MONTGOMERY
MARKETING
AND COMMUNICATIONS
| Hydro-Prop Release |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Steve Montgomery
206-618-8382
Steve@Montgomerymarketing.com
Steve Montgomery
206-618-8382
Steve@Montgomerymarketing.com
Hydroplane Veterans and Rookies In Strong Field
for Chevrolet Cup at Seafair
SEATTLE, WA (July 29, 2004) 2004 Gold Cup winner Nate Brown, National High Points leader Steve David,
and defending Seafair and National High Points champion Dave Villwock will head a strong contingent of at least
10 Unlimited Hydroplane drivers and teams vying for the 2004 Chevrolet Cup at Seafair on Seattle’s Lake
Washington, August 6-8.
Strong finishes in the first two events of the 2004 Budweiser Hydroplane Series in Madison, Indiana and Detroit,
Michigan, site of the APBA Gold Cup July 16-18, have given David, of Lighthouse Point, Florida, driver of the U-
6 O Boy! Oberto, a scant three point lead in O’Doul’s National High Points over Villwock, who easily won the
2003 driver’s high point championship.
Brown, of Preston, Washington, won the Chrysler Jeep Superstores Detroit APBA Gold Cup on Sunday, July
18th, while subbing for injured driver Mike Weber of Dawsonville, Georgia in the U-10 Miss DYC. Weber
will continue recovering from back injuries suffered at Madison, and Brown will again pilot the U-10, racing as
Miss EMCOR/York Heating and Air in Seattle.
Three boats with damage sustained in previous races will be repaired in time for Seattle. Erick Ellstrom, owner
and crew chief of the U-16 Miss Elam Plus, reports damage his boat suffered at the Gold Cup will be repaired
well in advance of the Seattle race and expects the bright orange hydro to be 100% for driver Terry Troxell of
Gig Harbor, Washington. Bill Wurster’s U-8 Llumar Window Film needs extensive repairs following an event
July 25 in the Tri-Cities, Washington, but will be ready for driver JW Myers on time, and Ken Muscatel’s U-25
will be ready to race for Seattle sponsors Silver Dollar Casinos and KISW.
Tom D’Eath, newly appointed chief operating officer of Hydro-Prop, sanctioning body of the event along with
the American Powerboat Association, said, “This is a very strong, exciting field, even better than we had for the
Gold Cup in Detroit. This is a race with tremendous tradition, great sponsors, huge crowds, and it’s a chance
for us to work with the management of Seafair, who are among the best in the world at staging events of this
size. Seafair is always a great event, and we are very proud to be joining the Unlimited Lights and the Vintage
boats in what will be a great show on Lake Washington.”
D’Eath also announced that the format for the Chevrolet Cup at Seafair will feature blind draws for all heats,
clock starts, and no assigned lanes. This means boats will be randomly grouped, with drivers “fighting for lanes”
at the start of each heat of racing.
Brown’s reaction to that news was, “Sweet! Real boat racing all day! This puts a little more pressure on the
driver, but it’s the way we all came up through the ranks of boat racing. The drivers prefer it, and the race
before the race adds a tremendous element of excitement for the fans.”
for Chevrolet Cup at Seafair
SEATTLE, WA (July 29, 2004) 2004 Gold Cup winner Nate Brown, National High Points leader Steve David,
and defending Seafair and National High Points champion Dave Villwock will head a strong contingent of at least
10 Unlimited Hydroplane drivers and teams vying for the 2004 Chevrolet Cup at Seafair on Seattle’s Lake
Washington, August 6-8.
Strong finishes in the first two events of the 2004 Budweiser Hydroplane Series in Madison, Indiana and Detroit,
Michigan, site of the APBA Gold Cup July 16-18, have given David, of Lighthouse Point, Florida, driver of the U-
6 O Boy! Oberto, a scant three point lead in O’Doul’s National High Points over Villwock, who easily won the
2003 driver’s high point championship.
Brown, of Preston, Washington, won the Chrysler Jeep Superstores Detroit APBA Gold Cup on Sunday, July
18th, while subbing for injured driver Mike Weber of Dawsonville, Georgia in the U-10 Miss DYC. Weber
will continue recovering from back injuries suffered at Madison, and Brown will again pilot the U-10, racing as
Miss EMCOR/York Heating and Air in Seattle.
Three boats with damage sustained in previous races will be repaired in time for Seattle. Erick Ellstrom, owner
and crew chief of the U-16 Miss Elam Plus, reports damage his boat suffered at the Gold Cup will be repaired
well in advance of the Seattle race and expects the bright orange hydro to be 100% for driver Terry Troxell of
Gig Harbor, Washington. Bill Wurster’s U-8 Llumar Window Film needs extensive repairs following an event
July 25 in the Tri-Cities, Washington, but will be ready for driver JW Myers on time, and Ken Muscatel’s U-25
will be ready to race for Seattle sponsors Silver Dollar Casinos and KISW.
Tom D’Eath, newly appointed chief operating officer of Hydro-Prop, sanctioning body of the event along with
the American Powerboat Association, said, “This is a very strong, exciting field, even better than we had for the
Gold Cup in Detroit. This is a race with tremendous tradition, great sponsors, huge crowds, and it’s a chance
for us to work with the management of Seafair, who are among the best in the world at staging events of this
size. Seafair is always a great event, and we are very proud to be joining the Unlimited Lights and the Vintage
boats in what will be a great show on Lake Washington.”
D’Eath also announced that the format for the Chevrolet Cup at Seafair will feature blind draws for all heats,
clock starts, and no assigned lanes. This means boats will be randomly grouped, with drivers “fighting for lanes”
at the start of each heat of racing.
Brown’s reaction to that news was, “Sweet! Real boat racing all day! This puts a little more pressure on the
driver, but it’s the way we all came up through the ranks of boat racing. The drivers prefer it, and the race
before the race adds a tremendous element of excitement for the fans.”