RACE CIRCULAR: ERCU Gold Cup set for Sept. 14-15 in Lacey

The 11th race of the 2024 ERCU Pentair Championship Series is the biggest. It’s nearly time for the 2024 ERCU Gold Cup. For the third consecutive year, this is a two-day event, set for Saturday, Sept. 14 and Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, at Woodland Creek Park in Lacey. Here is all you need to know to be prepared for this, our most coveted trophy of the year.
 
Location
Bill Mowatt Memorial Race Course
Longs Pond, Woodland Creek Park
6729 Pacific Avenue SE
Lacey, WA 98503
 
Contest Directors
ERCU Board of Directors
 
Pre-Registration
Pre-Registration for the 2024 ERCU Gold Cup is now open. To find the pre-registration form, navigate your web browser to https://www.ercu-hydros.com/ercu-gold-cup.html, where you will find the pre-registration link in a gray box near the top of the page. Pre-registration will close at 11:59 p.m., Friday, Sept. 13. After that deadline, please register in person on site before 8:30 a.m.
 
Context
The Gold Cup has long been held in high regard. It’s been referred to as “boat racing’s Indy 500″ – the granddaddy of them all. It’s no different in model boat racing. In ERCU, the Gold Cup is the most coveted of all trophies. Consistent with boat racing history and the tradition of the Gold Cup, the race is one of endurance and survival. Thus, the course will be longer than others during the 2024 season, and there will be four flights of heats rather than the regular three. “Winner take all” finals will determine the winners of the Gold Cups for 2024. There will be five Gold Cups awarded at the end of the day: 1/10 scale modern; 1/7 scale modern/classic combined, 1/10 scale classic; 1/10 scale vintage and 1/7 scale vintage.
 
What to Expect
(All times approximate, and may be subject to change)
 
Saturday, Sept. 14
8-9 a.m., Set racecourse/club equipment, registration
9-10 a.m. Open water
10-11:30 p.m. Optional time trials (two runs for each boat in a period of at least an hour).
Fastest qualifier in each class wins the Bill Muncey Memorial fastest qualifier award.
 
11:30 a.m.-noon Lunch (participants provide their own lunch)

Time Trial Points will be awarded for positions in time trials as follows:

1. 100 points
2. 80 points
3. 70 points
4. 60 points
5. 50 points
6. 40 points
7. through last place – 30 points each

NOTE: Open water will continue once time trials are completed The course will be open water from time trials completion until 12:10pm.
 
Noon Sept 14 Heat Draws
12:15 p.m. Saturday Gold Cup Drivers Meeting (mandatory for those in attendance)
12:30 p.m. First heats all classes, both divisions Heat 1A, 1B, etc. (1/10 modern, 1/7 modern/classic 1/10 classic, 1/10 vintage, 1/7 vintage)
3 p.m. Clean up pits and club equipment
 
Sunday, Sept. 17
7-8 a.m. Reset club equipment
7-8:15 a.m. On-site registration
7:30-8:30 a.m. Open Water
8:15 a.m. Sept 17 Heat Draws
8:30–8:45 a.m. ERCU Gold Cup Drivers Meeting (mandatory for those in attendance)
8:50 a.m. Heat 2A, 2B, etc.  (1/10 modern, 1/7 modern/classic 1/10 classic, 1/10 vintage, 1/7 vintage)
10:05 a.m. Heat 3A, 3B, etc. (1/10 modern, 1/7 modern/classic, 1/10 classic, 1/10 vintage, 1/7 vintage)
11:20 est. 30 minute lunch break (club provides lunch for all members in attendance) Lunch will be served upon the completion of the third round of heats.
Noon Heat 4A, 4B, etc. (1/10 modern; 1/7 modern/classic; 1/10 classic; 1/10 vintage; 1/7 vintage
1:15 p.m. Ted Jones Memorials for all appropriate classes. (Gold Cup First Connies are the Ted Jones
Memorial and count as a race win. Winners move up as trailer in Gold Cup Final)
2:30 p.m. Winner-take-all Gold Cup Final Heats (1/10 modern, 1/7 modern;/classic, 1/10 classic, 1/10 vintage, 1/7 vintage)
3:30 p.m. Club equipment breakdown and packing – ALL HANDS
4:30 p.m. Awards Presentation

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 the testing period. 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.

Race Officials

• Contest Directors: ERCU Board of Directors (Rick Evans, Jerry Dunlap, Jim McKeon, David Newton, Paxton Reunanen, Craig Mullen, David Heilbrunn)
• Course Marshals (setting buoys, chase boat): Paul Dunlap & Paxton Reunanen
• Heat Draws and Scoring: David Heilbrunn
• Chief Referee Modern: Jerry Dunlap, Paul Dunlap
• Chief Referee Classic: Craig Mullen
• Chief Referee Vintage: TBD
• Drivers Representatives: David Newton & Jim McKeon
• Pit Boss: Rick Evans
• Turn Judges: First and second place finishers will judge the next heat

 
ERCU 2023 Gold Cup Defending Champions

• 1/10-scale modern: Geoffrey Grembowski 2017 Spirit of Detroit
• 1/7-scale modern: Mike McIntosh, 1980 Pay n’ Pak
• 1/10-scale classic: David Newton, 1976 Olympia Beer (owner: Chuck Murray)
• 1/7-scale classic: Bill Mowatt, 1970 Pay ‘n Pak (owner: David Newton)
• 1/10-scale vintage: David Newton, 1960 Miss Thriftway (owner: Kerry Kjos)
• 1/7-scale vintage: David Newton, 1958 Hawaii Kai III

 
Race Format

• GOLD CUP PLAN: Four flights of preliminary heats, five laps each.
• Winner-take-all final heats
  • Boats 1-5 in total cumulative Gold Cup points are front line starters
  • Ted Jones Memorial winner is trailer in the Gold Cup final
• First connies are the Ted Jones Memorials and count as race wins
  • Boats 6-10 qualify for Ted Jones Memorials and start on the front line
  • Winner of the Ted Jones Memorial counts as a race win and moves into the Gold Cup final heat as a trailer boat.
  • Second place boat in Ted Jones Memorial is alternate to the trailer in the final
• Second connies for each class (depending on total boat count and attrition).
  • Boats 11-15 in cumulative event points qualify for the first connie.
  • Second connie winner advances to the Ted Jones Memorial as a trailer.
• Flight Schedule
  • 1/10 scale modern
  • 1/7 scale modern/classic combined
  • 1/10 scale classic
  • 1/10 scale vintage
  • 1/7 scale vintage

 
Post-Race Cleanup and Awards Presentation
Club equipment cleanup and re-packing the trailer will take priority once each day’s racing is complete. Once the trailer is re-packed, awards will be presented. Awards will be given to the first, second and third place finishers. 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.
 
Restrooms
Restrooms are available in the park and 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 to charge your batteries if you need to charge during the day.