RACE CIRCULAR: 2025 ERCU Championship Series season opener coming soon!

Time to finish your offseason projects and wipe off the shop dust from your boats and charge batteries as the 2025 ERCU Championship Series season opener is just less than two weeks away!

Consistent with tradition, we’ll kick of the 2025 season with the first of 12 races — the Champion Spark Plug Regatta — at Vance Creek Park in Elma.

Jerry & Paul Dunlap will be contest directors for the season opener.

The race circular for the opening event of the year is below, and should include everything you’ll need to know for the first race of the season.

The first race of the 2025 ERCU Championship Series is the Champion Spark Plug Regatta, set for Saturday March 29, 2025, at Vance Creek Park in Elma. Here is all you need to know to get prepared for our first event of the year.
 
Location
Vance Creek Park, 76 Wenzel Slough Road, Elma, WA 98563
 
Context
For many years the season opening event for H1 Unlimited was always the Champion Spark Plug Regatta. For 19 of 21 ERCU seasons the Champion Spark Plug Regatta has been the season opener, and this year the tradition continues. Returning to Vance Creek Park in Elma for the second year
 
Registration
Pre-Registration for the Champion Spark Plug Regatta is now open. To find the pre-registration form, navigate your web browser to www.ercu-hydros.com/champion-spark-plug-regatta.html, where you will find the pre-registration link in a blue box just under the race site map. You may also pre-pay your entry fees online by following the PayPal directions at the bottom of the page. Pre-registration will close at 10 p.m., FRIDAY, March 28, 2025 After that deadline, please register in person on site before 8:30 a.m.
 
Race Officials 

• Contest Directors: Jerry Dunlap & Paul Dunlap
• Chief Referee (modern): TBA
• Chief Referee (classic): TBA
• Chief Referee (vintage): TBA
• Drivers Representative: Nelson Holmberg
• Turn Judges: First and second place finishers from the previous heat will turn judge next heat

 
What to Expect
(All times approximate, and subject to change)

• Race course will be set between 7:30-8 a.m.
• Practice water and on-site registration 8-9 a.m.
• Mandatory drivers meeting 9:05-9:30 a.m.
• Racing begins 9:30 a.m. (or maximum of 10 minutes after completion of drivers meeting)
• One minute-30 second start clock will be used for all racing.
• A 20-to-30-minute lunch break will be held, exact time TBD. Participants should plan to provide their own lunch.

 


Race Format:

• Three preliminary heats of five laps each for vintage, classic and modern classes.
• First and second consolation for both divisions and all classes (depending on boat count and attrition).
• Second connie winner advances to first connie as a trailer. First connie winner advances to the final as a trailer.

• Second place boat in the first connie is an alternate for the final.
• Winner-take-all championship finals for vintage, classic and modern.

 
Flight Schedule

• 1/10 scale modern
• 1/7 scale modern/classic
• 1/10 scale classic
• 1/10 scale vintage
• 1/7 scale vintage

 
Heat Draws
Heat draws will be completed just prior to the drivers meeting. The first heat draw will be conducted at approximately 9 a.m. and will be read verbally at the drivers meeting as a roll call. Succeeding heat draws will be conducted between flights. All heat draws will be printed and posted, and displayed on the TV screen, whenever possible. No re-draws of heats will be done.
 
Starting Clock
A 1-minute 30-second clock will start as soon as all drivers are in the driving area and will not be stopped for any reason other than health or safety (including stubborn waterfowl). Please plan ahead for your upcoming heats, including getting your own spotter, and be ready when the chase boat comes back. A trailer boat shall not cross the start line less than five seconds after the start gun. Rookie drivers who have not yet earned 1,200 career points must start from the trailer position.
 
Race Day Morning
It will be our intent to have the course open by 8 a.m. so that testing can commence once boats are registered for the event. Boat owners should prepare to have time for inspections and to be ready to race. The water will be open for testing until approximately 9:30 a.m.
 
Drivers Meeting
The drivers meeting is mandatory for ALL divisions and all classes and will begin at the scorer’s table within five minutes of the closing of time trials. Drivers who do not attend the drivers meeting will be scratched from the first heat regardless of whether they are pre-registered and pre-paid. Drivers arriving after the drivers meeting will not be added to the event until the draw for the second flight of heats.
 
2024 Champion Spark Plug Regatta Results
•       1/10 Scale Modern: Paxton Reunanen, 2019 Graham Trucking
•       1/7 Scale Modern/Classic: Craig Mullen, 1974 Miss U.S. (Owner: Denise Sjostrom)
•       1/10 Scale Classic: Paxton Reunanen, 1983 Miss Rock
•       1/10 Scale Vintage: Paul Dunlap, 1964 Miss Exide,
•       1/7 Scale Vintage: Mike McIntosh, 1982 Island Security System
 
Inspections
In 2025, all boats will be inspected before the first race they run at. We ask that you print out the Hull Inspection Form and complete the member information at the top of page one prior to arriving at the race site. Please also remember to bring a photo of the real boat (a photo on your phone or tablet is acceptable) of your boat.

Visiting Drivers
ERCU welcomes new members to the club and visiting racers from other clubs. Rookie driver testing will be offered during the open water period as needed. The course will be closed for rookie driver tests. Visiting racers may not take home an ERCU perpetual trophy, in the event they win the race.
 
Post-Race Cleanup and Awards Presentation
Club equipment cleanup and re-packing the trailer will take priority once the race is over. Once the trailer is re-packed, awards will be presented. Awards will be given to the first, second and third place finishers, winners. All members have a responsibility to help with set up and breakdown of club equipment. As a courtesy to your fellow racers, please stick around for the awards presentation whether you’ve won one or not.
 

 
Restrooms
There are public restroom facilities on site at Vance Creek Park and they are expected to be open.
 
Electricity
There is limited access to electricity in the pits. It would be wise to bring a generator or other power source if you will need to charge batteries during the day.