Reunanen Runs the Table at Bernie Little Memorial

MARYSVILLE — Bernie Little would have appreciated the spectacle.

There were big names, new members, first-time winners legendary hulls, plenty of speed and, naturally, just enough mechanical drama to keep everybody watching the water instead of the heat draws.

But when the final checkered flags flew Saturday at Twin Lakes Park, one driver had turned the Bernie Little Memorial into his own personal victory lap.

Paxton Reunanen.

Reunanen drove to four class victories, winning the 1/10 classic, 1/10 vintage, 1/7 modern and 1/7 vintage divisions in an impressive display of consistency and speed at the ERCU event honoring the longtime owner of the legendary Miss Budweiser.

Reunanen's first victory came in the 1/10 classic division aboard the 1983 Miss Rock KISW, where he swept all three preliminary heats before returning to win the final. David Newton finished second in the 1971 Country Boy, with Jim Latimer taking third in the 1986 Horizon Air.

The 1/10 vintage class produced more of the same. Reunanen put the 1965 Gale's Roostertail on top in all three preliminaries and then completed the sweep by winning the final. Jerry Dunlap finished second with the 1964 Miss Exide, while Wayne Beeson brought the 1967 Gale's Roostertail home third.

Reunanen wasn't finished.

In the 1/7 modern division, the 2023 Beacon Plumbing again proved untouchable. Reunanen won every preliminary heat and then captured the final. John Sjostrom finished second in the 2003 Miss Chrysler Jeep, while David Heilbrunn took third with the 2024 Goodman Real Estate.

And then came the 1/7 vintage class, where Reunanen once again left little doubt about who was running the show.

His 1982 Island Security Systems won all three preliminary heats and the final, giving Reunanen his fourth victory of the day. David Heilbrunn finished second in the 1965 Blue Chip, followed by John Havens Jr. in the 1962 Miss U.S. 1.

If Reunanen was the day's dominant driver, the 1/7 classic division supplied one of the day's best twists.

Gale Whitestine, driving the 1975 Weisfields, saved his best run for the final and moved into the top spot. Mike McIntosh finished second in the 1973 Red Man Too, while Wayne Beeson took third in the 1978 Miss Mark & Pak. Mike Gossler had been perfect through the preliminary rounds in the 1977 Squire, winning all three, but a DNF in the final knocked him out of contention.

The 1/10 modern division also provided a little drama.

New member Riley Christy, one of the contingent of four from Southern California, used a strong finish to win the class in the 1992 Smokin Joes, edging Mike Dunn (another of the SoCal dudes), who finished second in the 2011 Miss Albert Lee. Newton was third in the 2006 Miss Emcor. The racing in the modern final was the best of the day, and fans even saw the excitement of a nasty bang-bang crash exiting turn one that left the 2015 Graham Trucking and the 1991 Winston Eagle significantly damaged.

The numbers tell only part of the story. The real entertainment came from the unpredictability that is part of unlimited hydroplane racing — even when the boats are radio-controlled.

There were dominant performances, comeback drives, DNFs and DNS results scattered throughout the day's racing. Boats that looked unbeatable in the preliminaries sometimes found themselves on the wrong side of fortune when the final heat arrived.
That made Reunanen's four victories all the more impressive.

Across six classes, the Bernie Little Memorial celebrated both ends of the hydroplane spectrum — from modern replicas to vintage legends — while honoring the man whose name became synonymous with the Miss Budweiser dynasty.

And on a day when the boats came roaring across Twin Lakes in tribute to Bernie Little, Reunanen made sure one name appeared on the winner's list again and again.

Four times, to be exact.

Bernie Little probably would have called that a pretty good day at the races.