1995 Texas Hydrofest
Yes, Virginia, Bernie Little is Sitting on A Hundred . . .
DALLAS (Sunday, July 16) -- While the Chip's away, the Smokin' Joe's will play . . . but 41-year-old Chip Hanauer came back to action at Lewisville Lake today and drove the Miss Budweiser past its archrival on the first turn en route to victory in the Texas Hydrofest some 30 miles north of here. Hanauer had been out for two races with nagging rib muscles. The boat he drove had been absent for one race while having an entire new right sponson fitted to the hull.
Obviously, to the sundrenched throng that sat out a 75-minute delay occasioned by high winds, both repair jobs were successful.
The win was No. 56 in the illustrious career of the crafty Hanauer. Even more importantly to those with an eye on milestones, it was victory No. 99 for Bud owner Bernie Little. It will be difficult to deny him the coveted century at either Tri-Cities or Seattle, but Smokin' Joe's owner Steve Woomer remains stout in his resolve that he has the best boat going at present.
"If Chip doesn't squeeze us out of room in Lane One going into the first turn," Woomer fumed, "we beat him today." Chief referee J. Michael Noonan failed to concur with that assessment, saying that the initial turn -- with Hanauer and the Bud getting the jump in Lane 2 -- was conducted in orderly fashion. Hanauer never looked back while slightly upping the Budweiser's Eagle Snacks Presents O'Doul's High Points lead to 196 over Smokin' Joe's with four races to go. The latter's lead-footed driver, Mark Tate, seems headed for a second straight individual championship -- having taken full advantage of Hanauer's absence to win at Evansville and Madison.
And Woomer says Tate remains a solid bet to win at Tri-Cities and Seattle, too, even with Hanauer back in harness. "Our boat is handling the best, no doubt about it," declared the 12-year-veteran owner, who really has his heart set on a win in the Texaco Cup at Seafair. In 10 previous tries, his boats have never won, managing second-place finishes on three occasions.
Here, Dave Villwock got past Steve David's T-PLUS Engine Treatment to put PICO American Dream into third place. Ken Muscatel's locally sponsored U-14, running as Miss Lewisville, wound up fifth. Jerry Hopp retired early after water punched a hole in his right sponson and Mark Evans was dead in the water with Miss Wellness Plan at the start of the final heat.
(Reprinted from the URC Electronic Hydroletter, No. 19 July 17, 1995)