Oulton Broad Club Meeting: 30/04/09
Date added: 02/05/09
The 2009 club racing season got underway at Oulton Broad on a glorious sunny evening with a good crowd of spectators on the park front. The Area 31 Racing Team competed with the restored 1973 500cc Konig powered Cabover hull and experienced a mixed evening.
Being the first race of the season the Area 31 Racing team were not to sure how the classic 1973 500cc Konig was going to perform and for the first couple of laps it sounded a little croaky at times as it came past the park front at Oulton Broad down towards the Wherry turn. However as the race progressed the engine seemed to clear and driver David Jones was able to demonstrate what hydroplane racing is all about by prop riding the Cabover hull (see picture above) around the Oulton Broad circuit.
More impressively however was Keith McVaigh who competed with David during the 1980's. Keith was flying around Oulton Broad in his 500cc Konny powered classic hydroplane with electronic ignition putting in some impressive laps.
With the engine not on full song, the Area 31 Racing Team struggled to make up the handicap time to catch the slower Yamato powered hulls during the first heat and had to settle for a 5th place finish.
During the second hydroplane race of the evening the 1973 500cc Konig engine sounded much cleaner and David was moving through the field and catching Tracey McVaigh who was racing the 500cc Konny powered hydroplane. Unfortunately Tracey stopped at the famous Wherry turn and as David went round to overtake the engine died resulting in a DNF. Fearing the worst David was towed back to the pits but it appeared the classic Konig engine had managed to drink a whole tank of fuel during 5 laps and run out!
The third and final race of the night was the most enjoyable for Area 31 Racing Team as driver David Jones had a great battle against the 500cc Powered Hydrocat of Mark White. David was able to keep the classic 1973 500cc Konig in front of the modern Hydrocat right up until penultimate lap when Mark White was able to squeeze through with the Hydrocats tighter turning capabilities resulting in Area 31 Racing getting a third placed finish.
Overall a satisfying night of racing for the Area 31 Racing Team finishing fourth overall with Rob Hales in the Yamato powered hull taking overall first place followed by Wayne Turner in second place with the 125cc GRM powered Trombetta hull, and Mike Pacey taking third place in the another Yamato powered hull.
