Villwock tops in Seattle

SEATTLE – Dave Villwock in the Ellstrom E-Lam Plus posted the top speed Friday in the first day of qualifying for the Chevrolet Cup at Seafair unlimited hydroplane race.

Villwock averaged 152.484 mph for one lap around the 2-mile oval course on Lake Washington. Steve David in Oh Boy! Oberto qualified at 152.322 mph.

Retired driver Chip Hanauer drove U-787 Boeing on an exhibition run and posted the day’s fastest lap at 153.691 mph. The boat is making exhibition runs using biofuel but is not entered in the Chevrolet Cup as a competitor.

Other qualifiers included Jeff Bernard driving Formulaboats.com at 147.359 mph; Greg Hopp in Mirage Boats at 145.893; and Jean Theoret aboard Hoss Mortgage Investors at 145.657.

Kip Brown drove USNW Express to a speed of 145.099; Jimmy King averaged 142.962 in Grand View on the Lake, and David Williams turned a speed of 136.529 in Jones Racing. Brian Perkins averaged 135.399 in Albert Lee, and Mike Webster reached 131.365 in Miss Airbag Service.

Qualifying continues this morning, with the first set of preliminary Chevrolet Cup heats set for the afternoon.

Additional preliminary heats come Sunday, with the winner-take-all final heat Sunday afternoon.