As Friday’s gates opened for Test-n-Tune Mark Workentine in Jay Haroutunian’s “Whiskey River III” fueler was champing at the bit for a chance at the perfect racing conditions. As the tree came down Workentine stormed from the rope, but shortly after passing the tree the boat began dancing side to side, finally turning hard left and crashing violently. Workentine amazingly emerged unhurt, and Haroutunian vowed to rebuild the Fresno-based Top Fuel Hydro.
The race on Mission Bay is unlike any other as the IHBA straight liners share the bay with boat racers from several other organizations, and activity is basically non-stop all day long. The timing for the racers and the IHBA officials has to be spot on as the window of opportunity for undisturbed water is minimal.
The Top Fuel Hydros were on the rope and ready for Saturday mornings first qualifying session right on schedule, but a Cracker Box heat on the far side of the bay would prove to be a problem. Glen Wilson in Joe Cassidy’s “Toxic Rocket” led things off with a nice 5.009 at 225.04 mph while Rex Childers had problems in Eddie Knox’s “Problem Child.”
The number one and two boats in points were up next and John Haas in the “Speed Sport Special” ran a fire-balling 5.022 while Jarret Silvey in Dennis Gibson’s “Hot Licks” trailed with a 5.327.
The rollers from the other venue finally took their toll as Greg Tedesco’s “Loose Cannon” took on one too many and sank at the holding rope while waiting for his opponent to fix his malfunctioning boat. The strange events continued as the IHBA Rescue II boat sank while attempting to pull the “Cannon” from the bottom of the bay. While events continued on other venues the IHBA rescue team worked to remove Tedesco’s boat, and enlisted crewmembers and other onlookers to finally pull the Reno-based fueler onto its trailer.
(sequence by Ron Westfall)
Bob Noice and Del Fowler led an all-night thrash to get “Loose Cannon” ready for Sunday’s eliminations. The rescue boat was retrieved at day’s end, and Eddie Knox and the “Problem Child” crew worked overtime and had the rescue boat repaired and ready for eliminations.
After two wild days of action, everyone was hoping for a smooth finish, but that was not to be and the “unusual” again took over again.
Jarrett Silvey. (James Drew photo)
Jarrett Silvey stormed from the line in “Hot Licks” and appeared to be an easy winner over a troubled Chiders, but the win light was on in the “Problem Child’s” lane. After a short delay it was determined that “Hot Licks” jumped over a timer, but was the clear winner and would move on to meet “Toxic Rocket” in the semis.