Tri-Cities opts not to go with Hydro-Prop

Yet another blade of the hydro prop has fallen off.

The Tri-Cities Water Follies Association board voted unanimously Tuesday to opt out of Hydro-Prop sanctioning of the upcoming 39th Columbia Cup that will be run July 23-25 along the shores of Columbia Park in Kennewick.

The Water Follies board wanted a guarantee of ten boats for this year’s race, as well as the guaranteed presence of Ed Cooper’s banned piston boat. Hydro-Prop was also asked to reduce its fee if it couldn’t meet those terms.

The negotiations, said Emily Janikowski, Water Follies Event Director, in a press release were “so far apart, the board didn’t see how we could get close enough.”

Janikowski admits the move guarantees that some teams will now come to the Columbia because Hydro-Prop is not involved, while others will stay away.

In a Wednesday interview on the Dennis Patchin Show on 790-AM, Janikowski said “a lot of factors led to our decision.”

One is that the non-profit Water Follies organization will save approximately $30,000 and “we’ll still be able to pay out more money to the race teams,” Janikowski said.

Janikowski predicted that “conservatively we expect seven to eight boats,” that will vie for a reported $105,000 in prize money.

A fleet of Unlimited Lights – the automotive-powered potential future of the sport – will also compete at Tri-Cities.

Hydro-Prop has yet to comment on the most recent defection.

This brings to three the number of race sites that have decided not to operate their races under Hydro-Prop. Evansville, Ind., ran a so-called “outlaw” race June 27 and San Diego’s September race will also be a non Hydro-Prop event. Now half of the 2004 race sites will not be sanctioned events.

Just seven boats, including race winner Miss Budweiser, competed in last weekend’s Hydro-Prop event at Madison, Ind.. Not many more are expected for next week’s 100th running of the Gold Cup in Detroit.

Mods race at Stateline

Greg Ochs of Colville will take the points lead into Saturday’s seventh race of the season for the Northwest Modifieds set for Stateline Speedway.

Ochs, who has three wins in the previous six races, holds a 577 to 537 lead in the standings over fellow Colville driver Dave Weaver.

Second year – and second generation – driver Steve Hudson (518 points) of Spokane is third after scoring his second career victory last Saturday at Ephrata.

Hudson is the son of former series driver Hal Hudson and drives a car owned by uncle Ed Hudson, a previous two-time series champ.

This weekend’s racing program was originally scheduled to run Thursday through Sunday but has now been combined into just a Saturday show that also includes Early Stocks, INEX Legends and Bandelaros. It begins with time trials at 7 p.m.

Autocross coming up

Autosports Northwest’s fourth event in the PPG Certified Championship Autocross Series will be held at Spokane Community College on Sunday. Registration opens at 8 a.m.

Previous competitions “have been averaging over 100 entries per event – the competition has been great,” according to spokesperson Gary Klawitter.

Info: www.autosportsnorthwest. org or Gary Klawitter at (509) 926-8157.

Hite wins again

Gary Hite, 58, of Hauser, Idaho, is showing younger riders the way around the racetrack after he claimed the 18-and-over Twins Class championship last weekend at Springfield, Ill.

The race is generally run over four days on four different-sized tracks, Hite said after winning his third 18-and-over title in the class. However, this year the race on the mile oval was cancelled due to rain and completed on the half-mile.

Hite won the TT event, was second and fourth on the half-mile and fourth in the short-track race, winning the championship on points.

Motorcycles race next Friday

Flat-track motorcycle racing returns to the Spokane Fair and Expo Center’s outdoor arena next Friday.

Held in conjunction with the BMW Motorcycle Rally that is coming to Spokane next week, the event will feature competition in bikes from 50 cc, “to the big boys,” and quads according to promoter Todd Somers.

Gates open at 4 p.m. with racing at 7. Info: Todd Somers, (509) 921-6432 or e-mail: IEDTP@aol.com.

Pit stops

Late Model Stock cars headline this week’s program at Spokane Raceway Park on Saturday. Bracket and Import drags also run. Gates open at 3 p.m. with racing at 7.

Sunset Speedway in Airway Heights features dirt track go-karts Saturday beginning at 7 p.m. Info: Frank Schiene Jr. (509) 994-5172.

Streaks and stats

Repeat winners for the first three Autosports Northwest events include: Ryuhei Tanaka (“A” Stock /Mitsubishi EVO); Michael Vesecky (“A” Street/Prepared/ Mustang Cobra); Cody Smith (“E” Street/Prepared/Suburu WRX); Kim Frank (“F” Stock/Chev Camaro); John Richter (“H” Stock/Honda Civic) and Gary Klawitter (Street Touring/Nissan Sentra SER).

Mica’s Joe Kopp had his AMA Progressive Insurance Flat Track Championship victory at Lima, Ohio, overturned and was docked 23 points when a post-race inspection indicated the fuel of Kopp’s bike was out of compliance. An independent lab verified the result. Kopp trails Chris Carr by 39 points going into the seventh of 20 races this Saturday at Joliet, Ill.