamato power, put himself on the podium for the 2nd time for him and the 3rd time for his rig, with David Mitchell at the wheel in 700H.
Amy also took home the Nick Davis Memorial, High Point for Capsule races over the weekend. Nick of course, a great young man from Chillicothe, Illinois, lost his life in a 500H Sprint championship 10 years ago and we continue to honor this young man with this award. Congrats Amy.
Dale Hoffert and John Schubert put on a fabulous reunion on Friday and was well attended and I even got to see my best friend Alan Ishii get on an airplane if you can imagine that and was in attendance.
My thanks to Slick Solario and his band of merry men, known as the Depue Men’s Club, the best sponsors on the planet for the USTS. Also the good Mayor, Eric Bryant, who not only the mayor, but an avid race fan, and Men’s Club Member. Depue residents, make sure you have signed the petition going to the EPA to help clean up your residential areas.
Also the USTS presented Selena Compos of Depue with a $1,000.00 scholarship as an outstanding scholar at Depue High School. Selena will be going to IVCC for her AA degree and then on to NIU at DeKalb, Illinois to major in Physical Therapy, following in her Mother’s footsteps, Congrats to you Selena.
I want to make sure I tell our crew, led by Todd Brinkman, our USTS President and Pit Boss, Rick Jedwabny our Pit meister, checking with crews to ensure time was given if needed and that everyone was ready to go before the 3 minute gun was fired. And to Sue Sailer and her crew, thanks, is never quite enough, as she and her crew run it flawlessly. We ended up with 168 entries, 15 more than last year, thank you drivers and crews for making it spectacular as it was.
And to the greatest fans on the planet, you guys make it so much fun for us as the USTS our drivers and crews, and treat us as family and welcome us with open arms. For that we are ever thankful and grateful for your friendship, your hard work, and your dedication to boat racing.
Ray
It kicked off with one of most spectacular classes in Pro racing the 1100R with 8 of them scheduled to hit the starting line. The crowd rose to their feet as the 3 minute gun was fired as the field hit the water. Each of the drivers along with the rider on their knees, one having fun, while the other is in silent prayer, or is that silent screams???
David Hooten, yes that David Hooten, well known Hydro champ and great competitor shows up with a runabout that son Daniel used in the 700R class and showed well, now was turned to an 1100 with David at the wheel. While leading the heat, right in front of the fans in the front stretch, the engine quit and David was seen pounding the deck, as they were very very fast. The culprit, David pulled the bungee and killed it by accident. Oh that had to hurt.
Joe Franck, taking his Dad Mike, for a Sunday ride was very competitive and took home the first heat. Talking to Mike later, I asked if he had fun and he said as soon as his body recovers, yeah I think I will say it was fun. This while Andrew Thirlby and Ashley Rucker finished back in the field with a sour engine. Whatever the magic that Andrew’s father Mike has in his head and hands, put the crew to work and wala Andrew and Ashley finished out front in the last two heats. Derek Gesler and Amy Nydahl had an issue in the first heat but finished second in the last two to get on the podium as well.
Poor Ashley’s Mom, Sheryl decided to fly out from Seattle, to surprise Ashley, but I was not sure Sheryl enjoyed Sunday much until it was all over. She was the ever nervous Mom, but coming from a long line of racers and having competed here at Depue many times, she understands the drive that her daughter has to compete. Well done Andrew and Ashley.
Andrew/Ashley
Joe/Mike
Derek/Amy
In 125H Todd Anderson was clearly the class of the field as he took all three heats of racing, with David Jones giving him a tussle until while leading in the 2nd heat, he rolled it over in the bottom turn, but was okay. Kristi Ellison with beautiful starts lead in almost every heat as well, with Candia, NH’s Bob Cronin scoring the 3rd spot over all. Weith the speed Todd was carrying, it allowed for some starts where he was 5th or 6th coming up to the first turn, but methodically ran the table.
Todd
Kristi
Bob
The second half of the program started off with 250H, however the field was red flagged with a driver conking out in the first turn before the heat could get started.
With that, we started the first heat of 350R came up and Tim Small trying for his 3rd Championship of this years Nationals did so in style. But not without one of the most exciting heats of 350R seen in years. So much so that the crowd was on their feet the whole race as Tim and Rich Krier ran 4 laps no more than a couple of feet apart side to side and at the finish Rich by about a ½ a boat length. Rich’s pits were on the main stretch and when his helmet came off, he was grinning ear to ear, with cheering crowd in his ear. Tim and Rich exchanged a hand shake and as Rich said, that race made his year.
Paulie Bosnich who had a bad luck, burn em up day on Saturday, came out to do business in this class and put great heats, a win and a podium finish in the 3rd spot.
Tim
Rich
Paulie
Now we were able to get the 250’s up and running and Kurtis Nydahl and Pete Kelly dueling in this heat was a heart stopper, only to learn that Pete had jumped the gun and did not receive the 2nd place points finishing behind Kurtis with Amy, Kurt’s sister finishing 2nd. In the next heat Pete took the lead and was never headed, although Kurtis who finished 2nd finally cleared other boats on the 4th lap and challenged Pete right at the end, but Pete held him off as Amy took 3rd.
In the final heat Kurtis jumped out front, but as luck would have it, melted a spark plug right down the front straightaway and found his Sister taking the point lead over all and the third title went into the books for Amy. Pete Kelly can only look at this as, I have one of the fastest rigs in the country and that is a great takeaway, not enough to ease the pain of that first heat, but a great place start.
Amy
Kurtis
Pete
The 2016 Nationals came to an end with the big Top Hydro prize of 2,000 dollars to win put up by Robby Galletta once again. Thank you Robby, he has been such a great supporter of the class as well as the Depue Men’s Club and we thank him for his effort. BTW, 2nd was a grand and 3rd paid 500 bucks, not a bad boat race pay day.
Well can you say a little history was repeated here???? I certainly can as another driver enjoyed 4 National titles in one weekend and that was the great driver Amy Nydahl, who also finished 2nd with Derek Gesler in the 1100R class as well.
Amy was out front in all three heats, but worked hard in the 3rd heat as Ike Yoder was on her outside next to her almost the whole last 3 laps, but Amy with speed out of the bottom corner took it all. Tim Borway who had been away from us for a couple of years, with the help of Robby Galletta’s Yamato power, put himself on the podium for the 2nd time for him and the 3rd time for his rig, with David Mitchell at the wheel in 700H.
Amy also took home the Nick Davis Memorial, High Point for Capsule races over the weekend. Nick of course, a great young man from Chillicothe, Illinois, lost his life in a 500H Sprint championship 10 years ago and we continue to honor this young man with this award. Congrats Amy.
Dale Hoffert and John Schubert put on a fabulous reunion on Friday and was well attended and I even got to see my best friend Alan Ishii get on an airplane if you can imagine that and was in attendance.
My thanks to Slick Solario and his band of merry men, known as the Depue Men’s Club, the best sponsors on the planet for the USTS. Also the good Mayor, Eric Bryant, who not only the mayor, but an avid race fan, and Men’s Club Member. Depue residents, make sure you have signed the petition going to the EPA to help clean up your residential areas.
Also the USTS presented Selena Compos of Depue with a $1,000.00 scholarship as an outstanding scholar at Depue High School. Selena will be going to IVCC for her AA degree and then on to NIU at DeKalb, Illinois to major in Physical Therapy, following in her Mother’s footsteps, Congrats to you Selena.
I want to make sure I tell our crew, led by Todd Brinkman, our USTS President and Pit Boss, Rick Jedwabny our Pit meister, checking with crews to ensure time was given if needed and that everyone was ready to go before the 3 minute gun was fired. And to Sue Sailer and her crew, thanks, is never quite enough, as she and her crew run it flawlessly. We ended up with 168 entries, 15 more than last year, thank you drivers and crews for making it spectacular as it was.
And to the greatest fans on the planet, you guys make it so much fun for us as the USTS our drivers and crews, and treat us as family and welcome us with open arms. For that we are ever thankful and grateful for your friendship, your hard work, and your dedication to boat racing.
Ray
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