Sheikh Hassan to make first visit to Madison
This weekend's Lucas Oil Indiana Governor's Cup Madison Regatta - the 2011 season opener for the Air National Guard H1 Unlimited Hydroplane Series and series opener for the new Powerboat P1 USA series - will draw a lot of watchful eyes from interested interests both here and abroad.
According to H1 Unlimited Chairman Sam Cole, Sheikh Hassan bin Jabor Al-Thani of Doha, Qatar, will make his first visit to Madison to watch the Unlimiteds - and Spirit of Qatar driver Dave Villwock - compete for the Governor's Cup.
Sheikh Hassan, a boat racer himself, was a driving force behind H1's expansion to overseas beginning with the first of three straight races in Doha in 2009. It is Hassan who stages the Oryx Cup UIM World Championship in Doha.
Other visitors this weekend will be watching both the Unlimiteds and the Powerboat P1s with an interest in bringing one or both series to their communities at some point in the future.
A delegation from the Lake Cumberland Convention and Visitors Bureau in Somerset, Ky., will attend to see if the big Unlimiteds might be a good fit for the 65,530-acre reservoir in south-central Kentucky.
A promoter from Cleveland will also be on hand to watch the Powerboat P1s with thoughts on bringing that series to Lake Erie.
Before Cole was named H1 chairman the sport's top figurehead was a commissioner and at least two former Unlimited racing commissioners are expected to attend this weekend's season opener.
George "Buddy" Byers and Fred Alter - the fourth and fifth unlimited commissioners, respectively, are both expected to attend.
Of course Byers, an annual visitors, will be on hand as a former driver of the hometown Miss Madison as the team celebrate its 50th anniversary in Unlimited racing
Aerobatics pilot added to Madison Regatta air show
Already scheduled for a flyover by an A-10 Warthog during opening ceremonies, the 2011 Madison Regatta's schedule now has been expanded to include solo air shows on Saturday and Sunday.
Aerobatics pilot Brent Hunter, of Brent Hunter Airshows, will perform over the Ohio River on Saturday and Sunday during breaks in the boat racing action. His bright red, propeller-driven, Curtis Pitts bi-plane has been thrilling crowds throughout the Midwest for years.
When Hunter isn't performing rolls or drops that would make even the toughest pilots' stomach rumble, Hunter flies corporate aircraft, airshows and aerobatics competitions.
Hunter has already competed in contests at Grayson, Texas, and Marysville, Ohio, his summer and will compete in Jackson, Mich., Kokomo and Virginia before heading back to Grayson for the National in September.
River level to drop after raise, flush last weekend
Watching the Ohio River with a wary eye? No need, as the National Weather Service's Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service says that the river level will be ideal by race weekend.
Over the weekend, Markland Dam upstream from Madison opened its gates in order to raise the level and flush debris out of the water and onto the banks. The level rose to a high of 23 feet at Markland on Sunday, but by late Wednesday night, had dropped to 17.52 feet. It is expected to be at 15 feet by noon on Saturday.
Flood stage, which the river reached earlier this spring, is 51 feet.
H1 truck loses two days with Wyo. engine problem
By Wednesday of Madison Regatta week the equipment truck owned by the Air National Guard H1 Unlimited Hydroplane Series is usually already in Madison and setting up for the season opener.
H1 Chairman Sam Cole said Wednesday night that arrival of the truck and its drive team from Seattle has been delayed this year by a malfunction en route.
"They broke down en route and lost two days with a blown engine in Cheyenne, Wyo.," Cole said. "A turbocharger or something went out on the truck and they were stuck there for repairs."
According to Cole, the vehicle was supposed to be back on the road by Wednesday night and should still arrive in Madison by today. That should allow plenty of time to setup and prepare for the opening of testing Friday morning and qualifying Friday afternoon.
Singer Paul Overstreet will appear but without Chord
One of the most often asked questions since H1 Unlimited announced the addition of the singer-songwriter Paul Overstreet concert to the 2011 Madison Regatta lineup, is whether the Grammy Award-winning artist would make the appearance a family affair.
Overstreet is the father of Chord Overstreet - Sam Evans of the hit TV show Glee on the Fox Network.
In reality, Paul Overstreet could probably fill out his band with Chord and his siblings. Overstreet has two sons and three daughters and both sons are musicians.
"Chord won't be appearing with Paul," H1 Unlimited Chairman Sam Cole, an acquantaince of Paul Overstreet, said Wednesday. "Cord and the cast of Glee are on a concert tour in Europe. Otherwise he'd probably join Paul here. After all, it's his father."
The Paul Overstreet & Country Friends concert will be staged at Bicentennial Park at 8:30 p.m. on Friday. Tickets are $15 for Madison Regatta badge holders, $20 for non-holders and $10 for all active military and reservists with proper identification. VIP concert tickets are available for $25.
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