Hydroplanes | Theoret captures Thunder on Ohio

EVANSVILLE, Ind. — Jean Theoret outfoxed the competition during the staging period before the flying start of the 30th Thunder on the Ohio ABRA unlimited hydroplane race, earning a victory for the Miss Beacon Plumbing hydroplane team Sunday.

"Yes, absolutely. I made a big move getting lane one going to the backstretch, then put the Beacon Plumbing out front and that was it," Theoret said of the series' first race of the season, run on the Ohio River. "I still had some great racing with Steve David [in the Oh Boy! Oberto] but I was able to hold him off."

For the first time in ABRA history, six different boats won the six elimination heats, so the final was wide open.

Theoret had the inside lane but had battles not only with David but also with U-7 Formulaboats.com driver Mike Allen for two of the five laps.

The three boats were yards apart with David stuck in the middle. But Theoret pulled the fastest lap of the final heat during lap two, going 142.247 mph over the 2-mile course and was able to get the clean water and a four-boat-length advantage for the win.

This was the sixth victory in Theoret's unlimited hydroplane career, and fourth with the Beacon Plumbing team.

Jeff Bernard of Kent in the U-5 Formulaboats.com took fourth while Kent's Brian Perkins, in the Spirit of the Navy, was able to best David Bryant in the Ahearn Rentals boat for fifth place.

The ABRA fleet heads to Madison, Ind., for the Indiana Governor's Cup next weekend.

Thunder on the Ohio

At Evansville, Ind.

FINAL RESULTS

1, U-37 Miss Beacon Plumbing, Jean Theoret (Maple Grove, Quebec); 2, U-6 Oh Boy! Oberto, Steve David (Lighthouse Pt., Fla.); 3, U-7 Formulaboats.com, Mike Allen (New Orleans, La.); 4, U-5 Formulaboats.com, Jeff Bernard (Kent); 5, U-50 Spirit of the Navy, Brian Perkins (Kent); 6, U10 Ahearn Rentals, Dave Bryant (Mesa, Ariz.); DNF, U-13 Graham Trucking, J. Michael Kelly (Pullayup).