Hughes posts ERCU first-first; Newton & Murray win at Jack Regas

LAKEWOOD, Wash. – For the third race in a row, and fourth time in the last five events, there was a first-first at the end of the day.

Mike Hughes posted his first-ever ERCU win at the Jack Regas Memorial, winning the modern class points race with his brand new 1991 Winston Eagle, earning 1,425 points for his victory.

Other winners from the day included Chuck Murray in the classic class, winning with his 1983 Miss Houston (1,500 points), and David Newton – who posted another perfect day – with his own 1964 Miss Exide.

With the impending heat wave and a day expected to be over 100 degrees, the decision was made during the drivers meeting to shift the Jack Regas Memorial from a Love Plan race to a points race, and to put five boats in each heat as often as possible. An early start to the day helped beat the heat, too.

The modern class field was five boats. After Hughes was Ron Daum with the 2009 Grandview on the Lake, finishing second with 1,300 points as Daum continues a strong run in the points race for the modern class. Third place went to David Heilbrunn who scored 1,150 points with his 2019 J&D’s. Fourth was Gentleman Jim Latimer with the 1994 Miss E-Lam Plus (527 points), while fifth went to Murray with the 2000 Miss E-Lam Plus (169 points).

The classic class attracted six boats, including the return of Mick Shutt from the Southwest.

Following Murray in the points standings was Heilbrunn’s 1984 Executone with 1,300 points, which was enough to bump Heilbrunn and his boat into first place in the season standings for the classic class. Third place went to Jay Fonville with the 1976 Spirit of Dayton Walther (1,075 points). Fourth was Paxton Reunanen, scoring 469 with his 1979 Squire Shop, followed by Jerry Dunlap with 400 points in the 1986 Boat and Shutt with the 1978 Miss Circus Circus with 269 points.

In vintage, Newton while Newton continued dominating the circuit – doing it with his own 1964 Miss Exide this time instead of Kerry Kjos’ Miss Thriftway – second place went to Bill Mowatt who returned to the cockpit of Rick Evans’ 1968 Miss Bardahl after a couple of races off. Mowatt scored 1,325 points. Third went to Reunanen, driving Newton’s 1952 Such Crust IV with 1,300 points. Fonville had two vintage boats and scored fourth and fifth place finishes with his 1963 Tahoe Miss (1,225) and his 1975 Sunny Jim (700). Sixth went to Daum with the 1957 Thriftway Too (525). Seventh was Murray’s 1964 Savair’s Mist (400) and Heilbrunn finished eighth with his 1960 Gale V (394). Shutt’s 1972 Miss Budweiser had a tough day and was withdrawn.