1999 Budweiser Thunderfest

1999 Budweiser Thunderfest
Lake Okanagan, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, August 15, 1999

BUDWEISER THUNDERFEST
Lake Okanagan, Kelowna, British Columbia CANADA
Sunday, August 15, 1999


Rough water	Dave Villwock takes the 1999 Budweiser Thunderfest trophy.

After a long weather delay, due to heavy winds, Heats 2A, 2B and the final were completed. Dropped were heats 3A and 3B, and the provisional race.

Villwock's win wasn't easy. He was forced to run in lane three during all heats as a result of a new rule instituted this season. Under the new rule, if a boat wins two races in a row, the driver can only run in lane two or higher. If he wins three, he runs in lane three or higher. With this fourth win in a row, Villwock is forced to run in lane four or higher in San Diego's Bayfair.

"I'm not really excited about being in lane four," said Villwock. "But we'll just have to savor this victory for the next four whole weeks, while everybody else is licking their wounds. Then we'll come to San Diego with the best we can throw at them."

Webmaster's note:
Our Canadian fans are outstanding. Not only were they patient throughout the lengthy delay but their fantastic attitude and spirit made this a very enjoyable event. It is my hope that next year the weather will cooperate so that the UHRA will be able to give Kelowna the race they deserve.

I also wish to say thanks to Bill Wurster and Nate Brown for risking equipment and limb to prove that this lake was raceable Sunday afternoon. Nate's high speed flyby's were very appreciated by everyone.

Quote of the day:
"They better start mixing glue." Spoken by Dave Villwock when asked to comment on Nate Brown's test run.

UNLIMITED FINAL:
U#   Driver, Sponsor, Speed, Points
U1   Dave Villwock, Miss Budweiser, 138.934, 1200
U100 Greg Hopp, Miss PICO, 135.888, 1000
U2   Mark Tate, Freddie's Club, 127.962, 925
U15 Rick Christensen, United Furniture Warehouse, 125.282, 521
U9   Mike Hanson, Miss Strike Force, 121.563, 577
U8   Nate Brown, LLumar/Grand Okanagan Hotel/Spirit of Kelowna, 116.996, 695
U14 Ken Muscatel, Team Yamaha Kelowna, 109.738, 338

HEAT 2A:
U# Driver, Speed, Points
U100 Greg Hopp, 137.342, 700
U2 Mark Tate, 126.393, 700
U15 Rick Christensen, 118.909, 352
U14 Dr. Ken Muscatel, 118.385, 338

HEAT 2B:
U#   Driver, Speed, Points
U1   Dave Villwock, 132.532, 800
U8   Nate Brown, 123.033, 600
U9   Mike Hanson, 121.624, 450
U3   Mike Weber, 114.178, 394

UNLIMITED LIGHT FINAL:
U# Driver, Sponsor, Speed, Points
UL16 Bo Schide, ALAMO, 102.877, 969
UL10 Charley Wiggins, Earl's Performance Products, 101.272, 1000
UL110 Randy Haas, Miss CompAir, 100.526, 850
UL72 Phil Bononcini, Apex Laser/Pocket Mechanic, 95.425, 794
UL38 Dave Bender, Milestones Restaurant/Shields Auto Glass, 94.522, 427
UL3 Doug Brow, Miss Vnode.com, 93.946, 695
UL15 Mike McClellan, ProfessorBee.com, 76.581, 465

Pit Notes:
At the earliest opportunity Nate Brown will tour the course in the U8 and determine it's raceability.

Mark Weber broke a propeller during a practice run Sunday morning. The resulting damage to the transom of the U10 York International has forced the team to withdraw from today's competition (see photos above).

High winds are interfering with today's racing. Heats 1A and 1B have been run but the tunnel hull class withdrew from their first heat of the day. The rain that occasionally plagued Friday and Saturday has subsided. Heat 2A, scheduled for 12:00 pm, is on an indefinite hold.

HEAT 1A: 10:30 am
U#   Driver, Sponsor, Speed, Points
U2   Mark Tate, Freddie's Club, 134.052, 400
U8   Nate Brown, LLumar/Grand Okanagan-The Spirit of Kelowna, 124.662, 300
U3   Mike Weber, MSD Ignition, 117.813, 225
U14 Ken Muscatel, Team Yamaha Kelowna, 113.278, 169
U15 Rick Christensen, United Furniture Warehouse, 107.630, 127

HEAT 1B: 11:00 am
U#   Driver, Sponsor, Speed, Points
U1   Dave Villwock, Miss Budweiser, 134.647, 400
U100 Greg Hopp, Miss PICO, 121.670, 300
U9   Mike Hanson, Strike Force, 113.466, 225
U10 Mark Weber, York International, WD, 0

HEAT 2A: 12:00 pm*
U# Driver, Sponsor, Speed, Points
U2 Mark Tate, Freddie's Club,
U100 Greg Hopp, Miss PICO,
U14 Ken Muscatel, Team Yamaha Kelowna,
U15 Rick Christensen, United Furniture Warehouse,

HEAT 2A: 12:00 pm
U#   Driver, Sponsor, Speed, Points
U8   Nate Brown, LLumar/Grand Okanagan-The Spirit of Kelowna,
U9   Mike Hanson, Strike Force,
U1   Dave Villwock, Miss Budweiser,
U3   Mike Weber, MSD Ignition,

UL HEATS 1, 2, 3, 4:
Phil Bononcini , in the UL72 Apex Laser presents Pocket Mechanic, won Heat 1 by several boat lengths. Dave Bender, in the UL38 Milestones Restaurants, was second and Doug Brow brought the UL3 Miss Vnode.com in third.

Heat 2 saw UL110 Miss CompAir driver Randy Haas win a tight race against Doug Brow in the UL3 Miss Vnode.com. Attrition enabled local celebrity and 1998 UL rookie of the year Mike McClellan to finish third in the UL15 ProfessorBee.com. McClellan's hydro has been running poorly all weekend but it ran better than the UL16 and UL72 which failed to finish the Heat.

A first place finish by UL series points leader Bo Schide could have translated into a 400 point windfall over challenger Charley Wiggins. Wiggins broke a camshaft and did not make the start of heat 1. Schide ran in second place for most of lap one. He led the second lap before electrical gremlins forced his boat to a halt.

Heat 3 featured a head to head dual between series leaders Bo Schide and Charley Wiggins. Wiggins had lane two at the start and led lap one. Schide and Randy Haas were close behind in lanes three and one respectively. On the backstretch of lap number two Schide, in the ALAMO, passed Wiggins on the outside. Charging through turn two Schide hit some rough water and missed the exit pin. This forced Wiggins and Haas inside the course markers. After all three boats circled to pick up the missed pin, Wiggins emerged the leader and Schide received a one minute penalty.

"It was going to be a good race. Apparently ALAMO didn't pick up that exit pin on the second turn down here." said Wiggins. "They cut the course and cut us off in the process. I was able to see the course but all I could do was to go through his spray because I had Randy (Haas) on the inside of me. We came out of the turn with the lead and the ALAMO had a one minute penalty."

Wiggins went on to win the heat. Haas was assessed a one minute penalty for an earlier infraction and finished third. Doug Brow took advantage of penalty on Haas and finish second.

Wiggins and Schide hooked up again in Heat 4. This time the race was free of infractions and the duo really put on a great race. Throughout the Heat the two boats appeared to run as one. Schide took command of the Heat on lap two, running on the ragged edge down the frontstretch.

"We had a five cent wire break on us in the first Heat. In the second Heat we had driver brain fade. I got lost on the course after I took a pretty hard hit," Schide said. "We regrouped, it's pretty treacherous out there but we new we had to get some points. I just pushed the boat as hard as I could and still bring it back in one piece. That was a big win today."

UL HEAT 1:
UL72 - 400 Points
UL38 - 300
UL3 - 225*
UL15 - 169*
UL10 - DNS* UL HEAT 2:
UL110 - 400 Points
UL3 - 300
UL15 - 225
UL16 - DNF*
UL72 - DNF* UL HEAT 3:
UL10 - 400 Points
UL3 - 300
UL110 - 225
UL16 - 169
UL38 - DNS UL HEAT 4:
UL16 - 400 Points
UL10 - 300
UL72 - 225
UL15 - 169
UL110 - DNS*

U1 MISS BUDWEISER (T-3) DAVE VILLWOCK 159.833* U100 MISS PICO (98-2) GREG HOPP 152.873 U2 FREDDIE'S CLUB MARK TATE 150.291 U15 UNITED FURNITURE WAREHOUSE RICK CHRISTENSEN 146.966 U8 SPIRIT OF KELOWNA/LLUMAR NATE BROWN 146.957 U10 YORK INTERNATIONAL MARK WEBER 146.469 U9 STRIKE FORCE MIKE HANSON 141.237

*NEW COURSE RECORD , OLD RECORD 2 MI. QUALIFICATION LAP: U1, MISS BUDWEISER,
DAVE VILLWOCK, 1998. 152.934

Morning Report:
Testing is underway and Unlimited qualifying will resume at 11:30 am. Unlimited Light heats 1A and 1B are scheduled for 12:30 pm and 1:15 pm.

U100 driver Chip Hanauer has decided not to compete during this weekend's Budweiser Thunderfest. Hanauer will be replaced in the cockpit by Greg Hopp.

Hanauer injured his neck in a violent crash in the Tri-Cities two weeks ago. Not competing this weekend should allow Hanauer enough time to heal before the next race in San Diego on September 17, 18 and 19.

Rookie Greg Hopp began the season driving for his father in the U15. Hopp replaced Hanauer last weekend in Seattle and finished second in the final heat of the General Motors Cup.

UL Fan Plan:
Terry Troxel and the UL23 were forced to withdraw from today's competition due to mechanical difficulties. The seven remaining teams have opted to run four, 5 boat heats. Each team will race 4 times except Dave Bender's UL38. Bender's team will only compete in two preliminary heats and the final. All seven boats are eligible for the final.

Miss Budweiser driver Dave Villwock has shattered Kelowna's two-mile qualifying record by nearly seven miles per hour. Villwock's speed of 159.883 breaks the record he set on this course last year at 152.934 mph. This makes the fourth record broken by Villwock in as many sites. Quite a feat when you consider that many of these records were set before the current N2 and fuel restrictions were put into effect.

Villwock has also won three last three races of the tour. Under new rules, he can only race in Lane Three or above this entire weekend.

"We're building some momentum," said Villwock. "We've got to have ten or 12 miles an hour an everybody to have any hope to win this thing from lane three. So we're just trying to do the best we can."

In Unlimited Lights action, Miss CompAir driver Randy Haas leads the pack in qualifying for today. His time was 110.483 mph. He was the winner of the Unlimited Light Seafair race last weekend.


U10 owner Kim Gregory with crew chief / back-up driver George Stratton	U100 back-up driver Greg Hopp (right)

*NEW COURSE RECORD , OLD RECORD 2 MI. QUALIFICATION LAP: U1, MISS BUDWEISER,
DAVE VILLWOCK, 1998. 152.934

Pit Notes:
U10 Crew Chief George Stratton got some time behind the wheel of the York International. He qualified the hull at 142.885 mph. Driver Mark Weber qualified the U10 later in the afternoon at 146.469 mph.

Chip Hanauer has been spotted in the Miss PICO pit area but it is questionable if he will race this weekend. Back-up driver Greg Hopp posted a 152.873 mph qualification lap.

UL110 CompAir, Randy Haas, 110.493 mph
UL16 Alamo, Bo Schide, 110.299 mph
UL10 Earl's Performance, Charley Wiggins, 110.218 mph
UL72 Pocket Mechanic, Phil Bononcini, 107.598 mph
UL23 Supercuts presents Apex Laser, Terry Troxell, 102.733 mph
UL15 ProfessorBee.com, Mike McLellan, 61.6 mph
UL3 Miss VNode.com, Doug Brow, DNF
UL38 Milestone's Restaurant/Shield's Auto Glass, Dave Bender, DNQs

THE BUDWEISER THUNDERFEST AT KELOWNA
Lake Okanagan, Kelowna, B.C.
August 13, 14 and 15

The Hydros head North to the beautiful resort city of Kelowna, British Columbia to compete in the Budweiser Thunderfest. Lake Okanagan was the scene of a dramatic rebirth in Unlimited racing in 1996, with the thriving eastern British Columbia city host to an event that earned UHRA Race Site of the Year honors. Back at this site for the first time since 1967, the thunderboats were met with enthusiastic approval.

PICO teams have dominated in Kelowna. Since it's return to the UHRA schedule, Fred Leland's PICO teams have won every event. Current Miss Budweiser driver Dave Villwock won the inaugural event in 1996 at the helm of the mighty U100. Former pilot Mark Evans won the 1997 and 1998 contests. It's up to Chip Hanauer to keep the Leland/PICO win streak alive. Hanauer missed last weekend's General Motors Cup due to injuries he sustained in a violent crash at the Budweiser Columbia Cup two weeks ago. If Hanauer is unable to drive this weekend, rookie Greg Hopp is ready as back-up.

Miss Budweiser pilot Dave Villwock is looking for his fourth win in a row. Last weekend Villwock won the 26th race of his career and now ranks third in career victories among drivers past and present. Villwock would love to win his 27th race in Kelowna and return his name to the trophy he won in 1996.

A new rule will hamper Villwock's quest. Any driver with three wins in a row will be prohibited from starting in lanes one or two for all heats including the final.

The Unlimited Lights point race is on the line. Bo Schide and Charley Wiggins are battling for the ULRS series title.

How To Get There: From Seattle, take I-5 north to the Canadian border, crossing either at Sumas or Blaine, then head east on Highway 1 to Hope. Proceed onto the Coquihalla Highway to Merritt, then follow exit signs to Kelowna

Friday:
9:00 am - Gates open to the public
10:00am to 12:00pm - Unilimited Testing (no qualifying)
12:00 pm to 12:30 pm - High Output Water Ski Show
12:30 pm to 1:30 pm - Unlimited Qualifying (Round 1)
1:30 pm to 2:00 pm - Jet Ski Demonstration
2:00 pm to 3:00 pm - Unlimited Qualifying (Round 2)
3:00 pm to 4:00 pm - Unlimited Light Testing
4:00 pm - 4:30 pm - Jet Ski Demonstration

Saturday:
9:00 am - Gates open to the public
9:00 am to 9:45 am - Unlimited Testing & Practice
9:45 am to 10:15 am - Unlimited Light Driver's Meeting
9:45 am to 10:30 am - Tunnel Boat Testing & Practice
10:30 am to 11:15 am - Unlimited Light Testing & Practice
11:15 am to 11:30 am - Jet Ski Demonstration
11:30 am to 12:30 pm - Unlimited Qualifying Session (Round 3)
12:30 pm to 1:30 pm - Unlimited Driver's Autograph Session
12:30 pm - Unlimited Light Heat 1A
1:00 pm - High Output Water Ski Show
1:15 pm - Unlimited Light Heat 1B
1:30 pm to 2:30 pm - Unlimited Qualifying Session (Round 4)
2:00 pm to 3:00 - Unlimited Light Driver's Autograph Session
2:30 pm - Tunnel Boat Heat 1
3:00 pm to 4:00 pm - Unlimited Qualifying Session (Round 5)
4:00 pm - Unlimited Light Heat 2A
4:30 pm - Tunnel Boat Heat 2
4:45 pm - Unlimited Light Heat 2B
5:00 pm - Unlimited Driver's Meeting (Hospitality Barge)

Sunday:
9:00 am - Gates open to the public
9:00 am to 10:15 am - Unlimited Testing & Practice
10:15 am to 10:30 am - Opening Ceremonies
10:30 am - Unlimited Heat 1A
11:00 am - Unlimited Heat 1B
11:30 am - Cantel AT&T Tunnel Boat Final
12:00 pm - Unlimited Heat 2A
12:30 pm - Unlimited Heat 2B
1:00 pm - Canada Cup Unlimited Light Final
1:30 pm - Unlimited Heat 3A
2:00 pm - Unlimited Heat 3B
2:30 pm - Unlimited Provisional Heat
3:15 pm - Budweiser Thunderfest Unlimited Championship Final Heat
4:00 pm - Awards Ceremony

(Republished from Hydros™; text and images �Hydros™; used by permission)