Sano, Edwards post “first firsts” at President’s Cup

Brandon Sano will get tossed in to Lake Sacajawea at our next race.

That’s because the boat racing tradition is to throw a driver who records his first race win into the lake.

Driving the 1985 Squire Shop, Sano won the 1/10 classic final at the President’s Cup and didn’t have a change of clothes with him, so he asked if he could postpone the tradition by two weeks.

Sano’s performance in the classic class was strong, holding off the very fast Gerry Bordon-driven 1974 Miss U.S., which finished second. Third place in the 1/10-scale classic final went to Jay Fonville in the 1976 Spirit of Dayton Walther, followed by David Heilbrunn with the 1984 Executone. A DNF went to David Newton, driving the debut race for his 1982 Miss Prodelco. Fonville finished third despite starting as the trailer boat by winning the classic first connie.

Rob Edwards, too, is due a tossing in. He won the 1/7-scale modern final driving his 1982 Gilmore Special in order to post his first career victory.

Newton posted his fourth-consecutive perfect day – in four races – driving Kerry Kjos’ 1960 Miss Thriftway to an easy win in the 1/10-scale vintage final. Early in the final it looked as though there might be a race for the President’s Cup. Unfortunately, Fonville’s 1962 Tahoe Miss jumped the gun at the start and second place went to Robbie Roberts’ 1971 Hallmark Homes. The third place boat was the Sano-driven 1964 Miss Exide (owned by Newton), while Fonville finished fourth. Jerry Dunlap – subbing for Bill Mowatt as driver of Rick Evans’ 1968 Miss Bardahl – won the vintage connie and started the final as trailer, but did not finish after blowing over in the front straightaway with the wind behind him.

Dunlap, however, did have some solace as he subbed for his son Paul in Evans 2015 Dalton Industries to win the modern final. It was the third consecutive race win for the Dalton. Dunlap completed a perfect day with the boat in earning the win. Second in the modern final went to Heilbrunn with the 2019 J&D’s and third was Ron Daum with the 2009 Grandview on the Lake. Nelson Holmberg was scored with a DNF after his 2018 Oberto Beef Jerky tossed a prop in the backstretch.

The 1/7-scale modern final was expected by many to be another win for the 1972 Notre Dame, which had easily won all three preliminary heats and was on its way to a perfect day. Electrical issues as the boat was being readied for the heat caused the Notre Dame to stay on the trailer for the final. Edwards posted his first career win, driving his 1982 Gilmore Special. Second went to Denise Sjostrom with her 1974 Miss U.S., her second consecutive podium finish in a final.

Vintage was again more of a race in the 1/7-scale final. Tyler McKeon was able to complete a perfect day when his 1974 Miss Lapeer won the final, outlasting Mike McIntosh in the 1976 Vagabond, which rolled in a turn and didn’t finish. John Sjostrom was second with the 1960 Miss Thriftway, while Jim McKeon with the 1958 Maverick was third. Fourth place went to Denise Sjostrom who won the vintage connie and started the final as the trailer with her 1980 Evergreen Roofing.