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On Sunday, May 30, the ERCU Board of Directors voted unanimously to approve the following updated Covid Precaution Guidelines for all ERCU events during the 2021 racing season. This update comes as a result of a) studying the new state and CDC guidelines; b) a vote of the members who participated in the President's Cup on May 16 in Marysville; c) consideration of the number of members who are fully vaccinated; and d) a commonsense approach to updating the guidelines.
These updated guidelines are in effect immediately and will be observed beginning with the Detroit Memorial Regatta at Lake Sacajawea Park in Longview on Saturday, June 9, 2021. The pandemic, as well as state and federal guidelines, will continue to be monitored by the Board of Directors and these guidelines are - as they have been since March 2020 - subject to change at any time, depending on conditions. We will keep the club informed. For a printable version of the updated Covid Precaution Guidelines, please click here. 2021 ERCU Covid Precaution Guidelines (Updated 05/30/21)
 The club’s newest race – the Detroit Memorial Regatta – is going to be so cool! David Newton and Brad Lewis have been busting their butts to make this one of your favorite races ever.
Make sure and attend on Saturday, June 5 as we remember three former radio control racers who made significant contributions to our hobby and have not yet been recognized with memorial races. Pre-registration for the Detroit Memorial Regatta is now open, and can be completed by clicking here. You can also navigate to the club website at www.ercu-hydros.com, then click on the Schedule page and the Detroit Memorial Regatta to find the pre-registration link. As an added bonus, Newton will award a full set of the Detroit Memorial Regatta commemorative buttons, created especially for this race, to the first five owners who pre-register and pre-pay for the event, so go pre-register and pre-pay now. This race is created in the style of the Detroit Memorial from back in the day, to honor those RC racers who are no longer with us. Each year we will plan to honor different members. This year’s Detroit Memorial Regatta will honor:
Larry and Denise Goldman will be in person to BBQ up a hot dog lunch for all participants. If you wish to bring any side dishes, please connect with David Newton ([email protected]). It will be BYOB (non-alcoholic beverages, of course). RAFFLE RAFFLE RAFFLE!! Raffle prizes will be given away throughout the day. So far, there are gift certificates donated from Offshore Electric and Progressive RC. There will also be other items – including three 2022 memberships with one boat registration from ERCU ($30 each value) – you will want to win for your boats, or for fun. Raffle tickets will be given away to each participant, as well as extras given out for those who can answer some trivia questions. Be ready! PHOTO SHOOT We will also be taking a group photo after the drivers meeting. The drivers meeting will be extended and conducted by Brad Lewis. Bring a comfy chair and let’s share some fun stories about our fallen ERCU members! After the meeting, we’ll gather on the grass with our boats to take the group photo. Hope to see you all there!  Brandon Sano will get tossed in to Lake Sacajawea at our next race.
That's because the boat racing tradition is to throw a driver who records his first race win into the lake. Driving the 1985 Squire Shop, Sano won the 1/10 classic final at the President's Cup and didn't have a change of clothes with him, so he asked if he could postpone the tradition by two weeks. Sano's performance in the classic class was strong, holding off the very fast Gerry Bordon-driven 1974 Miss U.S., which finished second. Third place in the 1/10-scale classic final went to Jay Fonville in the 1976 Spirit of Dayton Walther, followed by David Heilbrunn with the 1984 Executone. A DNF went to David Newton, driving the debut race for his 1982 Miss Prodelco. Fonville finished third despite starting as the trailer boat by winning the classic first connie. Rob Edwards, too, is due a tossing in. He won the 1/7-scale modern final driving his 1982 Gilmore Special in order to post his first career victory. Newton posted his fourth-consecutive perfect day - in four races - driving Kerry Kjos' 1960 Miss Thriftway to an easy win in the 1/10-scale vintage final. Early in the final it looked as though there might be a race for the President's Cup. Unfortunately, Fonville's 1962 Tahoe Miss jumped the gun at the start and second place went to Robbie Roberts' 1971 Hallmark Homes. The third place boat was the Sano-driven 1964 Miss Exide (owned by Newton), while Fonville finished fourth. Jerry Dunlap - subbing for Bill Mowatt as driver of Rick Evans' 1968 Miss Bardahl - won the vintage connie and started the final as trailer, but did not finish after blowing over in the front straightaway with the wind behind him. Dunlap, however, did have some solace as he subbed for his son Paul in Evans 2015 Dalton Industries to win the modern final. It was the third consecutive race win for the Dalton. Dunlap completed a perfect day with the boat in earning the win. Second in the modern final went to Heilbrunn with the 2019 J&D's and third was Ron Daum with the 2009 Grandview on the Lake. Nelson Holmberg was scored with a DNF after his 2018 Oberto Beef Jerky tossed a prop in the backstretch. The 1/7-scale modern final was expected by many to be another win for the 1972 Notre Dame, which had easily won all three preliminary heats and was on its way to a perfect day. Electrical issues as the boat was being readied for the heat caused the Notre Dame to stay on the trailer for the final. Edwards posted his first career win, driving his 1982 Gilmore Special. Second went to Denise Sjostrom with her 1974 Miss U.S., her second consecutive podium finish in a final. Vintage was again more of a race in the 1/7-scale final. Tyler McKeon was able to complete a perfect day when his 1974 Miss Lapeer won the final, outlasting Mike McIntosh in the 1976 Vagabond, which rolled in a turn and didn't finish. John Sjostrom was second with the 1960 Miss Thriftway, while Jim McKeon with the 1958 Maverick was third. Fourth place went to Denise Sjostrom who won the vintage connie and started the final as the trailer with her 1980 Evergreen Roofing. As a result of the great turnouts we’ve seen, we are back to daylong racing events. On one hand, that’s an absolute blast, and no one has had major complaints about it. On the other hand, it does make for a very long day when one has to commute between say Snohomish County and the Portland metro area, for example.
It is also true that just two years ago, we were finished up our race days and on the way home by 2 p.m., and no one was truly happy about that. So some might say our big turnouts are “a good problem to have”. As a result of the long days we’ve experienced so far this year, the club board is debriefing after each race and talking about ideas to speed up the day just slightly. Our most recent tactic along these lines is to change the Triple Crown. Starting with the President’s Cup on Sunday, May 16, we’re going to do away with the Triple Crown time trials and the Triple Crown heat at the end of the day. Instead, the Triple Crown will become a points race, within the main race. We’ll still honor the Triple Crown points that were earned at the first three races of 2021 toward the season total. And we’ll still race the Triple Crown under the same schedule that was originally posted. The only difference is that we’ll use the points earned during the day for the Triple Crown points chase.  Parking inside Twin Lakes Park, nearest the racing area at North Lake is limited to three cars, as well as any vehicles with current disabled parking placards.
The rest of us are allowed to drive in to unload before the event and load up after the event, with a maximum of three cars at a time. In order for those who wish to drive in for unloading and loading to know whether or not they will exceed the Snohomish County Parks limit, we will be using three batons. The batons are to be passed much like a relay race. These batons will be placed at the entry gate to be picked up. You must have a baton in order to drive in. Upon leaving, please pass the baton to the next waiting driver, or leave it at the entry gate. Please be diligent about ONLY unloading when you drive in, as others will be waiting their turn. Simply unload your vehicle, return it to the parking area, walk back and THEN set up your pit area. Same for loading at the end of the race. Please break down your pit area and get it ready for loading BEFORE bringing your vehicle back into the park. Jerry Dunlap will set and take down the race course, so he will be permitted to park full-day inside the gate. David Newton is pulling the trailer, so he, too will be permitted to park full-day inside the gate. WIN THE LAST INSIDE THE GATE SPOT!! For our third full-day inside the gate permission, we will do a drawing of all owners who have pre-registered their boats AND prepaid their entry fees to give away that final spot. The drawing will be done on Saturday, May 15 at 7 p.m. and the winner will be notified by email. Pre-Register now for the President's Cup by clicking here. Thank you all for your patience and understanding with the parking and pit access stipulations that have been required of all racers participating in events at Twin Lakes Park. We appreciate your help and diligence toward these regulations. Let’s have a great time this Sunday!  The fourth race of the 2021 ERCU Pentair Championship Series is the Seafair Cup, set for Sunday, May 16 at Gissberg Twin Lakes Park in Marysville. Here is all you need to know to be prepared for the fourth event of the year:
Gissberg Twin Lakes Park 16324 Twin Lakes Ave., Marysville, WA 98271 Contest Director Rick Evans Jerry Dunlap will be Chief Referee (will officiate heats) David Newton will be Assistant Chief Referee (will officiate modern heats) Nelson Holmberg will serve as Drivers Rep and Pit Boss Pre-Registration Pre-Registration for the President’s Cup is now open. To find the pre-registration form, navigate your web browser to https://www.ercu-hydros.com/presidents-cup.html find the pre-registration link in a blue box just underneath the race site map. You may also pre-pay your entry fees online by following the PayPal directions at the bottom of the page. You can also find pre-registration by going to www.ercu-hydros.com, then selecting “Schedule” from the main menu, and “President’s Cup” from the schedule itself. Schedule It is our intent to have the course set by 8 a.m., so that testing can commence once boats are registered for the event. With the possibility that there may be new boats that need to be inspected or rookie drivers who may need to take a driving test, please plan to arrive early on Sunday morning. The water will be open for testing until 9:10 a.m., with the drivers meeting set to begin at 9:15 a.m. Modern heat 1A will begin immediately after the drivers meeting. Three Minute Clock The three-minute clock will start as soon as all drivers indicate to the Chief Referee that they are ready and will not be stopped for any reason other than health or safety. There may be an opportunity to skip the clock ahead to 1:30 when all drivers are at the driving area and boats are ready to go in the water. This will be discussed at the drivers meeting. Drivers Meeting The Drivers Meeting is mandatory for ALL divisions and all classes. It will begin at 9:15 a.m. at the scoring tent. It should not take longer than 15-20 minutes to complete. New/Guest Drivers ERCU always welcomes new members to the club and visiting racers from other clubs. If a rookie driver needs to be qualified, we will close the course during the test session for the rookie driving test as often is as necessary. The full procedure for rookie qualifications, and for visiting drivers, is in the rulebook, see below). 2021 Rules Please review the rulebook as is posted on the ERCU website, available under the Resources tab (or by clicking here). 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. New Boats 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 2021 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. President’s Cup Defending Champions (2019 season) Modern: 1972 Notre Dame, Rick Evans Vintage: 1960 Miss Thriftway, David Newton Race Format
Post Race Cleanup and Awards Presentation After the race is over, please remember to stick around to help cleanup and re-pack the club trailer. Also, please stick around after cleanup is done to help celebrate the day’s award winners. Awards will be given to the podium (1st, 2nd & 3rd place) for each division and each class. It’s always nice for the award winners to be present, and to have our friends present to recognize those who won. Weather Forecast As of this writing, the weather is expected to be partly sunny and in the 72 degrees in Marysville. Covid Notice Snohomish County (where Marysville is) is currently in Phase 3 in the state’s Covid protocol. According to the information from the Governor’s Office, we should still be fine for our outdoor event at Woodland Creek Park. Whether or not you have been immunized against the Covid-19 virus, you must wear a mask while around other people during the event. Pits The pits should be staked and taped to limit admission to the pit area. Please do not invite in people who are not in your racing team group. This is for everyone’s health and safety. It is also to show Snohomish County we care about following the Covid guidelines they have in place, and that we have in place. If you have questions or concerns, please contact Nelson. Restrooms The public restrooms nearby are expected to be open. Electricity There is no access to electric outlets near 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.  LACEY, Wash. - A day that had included possible rain in the weather forecast turned out pretty awesome, both weather-wise, and racing wise.
In fact, it could be argued it was better weather than the real Seafair often is. It was also a pretty awesome day if your name is Brad Lewis or David Newton. Those two posted perfect days in winning the 1/10-scale classic and vintage classes, respectively. It wasn't too bad of a day for Paul Dunlap, either. If it hadn't been for a bum battery in one heat, Dunlap likely would have had a perfect day of his own in 1/10 scale modern. On the 1/7-scale side of things, Bill Smiley made a triumphant return to racing, guiding his 1966 Savair's Mist to the win in 1/7-scale vintage. Nelson Holmberg, for the second race in a row, won 1/7-scale modern with Gary Hansen's 1972 Notre Dame. Lewis also claimed victory in the 1/8 scale runs throughout the day. Following Dunlap in the 1/10-scale modern final was David Heilbrunn, recording his second second place of the season with the 2019 J&D's. Third went to Ron Daum in the 2009 Grandview on the Lake and fourth was Steven Taylor with the 2014 Spirit of Qatar. The 1/10-scale classic final field finishing behind Lewis included Gerry Bordon's 1974 Miss U.S. in second from the trailer position and Smiley with the 1977 Charlie's Girl in third. DNFs went to Brandon Sano (1985 Squire Shop) and Chuck Murray (1983 Miss Houston), respectively. In the 1/10-scale vintage final, Lewis proved up to the fight with his 1962 Miss Supertest, challenging the Miss Thriftway in lane one. Nearing the end of the first lap, in a deck-to-deck battle, the Miss Supertest hit the exit pin and landed upside down. That left Thriftway in command of the race. Second place went to Bordon with his 1970 Parco's O-Ring Miss, while third was Geoffry Grembowski with his 1962 $ Bill. A DNF went to Lewis with the Supertest, which won the vintage connie then moved to the front line when the Paxton Reunanen-driven Such Crust IV failed to start. The 1/7-scale modern final had shaped up to be a good one with the 1972 Notre Dame, 1973 Pay 'n Pak, 1982 Captran Resorts and the 1974 Miss U.S. all answering the call. Unfortunately, the Pak was unable to start and the Captran and Miss U.S. failed to finish. After just three laps, the 1972 Notre Dame was declared the winner and beckoned off of the course. The 1/7-scale vintage final was a little more competitive as three boats finished the heat. Following Smiley's win, was a place by Craig Mullen driving Ben Keller's 1958 Hawaii Kai III. The show went to Denise Sjostrom driving her 1980 Evergreen Roofing. DNFs were handed out to John Sjostrom's 1960 Miss Thriftway and Joey Caines, driving Mike McIntosh's 1976 Vagabond. |
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