Sahara Cup

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Holmberg takes modern; Jeff Campbell wins vintage


The 1973 Red Man (U-8) had a bumpy ride in this turn, but a good day overall.	Doug Brow goes inside to chase down the Cotts Beverage.

Ron Hornung's new Miss Peps made its second appearance.	Five modern boats sit waiting for the one-minute gun for one of the heats.

Mick Shutt's Miss Vernor's.	John Burkey's Miss Wickman.

Gary Hansen's Miss Cott's Beverage.	Bob VandenAkker's 1963 Notre Dame.

For all of Mike Campbell's Sahara Cup photos, click here.

Race Recap

MONROE, Wash. – The year 2008 is shaping up to be quite a race in the modern class.

With six races on the 2008 ERCU Red Dot Championship Series complete, the modern class has seen five different race winners. Mike Campbell has won twice with the 1974 Country Boy, and is the only repeat winner this season, while Mike Gossler, Gary Hansen Bill Smiley and Nelson Holmberg have each also won a race.

In the vintage class, it’s a bit of a different story, yet still somehow very much the same.

The same, that is, as in the past.

Jeff Campbell has won four of the six vintage finals, with brother Mike taking one of the other two, and Hansen winning in Portland.

Forty-six boats (the third most ever at any ERCU event) showed up for the inaugural Sahara Cup at Lake Tye in Monroe, which provided the season’s fourth different modern winner, and another win for Jeff Campbell in the vintage class.

Modern Class

ERCU’s version of Red Man racing was just this close to doing something the real two-boat team never did in 1973.

Put both boats in the final.

While the 1973’s true-scale versions U-8 and U-81 never won a race, and the U-8 never even made a final that year, the 1/10-scale versions are having a better go in 2008.

The U-8 made its debut at the President’s Cup, and made the first connie, it repeated the feat at the Sahara Cup, just missing a spot the final. The U-81, on the other hand, was the last boat in to the final – without going through a connie.

In the modern final, the U-81 and as many as three other boats made great starts together, with Jerry Johnston piloting his Natural Light through the first turn in first place, followed by the Red Man, Doug Brow’s 1978 Squire Shop, Hansen’s 1976 Miss Cott’s Beverage, and Rick Lentz’s U-95.

The hot pursuit during the winner-take-all final went on, with all three boats leading the way, and all three trying not to get hung up too far with the wind barreling down the front stretch. At the end of the third lap, the Natural Light caught just a little bit too much air and blew over, landing upside down.

As the Red Man and Squire advanced in positions, Brow was fighting wind and unbalance with his Squire, after the front cowling had come off, disrupting his boat’s balance. Nearing the end of the fourth lap, Brow decided to make one last charge at the Red Man, but the wind and disruption of balance caused the Squire to go over, landing upside down.

After a spinout, the Cott’s Beverage had fallen off the pace, to be replaced in third place late in the race by the U-95 – which moved up to second after Brow’s flip.

When all the roostertails settled, and the carnage was collected, the final order of finish was Holmberg’s 1973 Red Man (U-81), Lentz’s U-95 – a one-two finish for Cougar Racing Team – Hansen’s Miss Cott’s Beverage, and Bob VandenAkker’s Lincoln Thrift. Johnston’s Natural Light, Brow’s Squire Shop – the trailer – and Dan Gilmore’s Gilmore Special did not finish.

It was Holmberg’s second career win in ERCU.

Brow won the modern connie to give himself a spot in the final, by outpacing the rest of the field, followed by Mark Hansen’s Notre Dame and Pat Gleason’s Thousand Trails. Craig Bradshaw’s Winston Eagle, Bill Smiley’s Charlie’s Girl and Mike Gossler’s Circus Circus were unable to finish.

Vintage Class

Jeff Campbell’s dominance over the vintage field with his Pay ‘n Pak outrigger continued at the Sahara Cup, as he won for the fourth time in his five races this season. If not for a momentary “technical glitch” at the Rose Festival RC Regatta, it’s possible that the ‘rigger could be five for five this season.

In the Sahara Cup, Campbell again proved he could win from the outside lanes.

Smiley finished second with the black and white Hallmark Homes, followed by Mike Campbell and the Harrah’s Club, Craig Mullen with the Hawaii Kai III – the trailer, Bob VandenAkker’s Notre Dame, and Mark Hansen’s Van’s PX – in its first action of the season. Brow was unable to finish, with his 1966 Miss Budweiser.

Mullen drove Ben Keller’s Kai to the win during the vintage first connie, followed by Mike McIntire with his Shakey’s Special and Craig Bradshaw with his Miss Budweiser. Fourth place went to Jerry Johnston and the Miss Timex (Clock). John Burkey (Miss Wickman), Gilmore (Thriftway Too), and Holmberg (Red Man, U-8) all failed to finish.

In the second connie, Mike Gossler’s Miss U.S. V took first place, while Gary Hansen in the Muvalong was second and Holmberg was third with the 1957 Shanty I. Fourth went to Patrick Gleason’s 1965 Miss Bardahl, and fifth was Mullen with his 1971 red Hallmark Homes. Those who did not finish included Jeff Campbell with the Pay ‘n Pak Hooktail and Mark Gran with the 1967 Atlas Van Lines.

With 30 vintage boats in attendance, CD’s Gossler and VandenAkker had the opportunity to run a third connie, which Ron Daum won with the Wildroot Charlie. Second went to Lentz with the 1958 Miss Bardahl and Ron Hornung took third with the Skip-A-Long. Those who were unable to register points in the third connie were Gleason with the Miss Spokane, new rookie Kelsey McIntosh with the Lil’ Buzzard, Scott Fetterly with the 1961 Miss Madison, Robbie Roberts with the 1956 Shanty I and Ryan Bradshaw with the Wayfarer’s Club Lady.

And Finally …

As usual, there are a number of folks who deserve recognition and thanks. Those folks include not only VandenAkker and Gossler who did a great job as CD’s for the inaugural Sahara Cup, but also Patty Gossler, Teri Campbell and Judy Fenton for their help with registration, and for finding prizes that were distributed during the day and the perpetual trophies provided to race winners while they were on a recent trip together in Las Vegas.

Thanks also go out to Jeff Campbell for his diligent work as the chief referee, Kirk Pagel, Roger Newton, Mike Campbell and Patrick Gleason for calling heats as the PA announcer, and to everyone who stepped up to serve their duties as race officials.