Deck2Deck.us: Fantasy Unlimited Hydroplane Racing

The H1 Unlimited series began its western swing in Tri-Cities, Washington at the Lamb-Weston Columbia Cup this past weekend. With the addition of the Leland Unlimited U-99 and Jones Racing’s U-9 the fourteen-boat field created a swollen schedule that saw the first event of 2011 to feature three sections of racing into the third heat of competition.

Fans of the U-1 Miss Oh Boy! Oberto were pleased by the return of the primary U-1 hull but also disappointed by Steve David‘s poor showing during heat racing. Penalties and errors by the Madison in heats 1 and 2 left Oberto fans wondering if the defending Columbia Cup champion would even compete in the final. A victory in 3A secured a shot at the Columbia Cup for the Jerky Boat, but it was the U-17 Miss Red Dot chauffeured by Kip Brown that had the most impressive showing of the weekend, dazzling with a third-place qualifying speed behind the U-96 Spirit of Qatar and U-1 Oh Boy! Oberto and taking first place in all three heats of racing. Kip Brown took advantage of Steve David’s driving mistakes and maximized opportunities with its own heat draws to earn just 205 points less than Columbia Cup champion Dave Villwock, finishing the weekend with 1495 points overall. The Miss Red Dot proved a solid pick for fantasy players willing to take a risk on Brown who began with less seat time than his competitors after a Gold Cup hiatus but finished with few in doubt of his driving abilities.

Rookie Ryan Mallow sought to qualify as an unlimited driver in the U-99 Miss HAPO Credit Union and got his 10+ laps at 130 MPH, hanging it out in Fred Leland’s second boat during Saturday and Sunday test sessions. Despite the promising speeds and guts shown by newcomer Mallow, the 99 failed to appear in any heats of racing at the Columbia Cup. Look for more from Team Leland as the hydros head west to Seattle, their home turf.

Team Deck2Deck spoke with Lori Jones, co-owner of the U-9 Miss Visit TriCities.com. The Jones Racing sled, driven by up and coming shoe Jon Zimmerman, is confirmed to appear in Seattle under a yet-to-be-determined banner. The Jones boat has a storied history, including a 2001 Gold Cup victory under the command of Mike Hanson (current U-1 crew chief) and is a welcome addition to the 2011 H1 fleet. The U-9’s appearance at future races including San Diego Bayfair is not yet certain.

Deck2Deck would like to thank all players of our fantasy hydroplane game, several of whom approached us this weekend at the Columbia Cup. Thank you, D2D competitors, for making this game possible! We will see you in just a few days for another weekend of Deck2Deck hydroplane racing!