 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. |
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