Qatar Marine Sports Federation

• Jimmy Shane wins San Diego Bayfair with U-5.
• Villwock fastest in qualifying and Heats 1A and 3B.

SAN DIEGO (USA): U-1 Spirit of Qatar’s Dave Villwock finished second overall behind U-5’s Jimmy Shane in the San Diego Bayfair, round five of the 2012 Air National Guard H1 Hydroplane Series, in Mission Bay on Sunday.

The result, and the resultant disqualification of arch rival Steve David from the final for a fuel violation, means that Villwock heads to Qatar’s Oryx Cup World Championship, the final round of the championship in January 2013, trailing David by an unofficial 177 points in the National High Points title race.

Villwock’s Ellstrom Racing-built hydroplane runs with the backing of the Qatar Marine Sports Federation (QMSF) and president Sheikh Hassan bin Jabor Al-Thani.

Villwock got the weekend off to a perfect start by taking a maximum 100 points for pipping Steve David in Friday afternoon’s qualifying session. The U-1 driver posted an average speed of 162.118 mph to reduce David’s virtual National High Points lead to 177 points.

The draw pitched the QMSF-backed driver against Jimmy Shane, Greg Hopp, rookie Tommy Thompson and Mark Evans in Heat 1A and Villwock claimed a maximum 400 points by taking the chequered flag from Shane in U-5 Graham Trucking. David won his Heat 1B on Saturday afternoon from Scott Liddycoat to maintain his advantage of 177 points.

The ‘big two’ avoided each other in the draw for the second heats, which took place on Sunday afternoon. Villwock lined up with Thompson, Shane. Jon Zimmerman, Liddycoat and Evans. Villwock failed to finish the heat after losing a section of the engine turbine and victory fell to Shane from Zimmerman, with David taking the win in Heat 2B to extend his series lead to 577 points.

Heat 3B set up the first confrontation of the weekend between Villwock and David, following a win for Shane in 3A. Villwock timed his start better than David from lane two and took the lead into turn one, holding his advantage to the chequered flag to take 100 points off the Florida racer’s National High Points’ advantage.

Both drivers duly qualified for the final, with Shane also starting well in U-5 and running second behind David for much of the final. The U-6 driver looked set to claim the 400 points for the race win and extend his advantage over Villwock in the title race, but he was duly disqualified for a fuel violation. Shane was handed the win and Villwock snatched a vital 300 points for second place to set up a fascinating finale to the series in Doha in January 2013. Jon Zimmerman moved up to third place in the final after David’s disqualification.

Ends

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