Champion Spark Plug kicks off 2024 season under sunny skies

The 2024 ERCU Pentair Championship Series got off to a bit of a slow start due to fog in Elma, but once the day got underway, the racing was fast.

Before racing even started, Mike McIntosh debuted to brand new boats — the 2023 Beacon Plumbing U-9 and the 1989 Winston Eagle Lobster. Unfortunately, both boats had ESC issues and were unable to race.

Once racing got started, contest directors Jerry & Paul Dunlap kept things going and the weather turned beautiful. There were even short sleeves seen throughout the pits on the second-to-last day of March.

Some of last year’s top boats were back and were still really fast. There were other new boats as well, and some of the old favorites that we’ve seen for several years. We also even had a new member drive all the way from Southern California to Elma in order to race with us. It was nice meeting Mike Dunn — an RC car racing veteran making his first foray into model boat racing. He’ll be back at future races during the 2024 season.

When all of the roostertails settled back into the west pond at Vance Creek Park, the top finishers in the 24-boat turnout represented the club well.

Paxton Reunanen with the 2019 Graham Trucking American Dream and Nelson Holmberg with the 2023 Bucket List Racing Team went at each other all day with the two 1/10 modern boats that were clearly fastest on the day. With the exception of two heats that the Bucket List didn’t finish (including the final), either Paxton or Nelson won and the other was second. In the end, it was the Graham Trucking American Dream that ran away with the Champion Spark Plug Regatta championship for 2024. David Heilbrunn’s 2021 Goodman Real Estate was second, followed by Mike Dunn’s 2014 Oberto.

The 1/7 scale modern and classic fleet ran together with three boats answering the starting gun. The race was won by Craig Mullen, driving Denise Sjostrom’s 1975 Miss U.S. In fact, Mullen completed a perfect day with the red, white and blue. Second place in the combined classes heat went to Jay Fonville with the 1982 Captran Resorts. A DNF went to David Heilbrunn with the 2023 Goodman Real Estate.

When it came to 1/10 scale classic, Tom Markos’ 1976 Atlas Van Lines turned a few heads. It was fast, stable and in the mix most of the day. But, as usual, it was Reunanen’s super-quick 1983 Miss Rock that took home the top honors. The Atlas was second and Jerry Dunlap’s 1985 Coors Light was unable to finish. Rick Evans’ 1972 Notre Dame (with Paul Dunlap driving) and Heilbrunn’s 1985 Executone were unable to start.

Paul Dunlap truly enjoyed the 1/10 scale vintage class on opening day — he turned in the only perfect day of the Champion Spark Plug Regatta, piloting his 1964 Miss Exide to wins in all three heats, and the final. Second in the final went to Heilbrunn’s 1964 Blue Chip and Robbie Roberts was unable to finish with his new 1975 Country Boy. Reunanen’s 1970 Burien Lady and Evans’ 1980 Evergreen Roofing were unable to start in the 1/10 vintage final.

Perhaps the best race of the day was saved for last. Fonville and Craig Mullen put on a show in the 1/7 scale vintage final, but Fonville was able to stake the win in the end with his 1975 Kirby Classic. Mullen, driving Mike McIntosh’s Island Security Systems, finished second and Denise Sjostrom took third with her 1980 Evergreen Roofing. Did not starts went to Dennis Caines with his 1968 Eagle Electric and John Sjostrom with his 1960 Miss Thriftway.