Bonney Lake’s Kelly takes Oryx Cup battle; Covington’s Shane captures series title

For the Reporter

Bonney Lake’s J. Michael Kelly and the U-1 Graham Trucking captured the Oryx Cup UIM World Championship on Saturday afternoon in Doha, Qatar, the final championship heat of the H1 unlimited hydroplane racing season.

It was Kelly’s fourth podium finish this season. This time, he shared the honor of the day with U-6 Oberto Beef Jerky driver Jimmy Shane of Covington, who placed second in the heat but reclaimed the series’ National High Point championship for the Oberto team.

Though he shared the podium, it was Kelly who pulled off the move of the day. With a low-setting Arabian sun blinding the drivers in turn one, Kelly cut the corner prior to the one-minute mark to take the inside lane away from Shane in the championship final.

“The move worked out,” Kelly said. “The Oberto had a little bit more speed than we had, and that move allowed us to come away with a huge win.”

After a great start by the entire field, Shane was the first driver into the first turn. He powered his way to the front of the pack down the backstretch.

“I thought I had him. We went into the first turn, and I was about four lengths ahead,” Shane said. “I was able to hold him off for about two laps. Once he got next to me on the inside; the water got so rough I couldn’t hold him off and I just settled back.”

“We were running pretty close,” Kelly said. “There were times when we were only a few feet apart down the straight away, but that is boat racing, and you can never give the other too much room. That’s how you have to race.”

Even with a second-place finish, Shane had a big smile on his face.

“Our main goals coming in here were to keep the equipment together and win the National High Point championship,” Shane said. “If we would have won the world championship, it would have been icing on the cake, but we are bringing the boat home in one piece and we have the championship.”

Shane had won the last two races in Doha for Ted Porter’s Graham Trucking team and made the jump this season to the Oberto after veteran driver Steve David retired from racing. This time, it was Kelly who gave  the Porter race team its fifth victory in six races here since the unlimited boats first raced in Qatar in 2009.

And for Kelly, it was his second win in Qatar. He won the inaugural race.

Shane and the U-6 Oberto seemed to be the boat to beat. The team led all qualifiers, but it was Kelly and the U-1 Graham Trucking that captured all five heats in two days of racing.

Kelly knew the Oryx Cup was the lone goal when Shane’s wire-to-wire win in heat 4A guaranteed the Oberto team the championship. In that heat, U-9 Team RedDOT presented by Les Schwab with Maple Valley’s Jon Zimmerman had lane one at the start. Shane, in lane two, cruised past Zimmerman coming out of turn one, keeping his lane and winning the heat easily.

Zimmerman also made the finals and placed third. The U-7 Graham Trucking II with Cal Phipps, the U-11 Peters & May with Tom Thompson and the U-22 Performance Tools driven by Mike Webster rounded out the field.

U-96 Qatar driver Jean Theoret returned to racing unlimited hydroplanes for the first time since 2009 and instantly made an impact on the fleet. He won his first elimination on Friday and seemed to be ready for another win in 3B. He was dominating the heat when his steering shaft broke.

The day did not get any better for Theoret. He did place second in heat 4B to make the finals, but his turbine engine ingested salt water before the start of the final heat, keeping him on the sideline.

Kelly averaged 130.39 mph to win the five-lap final while Shane averaged 126.006 to place second.

FINAL HEAT RESULT

1. U-1 Graham Trucking J. Michael Kelly, 130.039 mph

2. U-6 Oberto, Jimmy Shane, 126.006

3. U-9 Team RedDOT, Jon Zimmerman, 120.241

4. U-7 Graham Trucking II, Cal Phipps, 116.179

5. U-11 Peters & May, Tom Thompson, 113.672

6. U-22 Performance Too, l, Mike Webster, 109.654

7. U-96 Spirit of Qatar, Jean Theoret, DNS