It’s a long way from Waverley to the Niagara River, but for Ken Lupton, the path is familiar—and now, triumphant.
Just days ago, Boating New Zealand spoke with Lupton before he boarded a plane bound for Tonawanda, New York, to compete in the Thunder on the Niagara—the penultimate round of the Hydroplane Racing League (HRL) season. He arrived leading the points table and left with the winner’s trophy, thanks to a decisive performance in the Grand Prix final aboard Lucas Oil GP-577.
EXCLUSIVE: Flying the flag. Ken Lupton’s high-speed life between farm and finish line
But the win didn’t come easy—and the weekend delivered a few shocks.
Field of fire: late entries, injuries, and rising stakes
The Grand Prix fleet for Thunder on the Niagara featured seven top-tier boats, including Lupton’s brother Jack (GP-33), Brandon Kennedy in TMSpecial (GP-35), Andrew Tate in The Wild One (GP-71), and a surprise addition: Canada Boy (GP-757), who joined the regatta at the last minute. Despite skipping earlier rounds, the Canada Boy team—led by Kent Henderson and powered by engines tuned by René and Gilles Lessard—decided to race in Tonawanda to finish the season strong, and they arrived just in time to shake up the standings.
Meanwhile, not all contenders would make it to the finish. In one of the weekend’s most dramatic moments, TMSpecial, driven by Brandon Kennedy, was forced to retire from the final after the cockpit escape hatch blew off at high speed, flooding the boat and injuring Kennedy’s leg. Thankfully, he’s expected to recover.
Adding to the intrigue was the split weekend of Grand Prix racing—while the HRL thundered through Tonawanda, a separate contingent of GP-class boats were racing at Seafair in Seattle, over 4,000 kilometres away. Distance along with numbers of competitors allows this geographical split.
A gritty road to the final
Ken Lupton’s own weekend was far from flawless. A battery lead short-circuited during Heat 1, temporarily knocking GP-577 out of contention. Jack Lupton faced his own scare, launching off a roller and smashing through a rooster tail in Turn One. Both brothers were under pressure to qualify for the six-boat final—and both delivered.
In Heat 3A, Jack took the win with Ken close behind in second, putting both Kiwi boats into the championship-deciding final. They qualified with equal points, but Jack edged into lane three thanks to a slightly faster heat time, with Ken in lane four.
Ahead of them: Canada Boy and The Wild One, both serious contenders.
When the lights went out (watch the video below starting at 6:52:00), Ken Lupton surged forward, handling the turbulent water and traffic with trademark calm. The win was his—and with it, a crucial points haul that all but locks in the 2025 HRL title.
“That’s the goal”
Before the weekend, Lupton was candid:
“If I can win, I’ll pretty much win the series. That’s the goal.”
He wasn’t exaggerating.
With one race remaining in Beauharnois, Quebec on 23–24 August, Lupton leads the HRL standings with 387 points. His closest challenger, Canada Boy, sits 65 points behind, followed by The Wild One and TMSpecial, who both suffered setbacks in Tonawanda.
Whether Ken chooses to compete in Quebec or not, the numbers speak for themselves. The championship is now his to lose.
Between dirt and methanol
Back home, Lupton’s workday looks a little different. He runs several dairy farms near Waverley alongside his family, managing thousands of cows and calves. The physical labour and logistics of farm life keep him grounded—and fit.
His father, Warwick, a legendary hydroplane racer in his own right, remains hands-on with the boat program. He oversees engine preparation and tows the boat to regattas, supported by a capable North American team.
Together, they’ve created a dual-hemisphere setup: two nearly identical hydroplanes (one in NZ, one in North America), interchangeable parts, and a streamlined programme that allows Ken to fly in, race, and fly out—sometimes all in the same week.
A family affair—and a global ripple
Jack Lupton’s presence in the final alongside his brother added weight to New Zealand’s growing influence in international hydroplane racing. Though Jack missed the podium, his consistency and speed are attracting attention abroad. Between them, the Luptons are redefining the standard for what a Kiwi GP-class campaign can look like.
The ripple effect is being felt well beyond the HRL. With Grand Prix racing happening simultaneously on opposite sides of North America—and interest from Australian teams—there’s a growing case for a Trans-Tasman series that could rival its Northern cousins. But it will take sponsorship, logistics, and coordination.
Still, if any region has the drivers and passion to make it happen, it’s this one.
What’s next?
The HRL season concludes in Beauharnois, Quebec later this month. Whether Lupton competes or watches from home on his farm with the championship in hand remains to be seen.
Either way, the name Ken Lupton is etched into this season—and yet again into the record books.
From quiet paddocks in South Taranaki to thunderous victories in North America, he’s flown the flag with pride, grit, and unmistakable speed.
