Tate Grabs Win, Miss Bud Fizzes

Mark Tate drove Smokin’ Joe’s to victory in the Budweiser Columbia Cup hydroplane races Sunday at an average speed of 149.98 miles per hour.

Tate led wire-to-wire in the winner-take-all final heat. An expected duel with Chip Hanauer aboard Miss Budweiser ended early when the Bud’s propeller broke in the second turn and went dead in the water.

“Everything clicked today,” Tate said. “It was just one of those days.”

Dave Villwock had to slow and swerve Pico American Dream to avoid hitting the disabled Budweiser. Tate then ran away with the victory.

“We just couldn’t find the set up,” Hanauer said. “They were the better boat for sure.”

Second place went to Nate Brown, driver of Pizza Time, and third place went to Mark Evans at the wheel of KISW-Rock.

Villwock recovered to finish fourth. Scott Pierce picked up fifth in Chaplin’s Bellevue Volkswagen and sixth went to Steve David, driving T-Plus.

Smokin’ Joe’s had a perfect day of racing, winning all three of its preliminary heats and earning the favored pole position for the final.

The win put Smokin’ Joe’s in the lead in national standings with 9,909 points compared to 9,395 points for the Budweiser. Pico is third with 7,957.