Tri-Cities to host 2015 HAPO Gold Cup

For the Reporter

H1 Unlimited Hydroplane Racing Series Chairman Steve David and officials of the Tri-City Water Follies have announced that a Tri-City group will host the 2015 APBA Gold Cup on July 24-26.

The HAPO Gold Cup will mark the 50th anniversary of unlimited hydroplane racing on the Columbia River under the direction of the Tri-City Water Follies.

“Kathy Powell (event director) and I have been lobbying for years, and it’s finally happened,” said Mike Denslow, past Water Follies president and current vice president of the H1 Unlimited series.

In making the announcement on behalf of H1, David said, “We are very excited to be able to award the 2015 Gold Cup to the very deserving race committee and community in the Tri-Cities. (We) look forward to seeing the competition for one of the most prestigious trophies in all of motorsports take place in one of our outstanding long-term venues and well respected by all of our race sites.”

David added, “When we talked to all of our race sites, they agreed unanimously that the 50th anniversary of the Tri-City race and the long-standing support by the committee, volunteers and community made the Tri-City area and the Water Follies committee very deserving of the opportunity to host the 2015 Gold Cup.”

Tri-City Water Follies President Ron Hue said, “The entire Water Follies organization could not be more excited to host the 2015 HAPO Gold Cup. We would like to thank everyone who had a hand in getting the oldest motorsports trophy in the world, back to the Tri-Cities.”

HAPO Community Credit Union will sponsor the event.

The Gold Cup was last held in the Tri-Cities in 1984 and has been held exclusively in Detroit since 1990.

The H1 Unlimited racing season opens in Madison, Ind., July 3-5 with the annual running of the Madison Regatta/Indiana Governor’s Cup.