The 2025 GPA/HRL 3 Round Challenge ended in classic hydroplane style—full throttle, high drama, and a finish decided not by a chequered flag but by the skies. Storms forced the cancellation of the GP final in Valleyfield, leaving officials to determine final standings by accumulated heat points. For Kiwi brothers Ken and Jack Lupton, it was a weekend of fierce comebacks. Ken stormed to a dominant win in Heat 3A. Jack overcame engine failure to claim the consolation final. While both were poised for a strong finish, weather left them—and fans—waiting for answers.
Flying Kiwis finish strong: storm-shortened finale wraps 2025 Régates de Valleyfield
Now, the results are in.
Tight margins, top talent
After high-speed stops in Guntersville, Madison, and Valleyfield, the 2025 Grand Prix Challenge has officially wrapped. And the final points tally couldn’t have been closer.
First: GP-35 TMSpecial – Driver: Brandon Kennedy
Second: GP-79 Bad Influence – Driver: Jeff Bernard
Third: GP-577 Lucas Oil – Driver: Ken Lupton
Just 10 points separated the top three teams, with only 4 between first and second—a clear reflection of how close this year’s racing truly was. For Kennedy, the title was hard-earned, capping off a season of consistent speed and poise. He qualified fastest at Valleyfield, hitting 161 mph down the front straight, and looked every bit the champion, even before weather ended the event.
Watch from the canard of the GP-35 as Kennedy blazes his record-setting qualification lap at Valleyfield.
Flying Kiwi takes third
New Zealand’s Ken Lupton, at the helm of Lucas Oil GP-577, claimed a well-deserved third overall. His Heat 3A win in Valleyfield, combined with a strong showing in earlier rounds, kept him firmly on the podium despite losing a shot at racing the final. It was a hard-fought season, and the result cements Lupton’s reputation as one of the top international challengers in the Grand Prix class.
Jack Lupton’s late charge reminded fans what Kiwi grit looks like. Though outside the top three in the final standings, his resilience and drive didn’t go unnoticed. Had the final been run, the points table could well have looked different.
Looking ahead
The Grand Prix Challenge may be over for 2025, but anticipation is already building for next year. New boats are in the pipeline. Teams are retooling. And with the tightest title fight in years now in the books, the bar for 2026 has never been higher.
For fans, racers, and teams alike, this season delivered deck-to-deck battles, breakneck speed, and a few brutal reminders that Mother Nature still holds the final card.
As for the Flying Kiwis—Ken and Jack—they leave 2025 with a podium finish, a few battle scars, and the unmistakable sense that their biggest moments are still to come.
