There's a new hydroplane driver in the King family.

Bobby King, teenage son of Go3 Racing Team driver Jimmy King, made his debut as a hydroplane driver this past weekend in Thunder on the Niagara at Tonawanda, NY. Bobby competed in his first race ever as a driver with his newly built  2.5 liter stock hydro, the S-242 Crush. This is a family project, with Jimmy, Bobby and Jeffrey, and friends bringing Crush to life.

As a new driver, he was placed on restriction for the race. In the consolation race, Bobby started on the outside in 11th place, 5 seconds behind the field. Charging to the front like his Dad, Bobby placed 4th in his first race. Not a bad start and finish in his first official race as a hydroplane driver!

Even Jimmy King got into the action at Thunder. He filled in Sunday driving for an injured Marty Wolfe in his old Grand Prix  boat,  the GP 93 Renegade. Wolfe had an accident in a Saturday heat race and asked Jimmy to take his former seat for  the afternoon. It was short lived though. Jimmy finish 4th in his only race, but the boat sustained damage to both sponsons and was withdrawn for the day.

Congratulations Bobby from the Go3 Racing family!

Images from Tami King and Denise Rausch

Unlimited hydroplane racing will apparently return to Mission Bay in San Diego this September.

Multiple sources within the sport have told Go3Racing.com that the event "is on". The teams were first told to be prepared for another race to be added to the schedule this season while competing at this years Albert Lee Cup in Seattle. Several of the teams based on the east coast left their boats and equipment in Seattle, rather than driving back and then making the return trip to San Diego.

The Air National Guard and Boeing have been mentioned as possible race sponsors for Bayfair.

Expect an official announcement next week, possibly as early as Tuesday.

The H1 Unlimited tour last raced in San Diego in 2008, having missed last year because of financial problems for Bayfair. The San Diego Bayfair is scheduled this year for September 17-19.

San Diego would be the 5th race on the H1 Unlimited tour in 2010. The fleet is expected to leave south Florida the following weekend on board a freighter bound for Doha, Qatar. The 6th and final race of the season will feature the UIM World Championship race in Doha (November 19-21). This will be the second straight year the teams will have competed overseas for the World Championship title.

Stay with Go3Racing.com for complete details of the return of the Unlimiteds to San Diego.

"It's more than money, People all over the world are watching us now. That's what this sport has been lacking for a long time."  --H1 Chairman Sam Cole

In an Evansville Courier Press story on Sunday, apparently a date for a new race in China has been set. H1 Unlimited Chairman Sam Cole was quoted for a story about Evansville's Thunder on the Ohio. The story ended with the overseas portion of the H1 tour. No other details were released, but here is the last few paragraphs of the article:

On the other hand, it should be noted that while Evansville followed San Diego as another U.S. site to leave the circuit, H1 will hold the UIM World Championship in Doha, Qatar, Nov. 19-21. A deal is in place to race in China on Feb. 3, 2011.

"It's more than money," Cole said. "People all over the world are watching us now. That's what this sport has been lacking for a long time."

So, it looks like the H1 Unlimited fleet will be visiting their second overseas race at the beginning of next year. Hopefully more specific details will emerge in the next few months.

See entire story posted below, "With thunder quiet, blame game begins."