Two more weeks until we hear those famous words. For most of us, Long Sault will be a tune-up for our summer racing schedule. For some, a lot of important questions will be answered there. Tom Pakradooni’s new boat, now that it’s some 200/300 pounds lighter will it be the boat to beat? Will Daniel and Ghislain get their motor problems straightened out from last year? This will be another top runner when they do. How about Patrick with his new sponsons? As far as George and Brandon’s rebuilt ride we now know it’s a rocket ship after performing out of sight in Stuart last month. On Sunday afternoon they put on a special GP heat to end the weekend of racing. Brandon took the inside lane, Joe Sovie the middle, and Bert the outside lane. Brandon on the inside lane dialed a start and held off Bert to the checkered flag. The fans went wild! Said it handled great in the corners and was only turning the motor 6800 RPM on the straights. As I stated in my last newsletter, look for this team to win some races this summer.

The GP-77 Coppertone (ex GP-88) just got wrapped this past week now on to Jeff’s in Ogdensburg to finish it up for the race season. I’ve been talking to the GP West teams and they’ve got one tune-up race in Soap Lake before they come east to Valleyfield to take on our ACHA teams  Talk about a shootout, this will be one race event our fans won’t want to miss!! Oh by the way, the GP WEST teams have some really cool “Shootout” T-shirts that will be on sale in Valleyfield.

Its official, the weekend after Valleyfield there will be a APBA GP race at the “QUAKE ON THE LAKE” in Waterford, Michigan. It will be a mile course approved for records and both our GP West teams and some of our ACHA teams will be running for the record ! So far there’s seven teams that want to go.

Below is my annual GP “Who’s going to win our GP Championship” survey. I’ve contacted over 30 owners, drivers crew members and a few race fans to get their input. Don’t forget the teams couldn’t vote for their own driver either. Again thanks for all our race fans support and we’ll see you in Long Sault,

Huey

2013 GP SURVEY WINNERS PREDICTIONS!!!

Here’s your 2013 survey predictions-Remember all team members cannot vote for themselves.

George Kennedy GP-25        1-Bert Henderson       2-Tom Pakradooni     3-Ghislain Marcoux

Huey Newport GP-777        1-Ghislain Marcoux   2-Pat Haworth              3-Tom Pakradooni

Patrick Haworth GP-57        1-Bert Henderson       2-Marty Wolfe             3-Tom Pakradooni

Scott Kropfeld Race Fan      1-Ghislain Marcoux   2-Bert Henderson       3-Tom Pakradooni

Mike Grendell GP-79             1-Bert Henderson       2-Marty Wolfe             3-Pat Haworth

Marty Wolfe GP-93                 1-Marc Theoret           2-Bert Henderson       3-Pat Haworth

Bert Henderson GP-777      1-Marc Theoret           2-Pat Haworth              3-Ghislain Marcoux

Marc Theoret GP-444           1-Bert Henderson       2-Ghislain Marcoux   3-Pat Haworth

Jeff Richards GP-777           1-Pat Haworth              2-Tom Pakradooni     3-Brandon Kennedy

Mike Endres GP-777             1-Pat Haworth             2-Tom Pakradooni     3-Marc Theoret

Mike Gebline GP-777            1-Tom Pakradooni    2-Marc Theoret           3-Pat Haworth

AL Grabinski GP-88               1-Bert Henderson      2-Marc Theoret           3-Pat Haworth

B.J. Maduri GP-50                 1-Marc Theoret           2-Pat Haworth             3-Brandon Kennedy

Marc Perrier Race Fan         1-Tom Pakradooni     2-Marc Theoret           3-Ghislain Marcoux

Paul Davidson Race Fan      1-Bert Henderson      2-Marc Theoret           3-Pat Haworth

Martin Rochon GP-77          1-Bert Henderson      2-Marc Theoret           3-Tom Pakradooni

J.F. Rheaume GP-77             1-Bert Henderson      2-Ghislain Marcoux   3-Pat Haworth

Bobby Bergevin GP-101       1-Bert Henderson      2-Tom Pakradooni     3-Marc Theoret

J.P. Poulin Race Fan             1-Bert Henderson       2-Ghislain Marcoux   3-Marc Theoret

Denis Bourbonnais Race Fan  1-Pat Haworth        2-Martin Rochon        3-Ghislain Marcoux

Using numbers; 3 points for 1^st, 2 points for 2^nd, and 1 point for 3^rd the final standings are:
Bert Henderson 40 points, Marc Theoret 23 points and for third 19 points for Pat Haworth and 19 points for Tom Pakradooni.

Wow! What a week at the “Stuart Sailfish Regatta”.  The weather started off sunny and warm but Saturday got a little too windy to race although we did get a couple of hours in the morning testing which everyone really needed ! All weekend the crowd cheered all our classes on with some good side by side racing. Everything turned out as expected except boat count.

Boat attendance, where should I start? It’s really a sad day for boat racing when “NO” APBA Inboard Hydroplanes show up to support their class this past weekend in Stuart. What’s even worse they tell me there’s a 2.5 stock ready to race less than 50 miles away and get this, a 5 liter stock less than 15 minutes from the race course. Why these guys won’t support their class and local APBA race event is way beyond me. It’s a sad day for APBA inboard racing when the local club has to invite boats all the way down from the ACHA club in Canada to support a APBA race to fill the field.

Thank god for our Canadian friends from ACHA who put on a great show for the local race fans!  I’d be willing to bet this event will probably turn into a ACHA sponsored race and in two to three years will be the biggest race event in the States and second in size only to Valleyfield and you can take that to the bank. To all you local APBA Inboarders, if we have to bring in out of state boats, so be it. Have fun planting flowers in your boats because all the rest of us will be “racing” and supporting your local club!!!!  Talk about that local club, they were great. The Stuart committee made all our crews feel right at home. Everyone got treated to a week of fun in the sun (Temp 80 degrees) and parties every night with a boat race thrown in for good measure. . I swear my “Steeler” bunch drank over 150 gallons of beer during the week.

As far as the GP races went, everyone got to test and work the bugs out of their boats. Brandon and George really surprised all of the GP crews with their completely redesigned GP boat. With their new sponsons and their new gearbox added ( They were running direct drive) It was a rocket ship that turns  as good as the “Steeler” believe  me, this boat will wins some races this summer. Marty had the right sponson delaminate so he was sidelined for the final. Ken Brodie had some engine problems and he too sat out the final. Bert in his “Steeler” won the final and also was awarded the “Best Performance” of the weekend. Brandon finished a close second with Joe Sovie finishing third. The rest of our GP boy’s better start working on their boats back home cause this GP bunch in Stuart is ready to get it on in Long Sault!

You don’t want to miss my next newsletter. I’ll be showing my annual owners and drivers survey on who’s going to win our 2013 GP ACHA high point championship. Tell then, take care, and see you in Long Sault.

Huey

Get them while they last!!!! GP West/ACHA Valleyfield Event Apparel…

In the next few days order will be shipped!!!!!! GP Hydroplane fans get your T-shirt, Hoodie or Womens Tank!!..

(Shirts $25 shipping included , Hoodies $45 including shipping….add $5.00 for Canadian orders)…

Check the store at www.gpwracing.com !

About this time every year everyone’s thrashing to get their boats ready for the season and this year is no different!  George Kennedy will be picking up his boat from Bert’s this week and Tom Pakradooni will be picking up his brand new Bergeron GP next week. Jamie Auld is close to finishing up Tom’s old GP for Huey, JF,  Martin and the French Connection Coppertone team. Mike Endres and the Steeler crew are installing a new engine and rudder in their GP getting ready to go to Stuart for the 20th and 21st race. Ken Brodie Jr’s crew will also be putting in a new motor in his GP. Ken also will be traveling south to Stuart to test, race, and take in that beautiful Florida sunshine. So far there will be six GP boats going to Stuart and with Mike Grendell’s announcement about catered food and ”FREE” booze party on Saturday night; they might just get a few more race boats of all sorts to show up. The Stuart Sailfish Regatta Committee has really gone out of their way this year to put on a great event.

From the rumor mill comes several items. First of all we hear Pierre Maheu might be driving one of two GP boats. He’d better get over and take his dunk test though!  Another hot rumor has a certain GP team buying a new supercharged engine from a well known Texas engine builder. In drag racing circles this shop builds some wild Pro Mod engines I hear! The GP-10 Charger is on again, off again as to whether they’re coming back East to race on the ACHA circuit. I guess we’ll just have to wait until Long Sault to see if Jesse and his team show up. Dean Rojas has told several people that he will be in Long Sault, so, there you have it.

In my next Newsletter I will post my yearly survey I’ve taken from most of our owners, drivers, and a few race fans as to who they think will win our ACHA GP Championship. You won’t want to miss this one. Yes, there are a couple of surprises here.

Well, one more week and we all will be heading to good old sunny south Florida. Hope a lot of you reading this can join us.

Take care,

Huey

Here is the new paint job of the GP-93 Renegade. The team confirmed their first race will be Lakeland, Florida in April.