Controversial ruling gives win to Villwock in Seafair Chevrolet Cup

By MICHAEL MCLAUGHLIN
P-I REPORTER

Jim Bryant / P-I U-37 Beacon Plumbing's Jean Theoret reacts after learning a one-minute penalty would cost him the victory.

In a season when the Detroit Gold Cup was canceled due to high winds, and poor water conditions shortened the race in Madison, the boat that took the checkered flag at the Chevrolet Cup wasn’t the winner after all. Driver Jean Theoret in the U-37 Miss Beacon Plumbing, the 2006 Seafair champion, appeared to win his second Seattle race, only to have an official’s decision take it away. “We ran a great race,” Theoret said. “We beat Dave Villwock fair and square.” As the U-37 crew began to celebrate, their joy turned to disappointment and anger as Theoret was assessed a one-minute penalty for going off-plane after the one-minute starting gun had sounded.

Because of the penalty, the U-1 Miss Elam Plus, driven by Villwock, was the official winner. After the victory, the Hoss family, a partial sponsor of the U-1, donated $50,000 to the Ronald McDonald House charity. “We had a lot more for Jean Theoret, boat racer, than he was going to give us,” Villwock said. “We were pulling him hard, but we just backed down. We knew he had a one-minute penalty and ran easy once we got word. The win is sweet, but being able to give back to a charity like the Ronald McDonald House is far more important to me.” Continue Reading…

Despite breaking her propeller in the recent Tri-Cities race, the Miss Beacon Plumbing (U-37) unlimited hydroplane made it back into the water Friday.

Crew members are hopeful about the Miss Beacon Plumbing’s chances.

“Everybody says the Ellstrom boats are the boats to chase,” said Bruce Haskin, a crew member with the Miss Beacon Plumbing. “They are not the boat to chase. We are.”

Cliff DesPeaux / seattlepi.com. The Miss Beacon Plumbing (U-37), driven by Jean Theoret, enters the Chevrolet Cup course on Lake Washington Friday after a week of repairs.

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Monday, June 30, 2008 11:05 PM EST

By Chris Goodman

Jean Theoret dedicates race win to father

Jean Theoret took the checkered flag in Evansville for the first time in his career on Sunday.

The driver of the Miss Beacon Plumbing boat beat out five other boats to claim the title of the 30th annual Thunder on the Ohio.

Theoret has had his share of obstacles to overcome in the previous two races. He flipped in both of those events so winning in Evansville was just a bit sweeter.

“We were like the black sheep”, Theoret told 14 news.

The win was Theoret’s fourth overall on the unlimited hydroplane series.

“Sometimes you don’t know if you’re in the right place, but this is the answer this weekend,” said Theoret.
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