Oulton Broad Club Meeting: 04/05/09
Date added: 08/05/09
The Area 31 Racing Team turned back the clocks taking joint first place in the hydroplane class on a breezy bank holiday Monday at Oulton Broad. With a first, second and third place finish in the three heats, driver David Jones tied on points with fellow classic hydroplane driver Tracey McVaigh.
Once again Area 31 Racing Team competed with the restored 1973 500cc Konig powered Cabover hull and the first race saw the outfit perform well. Keith McVaigh was putting in quick laps with his new 500cc Konny motor and mid way through the first heat passed David in the Area 31 Racing classic outfit at the Wherry turn. It was a great sight to see both classic hydroplanes racing up the back straight towards the top turn bringing memories back of yesteryear for the older spectators.
As the final lap started all the drivers were on the same straight coming down to the first turn. Looking like Keith McVaigh would take the victory his engine suddenly slowed allowing the scratch 500cc GRM powered hydrocat of Matthew Lockwood to power through up the back straight and take the heat one win with Tracey McVaigh just staying ahead of David who brought the restored outfit back in third place.
The second race saw the Area 31 Racing Team take their first victory of the season. With the 1973 500cc Konig engine sounding better all the time driver David Jones powered through the field with Keith McVaigh in hot pursuit in the 500cc Konny powered classic hydroplane. With Tracey McVaigh starting late and Wayne Turner docked a lap for starting early in the 125cc GRM powered Trombetta hull, it was David who just held of the challenge of Keith McVaigh to bring the restored Konig powered Cabover hull home in first place.
The third and final race turned out to be a survival of the fittest as boats dropped out lap by lap with engine problems. David brought the Classic Konig powered Cabover outfit home in second place just behind Tracey McVaigh who took the race win to tie overall with David with a total of 925 points each. Third place overall went to Keith McVaigh with 427 points.
