Tate Is Smokin’ In Hydroplane Win; Hindley Pilots Miss Spokane To 5th
Mark Tate won the Bill Muncey Cup unlimited hydroplane race Sunday, averaging 149.160 mph in Smokin’ Joe’s on the 2.5-mile Mission Bay course.
Tate easily edged Mark Evans’ Miss Vons in the re-started final, precipitated by a first-lap crash that knocked qualifying leader Chip Hanauer and Miss Budweiser out of the race.
Hanauer, who had a record speed of 172.166 mph in qualifying Saturday, hooked a wave and cartwheeled at 165 mph.
He escaped from the boat and held onto one of the sponsons before safety teams rescued him. He was not injured.
The Miss Spokane/U-19 Appian Renegade had its best finish to date, placing fifth in the final. That marked the first time the Miss Spokane has made a final in their inaugural season.
After qualifying ninth with a speed of 149.4, driver Tom Hindley steered the Miss Spokane clear of the salt water problems that left many of the competitors dead in the water to third place finishes in each of the three heats.
“It was a great day for us,” Hindley said. “Team Spokane did well and worked great together.”
The Miss Spokane now heads to Hawaii for the final race of the season Sept. 29-Oct. 1.
, DataTimes