RACE CIRCULAR: Roger Newton Memorial up next in Lacey

The seventh race of the 2026 ERCU Skidfin Solutions Championship Series season is the Roger Newton Memorial, set for Saturday, June 27 at the Bill Mowatt Memorial Race Course in Woodland Creek Park, Lacey. Here is all you need to know to be prepared for the seventh event of the year.
 
Location
Bill Mowatt Memorial Race Course, Long’s Pond at Woodland Creek Park
6729 Pacific Ave SE, 
Lacey, WA 98503
 
Contest Director
David Newton
 
Context
This will mark the 19th running of the Roger Newton Memorial. Roger Newton, club founder and hall of fame RC scale racer, passed away in the summer of 2008. Since then, the club has been dedicated to racing in his honor. Roger spent his lifetime promoting and racing scale RC hydroplanes of all sizes. In the early 1970s he created Newton Marine, a side business that sells 1/8-scale hydroplane plans. He then created R/C Unlimiteds in 1976, the first club dedicated to racing nothing but scale hydroplane models. He helped to form Classic Thunder in 1994 and then created ERCU in 2003. In 2000, he was crew chief for Dr. Ken Muscatel’s Superior Racing Team when the Miss FreeI set the still-standing mile straightaway speed record with Russ Wicks at the wheel. Newton was influential with scale RC racing around the world and spent his life fulfilling that dream. David Newton will again direct the race. This will be a race you won’t want to miss!
 
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 9:5-9:20 a.m.
• Racing begins at approximately 9:30 a.m. (maximum of 10 minutes after drivers meeting)
• Three flights of heats for each division (1/10 and 1/7)
• First and second consolations (depending on boat count and attrition)
  • First connie winner is trailer in the final
  • First connie second place is alternate for the final
  • Second connie winner starts on the front line in first connie
• Winner take all final heats will be run for each class
• One minute-30 second start clock for all racing
• A 30-minute lunch break will be held after the second flight of heats is complete. A pizza lunch will be provided for all drivers, provided by Skidfin Solutions LLC. Members should provide their own drinks.
• Awards will be presented following the conclusion of the final heat of racing. Please stick around for the awards presentation and celebrate your fellow racers.
• With the awards presentation there will be raffle prizes given away, including gift certificates to Offshore Electrics and hydroplane memorabilia. 
• The first 20 entries will get a Roger Newton Memorial button and all participants will get a race sticker.
• Best of scale awards will be presented to the top three scale boats in the pits. The awards will be decided by a panel of judges.

 
Pre-Registration
Pre-Registration for the Riger Newton Memorial is now open. To find the pre-registration form, navigate your web browser to https://www.ercu-hydros.com/roger-newton-memorial.html, where you will find the pre-registration link in a blue box just under the race site map. Pre-registration will close at 10 p.m., Friday, July 26. After that deadline, please register in person on site before 8:30 a.m.
 
You can also find pre-registration by going to www.ercu-hydros.com, then selecting “Schedule” from the main menu, and “Roger Newton Memorial” from the schedule itself.
 
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 the testing period. 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.
 
Race Officials

• Contest Director: David Newton
• Chief Referee Modern: Jerry & Paul Dunlap
• Chief Referee 1/10 Classic: Craig Mullen
• Chief Referee 1/7 Classic: Joey Caines
• Chief Referee 1/10 Vintage: Carl Lewis
• Chief Referee 1/7 Vintage: David Newton
• Drivers Representative:​ TBA
• Turn Judges: First and second place finishers will judge the next heat

 
Roger Newton Memorial Defending Champions

• 1/10 Scale Modern: Mike Hughes, 1991 Winston Eagle
• 1/10 Scale Classic: Nelson Holmberg, 1978 Atlas Van Lines
• 1/7 Scale Modern/Classic: David Heilbrunn, 2024 Goodman Real Estate
• 1/10 Scale Vintage: Nelson Holmberg, 1958 Pay n‘ Save
• 1/7 Scale Vintage: Paxton Reunanen, 1982 Island Security System

 
Race Format

• LOVE PLAN: Three flights of preliminary heats, five laps each. Connies and winner-take-all finals.
• First and second connies for each class (depending on total boat count and attrition).
  • Boats 6-10 in cumulative event points qualify for the first connie.
  • First connie winner advances to the final as a trailer boat. Second place in first connie is alternate in the final.
  • Boats 11-15 in cumulative event points qualify for the second connie.
    Second connie winner advances to the first connie as a front starter.
• Final heat with top five boats in each class, plus the connie winner as a trailer starter. 
• Flight Schedule
  • 1/10 scale modern
  • 1/7 scale modern
  • 1/10 scale classic
  • 1/7 scale classic
  • 1/10 scale vintage
  • 1/7 scale vintage

 
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, first connie and Triple Crown 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
Public restrooms are available on site, at the west end of the parking lot.
 
Electricity
There is no access to electricity in the pits. It would be wise to bring a generator or other power source to charge your batteries if you need to charge during the day.