 The first race of the 2024 ERCU Pentair Championship Series is the Champion Spark Plug Regatta, set for Saturday March 30, 2024, at Vance Creek Park in Elma. Here is all you need to know to be prepared for the first event of the year.
Location: 76 Wenzel Slough Road, Elma, WA 98563 Elma, WA Contest Directors Jerry Dunlap, Paul Dunlap Pre-Registration Preregistration for the Champion Spark Plug Regatta is now open. To find the pre-registration form, navigate your web browser to www.ercu-hydros.com/champion-spark-plug-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., FRIDAY, March 29, 2024. After that deadline, please register in person on site before 8:30 a.m. Context For many years the season opening event for H1 Unlimited was always he Champion Spark Plug Regatta. 18 of 20 ERCU seasons have also began with the Champion Spark Plug Regatta and this year is no different. However, the site has changed for 2024 to Vance Creek Park, Elma in Grays Harbor County; 76 Wenzel Slough Road, Elma, WA 98563 What to Expect It will be 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 for inspections of new boats and to be ready to race. The water will be open for testing until approximately 9 a.m.
Inspections In 2024, all new boats will be inspected before the first race they run at. We ask that you print out the 2023 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. Race Officials
Race Format:
Flight Schedule
Drivers Meeting The drivers meeting is mandatory for ALL divisions and all classes and will begin at the scorer’s table within five minutes of the closing of time trials. 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. Champion Spark Plug Regatta Defending (2023) Champions
Visiting 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. Restrooms There are public restroom facilities on site at Vance Creek Park and they are expected to be open. Electricity There is limited access to electricity in the pits. It would be wise to bring a generator or other power source if you will need to charge batteries during the day. 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 mostly mixed weather with a high of 65 degrees and 7 mph winds out of the northwest. Pre-Registration Preregistration for the Champion Spark Plug Regatta is now open. To find the pre-registration form, navigate your web browser to www.ercu-hydros.com/champion-spark-plug-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., FRIDAY, March 29, 2024. After that deadline, please register in person on site before 8:30 a.m. Based on the 2023 season and the number of races that combining both classes should have been, or was, required, the ERCU Board of Directors has adopted the following race format for the 2024 season.
This format will be reviewed by the Board of Directors at the conclusion of the 2024 ERCU racing season. The annual process of reviewing the rulebook and processing proposed changes to the ERCU rules has been completed, and a vote of the membership has been conducted.
At the end of the process, just one change has been approved by the membership for the 2024 ERCU rulebook. That change is to the prologue of the rules, which now states (change is in green) the following: PROLOGUE: The goal of Electric Radio Controlled Unlimiteds (ERCU) is to replicate the look and competition of real unlimited hydroplane racing. Boats are 1/10-scale and 1/7-scale replicas of the real boats that attempted to qualify or raced on the unlimited circuit. The club will emphasize scale appearance accuracy and quality workmanship as well as enjoyable competition on the water. As with the real boats, the races will be run counterclockwise on the course. This proposed rule change was approved by a 23-3 vote of members participating and, with 88 percent of the vote, easily exceeded the required 2/3 (.667) vote of those participating in the election. The only other proposed rule change that was forwarded to the membership for a vote was the proposal that ERCU align its boat registration rule with NAMBA's Master Hull Roster qualification rule. That proposal was voted down by the members in a 10 for, 16 against vote. The 2024 ERCU racing season is set to begin with the Champion Spark Plug Regatta, Saturday, March 30 at Vance Creek Park in Elma.
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