 The third race of the 2024 ERCU Pentair Championship Series is the Governor’s Cup, set for Saturday, May 4, 2024, at Irene Rinehart Park in Ellensburg. Here is all you need to know to be prepared for the third event of the year.
Location Irene Rinehart Park 1081 Umptanum Road Ellensburg, WA 98926 Contest Director Paxton Reunanen and Briana Burdsall 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 race inspired a Hollywood motion picture released in 2005, titled Madison which starred actor Mount Vernon, Wash., native Jim Caviezel. 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. Pre-registration will close at 10 p.m., Friday, May 3. 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. What to Expect (All times approximate, and subject to change)
Race Format:
Race Officials
Flight Schedule
Heat Draws Heat draws will be completed with the randomizer in the NAMBA Race Management System 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. 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. Race Day Morning 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 and to be ready to race. The water will be open for testing until approximately 9 a.m. 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. Governor’s Cup Defending (2023) Champions
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. 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 an ERCU perpetual trophy, in the event they win the race. Restrooms There are no public restroom facilities close on site at Irene Rinehart Riverfront Park. A SaniCan has been ordered to serve this event. Electricity There is no 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. 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 a high temperature of 62 degrees, a 35 percent chance of morning showers and winds up to 9 mph out of the southwest.  Mike McIntosh's 2023 Beacon Plumbing and David Heilbrunn's 2023 Goodman Real Estate throw skidfin roostertails through turn one at the ERCU Diamond Cup at Scott Lake Park in Olympia. (Photo: Mark Gran) ERCU 2024 Diamond Cup is not just now in the books but was one for the (record) books. The big story of the day (besides some incredible racing, of course) was the gracious hospitality ERCU received from the host community. Scott Lake residents, families and guests all came out to the park in droves to enjoy the fine weather, barbeque, snacks and some amazing deck to deck battles.
“I don’t think we’ve seen a crowd like this since the Kingdome,” said RC boat racing veteran Jerry Dunlap who raced in special events held in man-made ponds at Seattle’s Kingdome in the 1980s. Enough cannot be said about the Scott Lake community’s enthusiasm for ERCU Diamond Cup yesterday. Thank you to Dennis Caines and everyone with Scott Lake who all came together to make this race day such a fantastic experience. ERCU Diamond Cup Champions were crowned in each of ERCU’s six divisions. The tenth scale modern division saw Mike Hughes take heat one and two in typical Mike Hughes poise and style. Paxton Reunanen brought everything he had and topped the Winston in heat three setting up a strong four-boat winner take all final field. The 1/10 modern final heat was a screamer with Paxton’s Graham really hauling the mail. Five laps with the Winston and Goodman at bay and in tow. Congratulations to Paxton for besting Mike’s Winston Eagle which is a herculean accomplishment on most days. The 1/10 scale classic got off to a slow start with just one boat (1984 Executone) finishing heat 1A. The other boats got their act together and treated the crowds to some lively action in both heats 2 and 3. Ultimately though, it was Paxton Reunanen and his 1985 Miss Rock running away from the field and besting Paul Dunlap who was driving Rick Evans’ 1972 Notre Dame to win the final. The 1/10 vintage saw Paxton Reunanen chance at the hat trick, (three classes/divisions entered and three classes won.) Mother nature and Paul Dunlap had other plans though and he persevered through a windy attrition bound five laps to emerge the victor atop the podium. In the 1/7 modern class, Craig Mullen piloted the Sjostrom’s 1974 Miss U.S. to wins in the first and second Heats. Mike McIntosh’ brand new 2023 Beacon Plumbing got everything right with the Beacon’s first ever heat victory in heat three. The final however featured David Heilbrunn and his 2023 Goodman Real Estate who hit the start with a full head of steam and then held on to the lead (by a whisker) throughout the five laps. Craig Mullen in Denise Sjostrom’s 1974 Miss U.S. fought off an early race spinout and nearly caught and passed the Goodman in the final turn, but it wasn’t meant to be. Goodman emerged victorious with its second modern 1/7 title in the first two races of this young season. Miss U.S. with Craig Mullen at the wheel was crowned the 1/7 classic division champion on the day as the top finisher in the final heat within the classic class. That left just the 1/7 vintage class to be decided. Seven 1/7 vintage entries started the day and the top five were lined up to shoot it out in the winner takes all final heat. This final heat didn’t disappoint either and when the final roostertail drop settled on the pond, it was Mike McIntosh and his 1983 Island Security with the final heat victory and a perfect 1,600 points day. On this day, Mike McIntosh was the only owner who put together a perfect 1,600-point day. Congratulations Mike on this stellar day. Next up for ERCU is the Governor’s Cup which will be run at Irene Rinehart Riverfront Park in Ellensburg on May 4. This will be ERCU’s first race-ever in eastern Washington and invite all ERCU members and especially members from each of the other Eastern Washington clubs to join us for fellowship and competition in Ellensburg in two weeks, on May 4, 2024. David Heilbrunn, ERCU Race Coordinator  The second race of the 2024 ERCU Pentair Championship Series is the Diamond Cup, set for Saturday April 20, 2024, at Scott Lake in Olympia. Here is all you need to know to be prepared for the second event of the year.
Location Scott Lake Park 2520 Scotlac Drive SW, Olympia WA 98512 Contest Directors Rick Evans & Dennis Caines Context For a decade, the North Idaho resort town of Coeur d’Alene, played host to “Water Racing’s Greatest Show” – the Unlimited hydroplanes – starting in 1958. The Coeur d’Alene race always attracted a large crowd of spectators. And a lot of people from Seattle could be counted upon to line the shores of Lake Coeur d’Alene for the annual Diamond Cup. In 2013, the Diamond Cup was reborn for another go with teams based in Madison, Ind.; Decatur, Ind.; Reading, Penn. and Seattle. Unfortunately, it lasted just one season. That race, over Labor Day Weekend, was won by the Indiana-based U-5 Graham Trucking which enjoyed its only perfect weekend of the season, on its way to the 2013 national championship with Jimmy Shane at the helm. The ERCU Diamond Cup has been run every year but three across the 25-year history of the club. The Diamond Cup is one of the club’s “nomad” races, having been run in numerous locations from Longview to Friday Harbor and now in ERCU Diamond Cup Nomad tradition will see its first stop and ERCU’s inaugural race at Scott Lake in Olympia. Rick Lentz purchased and donated perpetual trophies years ago with the Lucite at the head of the trophy engraved with an image of the original Diamond Cup that was awarded in Coeur d’Alene in its early years. Registration Pre-registration for the 2024 ERCU Diamond Cup at Scott Lake is open. To register, navigate your web browser to www.ercu-hydros.com/diamond-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, April 19, 2024. After that deadline, please register in person on site before 8:30 a.m. site before 8:30 a.m. What to Expect (All times approximate, and subject to change)
Race Officials
Race Format:
Flight Schedule
Heat Draws Heat draws will be completed with the randomizer in the NAMBA Race Management System. 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. 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. Race Day Morning 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 and to be ready to race. The water will be open for testing until approximately 9:00 a.m. 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. 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. 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 an ERCU perpetual trophy, in the event they win the race. Restrooms There are public restroom facilities on site at Scott Lake 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 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. 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 63 degrees with just a 20% chance of any rain. Diamond Cup Defending Champions
Registration Pre-registration for the 2024 ERCU Diamond Cup at Scott Lake is open. To register, navigate your web browser to www.ercu-hydros.com/diamond-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, April 19, 2024. After that deadline, please register in person on site before 8:30 a.m.  The 2024 ERCU Pentair Championship Series got off to a bit of a slow start due to fog in Elma, but once the day got underway, the racing was fast.
Before racing even started, Mike McIntosh debuted to brand new boats -- the 2023 Beacon Plumbing U-9 and the 1989 Winston Eagle Lobster. Unfortunately, both boats had ESC issues and were unable to race. Once racing got started, contest directors Jerry & Paul Dunlap kept things going and the weather turned beautiful. There were even short sleeves seen throughout the pits on the second-to-last day of March. Some of last year's top boats were back and were still really fast. There were other new boats as well, and some of the old favorites that we've seen for several years. We also even had a new member drive all the way from Southern California to Elma in order to race with us. It was nice meeting Mike Dunn -- an RC car racing veteran making his first foray into model boat racing. He'll be back at future races during the 2024 season. When all of the roostertails settled back into the west pond at Vance Creek Park, the top finishers in the 24-boat turnout represented the club well. Paxton Reunanen with the 2019 Graham Trucking American Dream and Nelson Holmberg with the 2023 Bucket List Racing Team went at each other all day with the two 1/10 modern boats that were clearly fastest on the day. With the exception of two heats that the Bucket List didn't finish (including the final), either Paxton or Nelson won and the other was second. In the end, it was the Graham Trucking American Dream that ran away with the Champion Spark Plug Regatta championship for 2024. David Heilbrunn's 2021 Goodman Real Estate was second, followed by Mike Dunn's 2014 Oberto. The 1/7 scale modern and classic fleet ran together with three boats answering the starting gun. The race was won by Craig Mullen, driving Denise Sjostrom's 1975 Miss U.S. In fact, Mullen completed a perfect day with the red, white and blue. Second place in the combined classes heat went to Jay Fonville with the 1982 Captran Resorts. A DNF went to David Heilbrunn with the 2023 Goodman Real Estate. When it came to 1/10 scale classic, Tom Markos' 1976 Atlas Van Lines turned a few heads. It was fast, stable and in the mix most of the day. But, as usual, it was Reunanen's super-quick 1983 Miss Rock that took home the top honors. The Atlas was second and Jerry Dunlap's 1985 Coors Light was unable to finish. Rick Evans' 1972 Notre Dame (with Paul Dunlap driving) and Heilbrunn's 1985 Executone were unable to start. Paul Dunlap truly enjoyed the 1/10 scale vintage class on opening day -- he turned in the only perfect day of the Champion Spark Plug Regatta, piloting his 1964 Miss Exide to wins in all three heats, and the final. Second in the final went to Heilbrunn's 1964 Blue Chip and Robbie Roberts was unable to finish with his new 1975 Country Boy. Reunanen's 1970 Burien Lady and Evans' 1980 Evergreen Roofing were unable to start in the 1/10 vintage final. Perhaps the best race of the day was saved for last. Fonville and Craig Mullen put on a show in the 1/7 scale vintage final, but Fonville was able to stake the win in the end with his 1975 Kirby Classic. Mullen, driving Mike McIntosh's Island Security Systems, finished second and Denise Sjostrom took third with her 1980 Evergreen Roofing. Did not starts went to Dennis Caines with his 1968 Eagle Electric and John Sjostrom with his 1960 Miss Thriftway. |
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