 LAKEWOOD, Wash. - For the third race in a row, and fourth time in the last five events, there was a first-first at the end of the day.
Mike Hughes posted his first-ever ERCU win at the Jack Regas Memorial, winning the modern class points race with his brand new 1991 Winston Eagle, earning 1,425 points for his victory. Other winners from the day included Chuck Murray in the classic class, winning with his 1983 Miss Houston (1,500 points), and David Newton - who posted another perfect day - with his own 1964 Miss Exide. With the impending heat wave and a day expected to be over 100 degrees, the decision was made during the drivers meeting to shift the Jack Regas Memorial from a Love Plan race to a points race, and to put five boats in each heat as often as possible. An early start to the day helped beat the heat, too. The modern class field was five boats. After Hughes was Ron Daum with the 2009 Grandview on the Lake, finishing second with 1,300 points as Daum continues a strong run in the points race for the modern class. Third place went to David Heilbrunn who scored 1,150 points with his 2019 J&D's. Fourth was Gentleman Jim Latimer with the 1994 Miss E-Lam Plus (527 points), while fifth went to Murray with the 2000 Miss E-Lam Plus (169 points). The classic class attracted six boats, including the return of Mick Shutt from the Southwest. Following Murray in the points standings was Heilbrunn's 1984 Executone with 1,300 points, which was enough to bump Heilbrunn and his boat into first place in the season standings for the classic class. Third place went to Jay Fonville with the 1976 Spirit of Dayton Walther (1,075 points). Fourth was Paxton Reunanen, scoring 469 with his 1979 Squire Shop, followed by Jerry Dunlap with 400 points in the 1986 Boat and Shutt with the 1978 Miss Circus Circus with 269 points. In vintage, Newton while Newton continued dominating the circuit - doing it with his own 1964 Miss Exide this time instead of Kerry Kjos' Miss Thriftway - second place went to Bill Mowatt who returned to the cockpit of Rick Evans' 1968 Miss Bardahl after a couple of races off. Mowatt scored 1,325 points. Third went to Reunanen, driving Newton's 1952 Such Crust IV with 1,300 points. Fonville had two vintage boats and scored fourth and fifth place finishes with his 1963 Tahoe Miss (1,225) and his 1975 Sunny Jim (700). Sixth went to Daum with the 1957 Thriftway Too (525). Seventh was Murray's 1964 Savair's Mist (400) and Heilbrunn finished eighth with his 1960 Gale V (394). Shutt's 1972 Miss Budweiser had a tough day and was withdrawn. Chair Nelson Holmberg has called a meeting of the ERCU Board of Directors for Monday, June 21 at 5 p.m.
The board will consider four items of business including a reimbursement request for trailer towing, Gold Cup planning, the process for this year's board elections and the process for selecting the 2021 ERCU Award Winners. The meeting is not expected to last more than an hour and will be conducted live on Zoom. Anyone who is interested in attending the meeting is welcome as it is open to any and all members of ERCU, and the public. You can find the agenda for this meeting by clicking here. Holmberg also intends to share an idea about creation of a Competition Committee, appointed by the board of directors, which would review the rules, make rule change recommendations to the board and ultimately the membership, provide for possible Competition Directives, etc. The Zoom invitation for this meeting is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8464189312?pwd=Qi9DZ3JqYlppRjFJbFNDcjMzaE1zUT09 Meeting ID: 846 418 9312 Passcode: ERCU2021 By Phone: (253) 215-8782  Waughop Lake, Fort Steilacoom Park
8714 87th Ave SW, Lakewood, WA 98498 The sixth race of the 2021 ERCU Pentair Championship Series is the Jack Regas Memorial, set for Saturday, June 26 at Waughop Lake in Lakewood. Here is all you need to know to be prepared for the sixth event of the year: 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 Kai 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. What to Expect
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 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 “Jack Regas Memorial” from the schedule itself. Schedule It is our intent to have the course open by 7:30 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 Saturday morning. The water will be open for testing until 8:30 a.m. 1/10 scale modern heat 1A will begin immediately at 9 a.m. 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. Please plan ahead for your upcoming heats and be ready when the chase boat comes back. When all drivers are at the driving area and boats launched/ready to launch drivers will be asked if they are ready for the 1:30 clock. This will be explained at the Drivers Meeting. Drivers Meeting The Drivers Meeting is mandatory for ALL divisions and all classes and will begin immediately upon the closing of testing at 8:30 a.m. Drivers who are late to the drivers meeting, or do not attend, will NOT be drawn into the first heat – regardless of whether they are pre-registered and pre-paid. First heat will begin at 9 a.m. A Drivers Rep and Pit Boss should also be named at the Drivers Meeting. If a Drivers Rep is not named at the Drivers Meeting, the Contest Director(s) shall be the Drivers Rep. Rookie/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 by clicking here). 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. Jack Regas Memorial Defending Champions Modern: Rick Evans, 1972 Notre Dame Vintage: JimmeJames Cusworth, 1969 Miss Schweppes 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 (1st, 2nd, and 3rd 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, the weather is expected to be 86 degrees and sunny in Lakewood. Covid Notice Effective June 30, 2021, all counties in the State of Washington will be allowed to re-open with some masking and physical distancing required for those who are not fully vaccinated. ERCU has adopted a policy that those who are fully vaccinated may participate without face coverings and physical distancing. Those who are not fully vaccinated are asked to continue use of facial coverings, in accordance with state and local requirements. Restrooms There is a new restroom facility located in Fort Steilacoom Park, at the north end of the Waughop Lake 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. Reunanen earns first-first, Dunlap & Newton also win at first-ever Detroit Memorial Regatta6/7/2021
 For the second race in a row, a Squire Shop boat led its pilot to a first-first in the ERCU classic class.
Just three weeks after Brandon Sano posted his first-first with the 1985 Squire Shop at the President's Cup in Marysville, Paxton Reunanen, who had just purchased the brand new 1979 Squire Shop - built by John Earnest and modified by David Newton - from Nelson Holmberg, drove the craft to his first ever ERCU win, winning the classic final at the Detroit Memorial Regatta. Newton won his fifth consecutive race on the 2021 circuit, driving Kerry Kjos’ 1960 Miss Thriftway to the vintage win, and Paul Dunlap continued the Dalton Industries’ string of wins earning that boat’s fourth consecutive win. Holmberg won the 1/7-scale modern final, capping a perfect day in Gary Hansen’s 1972 Notre Dame, and Craig Mullen won the 1/7-scale vintage final driving Mike McIntosh’s 1976 Vagabond. Minus the sweltering heat and sticky humidity often experienced in the Motor City, conditions for the Detroit Memorial Regatta were similar to those experienced by the real racers on the rough-and-tumble Detroit River. With winds out of the west, then the east. And sometimes out of the south, the normally serene Lake Sacajawea race course was very bumpy. The race was even put on a brief wind hold after the lunch break. The day started with an extended drivers meeting, recognizing three members of ERCU who were influential in the club and helped make it what it is today. Marti Newton was remembered in all of the vintage class heats, Howard Price in all of the classic class heats, and Harry Gatjens in the modern class heats throughout the day. And there were times during the day when some felt the presence of each of them. For David Newton, the day was special because his mom was recognized and his whole family was at the race with him. That included in-laws Larry and Denise Goldman who prepared one of their famous grilled hot dog lunches for all who were present at the event. On the water, there was a lot of great racing. Included in that was vintage heat 2C where Paul Dunlap, driving Rick Evans' 1968 Miss Bardahl, snapped a season-long win streak, upsetting the 1960 Miss Thriftway. Kerry Kjos' Miss Thriftway, driven all year long by Newton, hadn't been beaten in a heat all season, until the Detroit Memorial. The finals were just as exciting, as we finally had the opportunity to responsibly put six drivers and spotters in the driving area, so that we could have half-a-dozen boats on the water. In the 1/10 scale modern final, Paul Dunlap shrugged off competition from Chuck Murray's 2000 Miss E-Lam Plus to take the win. Murray finished second while Jim Latimer's 1994 Miss E-Lam Plus (four-point) was third. Those who were unable to finish the 1/10 modern final included Ron Daum and the 2009 Grandview on the Lake "Turbinator", David Heilbrunn's 2019 J&D's (which had two heat wins earlier in the day, and Newton's 1985 Miss Budweiser "Bubble Bud". The classic final was also affected by rough water, wind and attrition. Nevertheless, three boats managed to finish, with Reunanen's 1979 Squire Shop winning right out of the box. Reunanen managed to take control of the race from Gerry Bordon's 1974 Miss U.S., and held on for victory. Third place went to Kelly Gruol, driving Brad Lewis's 1982 Oh Boy! Oberto. DNFs went to Heilbrunn's 1984 Executone, Murray's 1983 Miss Houston and Jerry Dunlap's 1986 Boat. Murray won the classic first connie and was allowed to start on the front line, while Gruol was second in the connie and started as a trailer, before taking third place. In 1/10 scale vintage, Kjos and Newton were more than ready for the challenge, though Holmberg briefly stuck within a roostertail driving Newton's 1964 Miss Exide. The Exide rolled in the first turn of lap three while challenging for the leadand didn't finish. Second in the vintage final went to Jay Fonville with his new-to-him 1975 Sunny Jim and third was another Portlander, John Howell, who brought home the 1965 Savair's Mist. Other DNFs went to Reunanen with the 1952 Such Crust IV, Dunlap with the Miss Bardahl (after winning the connie and earning a front line start), and Kelly Gruol driving Lewis's 1962 Miss Supertest. In the 1/7 scale modern, it was a little bit more of the same as it's been most of the season. Holmberg dominated the field with Gary Hansen's 1972 Notre Dame. Second place went to John Sjostrom's 1982 Captran Resorts and a DNF to Denise Sjostrom with the 1974 Miss U.S. Mullen's 1975 Pay 'n Pak and Rob Edwards' 1982 Gilmore Special both scratched prior to the final. Mullen grabbed victory from the jaws of defeat driving a great race with Mike McIntosh's 1976 Vagabond. John Sjostrom and Mullen connected in quite a battle before the 1960 Miss Thriftway missed a buoy and the Vagabond took the lead. Sjostrom took second and Terry Harmer, with the 1986 Miss Bahia, was third. A DNF went to Jim McKeon, who's 1958 Maverick was strong all day and ran strong in the final before blowing over in the backstretch. Denise Sjostrom was unable to start the final with the 1980 Evergreen Roofing when her rudder hit bottom on the launch and was kicked up. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough time to repair and relaunch before the 30-second mark. The Detroit Memorial was the first of three special events this season, which the club is investing in. The others are the Roger Newton Memorial (July 10 in Lacey) and the Gold Cup (September 11 in Lacey). Stay tuned for more information about these great events as they get closer. Kudos and many thanks to both Lewis and Newton for all of the hard work they put into making the inaugural Detroit Memorial Regatta a great event. The bar has certainly been set very high for future ERCU special events. Great job guys! Thank you so much!  Lake Sacajawea Park
Approximate address: 1701 Nichols Blvd., Longview, WA The fifth race of the 2021 ERCU Pentair Championship Series is the Detroit Memorial Regatta set for Saturday, June 5 at Lake Sacajawea Park in Longview. Here is all you need to know to be prepared for the fifth event of the year: Contest Directors David Newton & Brad Lewis Context This is a brand-new race in 2021, which was created to memorialize and celebrate ERCU members who have passed away over the years. This year, we will honor Marti Newton, Howard Price and Harry Gatjens. 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 will most certainly be a very special event and is one that should not be missed! What to Expect
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/detroit-memorial-regatta.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 “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. 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 Saturday 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. 1/10 scale 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. Drivers who are late to the drivers meeting, or do not attend, will NOT be drawn into the first heat – regardless of whether they are pre-registered. The Drivers Meeting will begin at 9:15 a.m. at the scoring table. This drivers meeting will be an extended meeting, to provide time to honor past members of ERCU who have passed away, and to share some bench racing about those fine folks who helped make the club what it is. Please plan to bring a chair to the drivers meeting. A Drivers Rep and Pit Boss will also be named at the Drivers Meeting. Race organizers will have NAMBA racers from other clubs in attendance to assist with officiating and scoring throughout the event. Please treat them respectfully and use the proper channel if you have questions about calls. This means requesting a meeting with the Drivers Rep to pose your question and ask for an explanation and/or action. Rookie/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 by clicking here). 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. Detroit Memorial Regatta Defending Champions This is the inaugural running of the Detroit Memorial Regatta 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. The race organizers have had three beautiful perpetual trophies made specifically for this event. They will be unveiled and presented to winners at the race. Weather Forecast As of this writing, the weather is expected to be 63 degrees with a 40 percent chance of rain in Longview. Covid Notice Cowlitz County (where Longview is) is currently in Phase 3 in the state’s Covid reopeninhg protocol. According to the information from the Governor’s Office, we should still be fine for our outdoor event at Lake Sacajawea. Pits Please limit the number of people in your pit area. Also please set your pit canopies/tables a minimum of six feet from the pits nearest you. This is for everyone’s health and safety. It is also to show Cowlitz County, the City of Longview, and passersby that we care about following the Covid guidelines they – and we – have in place. If you have questions or concerns, please contact Nelson. Restrooms The club has arranged for a portable toilet to be on site during the event. Members will be asked to pay a $5 surcharge to help offset the cost of the portable toilet. 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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