Deck2Deck.us: Fantasy Unlimited Hydroplane Racing

Hello Race Fans! Are you just returning after the long break since Doha? Deck2Deck is here to bring you up to speed with a look at the competitors in the remaining seven races of the season. We have some new faces, numbers, and sponsors to tell you about. In the coming days, we’ll look at boats in The Field, those On The Doorstep, and of course the Top Dogs. But today, we take a look at the boats that are not running a full circuit in 2013: the Possible Entries.

U-21 – Albert Lee Appliance
Driver: Brian Perkins – Maple Valley, WA
Home Port: Maple Valley, WA
2012 Finish: 11th (1,252)
2012 Podium Finishes: 0
2011 Finish: 7th (4,252)
2011 Podium Finishes: 0
2010 Finish: 5 (4,894)
2010 Podium Finishes: 1

The Go Fast Turn Left Racing team will once again run an abridged season in 2013, and just like last year, they anticipate only running on their home Washington State waters in the Tri-Cities and Seattle barring an influx of new sponsorship dollars. GFTL is also preparing a second entry for Seafair; The U-48 Snoqualmie Casino. While running a short schedule last season, the 21 garnered a very respectable fourth place at Seafair.

HydroDan says: Preseason Rank – 11

Short season for the rebuilding team. A likely fantasy pass in 2013.

U-48 – Snoqualmie Casino
Driver: Jaime Nielson
Home Port: Maple Valley, WA
2012 Finish: N/A
2012 Podium Finishes: N/A

The Go Fast Turn Left Racing Team announced it will compete with a double entry at Seafair with the U-48 Snoqualmie Casino (9610) racing along side their U-21 hull. The 48 will be piloted by rookie Jamie Nielson who is scheduled to get seat time in the U-21 in the Tri-Cities in order to achieve driver qualifications. Not much should be expected from this rookie driver / aging hull combination.

HydroDan says: Preseason Rank – 12

A fantasy pass in 2013.

U-96 – Spirit of Qatar
Driver: none
Home Port: Ballard, WA
2012 Finish: 3rd (6,845)
2012 Podium Finishes: 5
2011 Finish: 1st (9,220)
2011 Podium Finishes: 4
2010 Finish: 2nd (9,053)
2010 Podium Finishes: 4

It is rumored the U-96 Spirit of Qatar (0116) will not race this season after suffering extensive damage due to an engine fire that burned much of the beautiful hull into a crisp during the 2012 finale in Doha. Legendary and infamous driver Dave Villwock has parted ways with Team Ellstrom, but no replacement driver has been announced. It would be wise to wait and see what happens or what announcement are made prior to selecting the 96.

HydroDan says: Preseason Rank – N/A

Not enough information at this time. Do not play until more is known.

U-18 – Bucket List Racing
Driver: Kelly Stocklin – Sammamish, WA
Home Port: WA
2012 Finish: 12th (690)
2012 Podium Finishes: 0

The Bucket List team, lead by long-time UL and GP racer Kelly Stocklin, ushered in an experimental T-53 turbine powered unlimited that weighed about a ton less then its T-55-packing counterparts. The 18 suffered teething issues as expected and achieved speeds that were not competive with the rest of the fleet. The team has not announced plans yet regarding their intentions for the 2013 season. Expect the boat to be a back marker unless more speed is developed.

HydroDan says: Preseason Rank – 13

A fantasy pass until the boat exhibits competitive speed.

Shane repeats in Doha!

Hello Race Fans! Yes, it was only a few weeks ago that the final race of 2012 season was run on Doha Bay, but ladies and gentlemen, the new 2013 season is about to take place! In the first of an eight-race card, the UIM World Championship Oryx Cup will again be at stake.

The top ten boats in the national points standings from last season remain in the Persian Gulf and are now being readied in the pits along Doha’s Corniche. However, the Ellstrom Racing hull sustained major damaged in the last stanza and last year’s U-1 bearer (the current U-96) appears to have been given “out-of-commission” status.

Make sure to lock your fantasy pick by Thursday night in the United States, because racing begins Friday in Doha. The final heat is set for next Tuesday (Arabia Standard Time).

HydroDan’s Three 2 Think About:

Race Format: Fantasy players should recall that because this is a UIM World Championship race, there will be an extra flight of heats (heats 1 through 4) broken up into A and B sections. Although it is early in the season, you may want to consider using one of your top bullets in order to collect maximum points.

Numbers Game: Nate Brown’s U-17 is renumbered the U-95, and the U-9 is still the U-9 but is running with Red Dot backing which has migrated from the U-17 team. Since the Oh Boy! Oberto hull won the National Points Championship in 2012, the Madison sled will race as U-1 in 2013. Accordingly, 2012’s U-1 (Ellstrom Racing / Spirit of Qatar) reverts to U-96. Per Deck2Deck rules, scoring is associated with current U-ID number only, and not team ownership, sponsorship, driver relationship, or any other affiliation.

Anyone’s Race: In four races on Doha Bay there have been four different winning drivers: In 2009 the U-7 with J. Michael Kelly at the wheel; 2010 the U-96 and Dave Villwock; in 2011 the U-7 with Scott Liddycoat; and in 2012 the U-5 and Jimmy Shane. This year will it be a Steven David year in the U-1, a Kip Brown year in the U-95, or perhaps a Jon Zimmerman year in the U-9? We will find out soon enough. Let’s go boat racing!