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10/31
Eric Christensen GNH-35 in the Halloween mood. Carves a race pumpkin.
10/25
What a truly fun time in Morgan City. Everyone was so friendly
it was great just to be part of the event. The GP's did get out and run and the fans definitely wanted to see more of the
blower boats. Huey Newport’s gang, Mike Weber, Marty Wolfe and all of their team members and friends. What a great group
to race with. Patrick Hayworth was heard to say while white caps blew across the lake "Heck this is calm compared to what
we race in up in Canada...aye"
Saturday evening Greg and I attended the APBA Region 10
Banquet and meeting. Hopp Racing team received for a second year the Region 10 Grand Prix hi-point award. We had some impressive
blower boat races in Washington State with the fans on their feet cheering away.
10/18
The race has been official canceled because of wind. Small craft warnings until 8pm this evening. Thr Grand
Prix class is alive and well. We look foward to a great season next year. The top 4 boats qualifed within 2 seconds of each
other. We ran the fastest lap ever run here at Morgan City. 113.475mph
The problem is:
Saturday's qualifying heat pictures.
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| GP-10 Engine work |
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| Seafood Feed Sat night |
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| GP-10 MIKE WEBER BARELY LEGAL |
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| GP-77 BERT HENDERSON STEELER |
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| GP-15 GREG HOPP |
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The race is on a weather hold. The wind is out of the NNE at about 15mph. Another drivers meeting will be
held at noon CDT.
10/18
A better weather day today. Reduced forcast winds and sunny. Around 70 degrees. Racing will start early today.
Some pictures of the Amelia Belle Casino sponsor and the pits at Lake Palourde. The hospitality here is
great!!
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| Welcome sign |
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| Bruce Woods and office gang |
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| AMELIA BELLE CASINO |
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5pm
The round of qualifying is complete.
GP-15 113MPH
GP-77 110
GP-93 108
GP-777 107
GP-10 97
The course was still windy and the smaller classes didn't make it to the water. The Vintage boats were out
running, neat to see a couple of the Lauterbach 7 liters run. Looking for less wind tomorrow and the finals of the World Championships.
No more racing today. Hope we can get internet tomorrow. Racing to start at 10:00am CDT. See if I can post a couple of pictures
from today.
10/17 4:00pm
YAHOO!!!
We have internet at the race site.
The wind was blowing
about 15 MPH this morning. We finally put the GP's in the water for a test run. 3 boats went out for some and made some
laps. The GP-15 was the fastest at 110mph. The course here in Morgan City is a record 1 1/4 mile course.
There is no record for the GP's since the engine rules were revamped and the current 468 blown motors are now the approved
engine. The previous GP engine was an unrestricted 511 ci motor. All of the GP's records were set to zero. The only record
with the 468 motor is the kilo held by Greg Hopp in the Hopp Racing GP-15 at 155.182mph
10/16
Had a fun day "cruisin'" the town. Did a display in front of the Amelia Belle Casino. The Amellia Belle
is a huge operating river boat. Ed Trihey, our engine guy, wanted to see the engine room and blow the whistle. The boat is
4 stories high with the first two stories the casino and the third floor is the buffet room. GREAT FOOD!!!! Then we took the
boat to the pits and checked in.
10/15
A little clean up
and some sleep and a warm sunny day here in Morgan City, LA. Took the boat to the pits where we met up with Huey Newport and his GP-777 The Crush. The local TV station interviewed both Huey and I for broadcast on the Friday 6 o'clock news. A ton of excitement here in town. See pictures. Both boats were also on display at MAMA G's sports bar. Free drinks and snacks, great crab cakes.
We also picked up
a couple more co-sponsors. Dennis Johnson from Warning Power/Trafficade helped
us get the boat to Morgan City and we made contact with a casino here in Morgan City/Amelia area. The name of the
GP-15's casino sponsor is: AMELIA BELLE CASINO. Give it a "Spin".
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| THE GP-777 & GP-15 |
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| KICK OFF PARTY |
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| MAMA G's |
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| MAMA G's & HUEY |
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11/14
Got to Morgan City this evening after a 2 1/2 day straight through drive. Snow in Wyoming and fog and rain
in Colorado. Doing some displays and a TV interview tomorrow.
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| SNOW WYOMING |
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| 30 DEGREES SNOQUALMIE PASS |
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We will be updating the Grand Prix racing results during the weekend.
Jerry
10-12
We had a successful Grand Prix World Championship
send-off party at the New Red Lotus in Snohomish. We started with a 2 our display at one of our favorite Snohomish places.
Chuck's Seafood Grotto. Chuck's daughter Lizzy was the first of many to sign the bottom of the race boat. Before
the night was over we would have dozens of local well wishes signatures and messages adorning the bottom side of the "Yellow
Rocket". At 6pm we set the boat in front of another of our favorite Snohomish place's, the aforementioned New Red
Lotus .already had a crowd assembled. Howard Chin laid out the welcome mat as the crew and locals got together for a
party in the bar. The Emery Zone donated their time and talent (Thank you). Our group of Local supporters helped
raise almost $600 toward the trip to Morgan City Louisiana, and the GP World's. At 9:05 Greg and Jerry went "Live" on the
popular KRKO 1380 radio show North Sound Racing. Host Steve Mortland and the
guys had a great time talking everything from the World's Record set by Greg in Evansville, to the upcoming chase for the
World Championship of Grand Prix Hydro. The party ended at 10pm, but we stayed until 11. It was to much fun. We felt the love from our Snohomish neighbors.
The "Pride of Snohomish" leaves for Louisiana at 11 am. It's a 60 hour
drive….WOW!! Pictured below is Greg having some laugh with supporters at
the Red Lotus. New Red Lotus owner Howard Chin signs the bottom of the boat. The "Pride of Snohomish" in front of Chuck's Seafood Grotto.
THANKS SNOHOMISH!!!!
| 10-5 Morgan City GP Worlds Fund Raiser |
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Well the final heat is in the history books. Greg was right on the start and led going into the
first turn in lane 2. Echols was in one, Mallow and Evans were on the outside. Greg led coming off the first turn by 3 boat
lengths, then over a roostertail going into turn one again. Loosing oil pressure Greg had to shut the engine down, saving
it from severe rod toss syndrome. Evans went on to win Sunday's final with Mallow a very close second. What a great weekend,
the beach was jamb packed with fans, the race sponsors were happy and the racing unbeatable. Lake Chelan is already making plans
for a bigger and better show next year. GP Nationals again maybe?
A special thanks to the Lake Chelan Winery for sponsoring the prize money for the Grand Prix's and the
wonderful dinner and live band Saturday evening for the teams.
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Final Sunday |
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1 |
GP-12 |
Mark Evans |
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2 |
GP-19 |
Ryan Mallow |
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3 |
GP-17 |
Dustin Echols |
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4 |
GP-329 |
Dave Warren |
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DNF |
GP-15 |
Greg Hopp |
The boats are now going in the water for the Lake Chelan Grand Prix Final. The water is good, wind light.
The first
heat of Sunday racing is now complete. Ryan Mallow nailed the start in the GP-19 and lead the whole way. Evans in the GP-12
got pinched going down to the start. Marked worked his way to 2nd place. GP-17 3rd. Grandpa Hopp drove
the GP-15 to 4th place, Jerry was heard to say after the heat “My brain hurts”. Dave Warren running
very well came in 5th.
GP-19 Interstate
Batteries
GP-12 Power
Punch
GP-17 Ted’s
Red Apple
GP-15 Graham
Trucking-Happy Go Lucky-PumpTech
GP-329 Power
Punch
Finally back on line. Greg let a wire to wire very close at the finish line to edge out Mark Evans in the
GP-12. Greg won the Saturday Final.
Results
GP-15 Greg Hopp
GP-12 Mark Evans
GP-17 Dustin Echols
GP-329 Dave Warren
GP-19 Ryan Mallow DNS throttle cable
9/27
Sunday morning. Nice day today and the wind has died down. It was decided at the drivers meeting to run
Saturdays final heats today. So the 5L are running right now and the GP's are up for the final. The GP's will be going in
the water shortly.
9/26
Final results for Saturday. The first round of racing for all classes was completed before
the wind came up. Saturday was called a complete race.
Greg had lane one at the start. All 5 boat ran into the first turn together. GP-19 Ryan Mallow, GP-329 Dave
Warren and Dustin Echols GP-17 were a bit early and jumped the gun. Mark Evans made a good start on the outside. At the end
of lap one it was Greg and Mark side by side. At the end of the race Greg edged out Evans by 3 boat lengths. What a race.
| RESULTS |
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FINAL SAT |
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| 1 |
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GP-15 |
Greg Hopp |
| 2 |
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GP-12 |
Mark Evans |
| 3 |
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GP-17 |
Dustin Echols |
| 4 |
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GP-329 |
Dave Warren |
| DNF |
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GP-19 |
Ryan Mallow |
9/26
Saturday pictures. Racing has started and the GP's are headed to the water.
9/26
Picture of the PumpTech truck with the GP-15 hooked behind it. Tommy pulled er over to Chelan for us and
will be launching the GP's and other APBA classes.
9/26
Tom Long (Tommy PumpTech) will be pulling our GP-15 over to the Chelan race today. Wait until you see this
picture. Looks like there will be 5 GP's at the race. GP-12 Schellhase, GP-15 Hopp Racing, GP-17 Bridgeman's, GP-19 Eckenberg
and GP-329 Warren. Will be posting results and pictures this weekend.
9/25
Couple more club members.
9/21
Bridgeman's GP-17 proudly displays the latest boat racing club LOGO, Grand Prix West. A club formed by Dave
Warren and the Bridgeman's to promote blower boat racing.
9/21
Evans and Phipps big winners in the Bayfair race here at San Diego. It was an exciting Start for the final
heat of the Unlimited Lights with Perkins, Becker and Evans all nailing the start. Evans forced to start on the out side because
of the blower boat rule held on to win at the finish line. In the G final Echols and Wolfe were at the far end of the course
fighting for lane one. In the mean time Cal Phipps saw this going on, made a quick loop in the infield and and grabbed lane
one supprising both Echols and Wolfe. Phipps lead everyone into the first turn and crossed the finish line in first. Marty
was second and Dustin 3rd.
9/19
More pictures.
9/17
Pictures from the San Diego pits Thursday afternoon
9/7
The first annual Terry Troxell Memorial Regatta was held Pateros, WA Aug 29 & 30. Julie Sparrowgrove
produced this very cool poster of the Troxell clan.
9/5 THE RECORD RUN
Here are some pictures of Greg's record run
at Evansville on the Unlimited 2 mile course, including a Certificate of Achievement from the American Boat Racing Association.
It was a scary time going where no GP has gone before. An amazing 132.846 MPH. We definitely had more motor than boat at those
straight away speeds. As you can see "To the victor goes the Hooters"
9/3
A couple of GP pictures from Evansville taken by Mike Flaherty. One is the start of the second heat and
a couple of pictures of the deck to deck dual between Cal Phipps in the GP-10 and Greg Hopp in the GP-15. They were running
120 MPH lap speeds.
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RECORD |
DRIVER |
SPEED |
AVERAGE |
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UL-1 |
APBA/ULHRA |
GREG HOPP |
151.042 |
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147.790 |
149.396 |
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G-15 |
APBA/ULHRA |
JERRY HOPP |
151.451 |
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141.132 |
146.292 |
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GP-15 |
APBA |
GREG HOPP |
153.530 |
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135.739 |
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155.559 |
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154.805 |
155.182 |
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