Reunanen, Whitestine and Sjostrom Shine at Bardahl ERCU Gold Cup

LACEY — The preliminaries can build the drama, but at the Bardahl ERCU Gold Cup, it is the final heat that provides the moment everyone remembers.

When the checkered flags flew Saturday at the 2026 Bardahl ERCU Gold Cup, Paxton Reunanen had plenty to remember.
​
Reunanen captured four of the six Gold Cup finals he entered, Scott Whitestine added a dominant victory of his own, and John Sjostrom came from a difficult preliminary campaign to steal the 1/7 modern title.

But perhaps the best stories of the weekend weren't written by the favorites.

Four drivers who earned their way into the Gold Cup through the Ted Jones Memorial program didn't simply make up the numbers when they reached the championship heats.

They made an impact.

The 1984 American Speedy Printing in 1/10 classic, the 1977 Natural Light in 1/7 classic, the 1972 Miss Budweiser in 1/10 vintage and the 1962 Miss U.S. 1 in 1/7 vintage all advanced to Gold Cup final heats. Three of those boats finished on the podium, while the Miss Budweiser was unable to start its final.

For Jim Hagen and the American Speedy Printing, the weekend produced a first ERCU race victory. For John Havensand the Miss U.S. 1, it marked the second consecutive year they had won a Ted Jones Memorial.

The result was a Gold Cup weekend filled with everything that makes Electric Radio Controlled Unlimited hydroplane racing so entertaining: dominant performances, unlikely heroes, late-race comebacks, mechanical heartbreak and final results that looked very different from the preliminary standings.

With 61 boats in the pits and six Gold Cups up for grabs, the Bardahl ERCU Gold Cup proved once again that getting to the final is only half the battle.

Ted Jones Memorial racers crash the party
The Ted Jones Memorial is designed to give racers a chance to fight their way into the Gold Cup finals.

This year, four of those racers did more than simply qualify.

They made noise.

The 1984 American Speedy Printing advanced into the 1/10 classic final and then delivered a runner-up finish, earning second place in the Gold Cup final after coming through the Memorial.

The 1977 Natural Light also reached the podium, finishing third in the 1/7 classic final.

In 1/10 vintage, Mick Shutt won the Ted Jones Memorial in the 1972 Miss Budweiser, but the boat was unable to start the Gold Cup final.

And in 1/7 vintage, the 1962 Miss U.S. 1 completed the journey from the Ted Jones Memorial to the Gold Cup final and came away with third place.

That's a remarkable achievement in a field loaded with drivers and boats that had been battling at the front throughout the weekend.

It also gave the Gold Cup something every good sporting event needs: a few underdogs who refused to read the script.

The Ted Jones Memorial racers weren't content to sit back and admire the view once they reached the championship heats. They came to race.

Reunanen puts a bow on 1/10 vintage
Reunanen's weekend got off to a spectacular start in 1/10 vintage, where he piloted Kerry Kjos' 1960 Miss Thriftway to four preliminary victories.

But the driver saved his best for last.

Reunanen won the final, finishing ahead of John Earnest in the 1962 Gale V and Wayne Beeson in Gale's Roostertail.
The class also featured one of the weekend's biggest heartbreaks.

Paul Dunlap and the 1964 Miss Exide had been among the fastest boats in the preliminary heats, winning two rounds. But Dunlap could not complete the final, opening the door for Reunanen to claim the Gold Cup.

Reunanen completes the 1/10 classic comebackIf the 1/10 vintage final was a display of dominance, the 1/10 classic final was a reminder that a Gold Cup can change hands in a hurry.

Reunanen, driving the 1983 Miss Rock KISW, entered the final with three preliminary victories under his belt.
Then came a DNF in the fourth preliminary.

Suddenly, the door was open.

Nelson Holmberg, driving the 1986 Squire Shop Brittania, had also been one of the class's strongest performers, winning three preliminary heats. Paul Dunlap had put together an impressive preliminary record in the 1971 Country Boy, while Jim Hagan was consistently near the front in the 1983 American Speedy Printing, which earned its place in the Gold Cup final through the Ted Jones Memorial.

When the final arrived, however, Reunanen delivered.

He took the checkered flag, with Hagan finishing second and Mike Walcker bringing the Red Man Too home third.
The Country Boy, owned by Tom Markos, couldn't duplicate its strong preliminary performance and failed to finish the final.
Holmberg also saw his Gold Cup hopes disappear with a DNF.

1/10 modern belongs to Reunanen
Reunanen added another Gold Cup victory in 1/10 modern, but this one came with an unusual twist.

Driving the 1995 Miss Budweiser, Reunanen had been the class's dominant preliminary performer, winning Heat 2 and posting strong runs throughout the other rounds.

Then came the final. Reunanen won.

The 1995 Miss Budweiser crossed first, giving the driver another Gold Cup trophy and another reminder that preliminary success means little if it doesn't carry over to the final.

Holmberg, who had driven the 2015 Graham Trucking to preliminary victories in Heats 1 and 4, was unable to finish the final. Ron Daum, with the 2004 Llumar Window Film also drew a DNF in the final.

For Reunanen, it was another example of making the most important heat count.

For Holmberg, it was a frustrating end to what had been a promising day.

Whitestine is perfect in 1/7 classic
If there was one driver who could challenge Reunanen for the title of most dominant performer of the weekend, it was Scott Whitestine.

Driving the 1972 Notre Dame, Whitestine simply owned the 1/7 classic class.

He won all four preliminary heats. Then he won the final. The Gold Cup was never really in doubt.

But even in Whitestine's dominant class, the Ted Jones Memorial produced another surprise.

The 1977 Natural Light earned its way into the Gold Cup final through the Ted Jones Memorial and then went out and finished on the podium.

Mike McIntosh brought the 1973 Red Man Too home second, while Chuck Murray drove the 1976 Natural Light to third.
Murray's run was particularly impressive considering the DQ he suffered earlier in the weekend. He recovered, returned to the front and ultimately stood on the podium.

Craig Mullen finished fourth in the 1971 Pay 'n Pak.

Sjostrom flips the script in 1/7 modern
The most dramatic final of the weekend may have belonged to John Sjostrom.

Driving the 2003 Miss Chrysler Jeep, Sjostrom entered the 1/7 modern final after a rocky preliminary campaign. He had a DNF in Heat 1 and did not start Heat 2.

But Sjostrom rebounded with second-place finishes in Heats 3 and 4, putting himself in position to make something happen.

Then he did exactly that. And he won the 1/7 modern final. It was a spectacular turnaround and one of the weekend's best examples of why you never count a hydroplane out before the final flag.

Behind him, Reunanen had a story of his own.

Driving the 2023 Beacon Plumbing, Reunanen had been virtually unbeatable in the preliminaries, winning all four heats. But the final didn't go his way. A DNF ended his bid for a fifth consecutive heat victory and handed the Gold Cup to Sjostrom.

Reunanen finishes the weekend in 1/7 vintage
Reunanen's final Gold Cup victory came in the 1/7 vintage class, where he drove the 1969 Pride of Pay 'n Pak Outrigger.
Once again, he was perfect through the preliminary rounds.

Once again, he saved the best for the final. Reunanen won the Gold Cup final, with Jay Fonville bringing the 1974 Kirby Classic home second and the 1962 Miss U.S. 1 finishing third.

The Miss U.S. 1 was another of the weekend's Ted Jones Memorial success stories. After earning its place in the Gold Cup final through the Memorial, the 1962 boat didn't waste the opportunity. It won its Memorial race, advanced to the championship final and finished third against the Gold Cup field.

That's an impressive progression: qualify through the Memorial, win a race against the Gold Cup field and finish on the podium. It was one of the weekend's clearest examples of the Ted Jones Memorial doing exactly what it was intended to do — giving racers a pathway to the sport's biggest stage and then allowing them to prove they belonged there.

The Gold Cup final isn't reserved for the drivers who dominate the preliminary rounds. The Ted Jones Memorial creates another route to the big show.

And this year's qualifiers made the most of it. They didn't arrive at the final heats simply hoping to stay out of trouble. They came to race.

Ted Jones Memorial Champions for 2026.