Region 6 final 2019 inboard race at caesars creek

• Facebook
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Email
• Print

By: Don 'Eli' Whitney | APBA Guest Reporter | Oct 19, 2019

Photo: Cadi Reiss

GNH-64 Todd Liddycoat and GNH-1

2019’s Final Region 6 Inboard Racing Event, Caesars Creek, Waynesville, Ohio, 28-29SE2019

Eli reporting, Cadi Reiss photo

The Hydrobowl at Caesar’s Creek, version 2, found it’s legs this year, showing the expected improvements all around from last year’s successful inaugural race. This year, 44 entries, Regions 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 in attendance, no incidents, plus 10 vintage, beautiful weather, absolutely fine water conditions, and perhaps one of the very best spectator viewing areas around. This well managed race clicked off heats one after the other (except maybe when lunch got over extended, allegedly) with but two cranes located in separate areas, allowing vintage flights to be alternated with racing heats, producing pretty much non-stop action on the race course. Speaking of the course, it was a one mile oval with a nice wide radius 5 pin first turn and a tighter 4 pin second turn, making driving skill paramount! Kudos for the race committee, Greg and Kevin Kreitzer, who tirelessly worked to get this event in the books; Tom English; Rachel Anspach; Rick (father), Rich (son), and Jennifer (daughter) Falcinelli; Ron Snyder; Don Melillo; Steve Spisak; Jennifer and John Grigg; Matt O’Quinn; Chris Ritz; Chyrel and Mike Bruns; Dave Noble and Box 21; and the Dayton Motor Boat Association club!

Winners: Doug Hagatha / John Shaw, Bob Boleslawski, and Ayden Sovie (see story below to decide) (1.5L Stock T); Bob Wilson / Keith McMullen (1L Mod Y); Doug Martin / John Shaw (2.5L Stock S); David Turner (2.5L Mod A); Jeff Sankuer (5L Stock E); B J Maduri / Mike Monahan (National Mod NM); Cal Phipps (Grand National Hydro GNH); Mario Maraldo / Bobby Stevenson (Grand Prix GP); Tom Pakradooni / Michele Morgan (Jersey Speed Skiff JSS); Paul Reid (Sportsman Advanced SA).

Racing summary:

T class – 1.5L Stock: three racing hulls answered the calls to the crane, and when the waters calmed down, it was all tied up between T-1 Doug Hagatha / John Shaw driver and T-16 Bob Boleslawski at 380 points on the weekend! With TNT (time not taken) in the first heat Saturday, can’t decide on overall time, each of these teams won a heat with a pair of seconds and one third; now look at Ayden Sovie T-35, who won both finals (Sat and Sun), 2 wins vs 1 win each, but less points since there was a DNF on Sat heat race. Call King Solomon to decide, ‘cause all three racers are winners!

Y class – 1L Mod: four race teams racing, but Tim Collins / Stevie Kuhr broke during the Saturday final, leaving the Bob Wilson / Keith McMullen Y-80 (Region 4) to dominate with three heat wins (both finals incidentally), with a total 395 points. Chris Ritz Y-2 snagged the Sunday qualifier with a great start and form, finishing 2nd overall with 375 points. Scott Melowic Y-40’s competitive and steady performance earned 3rd overall, 360 points.

S class – 2.5L Stock: Virginia’s S-33 Doug Martin, John Shaw up, brought the broom! They cleaned up the S class, with 400 points, winning each heat. Dennis Wright S-2 (Madison, Indiana area) tried to keep ‘em honest, 2nd overall with 375 points. Jeff Dobis S-49 finished 3rd overall with 345 points, and Mike Deck hung in there with 335 points on the weekend. What initially looked like a challenger to the S-33, in the form of Joe Krietzer’s Staudacher design conventional hull piloted by son Tony Kreitzer, placing a solid 2nd in the Saturday qualifier, turned sour with motor troubles. Keith Fickert’s S-17 showed good form, and in a bit of news, might just be available; it’s a former MACH, Region 6, and MPR hipoint boat, Bert / Auld hull, fast and competitive; let’s keep it in Region 6!

A class – 2.5L Mod: Five hulls competed, with three different heat winners, but coming out on top was David Turner A-50, with a fine performance, winning the Saturday heat and Sunday final, to the tune of 385 points! Dillon Goodell E-40 was on the heels of the A-50, garnering 380 points total including winning the Saturday final. Marshall Gildemaster A-581 came up from Georgia and Region 5 and steadily earned 335 points for 3rd overall. Greg Garner A-361 (formerly Kevin Krietzer’s A-64) ran three of the four heats, to the tune of 265 points. Geoff Scott E-42 overcome some Saturday gremlins to garner his first ever race win in the Sunday qualifier; his reward (punishment?) – a dip in the lake, courtesy of our MPR Prez, Chris Ritz! Congrats Geoff, you dried out pretty quick in the Sunday sun! Our own Steve Linn was present, but boat troubles prevented much racing, but the future is bright for that team.

E class – 5L Stock: Wheeler Baker brought his potent E-54 north from Region 4 to compete, with John Shaw driving, looked real good, winning the Saturday heat! Alas, an unwelcome visitor by the name of Murphy showed up to pick on Wheeler, done for the weekend. Jeff Sankuer E-17 out-drummed the rest of the E fleet, winning the Saturday final and the Sunday qualifier and final, to the beat of 390 points! Dillon Goodell E-40 came closest to Jeff, with 360 points, with the E-40 running better than seen in awhile (Mike Horvath was present to advise, supervise, and otherwise enjoy Dillon’s efforts). Geoff Scott E-42 was able to compete Sunday (see above A class), running strong to garner 2nd overall with 185 points. Jared Behrman E-181 came east from Indiana and, in between some issues, earned 3rd place honors overall with 180 points. Also competing were Bill Whitehouse / Jack Meyer E-357 and Carl Adams E323, scoring 170 and 155 points respectively, filling out this strong, seven hull E class field.

NM class – National Modified: Five hulls entered, but gremlins hit a pair of hulls (E-54 and E-181), leaving the racing to BJ Maduri NM-60 / Mike Monahan pilot (a Saturday sweep, winning the heat and final) in 1st place with 200 points; 2nd place to both Dillon Goodell E-40 and Bill Whitlock NM-12 with 95 points each. Due to the attrition, the class did not run on Sunday.

GNH class – Grand National Hydroplane: Seven of the big 7 Litre hulls answered the call to race at Caesar’s Creek, responding with giant roostertails and great racing. The field ran a pair of qualifier heats Saturday, winners were Cal Phipps GNH-41 and Fred Shearer / Andy Mitchell GNH-17, out of Region 7’s Minnesota wilderness! Silent Cal took the final Saturday, and then swept Sunday, for a total of 400 points and 1st overall! Steve Kuhr / Stevie Kuhr GNH-17 Irishman kept Cal in sight, finishing 2nd overall with 375 points, while the Minnesota based GNH-17 was 3rd with 190 points. Andy Denka’s GNH-1 with John Jenkins driving earned 185 points, and Canada’s Todd Liddycoat piloted Greg Kreitzer’s GNH-64 in a competitive finishes to 175 points (best showing by far for the GNH-64 – future looks bright, gonna need shades!). GNH-11 (Andy Denka’s other GNH – Keith Fickert up) and GNH-515 (Cadi and Eli – Kevin Kreitzer steering and pushing the loud pedal) both earned points on the weekend.

GP class – Grand Prix: Mario Maraldo brought his GP-59 Baby Doll III to the Creek to show off, and with Bobby Stevenson at the throttle, showed everybody supercharged big block Chevy thunder! A fine exposition for the spectators, the Baby Doll III performed flawlessly. Thanks, Mario!!!!

JSS class – Jersey Speed Skiff; Tom Packradooni (Region 3) piloted the JSS-7 with Michele Morgan (Region 1) as rider (aka test dummy) for some hot racing action on the Creek, looking possibly to hold serve in the East Coast Challenge Series points. Good to see Thom Heins crewing for the JSS-7!

SA class – Sportsman Advanced: Paul Reid (Region 1 – Tonawanda, NY) brought in three of the fuel-injected big block Chevy powered flatbottoms, putting on a flatbottom show seen rarely in Region 6. Paul himself garnered 1st overall winning two heats for 390 points; versatile Joe Sovie in SA-2001 showed his driving prowess in yet another class by also winning a pair of heats, totaling 290 points for 2nd overall; while 3rd overall went to Justin Sass in the SA-201. (Note: this class is the Pro Stock flatbottom class with unrestrained drivers, competing under a 105 mph speed limit, GPS monitored).

Special Note: Who earned the most points in one hull? Try Dillon Goodell, in his E-40

He only ran nine (9) heats, winning one heat, runner-up in five heats, 3rd in two heats, and a one 5th; this was good for 835 points!

Who else drove nine heats? John Shaw of Region 4, in three different hulls, he earned for his owners 880 points!