SEATTLE – So it turns out Dave Villwock can be beat.
Steve David drove Oh Boy! Oberto to an upset victory in the Chevrolet Cup at Seafair race Sunday on Lake Washington, handing the heavily favored Villwock his first loss of the unlimited hydroplane season.
David led wire-to-wire in the winner-take-all final heat over the two-mile course.
Villwock, the driver of Ellstrom E-Lam Plus, was nearly run over by Jean Theoret in Miss Beacon Plumbing in the turn before the start of the race. He had to turn inside the course to avoid a collision. Theoret struck a course buoy and was immediately disqualified by officials.
“Theoret came over right in front of me,” Villwock said. “I don’t know how he hit the buoy without hitting me.”
Villwock was behind the field by the time he got back on the course and David was already on his way to his win. David averaged 135.689 mph.
Second went to David Bryant in Hoss Mortgage Investors. He challenged for the lead in the first lap, but was unable to catch Oberto.
J. Michael Kelly took third in Car Pros. Kelly closed on Bryant on the fifth and final lap, but was unable to overtake him. Villwock finished fourth. Fifth went to Jeff Bernard in Formulaboats.com and Ken Muscatel finished sixth in Procraft Windows.
“When I nailed the start, I knew it was my race,” David said.
Although Villwock had won the first four races of the 2007 season, David said he felt confident going into Sunday’s final that the Ellstrom boat would not sweep the season. No boat or driver has ever won every unlimited hydroplane race in one season.
The first indication Villwock would not win the Chevrolet Cup came in his two preliminary heats on Sunday, when he was beaten both times by Theoret. But the disqualification ended any chance Theoret had of beating Villwock for a third time.
When the penalty was announced by officials, Theoret backed off and simply trailed the rest of the field around the course.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
