Air Guard Championship – presented by Degree
Round 5, San Diego Bayfair, California
For immediate release
Monday, September 20th, 2010
DAVE VILLWOCK SNATCHES HISTORIC VICTORY
IN U-96 SPIRIT OF QATAR AT SAN DIEGO BAYFAIR
· Steve David Oh Boy! Oberto/Miss Madison takes second place
· Villwock and U-96 Spirit of Qatar win heats 1B, 2A and 3A
SAN DIEGO (USA): Dave Villwock tied legendary Chip Hanauer’s record of 61 race wins, when the U-96 Spirit of Qatar driver snatched victory in the Air Guard Championship Presented by Degree, round five of the 2010 H1 Unlimited Championship, at the San Diego Bayfair on Mission Bay, California, on Sunday.
Villwock had won a record seven Bayfair championships, although his last win was in 2005. Twelve hydroplanes entered the weekend’s race action, which was the largest field in the event’s prestigious 46-year history.
Villwock is now just one victory away from matching the late San Diego resident Bill Muncey’s 62 career wins and the U-96 driver could achieve that milestone at the final round in Qatar in November.
The Washington State driver led Oh Boy! Oberto’s Steve David from start-to-finish in the five-lap final and in the process won his eighth Bayfair title. The Seattle-area native was hard to beat, winning three heats to earn the coveted inside lane for the final.
“Chip (Hanauer) was a big mentor of mine,” said Villwock. “I don’t think I could have been successful without having spent those years with him. I would watch how Chip would approach a race and strategise.”
David came into San Diego with a 500-point lead only to watch Villwock trim his advantage to an unofficial 186 points on the 2.5-mile Bill Muncey racecourse. That means the season championship will be determined at the Oryx Cup in Qatar.
U-96 Spirit of Qatar is a sponsorship programme instigated by His Excellency Sheikh Hassan Bin Jabor Al-Thani, President of the Qatar Marine Sports Federation (QMSF), which will host the final round of the H1 Unlimited Championship in November.
Villwock was in fine form during Saturday’s second preliminary heat at the Air Guard Championship. The U-96 driver claimed victory in heat 1B, as Jeff Bernard, the defending Bayfair champion, claimed victory in heat 1A. Villwock managed to fend off the challenge from H1 Unlimited points’ leader Steve David and led from start to finish with an average speed of 151.544 mph. J. Michael Kelly was third.
Villwock won his two earlier heats (2A and 3A) on Sunday, while David and J. Michael Kelly captured their respective heats. The U-96 Spirit of Qatar driver also set the fastest time in Friday’s qualifying with a run of 162.604 mph. Steve David recorded the second quickest time.
Air Guard Championship Presented by Degree Men – top five positions
1. Dave Villwock, Spirit of Qatar, 153.551 mph
2. Steve David, Oh Boy! Oberto, 150.491 mph
3. J Michael Kelly, Air Guard, 143.558 mph
4. Jeff Bernard, Graham Trucking presents Formulaboats.com
5. Jon Zimmerman, Degree Men, 129.347 mph
Ends
For further information:
Neil Perkins, NDP Publicity Services, Mobile: + 44 7831 123153, E-mail: ndppublicity@googlemail.com and www.ndp-publicity.com (press releases).
Or
Steve Montgomery, H1 Unlimited Media Officer, Tel: + 1 206 618 8382, E-mail: Steve@H1Unlimited.com
www.qmsf.org
www.h1unlimited.com