Dumb & Dumber Off Track
	Photo By RAP :: Race Action Photography

The IHBA Thunder Boat Regatta, could not have had a better opening day. The weather was great, drivers made test and tune passes and appeared back at launch within a heartbeat of reaching the out ramp.

The highlight of todays test and tune, was a race contestant heading the wrong way down the IHBA Lucas Oil track. The pair not only caused a delay due to creating excessive rollers, they barely avoided the line up at the ropes. Finally realizing they were going the wrong way down the wrong track the driver made a hard left and avoided a near collision course with the starting line holding rope. Race Rescue chased them off the track. The harbor patrol pulled the culprits over. The identity of the driver and passenger are unknown so I will simply refer to them as Dumb and Dumber. "The only way those guys are going to be able to race here (San Diego Thunderboat Regatta) is if they personally apologix=ze to each and every driver on the holding ropes", Charlie Fegan announced at his drivers meeting. Kudos to Charlie, had those guys ran through the holding rope there was a risk some of the drivers would have been decapitated by the rope they were holding.

Jerry Kutz, is back in the pits, after taking a year off from racing. He doesn't plan to race this weekend but he is contemplating a proposed driving contract.
"If someone had approached me six months ago I would have said no without any hesitation. Now I am ready to get back in the drivers seat". If you need a driver, I am sure you know Jerry Kutz is a former 2004 TFH World Champion and is a press magnet.

Scott Thompson, a PM driver, made an outstanding TFH license pass at 5.99 ET. Scott has raced for years however rumor was he hasn't been a serious competitor since the mid 90's and was expected to be a little rusty considering he wasn't consistantly drivng over the years. The rookie TFH may indeed steal the show this weekend racing Problem Child, however trying to acheive and exceed Dale Ishimaru's performance will be a tough nut to crack for any seasoned TFH pilot, never mind a newly licensed driver. Dale Ishimaru, current TFH World Champion, retired earlier this season after a near fatal crash at Red Bluff.

While Scott Thompson leaves the PM class behind him, the vacancy is shortlived and being filled by another licensee. Dennis Frome debuted in a license 1/2 pass in PM High Maintenance.

Bill Rathke ran perfect passes and fantastic back to back reaction times in his PE 5150, Still Crazy. Bill is selling his entire operation, trailer and boat for 37,000. He started out lower but racers keep telling him that is too cheap. The price increased 3 times since Bill made the signage and we expect it to go up again because according to the racers, he still has his turn key race business underpriced. The boat is flawless and has made Bill a Multi-World Champion, and numerous other coveted titles. What Bill really needs is to get a sponsor and for 15-18k it could be you that gets advertised at every race, every awards presentation for the rest of 2007 and the entire 2008 season.