Dunlap posts perfect day for first ERCU win at Diamond Cup

LONGVIEW, Wash. – Saturday, April 17 was a high-water day for ERCU.
 
With 30 1/10, seven 1/7 and five 1/8 scale boats in the pits, there was a buzz of excitement, and a really great show for the people of Longview to notice.
 
There were personal high-water days, too.
 
Driving Rick Evans’ 2015 Dalton Industries, Paul Dunlap recorded his first-ever ERCU victory, posting a perfect day in earning 1,600 points to win the Diamond Cup – which was a points race format. Nelson Holmberg earned his first-ever 1/7 scale victory, driving the 1972 Notre Dame to three heat wins for 1,200 points and the modern championship. Craig Mullen guided the 1958 Hawaii Kai III to 400 points and a vintage first place finish in 1/7 scale.
 
David Newton, too, had a perfect day, driving Kerry Kjos’s 1960 Miss Thriftway to the vintage Diamond Cup title. And in a tiebreaker, the classic crown went to Brad Lewis, who’s 1982 Oh Boy! Oberto tied Gerry Bordon’s 1974 Miss U.S. with 1,100 points on the day. The tiebreaker – season points – went to Lewis because he had more season points than Bordon did.
 
Bordon, however, did post perfection in the Classic Triple Crown, earning the fastest speed in time trials to start the day, and winning the Triple Crown heat at the end of the day.
 
The weather was perfect, with sunny skies and 84-degree temperature. Just slight breezes were the only wind that affected the racing during the day. And there were plenty of blow overs.
 
And here’s the best part: A great time was had by all.
 
Second place in the 1/10 scale modern class went to Ron Daum and his 2009 Grandview on the Lake Turbinator with 1,094 points. Third was David Heilbrunn with the 2019 J&D’s. Steven Taylor scored 525 points with his 2014 Spirit of Qatar to take fourth. Fifth went to Chuck Murray and his 2000 Ellstrom Miss E-Lam Plus with 400 points, while Holmberg was sixth driving Jim Bakke’s 2031 Graham Trucking for 300 points. Holmberg’s 2018 Oberto – the defending modern class champion – was damaged to the point of in-shop repairs during testing and was unable to participate in the Diamond Cup.
 
In 1/10 scale classic class, third place went to Jerry Dunlap with his brand-new Boat with wings, scoring 994 points. Fourth was Heilbrunn with the 1984 Executone at 719 points, Sano with the 1985 Squire Shop at 700 points was fifth and sixth went to Murray’s 1983 Miss Houston with 625 points. Dunlap’s 1986 Boat and Holmberg’s 1979 Squire Shop failed to earn any points and were scratched due to damage after the second flight of heats.
 
The vintage class in 1/10 scale had a total of 13 boats and the top five were rounded out by second place Murray’s 1957 Short Circuit with 1,169 points; Bordon’s 1970 Parco’s O-Ring Miss with 1,150 points, Jay Fonville’s 1963 Tahoe Miss with 1,094 points, and the Sano-driven 1964 Miss Exide with 900 points.
 
The Diamond Cup was also the debut of the 1/7-scale division in ERCU.
 
While a 21-month layoff showed in the division with a higher-than-normal amount of attrition, there were still some boats that finished the day. We’ll see more out of these boats as the season progresses.
 
The third stop on the 2021 ERCU Pentair Championship Series is set for Saturday, May 1 at Woodland Creek Park in Lacey. The Seafair Cup will be directed by Ron Daum. Pre-registration for the Seafair Cup is open now and can be found by clicking here.