1999 Season Summary

Statistics

1. May 22, 23 Budweiser Mohave Unlimited Hydrofest Lake Havasu City, Arizona
2. June 20 Budweiser Thunderfest East Barrie, Ontario
3. June 27 Budweiser Thunder on the Ohio Evansville, Indiana
4. July 4 Jasper Engines Indiana Governor's Cup Madison, Indiana
5. July 10, 11 Chrysler Jeep APBA Gold Cup Detroit, Michigan
6. July 18 Virginia Is For Lovers Cup Norfolk, Virginia
7. August 1 Budweiser Columbia Cup With Wings Kennewick, Washington
8. August 8 General Motors Cup at Seafair Seattle, Washington
9. August 15 Budweiser Thunderfest West Kelowna, British Columbia
10. September 18, 19 Ralph's/Food4Less Bill Muncey Cup San Diego, California
11. October 10 JN Chevrolet Hydrofest Honolulu, Hawaii

 

  Winner Crew Chief Designer Builder Engine Course Distance
5/23 Miss PICO (1) Ken Dryden Fred Leland Fred Leland Lycoming 2 Miles 28 Miles
6/20 Miss Budweiser (22) Mark Smith Leland-Villwock Ron Brown Lycoming 2 Miles 28 Miles
6/27 Miss Budweiser (22) Mark Smith Leland-Villwock Ron Brown Lycoming 2 Miles 28 Miles
7/4 Miss PICO (1) Ken Dryden Fred Leland Fred Leland Lycoming 2½ Miles 35 Miles
7/11 Miss PICO (1) Ken Dryden Fred Leland Fred Leland Lycoming 2½ Miles 52½ Miles
7/18 Miss Budweiser (22) Mark Smith Leland-Villwock Ron Brown Lycoming 2 Miles 28 Miles
8/1 Miss Budweiser (22) Mark Smith Leland-Villwock Ron Brown Lycoming 2½ Miles 35 Miles
8/8 Miss Budweiser (22) Mark Smith Leland-Villwock Ron Brown Lycoming 2 Miles 28 Miles
8/15 Miss Budweiser (20) Mark Smith Brown-Jones Ron Brown Lycoming 2 Miles 22 Miles
9/19 Miss Budweiser (22) Mark Smith Leland-Villwock Ron Brown Lycoming 2½ Miles 35 Miles
10/10 Miss Budweiser (22) Mark Smith Leland-Villwock Ron Brown Lycoming 2½ Miles 35 Miles

 

  Built Boat High Points Total Team High Points
1. (1997) Miss Budweiser (22) 12914 (1-16934)
2. (1987) YORK International 10617 (3)
3. (1998) Miss PICO (1) 10498 (2-12958)
4. (1996) Miss Pontiac 8930  
5. (1993) Freddie's Club 8352  
6. (1988) Llumar Window Film 6245  
7. (1984) Miss Starrow Enterprises 5862  
8. (1996) Appian Jeronimo (3) 4879  
9. (1995) Miss Budweiser (20) 4020  
10. (1988) Miss Madison (5) 3926 (9)
11. (1997) MSD Ignition 3700 (10) !
12. (1995) Miss E-Lam Plus (2) 3316 (Id
13. (1999) Northwest Unlimited 2644 (12)
14. (1998) Miss PICO (2) 2460  
15. (1992) Waikiki Trolley 1592 (13)
16. (1993) Miss PICO (3) 0000  

 

  Driver High Points Total
1. Dave Villwock 16934
2. Mark Weber 10617
3. Greg Hopp 10558
4. Chip Hanauer 10228
5. Mike Hanson 5862
6. Steve David 5184
7. Mitch Evans 4879
8. Nate Brown 4815
9. Todd Yarling 3926
10. Mike Weber 3700
11. Mark Tate 3168
12. Ken Muscatel 2644
13. Jimmy King 2529
14. Mark Evans 2217
15. Jerry Hale 1592
16. Rick Christensen 538
17. Jerry Hopp 264

 

  Former Names
2. Miller American (2), Miller High Life (2), Miss Circus Circus (4), Winston Eagle (3), Smokin' Joe's (1) Close Call, Wild Fire, Miss Havasu, Miss 25 NBC Miss Pizza Time
3. PICO American Dream (5)
4. PICO American Dream (2), Miss Commercial Sealants, United Furniture Warehouse (2), Miss WIKY, Hopp Racing, Miss R.S. Eastin Hotels (4), Ms. Tri-Cities
5. Miss T-Plus (2), Miss D.O.C. Acuvue, Jim Harvey Motorsports, ARC Construction (6), Trendwest Resorts, Miss KISS 106, Molson Jackhammer, Dole Cannery, Miss Detroit Ford Dealers, Primestar, Gargoyles Nitro Pennzoil Pit Stop, Deja Vu (2), Miss Chrysler Jeep, Harvey Motor Sports (2), Miss Molson, Gaylord's
6. Mr. Pringles (2), Executone (4), Ellis Park, Super Range Golf, Ultra Bold Dash, Tide, Pizza Time/Exide Lynnwood Honda, Pflueger Honda, Miss Tri-Cities (6), Miss Molson Dry, Chaplin's, Spirit of Kelowna, Outrigger Hotels
7. Atlas Van Lines (Ll), Miller American (1), Miller High Life (1), Race Rock Motor City Diner, ARC Construction (4), Spirit of San Diego, American Spirit (1), Miss Circus Circus (5), Miss Exide (4) Miss Carpenter Communications, Cost Less Carpets (3), Miss K.C. (2), Jones Racing, Miss Go Bowling (2) Strike Force, Supply Depot of San Diego
8. Chaplin's Bellevue Mazda, Miss Vons (2), Stihl (1), Miss Wellness Plan (3), KGMB Channel 9, PICO American Dream (4)
10. Holset Miss Madison (2), Holset Miss Mazda, Holset Miss U.S. Star, Gaylord's At Kilohana, Valvoline Miss Madison (2), Kellogg's Tony The Tiger, Kellogg's Frosted Flakes, Miss Jasper Engines, DeWALT Tool
11. Master Tire (2), Spirit of Lake Chelan (2), Cooper's Express (2), Graham Trucking (2)
13. Miss Bell Forklift (2), Toyota Industrial Equipment, Tire Factory, Team Yamaha Kelowna (2)
14. Miss R.S. Eastin Hotels (3), Miss Bell Forklift, PICO American Dream (6)
15. The Brake Shop (2), Lytle State Rep., Miss U.A.W., Miss Hanalei Hotel, Dallas Motor Coach, ARC Construction (5), Tide's American Spirit, American Spirit (2), Miss Wellness Plan (2), Buehler's Buy Low, Kroeger's, Appian Renegade, Miss Rock KISW-FM (5), Miss Vons, Miss Columbia Communications, Waffle House, Miss Jennifer, Miss Welborn Health Plans, Miss R.S. Eastin Hotels, Performance Mortgage, Appian Jeronimo (2), Easter Seals, Tvetin's RV Mart{2)
16. Miss Rock KISW-FM (6), Coor's Light, Spirit of Hawaii, American Dream, PICO American Dream (1), Stihl (3), Miss Vons (3), Hire Power

 

Speed Profile 99 [Pt.1 of 2]
  Completion % Full Season - Rank   5-23 6-20 6-27 7-4 7-11 7-18
Havasu 2 Barrie 2 Evansville 2 Madison 2½ Detroit 2½ Norfolk 2
1. Miss Budweiser (20)
.916
Test 151.515 156.250 157.746 159.207    
Lap 140.680 139.961   146.130    
Heat 134.740 138.850   145.546    
(Finals - Finished 2 of 3)  
2. Miss Budweiser (22)
1000
.977 - 1st
Test 152.413 159.169 164.110 159.323 167.504 154.609
Lap   150.871 154.308   156.669 141.165
Heat   141.651 142.434   148.802 132.700
(Finals - Finished 8 of 8)  
3. Miss PICO (1)
.861
.886 - 4th
Test 139.481 149.471 152.143 152.729 153.573 144.989
Lap 136.217 143.093 147.167 145.026 154.758 135.351
Heat 134.714 133.653 142.938 144.253 152.591 132.878
(Finals - Finished 7 of 8)  
4. Miss PICO (2)
1000
Test 134.173 149.201 152.591      
Lap   138.834        
Heat   137.344        
(Finals - Finished 2 of 2)  
5. Miss PICO (3) Test            
Lap            
Heat            
6. R.S.. Eastin Hotels (4)
Hopp Racing
.897 ~ 3rd
Test 135.542 140.529 146.586 145.189 144.809 130.788
Lap 133.139 136.830 139.878 141.987 142.306 132.817
Heat 130.162 126.122 136.147 140.750 139.302 127.582
(Finals - Finished 8 of 10')  
7. York International
.904 - 2nd
Test 130.714 148.179 149.800 151.133 158.699 144.977
Lap 131.702 139.418 143.190 130.921 144.711 132.716
Heat 125.137 135.870 141.551 88.639 139.435 129.702
(Finals - Finished 8 of 9))  
8. Freddie's Club
883 - 6th
Test   141.287 150.219 148.881 153.270 141.132
Lap 117.446 131.661 142.214 139.082 139.982 128.080
Heat 113.110 127.968 137.085 136.591 133.955 126.929
(Finals - Finished 7 of 8)  
9. Llumar Window Film
.885 - 5th
Test   135.782 144.942 141.721 150.150 137.483
Lap   128.845 142.880 140.676 140.222  
Heat   120.367 137.652 132.013 133.689  
(Finals - Finished 4 of 5)  
10. Miss E-Lam Plus (2)
.875
Test 140.611          
Lap 131.711          
Heat 129.946          
(Finals - Finished 2 of 3)  
11. Appian Jeronimo (3)
.920
Test 131.483   143.695 141.748 149.990  
Lap 131.380   137.609 141.247 136.651  
Heat 122.810   131.601 138.621 132.904  
(Finals - Finished 4 of 4)  
12. Jones Racing
Miss Go-Bowling (2)
.800 - 7th
Test 127.811 139.806 139.969 144.367 150.346 139.241
Lap 105.125 123.254 127.562 131.172 124.600 131.298
Heat 96.441 122.061 125.594 129.032 107.381   129.079
(Finals - Finished 2 of 5)  
13. Miss Madison (5) Test   142.775 101.260 137.893 145.091 132.979
.900 Lap   137.968 129.646 135.048 137.790 133.427
  Heat   135.900 126.923 128.956 124.769 131.838
(Finals - Finished 2 of 2)  
14. Northwest Unlimited
.680
Test     128.548 125.626 136.298 123.612
Lap         129.900 116.054
Heat         124.585 110.946
(Finals - Finished 1 of 2)            
15. Tvetin's RV Mart (2)
.909
Test            
Lap            
Heat            
(Finals - Finished 1 of 1)  
16. Master Tire (2)
.657 - 8th
Test 105.592 129.887 123.616 125.254 137.137 122.175
Lap 106.971 125.488 120.757 120.642 130.118 100.874
Heat 104.776 123.192 119.364 119.583 126.381 98.767
(Finals - Finished 1 of 2)  

 

Speed Profile 99 [Pt.2 of 2]
  Completion % Full Season - Rank   8-1 8-8 8-15 9-19 10-10 2½ Mile
Pasco 2½ Seattle 2 Kelowna 2 San Diego 2½ Hawaii 2½ Course Optimum
1. Miss Budweiser (20)
.916
Test 167.100 154.067 159.833     167.100
Lap     143.790     148.@@@
Heat     138.934     145.546
(Finals - Finished 2 of 3)  
2. Miss Budweiser (22)
1000
.977 - 1st
Test 170.471 163.793 163.388 173.384 167.193 173.384
Lap 158.520 151.051   159.665 155.642 159.665
Heat 148.463 140.491   153.952 148.820 153.952
(Finals - Finished 8 of 8)  
3. Miss PICO (1)
.861
.886 - 4th
Test 166.750     166.107 169.693 169.693
Lap 157.011     158.042 134.937 158.042
Heat 151.244     155.119 132.910 155.119
(Finals - Finished 7 of 8)  
4. Miss PICO (2)
1000
Test   155.783 152.873 154.363   160.@@@
Lap   148.717 143.249     153.@@@
Heat   145.998 137.342     150.@@@
(Finals - Finished 2 of 2)  
5. Miss PICO (3) Test   148.099       153.@@@
Lap            
Heat            
6. R.S.. Eastin Hotels (4)
Hopp Racing
.897 ~ 3rd
Test 150.135 145.053 146.966 157.748   157.57
Lap 141.748 127.188 134.559 155.258   155.25
Heat 140.831 121.784 125.282 149.701   149.70
(Finals - Finished 8 of 10')  
7. York International
.904 - 2nd
Test 160.142 152.159 149.620 158.593 160.239 160.23
Lap 148.351 141.928   153.364 152.001 153.36
Heat 146.179 136.978   147.606 150.240 150.24
(Finals - Finished 8 of 9))  
8. Freddie's Club
883 - 6th
Test 154.358 149.945 150.291 158.340 159.002 159.00
Lap 144.681 135.934 135.790 152.243 146.783 152.24
Heat 139.529 132.907 134.052 147.095 143.544 147.09
(Finals - Finished 7 of 8)  
9. Llumar Window Film
.885 - 5th
Test 156.179 142.851 145.957 158.314 153.400 158.314
Lap 136.108 132.406 129.695 148.258 144.678 148.258
Heat 133.878 128.034 124.662 145.223 141.346 145.223
(Finals - Finished 4 of 5)  
10. Miss E-Lam Plus (2)
.875
Test 158.136 150.128   159.830   159.830
Lap 147.107 138.496   148.544   148.544
Heat 141.967 134.865   146.848   146.848
(Finals - Finished 2 of 3)  
11. Appian Jeronimo (3)
.920
Test 153.317 145.619   154.975   154.970
Lap 144.189 133.060   145.393   145.394
Heat 134.199 127.129   142.994   142.998
(Finals - Finished 4 of 4)  
12. Jones Racing
Miss Go-Bowling (2)
.800 - 7th
Test 153.631 141.052 143.098 151.474 144.472 153.631
Lap 141.576 126.256 125.740 139.986 135.528 141.576
Heat 136.453 124.593 121.624 138.211 133.458 138.211
(Finals - Finished 2 of 5)  
13. Miss Madison (5) Test           147.@@@
.900 Lap           142.@@@
  Heat           140.@@@
(Finals - Finished 2 of 2)  
14. Northwest Unlimited
.680
Test 135.009 143.793 140.630 137.667 134.154 148.006
Lap 126.495 128.528 127.914 130.267   133.@@@
Heat 122.853 126.178 118.385 126.991   131.006
(Finals - Finished 1 of 2)            
15. Tvetin's RV Mart (2)
.909
Test 142.597 130.293     143.032 143.032
Lap 134.116 126.129     134.082 134.116
Heat 130.144 118.418     132.411 132.411
(Finals - Finished 1 of 1)  
16. Master Tire (2)
.657 - 8th
Test 133.521 128.194   114.161   137.137
Lap 131.704 119.885 120.020     131.704
Heat 128.567 115.410 117.813     128.567
(Finals - Finished 1 of 2)  

 

1999

In yet another effort to even up the competition the UHRA instituted a rule that an entry winning two consecutive races could not use lane one in the following regatta. Three consecutive victories would put a boat in lane three and so on. However, if the streak was broken then it would be back to square one or lane 1 until another two consecutive wins occurred. In the Gold Cup the rule did not apply.

Another initiative - this time to add boats to the field - provided for an equal division of prize among those participating in an event. Thus with regard to prize money there were no winners or losers. Since the highly financed teams were in Unlimited racing primarily for the publicity, losing purse money would not cause them too much angst.

After two years on the beach, Chip Hanauer decided to return to the sport. He signed a three year contract with PICO to drive for Fred Leland. Last year after a difficult season PICO was only two m.p.h. behind Budweiser before they withdrew from the circuit after San Diego.

Appian Jeronimo was about equal in speed to Budweiser at the last race of the season in Honolulu. Most of the year they were three to five m.p.h. off the pace. Possibly Appian should have won in Hawaii or at Seattle - the other contest in which they were close to Budweiser in speed. Unfortunately owner Jerry Rise chose to cut back his financial support, which left the boat's status as a contender uncertain.

Miss Budweiser 1995 started the campaign for owner Bernie Little at Lake Havasu, a new race site but well known in speedboat circles. Budweiser won all of her preliminary heats. Appian Jeronimo was no threat. PICO 98 only took one of her three elimination heats handicapped in the first two by the rule book as Chip Hanauer was a "rookie" driver under its standards and had to make outside lane starts. Hanauer had not looked like the world beater of old in the preliminary heats.

Nevertheless in the final heat Chip Hanauer got off to a perfect start and led Miss Budweiser, who had backed off at the gun to avoid jumping the clock, into the first turn. PICO was ahead of Miss Commercial Seal at the end of lap one by two seconds. Miss Budweiser was another second back in third place. Budweiser captured second place in lap two and was only two seconds behind,having turned a lap four m.p.h. faster than PICO, at the end of the lap. Nevertheless the slower PICO maintained this advantage in lap three and added another two seconds in lap 4 to win the Mohave Unlimited Hydrofest.

Baseball's Ted Williams in the early fifties came back from Korea and took up where he had left off when he was 35 years old. Boxing's Sugar Ray Leonard came back after three years at 30 to win the middlewieght championship from Marvin Hagler. Now Chip Hanauer has come back after nearly three years to join these sporting greats by winning the first time out on his comeback.

The hydros next ventured north of the border for a new event at Barrie, Ontario. The course was a rather cramped triangle. PICO's Chip Hanauer again looked rather ragged in his elimination heats, but led Miss Budweiser 1997, who again won all of her preliminary heats, into the first turn of the championship heat. This time Budweiser had 7 m.p.h. on PICO 98 as opposed to 4 m.p.h. at Havasu and sped away to win the regatta. Also Budweiser driver Dave Villwock was not handicapped by a bad start.

In the initial running of the final heat, interrupted by YORK International going over, PICO led up the first backstretch with Budweiser in third place behind the Greg Hopp driven United Furniture Warehouse. Then the heat was halted by the accident. Interestingly, this was the setting for PICO's triumph at Havasu.

At Evansville PICO 98 and Budweiser 97 were masters of the preliminaries with Budweiser showing a 7 m.p.h. advantage over the rest of the fleet. Therefore PICO had to make another perfect start to have a chance in the championship heat, however driver Hanauer cut it too close and jumped the gun. Still Miss PICO had a three second advantage at the end of lap 2 before Budweiser driver Dave Villwock got news of the premature start. Thereafter he relaxed and took an easy first to win Thunder-on-the-Ohio.

Parity between PICO 98 and Budweiser 95 was achieved at Madison. This parity was not tested in the Indiana Governor's Cup as Miss Budweiser flipped over in a hail of roostertails in the first turn of the initial running of the final heat. Of interest was that Budweiser followed Miss PICO and her companion entry Hopp Racing into this turn. In the re-run PICO took the lead rafter the start and was never seriously challenged although Appian Jeronimo was close at the finish.

The Gold Cup at Detroit followed and the apparent parity between PICO 98 and Budweiser - this time the 1997 hull - continued. Miss PICO and Budweiser met twice in the elimination heats and the Fred Leland entry was defeated both times - in heat 2-B Budweiser came from behind to win.

Nevertheless in the determinative contest for the Gold Cup the PICO team installed a new engine which gave them an extra 7 m.p.h. Once again as at Havasu Chip Hanauer made an excellent start and Budweiser's Villwock in comparison left something to be desired. Miss PICO was in front going up the initial backstretch and Budweiser was behind YORK International. At the end of lap one PICO, on the inside, had half a roostertail on Miss Budweiser. The next lap it was a full roostertail and at the finish Miss PICO was Gold Cup champion by eight seconds over the Bernie Little entry. It was Chip Hanauer's 10th Gold Cup without assistance and must have been one of his most satisfying.

Unlike last year a good field of ten boats showed up at Norfolk for the Virginia is for Lovers Cup. Miss Budweiser 97 captured all of her preliminary heats and had an easy time of it in the final heat when Miss PICO 98 failed to start. PICO had had recurrent engine problems in the preliminaries.

Once again Miss Budweiser 97 and PICO 98 appeared to be equal entries at the Tri-Cities. Both Budweiser and PICO won their preliminary heats heading into their confrontation in heat 3-A. PICO had the inside, but Budweiser had the lead going up the initial backstretch. Miss PICO was four boat lengths back when she got caught in Budweiser's roostertail and flipped over. There was no penalty and in the re-run Budweiser had no problems in taking the heat.

Emulating Seafair 1997 PICO was repaired in time to run in the championship heat. However, unlike Mark Evans in 1997, Chip Hanauer was not able to recover to drive in the crucial heat. He was replaced by Mike Weber who finished eight seconds behind the winning Miss Budweiser.

Chip Hanauer had whiplash and although he gave it a shot at Seattle, he had to defer to Greg Hopp who was looked upon as a promising chauffeur by the people in the sport. Since his comeback in 1992, Hanauer had driven only one season out of six without a relief pilot.

In addition the number one Miss PICO was in need of such repairs that she was kept out of the pits until San Diego. This necessitated racing the team's second boat built in 1998 to be known as PICO 99. PICO 99 had not been developed to the point of PICO 98 and was a hard steer although a duplicate hull. If Chip Hanauer needed any convincing, his difficulties with this boat made the difference.

Greg Hopp got two m.p.h, less out of the boat than Hanauer during the qualification period. The Leland team even trotted out their more or less outmoded 1994-95 American Dream that had triumphed in six regattas and then decided to go with the difficult PICO 99 instead.

Amazingly the newest PICO swapped victories with Budweiser 1997 in the elimination heats even though the Fred Leland entry was short about three m.p.h. in speed. Unfortunately PICO 99 got wet down at the start of the final heat and Budweiser had another easy win in the Seafair General Motors Cup.

Of the 12 entries at Seattle only nine made it up to Kelowna for the Budweiser Thunderfest. Budweiser 95 and PICO 99 were equal boats at Kelowna - a tribute to the Leland team. As at Seafair and in heat 1-B, PICO got caught in a roostertail in the championship encounter and Budweiser scored yet another triumph.

For San Diego both Chip Hanauer and PICO 98 were back to oppose Miss Budweiser 1997. Once again nearly equal boats were competing.

Miss Budweiser won all of her preliminary heats while PICO won two out of three - having a sick engine in heat 2-A.

In the final Miss Budweiser would have to start in lane four since she had prevailed in four consecutive events on the circuit. Perhaps in a defensive measure Budweiser driver Dave Villwock tried to cut off PICO's Chip Hanauer several times before the start. However to the annoyance of Hanauer he was not penalized. At any rate Budweiser was ahead by 4 seconds at the end of lap one and increased it to six seconds when Gregg Hopp in Miss Pontiac flipped over in lap three. The heat was stopped down, nevertheless Budweiser won the Bayfair Bill Muncey Cup since she had completed three of the five scheduled laps.

The season ended in Hawaii with Miss PICO 98 taking on Miss Budweiser 1997. There were eight boats in the pits with six making the front line in the determinative heat together with one trailer.

Miss PICO had engine problems with only 225 points after two heats. At this point she was the #7 entry for the championship encounter. Northwest Unlimited had no points and Bill Wurster's Outrigger Hotels was just ahead of PICO with 300 points.

Outrigger Hotels finished first in her next heat after Miss Budweiser suddenly lost 35 m.p.h. in boat speed. Now PICO would have to win heat 3-B to tie Freddie's Club for the last front line position in the final heat assuming the latter failed to finish. Freddie had been penalized in one of her heats so PICO figured to break the tie if it occurred.

Miss PICO declined to enter heat 3-B as she was out of good engines. Miss Budweiser therefore had a trouble free victory in the final heat to win the JN Chevrolet Hydrofest.

In 1999 the best 2½ mile course competition lap for Budweiser was 159.665 m.p.h. PICO in comparison had 158.042 m.p.h.

[Statistics from Greene, V.2]