Kip Brown at speed in U-95 Spirit of Qatar in the Oryx Cup UIM World Championship in this file photo. The next round will take place on Folsom Lake, Granite Bay in California this weekend. PICTURE BY: BILL OSBORNE
SACRAMENTO, USA: Nearly four months since the opening round of the 2013 H1 Unlimited Championship graced the waters of Doha Bay for the Oryx Cup UIM World Championship, racers are back in action at this weekend’s Big Wake Weekend on Folsom Lake, Granite Bay in California.
Kip Brown replaced Dave Villwock at the helm of Spirit of Qatar 95 for that race – where Jimmy Shane collected his second Oryx Cup title and Brown is back in action again in the Qatar boat, built and run by Ellstrom Racing.
Kip currently lies fourth in the National High Points standings behind the experienced Lighthouse Point driver Steve David, Oryx Cup winner Shane and Jon Zimmerman in 9 Jones Racing.
The world’s fastest racing boats last appeared on Folsom Lake in 1966 and 1967 when the event ran as the Sacramento Cup.
Names to grace the entry list in those days included Warner Gardner, Jim Ranger, Billy Schumacher and the legendary Bill Muncey. Officials at H1 Unlimited are delighted to return to the Sacramento venue.
With support from the Qatar Marine Sports Federation (QMSF), Brown is quietly confident that he can accumulate as many points as possible this weekend and maybe even push for the podium in an event where all the regular entrants are likely to race and the Big Wake Weekend should also see the return of 22 Webster Racing.
The boat has been completely rebuilt in Pennsylvania following its crash at the Detroit APBA Gold Cup last July.
“I believe that Kip will run as hard as he can to get the boat to perform well and with Ellstrom Racing at his side they will work to get the boat as fast and competitive as possible,” said Sheikh Hassan bin Jabor Al Thani, president of the Qatar Marine Sports Federation (QMSF).
Sheikh Hassan added: “I do think that Ellstrom Racing have made the right driver selection and I hope to see Kip on the podium.”
H1 testing gets underway tomorrow morning at 09.00hrs (PDT) and precedes a vintage hydroplane exhibition, vintage jet boats and testing for stock hydros.
Further testing is planned tomorrow afternoon and qualifying will take place from 14.30hrs.
There will be races for stock outboards, super stocks, crackerbox, vintage and classic jets on Saturday, but further testing for the H1 teams is scheduled for 10.00hrs.
Heats 1A and 1B will take place at 16.00hrs and 16.30hrs.
The action takes place on Sunday.
Heats 2A and 2 get underway from noon, the third heats start at 14.10hrs and the final starts 16.00hrs (02.00hrs Monday Doha time).
THE PENINSULA
