 The eighth race of the 2022 ERCU Pentair Championship Series is the Governor’s Cup set for Saturday, Aug. 13, 2022 at Gissberg Twin Lakes Park (north lake) in Marysville. Here is all you need to know to be prepared for the eighth event of the year.
Location Gissberg Twin Lakes Park 16324 Twin Lakes Ave., Marysville, WA 98271 Contest Director Ron Daum Context The Indiana Governor's Cup (more commonly known as the Madison Regatta) is an H1 Unlimited hydroplane boat race held annually on Independence Day weekend on the Ohio River in Madison, Indiana. Madison has hosted the Madison Regatta annually since 1951, although the race was also contested in the 1930s. The Regatta was part of the APBA Gold Cup in 1979, 1980. 2019 and 2021. Informal racing took place in Madison, Indiana as early as 1911. But the first major race didn't occur until 1929. That was when the now-defunct Mississippi Valley Power Boat Association conducted a race for the 725 Cubic Inch Class, which evolved into the Unlimited Class after World War II. The MVPBA conducted the Webb Trophy at Madison in 1930. The Webb Trophy was the MVPBA equivalent of the APBA Gold Cup—their top award. The 725s raced at Madison throughout the 1930s until the disastrous Ohio River flood of 1937 and World War II brought down the curtain for a while. The current series of regattas in Madison began in 1949. This was a "wildcat" race, administered by the Ohio Valley Motor Boat Racing Association of Cincinnati. The largest class present was the 225 Cubic Inch Class. The first Unlimited race took place in 1950. The Unlimited races at Madison from 1950 to 1953 were one-heat multi-class free-for-all affairs. They didn't count for National High Points. The first High Points Unlimited race at Madison occurred in 1954. This came about largely through the efforts of Madison Courier columnist Phil Cole (A High Points Unlimited race must be scheduled for a minimum of two heats with at least four boats making a legal start). Madison had an uninterrupted string of High Points Unlimited races every year from 1954 through 2012. The 2013 races were canceled because of flooding on the Ohio that covered the pit area, although the land-based events associated with the regatta went on as scheduled. The Madison committee is the longest continuously active Unlimited committee in the country. Madison Regatta, Inc. (formerly the Madison Boat Club) has hosted the Unlimiteds every year since 1950 (except in 2013 and 2015 because of river conditions). Seattle didn't start until 1951. Detroit has been on the circuit since 1946, but with four different committees. Parking Details - IMPORTANT Only three vehicles are allowed beyond the gate at a time to unload. To enter, you need to have one of our three batons. If none are hanging on the gate post, wait for someone exiting to park and pass one of the batons to you. Exceptions: the trailer-hauling vehicle and those with valid state handicapped parking permits are allowed to enter and remain without a baton. What to Expect (All times approximate, and subject to change)
Pre-Registration Pre-Registration for the Governor’s Cup is now open. To find the pre-registration form, navigate your web browser to https://www.ercu-hydros.com/governors-cup.html, where you will find the pre-registration link in a blue box just under the race site map. You may also pre-pay your entry fees online by following the PayPal directions at the bottom of the page. Pre-registration will close at 10 p.m., FRIDAY, AUGUST 12. After that deadline, please register in person on site before 8:30 a.m. You can also find pre-registration by going to www.ercu-hydros.com, then selecting “Schedule” from the main menu, and “Governor’s Cup” from the schedule itself. Schedule It is our intent to have the course open by 8 a.m., so that testing can commence once boats are registered for the event. The water will be open for testing until approximately 9 a.m. A mandatory driver’s meeting will start no less than 5 minutes after the water closes. Drivers who do not attend the meeting will not be allowed to participate in the first round of heats. 1/10-scale modern heat 1A will begin within 10 minutes of the conclusion of the drivers meeting. Drivers arriving after the drivers meeting will not be added to the event until the draw for the second flight of heats. Starting Clock A 1-minute 30-second clock will start as soon as all drivers are in the driving area and will not be stopped for any reason other than health or safety (including stubborn waterfowl). Please plan ahead for your upcoming heats, including getting your own spotter, and be ready when the chase boat comes back. A trailer boat shall not cross the start line less than five seconds after the start gun. Rookie drivers who have not yet earned 1,200 career points must start from the trailer position. Heat Draws Heat draws will be completed with the randomizer in our Excel workbook that’s used for scoring races. Every effort will be made to avoid preferred driver/spotter heat conflicts, but sometimes those cannot be avoided. The first heat draw will be conducted at approximately 9 a.m. and will be read verbally at the drivers meeting as a roll call. Succeeding heat draws will be conducted between flights. All heat draws will be printed and posted, and displayed on the TV screen, whenever possible. Race Officials
Governor’s Cup Defending Champions
Race Format
Post-Race Cleanup and Awards Presentation Club equipment cleanup and re-packing the trailer will take priority once the race is over. Once the trailer is re-packed, awards will be presented. Awards will be given to the first, second and third place finishers, first connie and Triple Crown winners. All members have a responsibility to help with set up and breakdown of club equipment. As a courtesy to your fellow racers, please stick around for the awards presentation whether you’ve won one or not. Weather Forecast As of this writing, weather.com predicts sunny weather with a high of 76 degrees. Covid Accomodations Following local, state and federal guidance, face coverings, social distancing and vaccination proof will not be required at ERCU events in 2022. Those who would like to take any precautions to their own comfort level are certainly welcome and encouraged to do so. ERCU reserves the right to change the Covid accomodations, in accordance with local, state or federal guidelines, should that need arise. ERCU will give as much notice as possible if changes are made. Restrooms There are public restrooms available in the park and they are expected to be open. Electricity There is no access to electricity in the pits. It would be wise to bring a generator or other power source to charge your batteries if you need to charge during the day.  Mitch Dillard paid a visit to ERCU on Saturday, June 9 and swept two wins at the Roger Newton Memorial, while David Newton made his dad proud, sweeping two available classes., and Jay Fonville won his second 1/7-scale race in a row.
Dillard, a long-time leader in sister club Classic Thunder, visited ERCU as a guest racer bringing along his 2016 Griggs Ace Hardware, 1975 Pay 'n Pak and 1954 Slo-Mo-Shun V, and claimed wins in both 1/10 scale modern and 1/10 scale classic. Newton won 1/7 scale classic and 1/10 scale vintage. The race featured 40 boats in attendance with lots of great competition. As is expected with ERCU special events, there were loads of giveaways and a couple of raffle drawings, in addition to a free lunch supported by the club. With the Griggs Ace Hardware, Dillard won the 1/10 scale modern final, followed by David Heilbrunn with his 2021 Goodman Real Estate and Chuck Murray's 2000 Miss Elam. Mike Hughes (1990 Winston Eagle) and Paxton Reunanen (2018 Homestreet Bank) didn't score points in the final. Dillard also piloted his 1975 Pay 'n Pak to victory in the 1/10 scale classic final, beating Gentleman Jim Latimer's 1985 U-33, Jerry Dunlap's 1986 Boat, Murray's 1976 Olympia Beer and Heilbrunn's 1985 Executone. Reunanen didn't finish with Murray's 1983 Miss Houston. Dillard did it the hard way, too, starting as a trailer after winning the connie to make the final. Newton took yet another 1/10 scale vintage win driving Kerry Kjos' 1960 Miss Thriftway and Bill Mowatt was second in the 1968 Miss Bardahl. No points were awarded to finalists Murray (1964 Savair's Mist), Reunanen (1963 Coe-Z-Miss), Dillard (1954 Slo-Mo-Shun V) and Gerry Bordon (1970 Parco's O-Ring Miss). Newton also won the 1/7 scale classic division with his 1970 Pay 'n Pak, followed by Craig Mullen (1975 Pay 'n Pak) and Rob Edwards (1982 Gilmore Special). Heilbrunn scratched his 2021 Goodman Real Estate, which ran with classic boats all day as the only modern in the pits. Fonville wrapped up the day by taking first in the 1/7 scale vintage with his 1965 Kirby Classic. It was the second straight win for Fonville after purchasing this boat. Dennis Caines finished second - from the trailer - with his 1969 Eagle Electric, followed by Murray with the 1960 Miss Spokane and Bill Smiley with the 1966 Savair's Mist. DNFs went to Bordon (1969 Parco's) and Terry Harmer (1986 Miss Bahia). Mike McIntosh scratched his 1976 Vagabond from the final. ERCU now takes a month off to enjoy the real boats racing in Tri-Cities and Seattle later in July and in early August and will return to action at the Governor's Cup on Saturday, Aug. 13 in Marysville. The NW Scale Championship is up next for 1/10 and 1/7 scale FE racing, bringing together many racers from different clubs to run together in a championship format.
Saturday, July 23 will be the day for all 1/10 scale and 1/7 scale FE racing. The format for the race will be announced soon, but it is believed that an effort will be made to provide three flights of heats, connies as appropriate and finals to be provided. Hot pits and an on-deck area will be used during this event. Please be sure to help out with turn-judging, buoy replacement and dead boat retrieval throughout the day. Let's make sure ERCU is well-represented throughout the day. A three-minute start clock will be used for heats during the day, and the event will be run following NAMBA FE scale hydroplane rules. NW Scale Championship July 22-24, 2022 Gissberg Twin Lakes Park (north lake), Marysville, Wash.
*Note this race is not a part of the 2022 ERCU Pentair Championship Series, but all members are encouraged to attend!  As you all already know, we’ve scheduled the 2022 ERCU Gold Cup to be a two-day event this year.
Recently, the ERCU board of directors discussed and selected a format for the biggest race of the season, attempting as best we could to set a format that helps keep everyone’s best interests in mind. During the season to this point, I’ve had a lot of conversations with members about their preferences and priorities for the Gold Cup. Some love the idea of two days and will soak up every minute of both days. There’s lots of desire to have at least one flight of heats on Saturday, to help keep Sunday to a reasonable length race day. Others don’t care for time trials (even though they’re optional, by rule) and would not want to attend on the day when we do them. Many said there should be equitable opportunity for those who choose to not attend on Saturday to still have a shot at making the final heat. With all of that in mind, we’ve agreed to what feels like the most equitable option to address everyone’s concerns, and here’s what the format will look like, based on the board’s decision. Saturday, Sept. 10 will start with setting the race course, club equipment and pits starting at 9 a.m. At 10 a.m., we’ll open the course for testing and practice. Open water will continue until 11:30 when we’ll begin a 30-minute lunch period. You’ll need to provide your own lunches on Saturday. It may be possible to keep the water open during that lunch break, too, if people need or want the testing time. From noon-1:30 p.m., we’ll conduct the time trials for those who are interested in participating. Time trials are included in the Gold Cup rules in the rulebook, and they’ve been a part of ERCU since the inception of the club 20 years ago. In fact, in the early years of the club, boats were required to actually qualify for the Gold Cup. Time trials evolved from that when members said it should be optional, not required, for entry into the Gold Cup. Beginning at 1:30, we’ll have a drivers meeting that all drivers must attend, followed by ERCU Gold Cup heat 1A, 1B, etc. for all divisions and classes. Following the heat racing, another opportunity for open water will be available until 5 p.m. Members will be asked to pack club equipment into the trailer and their own pits overnight. Anything left in the park overnight will be at each members’ own risk. We’ll also plan an evening event on Saturday for those who are staying the night in the Lacey area and any others who would like to participate. The idea of this is continuing the day’s fellowship, having some bench racing and perhaps a swap meet or something as another way to extend our enjoyment of the hobby. On Sunday, Sept. 11, we’ll have a full day of racing starting with all hands helping to re-set the pits and the club equipment. We’ll also have a brief period of open water, primarily for those who didn’t run on Saturday, but open to anyone. We’ll have another required drivers meeting on Sunday morning, and a quick observance of 9/11. Heat racing will dominate the rest of the day, followed by second connies, Ted Jones Memorials and finals for all divisions and classes. The goal is to wrap up the 2022 ERCU Gold Cup with the awards being handed out by 5:15 p.m.  Here’s all you need to know about the Roger Newton Memorial
The seventh race of the 2022 ERCU Pentair Championship Series is the Roger Newton Memorial presented by Roostertail Talk, set for Saturday, July 9, 2022 at Longs Pond in Woodland Creek Park in Lacey. Here is all you need to know to be prepared for the seventh event of the year. LOCATION Long’s Pond/Woodland Creek Park 6729 Pacific Ave SE, Lacey, WA 98503 CONTEST DIRECTOR David Newton CONTEXT This will mark the 15th running of the Roger Newton Memorial. Roger Newton, club founder and hall of fame RC scale racer, passed away in the summer of 2008. Since then the club has been dedicated to racing in his honor. Roger spent his lifetime promoting and racing scale RC hydroplanes of all sizes. In the early 1970’s he created Newton Marine, a side business that sells 1/8-scale hydroplane plans. He then created R/C Unlimiteds in 1976, the first club dedicated to racing nothing but scale hydroplane models. He helped to form Classic Thunder in 1994 and then created ERCU in 2003. He was influential with scale RC racing around the world and spent his life fulfilling that dream. David Newton will again direct the race. This year he plans to make the race bigger and better than previous years with more raffle prizes, awards, hot lunch and other surprises along the way. This will be a race you won’t want to miss! What to Expect (All times approximate, and subject to change) · No vehicles can load until the last heat has been run and awards presented. · Awards and major prizes will not be presented until after the club trailer has been packed. · There are a lot of prizes and give aways for the race. Many of the raffle prizes will be awarded throughout the day. · There will be a raffle with two significant prizes to be given away. David Newton and Rick Evans have managed to secure two 1/7-scale laser cut wood kits from ML Boatworks to give away during the raffle. These will not be awarded until after the club trailer is packed at the end of the day. · Please note you must be present to win your raffle prize. If you elect to leave the race site early you are forfeiting your chance to win. · An award will be presented to the owner who brings the most boats and compiles the most total points accumulated for the entire event. So bring all of the boats you’d like to run in, across our two divisions and six classes! · A 30 minute lunch break will be held after the second flight of heats is complete. Lunch will be provided by Roostertail Talk and ERCU. · Winner-take-all final heats. · Race course will be set between 7:30-8 a.m. · Practice water and on-site registration 8-9 a.m. · Mandatory drivers meeting 9:05-9:20 a.m. · Racing begins at approximately 9:30 a.m. (maximum of 10 minutes after drivers meeting) · Three flights of heats for each division (1/10 and 1/7) · First consolations (depending on boat count and attrition) o First connie winner is trailer in the final o First connie second place is alternate for the final · Final heats will be run for each class. o Finals will be five boats on the front line and a trailer. · One minute-30 second start clock for all racing · Awards and major prizes will be handed out after the club trailer is packed. Please help pack the trailer and stick around for the awards presentation and celebrate your fellow racers. PRE-REGISTRATION Pre-Registration for the Roger Newton Memorial is now open. To find the pre-registration form, navigate your web browser to https://www.ercu-hydros.com/roger-newton-memorial.html, where you will find the pre-registration link in a blue box just under the race site map. You may also pre-pay your entry fees online by following the PayPal directions at the bottom of the page. Pre-registration will close at 10 p.m., FRIDAY, JULY 8. After that deadline, please register in person on site before 8:30 a.m. You can also find pre-registration by going to www.ercu-hydros.com, then selecting “Schedule” from the main menu, and “Roger Newton Memorial” from the schedule itself. SCHEDULE It is our intent to have the course open by 8 a.m., so that testing can commence once boats are registered for the event. Boat owners should prepare to have time so that they can get inspections that are needed, and be ready to race. The water will be open for testing until approximately 9 a.m. A mandatory driver’s meeting will start no less than 5 minutes after the water closes. Drivers who do not attend the meeting will not be allowed to participate in the first round of heats. 1/10-scale modern heat 1A will begin within 10 minutes of the conclusion of the drivers meeting. Drivers arriving after the drivers meeting will not be added to the event until the draw for the second flight of heats. STARTING CLOCK A 1-minute 30-second clock will start as soon as all drivers are in the driving area and will not be stopped for any reason other than health or safety (including stubborn waterfowl). Please plan ahead for your upcoming heats, including getting your own spotter, and be ready when the chase boat comes back. When all drivers are at the driving area and boats launched/ready to launch drivers the 1:30 clock will be started. A trailer boat shall not cross the start line less than five seconds after the start gun. Rookie drivers who have not yet earned 1,200 career points must start from the trailer position. HEAT DRAWS Heat draws will be completed with the randomizer in our Excel workbook that’s used for scoring races. Every effort will be made to avoid preferred driver/spotter heat conflicts, but sometimes those cannot be avoided. The first heat draw will be conducted at approximately 9 a.m. and will be read verbally at the drivers meeting as a roll call. Succeeding heat draws will be conducted between flights. All heat draws will be printed and posted, and displayed on the TV screen, whenever possible. No re-draws of heats will be done after the draws are finalized. RACE OFFICIALS · Contest Director: David Newton · Chief Referee: David Newton · Drivers Representative: TBA · Pit Boss: TBA at drivers meeting · Turn Judges: First and second place finishers will judge two heats later ROGER NEWTON MEMORIAL DEFENDING CHAMPIONS · 1/10 Scale Modern: Chuck Murray, 2000 Miss Elam Plus · 1/7 Scale Modern: Nelson Holmberg, 1972 Notre Dame · 1/10 Scale Classic: Chuck Murray, 1983 Miss Houston · 1/10 Scale Vintage: David Newton, 1960 Miss Thriftway (Owner: Kerry Kjos) · 1/7 Scale Vintage: Terry Harmer, 1986 Miss Bahia RACE FORMAT · LOVE PLAN: Three flights of preliminary heats, five laps each. Connies and winner-take-all finals. · First and second connies for each class (depending on total boat count and attrition). o Boats 6-10 in cumulative event points qualify for the first connie. o First connie winner advances to the final as a front line starter. Second place in first connie is alternate in the final. · Final heat with top five boats in each class, plus the connie winner as a front line starter. · Flight Schedule o 1/10 & 1/7 scale modern o 1/10 scale classic o 1/10 & 1/7 scale vintage o 1/8-scale boats may run between flights as time allows (1/8 scale will not be scored; and there are no entry fees or registration necessary for 1/8 scale) · Final heat of the day will feature a 1/7-scale class POST RACE CLEANUP AND AWARDS PRESENTATION Club equipment cleanup and re-packing the trailer will take priority once the race is over. Once the trailer is re-packed, awards and major raffle prizes will be presented. Awards will be given to the podium (first, second and third place). All members have a responsibility to help with set up and breakdown of club equipment. As a courtesy to your fellow racers, please stick around for the awards presentation whether you’ve won one or not. WEATHER FORECAST As of this writing, weather.com predicts partly cloudy weather and 77 degrees with a 9 percent chance of rain and 8 mph winds out of the west. COVID ACCOMMODATIONS Following local, state and federal guidance, face coverings, social distancing and vaccination proof will not be required at ERCU events in 2022. Those who would like to take any precautions to their own comfort level are certainly welcome and encouraged to do so. ERCU reserves the right to change the Covid accomodations, in accordance with local, state or federal guidelines, should that need arise. ERCU will give as much notice as possible if changes are made. RESTROOMS There are two public restrooms available in the park and they are expected to be open. ELECTRICITY There is no access to electricity in the pits. It would be wise to bring a generator or other power source to charge your batteries if you need to charge during the day.  The sixth race of the 2022 ERCU Pentair Championship Series is the Jack Regas Memorial, set for Saturday, June 25, 2022 at Waughop Lake in Lakewood. Here is all you need to know to be prepared for the sixth event of the year.
LOCATION Waughop Lake, Fort Steilacoom Park Closest address (for GPS) 8714 87th Ave SW, Lakewood, WA 98498 CONTEST DIRECTORS Jerry Dunlap & Bill Mowatt CONTEXT This race had been known as the ERCU Apple Cup since its inception in 2010, when Ben Keller created the event, complete with an exhibition race drawing as many boats as possible that ran in the 1957 Apple Cup in Chelan, Wash., to recreate that final heat. After Jack Regas passed away in early 2014, Keller requested permission from the ERCU Contest Board to change the name of the event to the Jack Regas Memorial, in honor of the onetime Hawaii Ka’i III driver, who had not only met with Keller to see his models of the “Pink Lady”, but also followed the boat’s seasons in ERCU and ESU. After ERCU high points championships in 2011 and 2012, Keller presented Regas with plaques commemorating the wins. Jack Regas meant a lot to not only the Hawaii Ka’i history, Keller, and Choral Enterprises, but also to unlimited hydroplane racing in general. ERCU is proud to have an event named for his memory. Please join ERCU at Waughop Lake in Lakewood on Saturday, June 25 to relive those golden days of yesteryear if only in 1/10 & 1/7 scale form. WHAT TO EXPECT (All times approximate, and subject to change)
WATER QUALITY NOTICE While the water quality in Waughop Lake has been significantly improved in recent years, we remind everyone to use care to wash or sanitize your hands frequently. As is always the case with small-to-medium-size lakes toxins, the presence of toxins in the water is possible. As of this time, Pierce County Public Health does not have any active warnings or notices on Waughop Lake, but if you do get ill within a couple of the days, please report to Pierce County Public Health. PRE-REGISTRATION Pre-Registration for the Jack Regas Memorial is now open. To find the pre-registration form, navigate your web browser to https://www.ercu-hydros.com/jack-regas-memorial.html, where you will find the pre-registration link in a blue box just under the race site map. You may also pre-pay your entry fees online by following the PayPal directions at the bottom of the page. Pre-registration will close at 7 p.m., WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22. After that deadline, please register in person on site before 8:30 a.m. You can also find pre-registration by going to www.ercu-hydros.com, then selecting “Schedule” from the main menu, and “Jack Regas Memorial” from the schedule itself. SCHEDULE It is our intent to have the course open by 8 a.m., so that testing can commence once boats are registered for the event. Boat owners should prepare to have time so that they can get inspections that are needed, and be ready to race. The water will be open for testing until approximately 9 a.m. A mandatory driver’s meeting will start no less than 5 minutes after the water closes. Drivers who do not attend the meeting will not be allowed to participate in the first round of heats. 1/10-scale modern heat 1A will begin within 10 minutes of the conclusion of the drivers meeting. Drivers arriving after the drivers meeting will not be added to the event until the draw for the second flight of heats. STARTING CLOCK A 1-minute 30-second clock will start as soon as all drivers are in the driving area and will not be stopped for any reason other than health or safety (including stubborn waterfowl). Please plan ahead for your upcoming heats, including getting your own spotter, and be ready when the chase boat comes back. When all drivers are at the driving area and boats launched/ready to launch drivers the 1:30 clock will be started. A trailer boat shall not cross the start line less than five seconds after the start gun. Rookie drivers who have not yet earned 1,200 career points must start from the trailer position. HEAT DRAWS Heat draws will be completed with the randomizer in our Excel workbook that’s used for scoring races. Every effort will be made to avoid preferred driver/spotter heat conflicts, but sometimes those cannot be avoided. The first heat draw will be conducted at approximately 9 a.m. and will be read verbally at the drivers meeting as a roll call. Succeeding heat draws will be conducted between flights. All heat draws will be printed and posted, and displayed on the TV screen, whenever possible. No re-draws of heats will be done after the draws are finalized. RACE OFFICIALS
JACK REGAS MEMORIAL DEFENDING CHAMPIONS
RACE FORMAT
POST RACE CLEANUP AND AWARDS PRESENTATION Following the conclusion of the final heat of the day, awards will be presented. Awards will be given to the podium (first, second and third place). After the awards are presented, please remember to stick around to help cleanup and re-pack the club trailer. WEATHER FORECAST As of this writing, weather.com predicts sunny weather with a 75 degree high temperature. COVID ACCOMMODATIONS Following local, state and federal guidance, face coverings, social distancing and vaccination proof will not be required at ERCU events in 2022. Those who would like to take any precautions to their own comfort level are certainly welcome and encouraged to do so. ERCU reserves the right to change the Covid accomodations, in accordance with local, state or federal guidelines, should that need arise. ERCU will give as much notice as possible if changes are made. RESTROOMS There are public restrooms available at the far end of the parking lot. ELECTRICITY There is no access to electricity in the pits. It would be wise to bring a generator or other power source to charge your batteries if you need to charge during the day.   Electric Radio Controlled Unlimiteds has announced that Dillanos Coffee Roasters has come aboard with the club as official coffee partner for the remainder of the 2022 Pentair Championship Series and all of the 2023 season.
"I'm so excited to see Dillanos Coffee Roasters team up with us at ERCU," said board chair Nelson Holmberg. "I'm grateful to David Heilbrunn for doing the hard work to make this happen. As we continue to transition the club back to its first-class status, having a bona fide category sponsor like DCR continues to add to the club's credibility. I, for one, am looking forward to having this high quality coffee at our race sites every event!" As official coffee partner, DCR coffee will be brewed and served on site each morning at every ERCU event beginning with the next race, June 25, 2022 at Waughop Lake in Lakewood. The agreement is a two year comittment that will see DCR coffee provided free of any charge from 7:30 a.m.-noon at each race for ERCU participants, fans and visitors alike through the completion of next year’s 2023 season. “We are delighted to partner with ERCU as their events provide us with the kind of opportunities we look for to exercise our core mission," said DCR Co-CEO David Morris. "We try to embrace every opportunity we can to Help People, Make Friends and Have fun”. Dillanos Coffee Roasters is located in Sumner and has a rich history of local event involvement and support. Established in 1992, DCR remains committed to its core mission to help people, make friends and have fun! Passionate about its people, coffee, and culture, DCR believes its core behaviors, core values, and mission statement are the driving force behind their culture. These values determine how DCR treats one another, including their customers, their vendors, and those within the community around them. Much like DCR, ERCU exists to keep alive the history and grandness of the sport of unlimited hydroplane race, in 1/10 and 1/7 scale. The most important goals in ERCU are to properly represent the real boats in scale appearance, to make friends, and to have fun. DCR joins ERCU's sponsorship ranks with presenting sponsor Pentair, and supporting sponsors American Pools and Island Watershapes. "Sponsorships are the lifeblood of racing sports, and model hydroplane racing is no different," Holmberg said, "so we are absolutely grateful to our sponsors, and we ask all members, fans and friends of ERCU to support all of our terrific sponsors." Visit DCR's website at www.dillanos.com to learn more about the company.  Detroit Memorial Regatta winners from left to right Paxton Reunanen, Nelson Holmberg, David Newton with boat owner Kerry Kjos, Gerry Bordon and Mike Hughes. Regular front-runners fared well Saturday, June 4 at the 2022 ERCU Detroit Memorial Regatta presented by Hobbytown USA of Vancouver & Portland at Lake Sacajawea Park in Longview.
The 2022 Detroit Memorial Regatta gave us a chance to remember Troy McIntire (modern classes), Earl Schenck (classic classes) and Dave Reiser (vintage classes). All three of those guys were influencers, boat builders and passionate hobbyists in RC racing. They're all deeply missed from the sport. Mike Hughes, for the third time in five races this year, claimed the 1/10-scale modern championship after Nelson Holmberg nailed a start in lane one and jumped out to a big lead with his rejuvenated 2018 Oberto Beef Jerky. But after the Oberto rolled over at the apex of turn two on nearing the end of the second lap, Hughes took command and easily won the final. In the 1/7-scale modern final, Holmberg was again able to gain early command with the 2021 Graham Trucking and ended up holding off David Heilbrunn driving the 2021 Goodman Real Estate. A win in the 1/10-scale classic final capped off a perfect day for Paxton Reunanen, too. Driving Chuck Murray's 1983 Miss Houston, Reunanen easily won the final after Rick Evans gave a hard chase with the 1972 Notre Dame, but flipped in the front straightaway ending his race. Two Pay 'n Pak boats went head-to-head in the 1/7-scale classic final, which provided some of the best racing of the day for two laps, and also showed us the best pass of the day (and perhaps the season, too). Craig Mullen with the 1975 Pak and Newton in the 1970 Pay 'n Pak hooked up with both making a great start. The two speedy boats went deck-to-deck for two laps before Mullen's boat went over after a collision between the two leaders. But it was Mullen who went through Newton's roostertail and slipped into lane one to take the lead just a half lap before the accident. Newton went on to win the race. Newton also claimed (again) the Detroit Memorial Regatta 1/10-scale vintage final driving Kerry Kjos's 1960 Miss Thriftway to its fourth win of the 2022 ERCU Pentair Championship Series. Reunanen gave solid chase for two laps before Newton took control and the Coe-Z-Miss finished second. Finally, for the fourth consecutive race, Gerry Bordon piloted his 1969 Parco's O-Ring Miss to the championship in the 1/7-scale vintage final. It was a really great day of racing, with 38 boats in the pits. Many thanks to Co-CDs David Newton and Nelson Holmberg for the work they put behind this special event. Also to Brad Lewis for being the person who dreamed to make the Detroit Memorial Regatta reality to help remember lost racers who left us too soon. Also to everyone who helped set up the race site, pack up the trailer, officiate heats and just generally help out through the day. Between our own Nelson Holmberg, and friend of RC model racing Ray Finney, there are a lot of photos and videos of the ERCU Presidents Cup that have been posted online over the last week.
Finney dedicated his whole day to shooting videos of our heats at the Presidents Cup, and he's posted them to his personal website. You can see his videos by clicking here. Holmberg has added to the web 320 photos that he took of the racing at the Presidents Cup. Unfortunately, because he was running in modern heats, he did not get any photos of 1/10 modern or 1/7 modern action. Nelson's photos can be seen by clicking here.  The fifth race of the 2022 ERCU Pentair Championship Series is the Detroit Memorial Regatta, set for Saturday, June 4, 2022 at Lake Sacajawea Park in Longview. Here is all you need to know to be prepared for the fourth event of the year.
LOCATION Lake Sacajawea Park Closest address (for GPS) 1801 Nichols Blvd., Longview CONTEST DIRECTORS David Newton & Nelson Holmberg CONTEXT This is a race established to memorialize and celebrate ERCU members who have passed away over the years. In the inaugural event, in 2021, we celebrated Marti Newton, Harry Gatjens and Howard Price. This year, the club will honor RC racers, influencers and boat builders Dave Reiser (vintage classes), Earl Schenck (classic) and Troy McIntire (modern) throughout the day. As one of our three very popular special events of the season, there will be prize giveaways, lottery raffle for contestants and their families, and lunch will be provided for racers by the club. Please bring your own (non alcoholic) beverages. Many thanks to Brad Lewis and David Newton for not only dreaming to create such an auspicious event, but also for their work in putting it all together. It is one of ERCU’s special events for the season, so mark your calendars now, and plan to attend. As a club, we'll be acknowledging three different members from days gone by during an extended drivers' meeting, which is to start at 9:15 a.m. There will be lots of additional action both on and off of the race course throughout the day. Stay tuned for more details. Please join ERCU at Lake Sacajawea Park in Longview on Saturday, June 4 and relive those golden days of yesteryear if only in 1/10 & 1/7 scale form. WHAT TO EXPECT (All times approximate, and subject to change)
PRE-REGISTRATION Pre-Registration for the Detroit Memorial Regatta is now open. To find the pre-registration form, navigate your web browser to https://www.ercu-hydros.com/detroit-memorial-regatta.html, where you will find the pre-registration link in a blue box just under the race site map. You may also pre-pay your entry fees online by following the PayPal directions at the bottom of the page. Pre-registration will close at 10 p.m., Saturday, May 21. After that deadline, please register in person on site before 8:30 a.m. You can also find pre-registration by going to www.ercu-hydros.com, then selecting “Schedule” from the main menu, and “Detroit Memorial Regatta” from the schedule itself. SCHEDULE It is our intent to have the course open by 8 a.m., so that testing can commence once boats are registered for the event. Boat owners should prepare to have time so that they can get inspections that are needed, and be ready to race. The water will be open for testing until approximately 9:10 a.m. A mandatory driver’s meeting will start no less than 5 minutes after the water closes. Drivers who do not attend the meeting will not be allowed to participate in the first round of heats. 1/10-scale modern heat 1A will begin within 10 minutes of the conclusion of the drivers meeting. STARTING CLOCK A 1-minute 30-second clock will start as soon as all drivers are in the driving area and will not be stopped for any reason other than health or safety (including stubborn waterfowl). Please plan ahead for your upcoming heats, including getting your own spotter, and be ready when the chase boat comes back. When all drivers are at the driving area and boats launched/ready to launch drivers the 1:30 clock will be started. A trailer boat shall not cross the start line less than five seconds after the start gun. Rookie drivers who have not yet earned 1,200 career points must start from the trailer position. DRIVERS MEETING The drivers meeting is mandatory for ALL divisions and all classes and will begin immediately upon the closing of time trials at the scoring table. Drivers who do not attend the drivers meeting will be scratched from the first heat – regardless of whether they are pre-registered and pre-paid. Drivers arriving after the drivers meeting will not be added to the event until the draw for the second flight of heats. HEAT DRAWS Heat draws will be completed with the randomizer in our Excel workbook that’s used for scoring races. Every effort will be made to avoid preferred driver/spotter heat conflicts, but sometimes those cannot be avoided. The first heat draw will be conducted at approximately 9 a.m. and will be read verbally at the drivers meeting as a roll call. Succeeding heat draws will be conducted between flights. All heat draws will be printed and posted, and displayed on the TV screen, whenever possible. No re-draws of heats will be done after the draws are finalized. RACE OFFICIALS
ROOKIE/GUEST DRIVERS ERCU always welcomes new members to the club and visiting racers from other clubs. Rookie driver testing will be offered during the open water period as needed. The course will be closed for rookie driver tests. Visiting racers may not take home ERCU perpetual trophies, in the event they win the race. 2022 RULES There have been several changes to the rules for the 2022 season, so please review the rulebook as is posted on the ERCU website, available under the Resources tab (or by clicking here). Changes to the rulebook are noted in green bold italics, but it’s always good to read the whole thing just to refresh your own memory. The Contest Director/Chief Referee will make every effort to be sure that officiating is consistent with the rules as published on the website, and that every effort is made to assure consistency in officiating. INSPECTIONS As noted above, it is possible that there will be new boats in the pits that need to be inspected. We ask that you print out the 2022 Hull Inspection Form, found on the Resources tab of the club website (www.ercu-hydros.com), and complete the member information at the top of page one prior to arriving at the race site. Please also remember to bring a photo of the real boat (a photo on your phone or tablet is acceptable) that your boat models. Reminder: Boats that have not been altered significantly since last season do not need to be inspected. Only new boats, or those that have had significant repair or refurbishment must be inspected. By rule, a boat may also be inspected, at random, any time, for any reason, by one or both of the club’s inspectors. DETROIT MEMORIAL REGATTA DEFENDING CHAMPIONS
RACE FORMAT
POST RACE CLEANUP AND AWARDS PRESENTATION Following the conclusion of the final heat of the day, awards will be presented. Awards will be given to the podium (first, second and third place). After the awards are presented, please remember to stick around to help cleanup and re-pack the club trailer. WEATHER FORECAST As of this writing, weather.com predicts partly cloudy weather and 64 degrees with a 24 percent chance of rain. COVID ACCOMODATIONS Following local, state and federal guidance, face coverings, social distancing and vaccination proof will not be required at ERCU events in 2022. Those who would like to take any precautions to their own comfort level are certainly welcome and encouraged to do so. ERCU reserves the right to change the Covid accomodations, in accordance with local, state or federal guidelines, should that need arise. ERCU will give as much notice as possible if changes are made. RESTROOMS There are public restrooms available approximately 150 yards east of the pits, but we will also provide a portable restroom in the pits. ELECTRICITY There is no access to electricity in the pits. It would be wise to bring a generator or other power source to charge your batteries if you need to charge during the day. |
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