Introducing the drivers

Dave Villwock

Boat: U-1 Miss Ellstrom Elam Plus

Owner: Erick Ellstrom

Home port: Ballard. Hometown: Auburn

Age: 50. Victories: 51

Race outlook: Back in the saddle for his first full season with the Elam after joining the team midway through last season, Villwock is once again the man to beat as the circuit's most accomplished driver is paired with its fastest boat. The former Bud driver is the unquestioned favorite this week.

Ken Muscatel

Boat: U-2.25 Graham Trucking

Owner: Ken Muscatel

Home port: Seattle. Hometown: Seattle

Age: 57. Victories: 0

Race outlook: Good-guy vet thought about retiring after last season and sold his boat to the U-21 team. But he decided to get back in and is leasing one of Jim Harvey's boats. He doesn't have a good chance at winning but often makes good starts.

Jimmy King

Boat: U-3 Acura of Seattle

Owner: Ed Cooper

Home port: Evansville, Ind. Hometown: Richmond, Mich.

Age: 45. Victories: 0

Race outlook: The lone piston-powered boat left on the circuit continues to be a contender. King drove the U-3 to a second-place finish at Seafair last year. Boat won three races in 2003 but hasn't won since.

Steve David

Boat: U-6 Oh Boy! Oberto

Owner: Citizens of the city of Madison, Ind.

Home port: Madison, Ind.

Hometown: Lighthouse, Fla.

Age: 56. Victories: 5

Race outlook: David leads the points standings with a series of consistent finishes. David also won last year's driver's title despite winning only one race. That's long been the Oberto's M.O. as it is not the fastest boat, but David usually gets the most out of what it has.

Mike Allen

Boat: U-7 FormulaBoats.com II

Owner: Ted Porter

Home port: Decatur, Ind.

Hometown: New Orleans

Age: 39. Victories: 1

Race outlook: One of three rookies on the circuit, Allen stepped right into the fire, taking over one of the three former Miss Bud hulls. Allen got his first win at Valleyfield and was leading the points standings before a rough weekend in the Tri-Cities. Drove both Formula boats last weekend after Mike Weber retired mid-race.

Chris Bertram

Boat: U-9 Miss Pro Cars

Owner: Mike and Lori Jones

Hone port: Seattle. Hometown: Eatonville

Age: 34. Victories: 0

Race outlook: Bertram, a limited driver for 10 years, got his first ride in an unlimited last weekend in the Tri-Cities. The U-9 has been off the circuit the past two years but won the Gold Cup in 2001 with Mike Hanson driving.

J.W. Myers

Boat: U-10 Solutions Plus

Owner: Kim Gregory

Home port: Las Vegas. Hometown: Kenmore

Age: 33. Victories: 1

Race outlook: Myers was booted unceremoniously from the Elam team midway through last season to make way for Villwock, but landed on his feet with the U-10, one of three former Miss Bud hulls back in action.

J. Michael Kelly

Boat: U-13 Acura of Bellevue presented by Spirit of Detroit

Owner: Dave Bartush

Home port: Detroit. Hometown: Puyallup

Age: 27. Victories: 0

Race outlook: Kelly took over for Terry Troxell, who suffered a slight stroke during the offseason. The boat was ruled too light in Detroit but made its debut last week. That ended badly as Kelly flipped in Heat 3B, but both he and the boat are expected to be back.

Kevin Aylesworth

Boat: U-21 Area Codes Cellular U21 powered by Meyers Auto Tech

Owner: Jeffrey Michael Johnson/Kevin Aylesworth

Home port: San Diego. Hometown: San Diego

Age: 38. Victories: 0

Race outlook: This is the former U-25 driven for years by Muscatel. Aylesworth is a rookie though he has a long history of success in unlimiteds. Got off to a rough start this season but made the final heat last week. Unfortunately, the boat couldn't get started.

Jean Theoret

Boat: U-37 Miss Beacon Plumbing

Owner: Billy and Jane Schumacher

Home port: Seattle

Hometown: Maple Grove, Quebec

Age: 44. Victories: 3

Race outlook: If there is a real contender to Villwock, it's Theoret. This is the former Llumar Window Film that won Seafair last year, but has a new name and owner in legendary driver Schumacher. Theoret, a rookie last year, won the Gold Cup three weeks ago.

Jeff Bernard

Boat: U-99 Miss Lakeridge Paving

Owner: Fred Leland

Home port: Kirkland. Hometown: Gig Harbor

Age: 21. Victories: 0

Race outlook: Bernard made his debut at Seafair last year and got into the final by winning the consolation when he was the youngest driver on the circuit since Chip Hanauer made his debut at the same age. The boat hadn't raced this year until the Tri-Cities, when it just missed the final, though it's a longshot to win.

Greg Hopp

Boat: U-100 Todd Hoss American Dream

Owner: Fred Leland

Home port: Kirkland.

Hometown: Snohomish

Age: 38. Victories: 0

Race outlook: Hopp has been with Leland since 1999 and usually finds a way to get his boat in the middle of the action. But mechanical problems have plagued the team all season, and it hasn't contended seriously.

NOTE: As of Wednesday morning, the U-5 had not selected a driver to replace the retiring Mike Weber.

— Bob Condotta