Holmberg, Newton, Reunanen post wins at Diamond Cup

OLYMPIA — Roostertails flew high and the grandstands stayed buzzing as the ERCU Skidfin Solutions Championship Series delivered one of its most memorable race days of the season at Scott Lake Park in Olympia.

And what a day it was!

Hosted as the featured attraction of the Scott Lake Spring Fair by Dennis Neill Caines, the event drew a packed field of 51 boats into the pits and an even larger wave of community support along the shoreline. From the first heat to the final, fans were treated to tight racing, dramatic lane battles, and championship-caliber performances under clear spring skies.

The Spring Fair atmosphere elevated the entire experience. A lively car show lined the park, Blown Income Racing’s GP-20 drew steady crowds throughout the day, and families filled the venue with energy — kids bouncing between heats in the inflatable play area while others grabbed food and settled in for the action. The turnout made one thing clear: the Scott Lake community showed up in force, and ERCU delivered right back.

When it came time for the final heats, the intensity ratcheted up.

In the 1/10 modern final, Nelson Holmberg piloted his 2023 Flav-R-Pac to its first-ever race win, followed by David Heilbrunn’s 2015 Dalton Industries in second place. Paxton Reunanen was unable to start the final with his brand new 2015 Albert Lee.

Next, Reunanen started a sweep of three final heat wins when he won the 1/7 scale modern final with his 2023 Beacon Plumbing. Heilbrunn was again second, with his 2023 Goodman Real Estate. David Newton, driving Mike McIntosh’s 1989 Winston Eagle, had a good day scoring 925 points but was unable to finish the final heat.

The 1/10 classic final offered some drama, when Holmberg’s 1986 Squire Shop Brittania surprised Reunanen, driving the 1983 Miss Rock KISW. Holmberg slipped inside on the first turn of the second lap and grabbed the lead from the Rock, holding command of the race for another lap until missing the apex pin in turn one and suffering a lap penalty. Reunanen’s steady pace proved to be the winning formula, while John Havens Jr was second with his 1976 Olympia Beer (backup) and Paul Dunlap driving Tom Markos’ 1971 Country Boy rounded out the podium in third. The lap penalty pushed Holmberg back to the fourth and final finisher.

Reunanen’s streak of final heat wins continued in the 1/7 scale classic and 1/10 scale vintage as he drove Mike McIntosh’s 1977 Natural Light to a win in the big boat classic and Kerry Kjos’s 1960 Miss Thriftway to the win in 1/10 vintage.

Newton claimed his own win, driving the 1958 Hawaii Kai III to victory in the 1/7 vintage final.

Across all of the finals, one theme stood out: precision won the day. Drivers who avoided penalties, hit their marks, and kept their boats composed in traffic found themselves at the front when it mattered most.

While trophies were handed out at the end of the day, the real victory extended beyond the racecourse.

With 51 boats in attendance and a community fully engaged, the event marked a milestone moment for ERCU’s continued growth. The partnership with the Scott Lake Spring Fair created a festival-like environment that introduced new fans to the sport while giving longtime members a race day to remember.

From the pits to the shoreline, the message was clear — this wasn’t just a race. It was a celebration.

And if Scott Lake proved anything, it’s that the momentum behind ERCU is only getting stronger.