This ought to be an interesting exercise as I have been ill and was not able to travel to Lake Alfred for the USTS first race of the year. But through emails and FB I have been able to get some good info and my thanks to Sue Sailer and all those who posted on FB.

I feel like the early baseball announcers who would set up a broadcast of games by using the UPI and AP teletype materialfrom onsite reporters who would teletype play by play out to different venues. One of those guys worked for WHO in Des Moines, Ia and called games just this way for the Chicago Cubs and White Sox, his name???? Ronald Reagan. So here goes, maybe I’ll throw a varoom, varoom in there somewhere.

It looks like 2017 picked right up where 2016 left off, with Tim Small having won the USTS season championship last year by just a scant 2-1/2 points over JJ Walls, finds himself with a win at Lake Alfred with that familiar Brinkman 88 entry in the second spot. Those guys will be chasing one another all year, with Paulie Bosnich, Rich and Mike Krier, along with Derek Gesler, and others in the mix. Should be an exciting class this year. Also it was great to see 114 on the water, driven by none other than Jason Sailer, who had been a way for a few years and great to see his name back in the mix for a podium finish.

250ccR Final Results
1 TIM SMALL
2 JAY WALLS, JR
3 JASON SAILER
4 RICHARD KRIER
5 DEREK GESLER

In 125 some old and new faces made the trip to Lake Alfred with Emily Hutchinson graduating from K-Pro to move into the 125H category and great to see the name Dominic Difebo joining back up with USTS after a bit of time out of a boat.

David Jones, with as I understand it brought a brand new boat to Lake Alfred and accomplished a win over a good field of 125’s. I remember last year at Pleasant Prairie in the 125 David ran last year, he was a bit late at the start, but caught the field in the first turn. As I was calling the charge to the corner, I saw David’s rig rise completely above the spray and thought, uh ho, here comes a HOLY BUCKETS, only to see him get it back down right side up and win the heat, quite a feat and quite a driver.

Ray Hammond, last years USTS Season Hi Point Champ finished in the second spot, with Dom not having lost his touch ends up on the podium as well. Brandon Mills, who just celebrated his birthday was also in the mix and if I have it right, Brad Dygert joined up with the hydro’s in 125 at Lake Alfred.

125ccH Final Results
1 DAVID JONES
2 RAYMOND HAMMOND
3 DOMINIC DIFEBO
4 BRADLEY DYGERT
5 BRANDON MILLS
6 EMILY HUTCHINSON
7 BOB CRONIN

Win and repeat, can we say that about one of the strongest drivers we have in USTS, yes we can. Last year’s Hi Point Champ, Amy Nydahl and winner of the Zak award in 2017, picks up her winning ways in that beautiful black and green Thirlby Automotive prepared Pugh Hydro for the win at Lake Alfred. David Hooten one tough competitor finished in the second spot with Jake Hoffert, continuing a string of podium finishes takes the bronze medal home. Fun to see Buttercup on the water again with David Mitchell behind the wheel.

Final Results – 1100ccH
1 AMY NYDAHL
2 DAVID HOOTEN
3 JAKE HOFFERT
4 DAVID MITCHELL

After 2 heats, KPRO:
1. Mackenzie Hellsten – 800 finished just 12-1/2 points behind Brianna Payn last year setting her sights on another Championship as she took the title in 2015 and now has two heats out front at Lake Alfred. So much fun and disappointment for me not to be at Cooper Thompson’s first race in boat racing and with the USTS. Such fun to think about a 5th generation driver now on the water, and can’t help but notice that F-14 on the nose of Coop’s boat, in honor of Uncle Nick. Brady Brinkman, son of Tom Brinkman continues to get stronger in his driving in each race and trails McKenzie in the 2nd spot.
2. Brady Brinkman – 600
3. Ethan Fox – 394
4. Cooper Thompson – 338
5. Serena Durr – 225 (new driver (16 years old) with USTS – flipped in second heat…)

Well last year Austin Van Over won the 700R Hi point Championships and this year after the first 500R run, he now leads here driving the Thirlby Automotive entry chased by one tough driver in Kurt Nydahl. Last year at PP, Kurtis and Tim Small were fighting through the last corner of a heat of 500, when they briefly touched and skyward went Kurtis, fortunately not injured and now back behind the wheel. Tim Small, the HI Point champ from last year finished out of the podium finishes for the 4th spot with the venerable Pete Voss takes home the 3rd spot, always the toughest competitor, fun to see that 3rd spot for him.

Final Results – 500ccR
1 AUSTIN VANOVER
2 KURTIS NYDAHL
3 PETE VOSS
4 TIM SMALL
5 RC HAWIE

Neil La Rose must love some of that home cooking as with his chief mechanic, Pop. Chick La Rose Neil finished out front of last year’s Hi Point Champion Kurt Nydahl, as he finished in the 3rd spot, just behind his sister Amy who took home the silver medal in 350H. Neil from just north of Tampa has always been fast and put together a great race here in Lake Alfred to take home the gold.

Final Results: 350cc Hydro
1 NEIL LAROSE
2 AMY NYDAHL
3 KURTIS NYDAHL
4 JP JEDWABNY
5 JAKE QUESSE

Good luck to all of our guys tomorrow as you finish up the first of the USTS races and we look forward to Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin on Memorial Day and then off to Lake Springfield, Illinois the weekend before the 4th of July.

Hopefully good weather for you all tomorrow and be safe.

Ray