1999 JN Chevrolet Hydrofest
Pearl Harbor, Honolulu, Hawaii, October 10, 1999


Official website of the JN Chevrolet Hydrofest
Hydros in the News: Weber on the Water
Catch a glimpse of the Hydros: Pearl Harbor Cam
U100, Chip Hanauer Close racing 
U100, Chip Hanauer Close racing 

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JN Automotive Hydrofest at Pearl Harbor

Honolulu, HI (October 10, 1999):  Miss Budweiser's Dave Villwock won the winner-take-all championship heat of the JN Chevrolet Hydrofest on Pearl Harbor. His chief competitor, Miss PICO's Chip Hanauer, was mathematically eliminated from the final heat when Villwock uncharacteristically finished dead last in Heat 3A. Hanauer, who scored a DNF in heat 2B, needed Villwock to finish well to be eligible for the final.

"It was a good strategy on the part of Villwock," said Miss PICO owner Fred Leland. "He didn't want to race us."

Villwock disagreed. "It wasn't a strategy, we had a fuel control problem and we were lucky to finish."

Villwock's JN Chevrolet Hydrofest victory capped a very successful year for the Miss Budweiser team. After a rough start at the season opener in Lake Havasu, Arizona, Dave Villwock and the U1 Miss Budweiser put together a six race win streak to finish out the season. In fact, Villwock won 8 of the 11 races on the circuit.

Mark Weber's second place finish in the York International was a victory of sorts for this first year team. Although Weber won this event last year, 1999 was the first complete season for this young team.  This year the team has struggled. Battling through adversity, a flip at Barrie and a sheared prop in Kelowna, Weber managed to capture a third place for his team in the O'doul's High Point Championship and secure second place for himself in the driver High Points.  Weber and his team plan to construct a new hull for the 2000 season.

Unlimited Final:

1st: U-1
2nd: U-10
3rd: U-8
4th: U-2
5th: U-19
6th: U-9

Unlimited Light Final:

Randy Haas in the UL-110 Miss CompAir took off and never looked back, securing his second win of the season. The boats behind him had some problems, though. The GNH-9 Aloha Hyundai, with Paul Droullard, had to shut down after the first lap due to the rough water. The UL-72 (alias 23) had serious problems as JW Myers shut the boat down and then it started sinking. They did get the boat back to the dock and when it was lifted out of the water, there was a hole about 18 inches wide and 5 feet long in the bottom of the hull. JW is fine. 

UL Heat 3 Results
1st: UL-72 *
2nd: UL-110
3rd: GNH-9

* This is actually the UL-23 hull. Bob Larimore sold the boat to Joe Frauenheim for this race. JW
Myers is has the driving duties as Phil Bononcini has gone home for the weekend.

Unlimited Preliminary Heat Results:

Heat 1A Results:
1st: U-1
2nd: U-10
3rd: U-100
DNF: U-14
                   
Heat 1B Results
1st: U-2
2nd: U-8
3rd: U-9
4th: U-19

Heat 2A Results:
1st: U-1
2nd: U-19
DNF: U-100
DNF: U-8

Heat 2B Results: 
1st: U-10
2nd: U-9
3rd: U-2  #
DNS: U-14
# One lap penalty and a $300 fine for a DMZ violation.

Unlimited Heat 3A
1st: U-8
2nd: U-9
3rd: U-19
4th: U-1

Unlimited Heat 3B
1st: U-10
2nd: U-2
DNS: U-100 *
DNS: U-14 *
* Withdrawn

Saturday Qualifying:

Jimmy King, U8 LLumar UL72, Pocket Mechanic
Jimmy King, U8 LLumar UL72, Pocket Mechanic

Villwock Fastest Qualifier at the JN Chevrolet Hydrofest

Honolulu, HI (October 9, 1999):  At the conclusion of qualifying for the JN Chevrolet Hydrofest Miss Budweiser's Dave Villwock holds the top spot  with a speed of 166.469 mph. Chip Hanauer is second fastest with a speed of 162.793 mph.  Third place qualifier Mark Weber was the only other driver to crack 160 mph with a speed of 160.239 mph.

In Unlimited Light action, Pocket Mechanic driver Phil Bononcini walked away from a spectacular barrel roll crash during a test run this morning.

According to Dr. Brian Lawanda, Bononcini suffered only a minor abrasion and a bruise to his left shoulder.

The pocket Mechanic boat, however did not fare as well. It suffered damage to the left sponson, canard and both uprights. The team is finished for the weekend. The three remaining Unlimited Lights were able to run one heat before wind and water conditions deteriorated.

Poor racing conditions forced officials to shorten UL Heat 1 to only two laps.  Miss CompAir's Randy Haas won the heat by a narrow margin over  rookie J.W. Myers in the Miss Supercuts and veteran Paul Droullard in the Aloha  Hyundai.

"My little boat had a really hard time out there," said Paul Droullard.

Droullard is campaigning a National Modified hull at this race. 

"They (Haas and Myers) have about 300 more horse power than I do. But they pack about 300 to 400 pounds more than I do and that's the equalizer."

Droullard has commissioned a new  Ron Jones, Jr. Unlimited Light for the 2000 season.

FINAL QUALIFYING RESULTS:
Team, Driver, Sponsor, Speed (MPH)
U1   Dave Villwock, Miss Budweiser, 166.469
U100 Chip Hanauer, Miss PICO (98-1), 162.793
U10  Mark Weber, York International, 160.239
U2   Mark Tate, Freddie's Club, 154.565
U8   Jimmy King, Outrigger presents LLumar Window Film, 153.400
U9   Mike Hanson, Miss Starrow Enterprises/Eagle Hardware/Home Container Supplies, 144.472
U19  Jerry Hale, Waikiki Trolley, 143.559
U14, Dr. Ken Muscatel, Miss Northwest Unlimited, 134.154

Friday Qualifying:

Pit Area George Stratton and Jerry Hale Chip Hanauer
Pit Area George Stratton and Jerry Hale Chip Hanauer

Honolulu, HI (October 8, 1999):  After two rounds of qualifying for the JN Chevrolet Hydrofest completed, Dave Villwock is the fastest official qualifier for this weekend's racing at 166.469 mph. Chip Hanauer is second fastest with a speed of 162.793 mph. During the morning testing period, Hanauer ran a 169+ mph lap then immediately shut the boat down and pulled into the center of the Pearl Harbor course.

FRIDAY QUALIFYING:
Team, Driver, Sponsor, Speed (MPH)
U1   Dave Villwock, Miss Budweiser, 166.469
U100 Chip Hanauer, Miss PICO (98-1), 162.793
U10  Mark Weber, York International, 160.239
U2   Mark Tate, Freddie's Club, 154.565
U8   Jimmy King, Outrigger presents LLumar Window Film, 153.400
U9   Mike Hanson, Miss Starrow Enterprises/Eagle Hardware/Home Container Supplies, 144.472
U19  Jerry Hale, Waikiki Trolley, 143.559

YET TO QUALIFY:
U14, Dr. Ken Muscatel

Past Winners
Year Driver Team Event 
1990 Tom D'eath   U1   Outrigger Hotel Hydrofest 
1991 Mark Tate    U10  Outrigger Hotel Hydrofest 
1992 Chip Hanauer U1   Outrigger Hotel Hydrofest 
1993 Steve David  U2   Outrigger Hotel Hydrofest 
1994 Mark Tate    U10  Outrigger Hotel Hydrofest 
1995 Chip Hanauer U1   JN Automotive Hydrofest 
1996 Mark Evans   U1   JN Automotive Hydrofest 
1997 Mark Tate    U10  JN Automotive Hydrofest 
1998 Mark Weber   U10  JN Automotive Hydrofest 

Past Records (2.5 Miles)
Qualification laps: 172.358 mph, Chip Hanauer U1 1995 
Competition lap: 166.236 mph, Steve David U2 1992 
7.5 mile heat: 161.712 mph, Mark Tate U10 1997 
12.5 mile heat: 154.025 mph, Steve David U2 1993 
35 mile race: 151.256 mph, Steve David U2 1993 

UNLIMITEDS EXPECTED TO COMPETE:
Team  Driver           Sponsor
U1    Dave Villwock    Miss Budweiser
U2    Mark Tate        Freddie's Club
U8    Jimmy King       LLumar Window Film
U9    Mike Hanson      TBA
U10   Mark Weber       York International
U14   Dr. Ken Muscatel TBA
U19   Jerry Hale       TBA
U100  Chip Hanauer     Miss PICO

UNLIMITED LIGHTS EXPECTED TO COMPETE:
Team   Driver         Sponsor
UL23   J.W. Myers     Supercuts - Apex Laser
UL72   Phil Bononcini Pocket Mechanic
UL110  Randy Haas     Miss CompAir
UL9    Paul Droullard Hyundai of Hawaii 

SCHEDULE:

10/8/99 - Friday

0900 Unlimited Testing
0930 Unlimited Qualifying Round 1
1100 Unlimited Qualifying Round 2
1400 Unlimited and Unlimited Light Testing

10/9/99 - Saturday

0800 Unlimited & Unlimited Light Testing
0900 Unlimited Qualifying Round 3
1000 Opening Ceremony
1045 Unlimited Qualifying Round 4
1100 Unlimited Lights Drivers Meeting
1200 Drivers Autograph Session
1214 Aerobatic Demonstration
1315 Unlimited Light Heat 1
1330 Unlimited Qualifying Round 5
1430 Sky Diving
1445 Unlimited Light Heat 2
1500 Hawaii Kai Demo
1530 Unlimited & Unlimited Light Testing
1615 Unlimited Drivers Meeting

10/10/99 - Sunday

0900 Testing
1130 Unlimited Heat 1A presented by Honolulu Advertiser and Star Bulletin
1200 Unlimited Heat 1B presented by KSSK
1215 Aerobatics Demonstration
1230 Unlimited Light Heat 3
1300 Unlimited Heat 2A presented by Budweiser
1330 Unlimited Heat 2B presented by AIG Hawaii Insurance
1400 Hawaii Kai Demo
1430 Unlimited Heat 3A presented by Outrigger Hotels
1500 Unlimited Heat 3B presented by Pizza Hut/Taco Bell
1530 Unlimited Light Final
1545 Sky diving
1610 Unlimited Final presented by JN Chevrolet
1645 Awards Ceremony

 (Republished from Hydros™; text and images ©Hydros™; used by permission)


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