Points battle heats up
The Grand Prix America hydroplane season has reached its halfway mark, and the leaderboard is starting to tighten. After Round 4, Jeff Bernard and Bad Influence hold the top spot on 512 points, with Austin Eacret’s Miss Renee second on 415. Kevin Eacret’s The Freak sits close behind in third on 386.
Keeping the Kiwi flag flying against the American field are Ken Lupton in fifth place aboard Lucas Oil NZ on 325 points, and Jack Lupton on Jack Lupton Motorsport sits only two places behind on 230 points. Andrew Tate (from the U.S.) whom we often see in New Zealand during the New Zealand season sits only one spot away from Jack Lupton and is on 208 points in his Miss KookKat.
Next stop San Diego
The attention now turns to Mission Bay, where San Diego Bayfair will be staged from 12–14 September. Bayfair has long been one of the headline stops on the H1 Unlimited and Grand Prix Hydroplane circuits, combining three days of high-speed racing with the atmosphere of a massive beach festival.
Spectators will enjoy much more than hydroplanes. The weekend programme includes live music, cornhole competitions, car and lo-rider shows, and family activities that make Bayfair one of the biggest events on the Southern California calendar.
Six decades of tradition
Last year marked 60 years since the first Bayfair in 1964, when legendary racer Bill Muncey helped establish the Mission Bay racecourse. The 2.5-mile oval remains the longest and fastest on the H1 Unlimited circuit, with Dave Villwock’s world lap record of 173.384 mph still standing.
Over the decades more than 5 million people have attended Bayfair, and the event continues to thrive thanks to 700 volunteers who give their time each year. With San Diego’s beaches as a backdrop, the festival blends tradition, community, and the thrill of the world’s fastest boats.
You will likely see Andrew Tate racing at Bayfair in his H1 Unlimited Hydroplane on the 2.5-mile Bill Muncey racecourse for the 2025 National Championship. You can also catch him racing back in the Tunnel Boat at the Wake the Lake event held at Springfield, Ohio this next weekend (23-24 August).
