Andrew Tate took home the Bill Muncey Cup presented by HomeStreet Bank at San Diego Bayfair on Sunday and Miss HomeStreet Bank’s Jimmy Shane won his third consecutive H1 Unlimited national championship.
Tate in the Realtrac/Delta gear saved his best for the last race of the season by jumping out to an early lead and holding off a hard-charging J. Michael Kelly of Bonney Lake in the Graham Trucking boat to take the final heat on Mission Bay. Kelly nearly passed Tate, but by Lap 4. Tate pulled ahead for good. Kelly finished second and Shane, of Renton, took third in the final.
“The Bill Muncey Cup is definitely a prestigious award that I’m very proud to have my name on with the U-9 team,” said Tate, who won his third race of the season that wrapped in San Diego.
Earlier in the day, Shane locked up the national championship when Tate was penalized for crossing through a restricted area on the course and lost points, which helped Shane’s Madison, Indiana-based team win its eighth national championship since 2008.
“Our team goal is always the national championship and we accomplished that goal this year,” said Shane, who celebrated his fifth national championship. “I’m honored to be in great equipment with a great team, great sponsor and that’s what it takes to win a national championship.”
Shane, 31, is an integration engineer at Blue Origin, LLC, in Kent.
During Sunday’s heat races Shane and Tate were victors. In fact, every heat during the weekend was won by either Shane or Tate.
Shane was doing double duty this weekend on Mission Bay and captured the final in the piston-powered Grand Prix World Supercharged Hydroplane race.
It was another year of solid attendance for HomeStreet Bank San Diego Bayfair, which is traditionally the last stop for many boat racing tours.
“HomeStreet Bank has been an incredible partner for San Diego Bayfair,” said Bob Davies, race director. “We thank HomeStreet’s CEO Mark Mason and his great team for their support.”
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