Deck2Deck.us: Fantasy Unlimited Hydroplane Racing

Although the abridged four-race 2021 season felt like it was over before it started, the circuit offered fans a glimpse of all we had and all we loved prior to the Covid shutdown of 2020. The 2021 racing, in review, was lively at Guntersville and Madison, with pleasing wins by the new U-8 Team in Guntersville, and a popular U-1 Miss Madison Gold Cup win under the bridge on the tight and challenging Wild Bill Cantrell Racecourse on The Ohio River.

2021 was spectacular at times: we saw the U-9 come from behind to win at Tri-Cities. But 2021 also ended in lackluster fashion, with the U-8 earning a win on Mission Bay due to U-1 Miss HomeSteet’s penalty at the San Diego final. The fleet—a bit larger and deeper in number this season—should offer fans a competitive and dazzling show if all contestants can stay shiny side up and in good running order. The depth of the field is undeniable, with proven winning hulls in the 1, 8, 9, 12, and 91, and recently revamped and up-and-coming hulls in the 11 and 40. The fan-favorite, piston-packing U-3 from Posey County is also capable of winning, and the 21, 7, and 440 are possible entries that can play the role of "dark horses” this season.

HydroDan’s Three 2 Think About: This edition of the Three 2 Think About will be categorized in three groupings to summarize the H1 competitors for 2022: Hot Dogs (Favorites), The Mustard (On the Verge), and the Condiments (Worthy Competitors). You need all three for a tasty dog, and this H1 season appears to be worth the wait.

Hot Dogs: The two clear Top Dogs are the U-1 HomeStreet and the U-8 Miss Tri-Cities. The two best drivers find themselves in arguably the two fastest hulls in the H1 fleet. Just like recent season-long duels between Mark Tate and Chip Hanauer, Dave Villwock and Nate Brown, and Steve David and Jimmy Shane, look for Shane and JMK to hook up early and often for race wins and the National Championship in 2022. Note that Shane has won 142 of 217 races in his career for a whopping .654 winning percentage. JMK has won 80 of 310 career races for a .258 winning percentage and two wins in 2022.

The Mustard: The boats looking to battle for podiums and perhaps race wins look to be, the U-12 Graham Trucking, U-40 Beacon Plumbing, U-9 Miss Pinnacle Peak Consulting, and U-91 Miss Goodman Real Estate. This group of competitors is chock full of proven hulls, experienced drivers, and dedicated crews. Note that Young Andrew Tate has won 51 of 92 for a .554 winning percentage and likely should be included in the Hot Dog category above if not for his subpar performance in 2021, where the U-12 only podiumed once in three attempts. Villwock, in the 40, also posted huge speeds in two pre-season test sessions and appears ready to challenge for wins.

Condiments: Although included in the third of three categories, by no means are these boats slouches. In fact, the U-11 and U-3 could potentially win heat races and compete for a podium with the right luck. In addition, The U-21 ran brilliantly in Tri-Cities spring testing, with laps logged in the upper 150’s. The U-440 and U-7 are less likely to win races, when and if they take to the water in 2022.