Deck2Deck.us: Fantasy Unlimited Hydroplane Racing

Driver: Brandon Kennedy, Newark, DE
Home Port: Madison, IN
Sponsor:
HydroDan Says: After a major off-season shake up, the Miss Madison organization sold its stable of boats to the newly-formed BWR Racing Team. In the wake of the news, the Madison team, founded in 1961 and the longest-running team on the circuit, rose from the ashes. The Madison camp is leasing the former Degree Hull from Detroit’s Dave Bartush, with plans to run it in Guntersville and Madison only. Kennedy—an H1 rookie but no stranger to inboards—and the rarely-run boat will have a steep learning curve. We hope they can score some points and gain valuable knowledge in this new era for Madison Racing.

Driver: J. Michael Kelly, Bonney Lake, WA
Home Port: Tri-Cities, WA
Sponsor: Beacon Electric
HydroDan Says: After this team reached boat racing’s pinnacle in 2023, it fell back to earth in 2024. It wasn’t all bad, though, as Beacon Electric managed to secure more podiums than any other H1 team with four. JMK took the checkered flag in the circuit’s marquee race at Seafair in Seattle. The big blemish that caused the team to drop to fourth in national high points was an accident in Tri-Cities where the Electric ended up on its lid. The boat tested in Tri-Cities in May 2025, and looked good doing so, consistently posting speeds in the mid- to upper-150s and low-160s. The Beacon Electric, with JMK, will be primed to compete for race wins as always. However, the competition provided by the other national boats will be stiff. The team will run full circuit in 2025.

Driver: Corey Peabody, Tacoma, WA
Home Port: Tri-Cities, WA
Sponsor: Beacon Plumbing
HydroDan Says: Just as in 2023, Peabody again represented himself well in the Unlimited ranks, scoring three podiums and yet another win in Tri-Cities, capped by a Gold Cup triumph in San Diego. He finished the season second in national high points. The hard-charging plumbing boat will again provide the rest of H1’s contenders brisk competition. The boat appeared at the May 2025 test in Tri-Cities, but incomplete tech data prevented Beacon from claiming the fastest run of the day at 165 mph. The U-9 should be in position for heat and race wins all season long. The team plans to run full circuit in 2025.

Driver: Jamie Nilsen, Federal Way, WA
Home Port: Cle Elum, WA
Sponsor: Flav-R-Pac
HydroDan Says: 2024 brought much excitement to the U-11 and the H1 circuit with a new sponsor for the Unlimited Racing Group. The Mercury Coffee Company burst onto the scene with beautiful livery on the hull, a strong social media and marketing presence, as well as a title sponsorship of the Gold Cup race in San Diego. In somewhat of a surprise, Mercury pulled the plug for this season. URG will be rebranded as the Flav-R-Pac, a sponsorship moving over from Bucket List Racing after the Snohomish-based team announced they won’t campaign in 2025. On the water, the 11 finished fifth in national high points and secured three podium finishes. Nilsen displays a knack for securing inside lanes and will be a dark horse this season. May 2025 testing in TC showed they are just off the pace with speeds in the upper 150. Still, Flav-R-Pac will be a factor for heat wins and podium finishes. The team plans to run full circuit in 2025.

Driver: Jeff Bernard, Kent, WA
Home Port: Seattle, WA
Sponsor: Graham Trucking
HydroDan Says: Out is Bobby King; in is veteran chauffeur Jeff Bernard for the Graham Trucking camp in 2025. In two races in 2025, the 12 managed to secure just over 700 points and was also involved in a racing incident in Tri Cities where it was struck by another hull. This off-season, the new driver and crew spent time going through the 12 to make improvements and needed repairs. The team did not attend spring testing and plans to run only the two races in its home state of Washington.

Driver: Gunnar O’Farrell, Maple Valley, WA
Home Port: Maple Valley, WA
Sponsor: Lakeridge Paving / Thriftway
HydroDan Says: In its short 2024 season, the U-21 managed a fourth at Tri-Cities and a sixth place at Seafair. At the May 2025 test in Tri-Cities, a spectacular flip at the end of the backstretch on the 21’s second run ended its day early. Luckily, the boat appeared to come out of it in fair shape and the raceboat should be ready for Tr-Cities. Before the incident, Gunnar O’Farrell had her dancing over the water, posting speeds in the mid-150s. Just as in 2024, Go Fast Turn Left is planning to run an abridged 2025 season, appearing only in State of Washington races.

Driver: Dave Villwock
Home Port: Tri-Cities, WA
Sponsor: Apollo Mechanical
HydroDan Says: The brand new race team based in Tri-Cities, WA will feature two boats. At the wheel of the 27 will be the sport’s winningest driver, 71-year-old Dave Villwock. The hull was originally constructed in 2007 by Nate Brown in Preston, Washington and has undergone a major multi-year rebuild in Gadsden, Alabama following a catastrophic flip at Seafair 2018. Bruce Ratchford of Tri-Cities has purchased the 27, along with the U-91 from the Madison camp. In three appearances in 2024, the boat managed a podium finish in Seattle and also suffered a racing incident in Tr-Cities that ended their weekend prematurely. The boat looked strong in its last couple runs during 2025 spring training, registering a speed of 160 mph, and will be a contender this season. The team plans to run full circuit in 2025.

Driver: Andrew Tate, Michigan
Home Port: Tri-Cities, WA
Sponsor: Goodman Real Estate
HydroDan Says: HydroDan Says: In a surprise offseason move, the Miss Madison Racing Team sold the 91, along with its sister ship and all race equipment, to Bruce Ratchford’s new Tri-Cities-based team. Tate captured the national high points and driver championships in 2024 and will again be a force to be reckoned with as the odds-on favorite to repeat in 2025. Last year, Tate won in Guntersville, Madison, and finished second in Tri-Cities. Inexplicably, Tate took himself out of the running for the Gold Cup in San Diego with a DMZ violation and a DQ. In 21 heat starts Tate took 13 checkered flags. Tate is winning at a top-five clip in the sport’s history, with 11 race wins in only 31 races. If May 2025 testing in the Tri-Cities was any indication, the 91 will likely be the top qualifier at every race. Look for Tate to take the National Championship this season unless misfortunes or mechanical gremlins plague the team. The team plans to run full circuit in 2025.