2000 Empire Power Mohave Hydrofest
Hot Time In Havasu
Bud Wins Opener Against Battered Competition
by Allen Stiles
Dave Villwock in Miss Budweiser prevailed in record-setting heat on a course that eliminated half the field before the final. Whereas a poor start in the final last year on Lake Havasu cost Villwock victory, he hit the starting line perfectly all four times to win his 30th race and the 125th for owner Bernie Little. Freddie's Club finished second, and YORK was third. Although pre-sale of four-day passes was up, attendance fell on race day as the temperature rose to 113°.
Testing and Qualifying
Ten camps showed up for the "Empire Power Systems Presents the Second Annual Mohave Unlimited Hydrofest River Palms Casino Challenge" at Lake Havasu. The course was changed from an oval to a triangle. Testing started Friday in hot, clear weather. Mike Hanson in Jones Racing (rebuilt U-11, now U-9) was first on the course, along with Villwock in Miss Budweiser (T3 '95) and Greg Hopp in Project X. Mark Evans went out in Miss E-Lam Plus concurrently with Mark Tate in Freddie's Club.
Tate was first to qualify, at 147.303 mph, on good water. Villwock with T5 '97 ran inside the course on the third turn and received no time. The wind was picking up when Mark Weber qualified YORK at 134.816. Neither George Stratton in Appian Jeronimo nor Evans in E-Lam was able to qualify. Hanson returned Jones Racing to the pits with a damaged tailplane. Villwock in T3 '95 and Hopp in Project X were the last qualifiers in the morning session.
Water conditions improved for the afternoon. Tate and Mark Weber increased their qualifying speeds. Villwock qualified T5 '97 at a record 156.125. Stratton qualified. Evans turned a lap of 142.651 but had an N2 violation so was given a speed of 130.000. Villwock took out T3 '95 and upped its qualifying speed to 150.558. The last qualifier was Hanson.
Mike Weber in U-3, which had no name, and Jack Barrie in New Kid in Town went out but did not complete a lap. Ken Muscatel sat on the beach while his crew tried to get numerous small problems in Miss Freei fixed.
Saturday was warmer. Drivers of the qualified boats timed their starts. Ken Muscatel tried qualifying but had fuel problems. Silicone was later found in the fuel line. Mike Weber blew the primary engine that had been rebuilt during the winter. Jerry Hale, a spectator, replaced Barrie in New Kid, because Barrie could not qualify as a driver. Hale then ran off the course once; his best lap was 118.497. The three unqualified boats used Commission Options to get into the race.
Heat 1
Hopp led heat 1A across the starting line on the inside followed by Tate in lane 2 and Hanson in lane 3, Stratton was late getting on the course and trailed the field. Evans did not start; E-Lam was late getting into the water after a botched propeller change, and time ran out.
Hopp and Tate raced side by side up the backstretch and into the third turn. Hopp used the inside advantage to lead at the end of lap 1. Tate caught Hopp coming out of turn 2 and led up the second backstretch. Hopp caught Tate at turn 3 when the horizontal stabilizer came loose. Hopp lengthened his lead and won easily.
In 1B Mike Weber was unable to start. The backup Allison had several minor problems that could not be fixed in time. Muscatel left the pits and died in the first turn with a plugged fuel line. Mark Weber got the inside lane from Villwock in T3 '95. Hale trailed on the outside. Weber accelerated too early going through turn 3 and jumped the gun by a large margin. Villwock had a perfect start and won easily. Hale finished second and Weber third. It was the first heat finish for a Ray Forsman-owned boat.
Heat 2
Sunday began clear and hot with a moderate breeze blowing across the course. Hanson was a casualty before racing started, because the canard was damaged in racing Saturday and could not be fixed. In 2A Hopp started in lane 1, Mark Weber in lane 2, and Tate in lane 3. Mike Weber trailed the field in lane 4. Stratton, as a rookie driver, started on the outside. Tate led slightly over Mark Weber coming out of turn 2 and up the backstretch. Hopp went through a roostertail and died. Stratton trailed slightly on the outside. Weber closed on Tate coming out of turn 3 and was less than a roostertail behind at the end of the lap. Tate ran away coming out of turn 2 and up the backstretch with the fast lap of the day. Weber finished second and Stratton third. Hopp caught Mike Weber coming out of turn 2 on the third lap and finished fourth.
Villwock led Evans across the line at the start of 2B. Muscatel was in lane 3, and Hale, who got on the course late, trailed. Hanson did not start. Villwock won easily. Muscatel lifted on the front straightaway, second lap, and the engine nearly died. Hale passed and finished third.
Heat 3
By the start of 3A, the wind had died, but the course still had a light chop. Villwock led the field across the starting line in lane 1. Hopp and Tate were in lanes 2 and 4 respectively. Muscatel was back in lane 3. Mike Weber trailed the field. Villwock again won easily. Tate led Hopp through lap 1 and was a roostertail in front going up the backstretch on lap 2. Hopp caught Tate at the entrance to the third turn and led by a roostertail at the end of the lap as Tate swung wide through the turn. Hopp on the inside held off Tate to finish second.
In 3B Stratton, having successfully passed his first two heats of racing on the outside, was in lane 2 following Mark Weber in lane 1. Hale was on the outside. E-Lam withdrew because of a hole in the right sponson and wind damage. Weber went ahead easily through two laps. Stratton closed rapidly on the third lap coming out of turn 2 and up the backstretch. He finished about three boat lengths behind Weber. Hale finished well behind in third.
Final
The lake was almost calm for the final, but the damage had been done. Only five boats were available. Mike Weber and Hale dropped out to save engines from further damage, and Muscatel's boat had tailplane damage. Villwock once again had a perfect start on the inside and won easily. Tate won the battle coming out of turn 2 and was second. Weber went into turn 3 ahead of Hopp, who again got washed down and lost power. Stratton took over fourth. Hopp caught Stratton coming out of the third turn on lap 4 as Stratton could not use the canard, and the "wing" had blown off. Tate's skid fin hit Stratton's wing and made a perfect diagonal cut through it.
At the next race in Evansville, Budweiser will have a fuel-flow restriction of 4.2 gallons per minute. Look for Tate, Mark Weber, and Hopp again to have a close battle.
(Unlimited NewsJournal, May 2000)