Detroit: Series qualifying summary

Oberto Leads Gold Cup Qualifying

DETROIT, Mich---Steve David (Lighthouse Pt., Fla.) needs to find a way to convert his top qualifying speed into a win on the unlimited hydroplane circuit.

David drove his Oh Boy! Oberto to the top speed during qualifying for the weekend's 100th running of the Chrysler-Jeep APBA Gold Cup. He averaged 159.888 mph for two consecutive laps on the 2 ½ mile Detroit River race course. It is the third straight week David has been the fastest driver on the water on the ABRA national circuit.

"We ended on top once again and we were good and consistent all day," said the 54-year old David. "I'm just looking forward to getting this boat into the final and then just let it loose.

"Let's face it," David added. "That's when it really counts."

Jean Theoret (Maple Valley, Que.) in the Miss Beacon Plumbing was the second fastest in Friday's qualifying. He hit a two lap average of 159.150. Theoret is the lone driver in the field who has won the coveted Gold Cup Trophy, the oldest motor sports' racing trophy in the world.

"The competition has never been this close," Theoret said, comparing boat racing to Formula One auto racing. "But they race on a flat (hard) course that never changes and we race on a course where the water moves the surface each and every lap. So for us, to be just seconds apart is amazing."

Six of the nine boats entered for the race are within five miles per hour of each other.

The boats will run two set of elimination heats tomorrow and another two on Sunday before the winner-take-all final on Sunday at 4 pm.

Chrysler-Jeep Detroit APBA Gold Cup Friday Qualifying Results

1 Steve David (Lighthouse, Fla.) Oh Boy! Oberto, 159.888

2 Jean Theoret (Maple Valley, Que.), Miss Beacon Plumbing, 159.150

3 Jimmy King (Richmond, Mich.), Miss Chrysler-Jeep, 156.516

4 David Bryant (Mesa, Ariz.), Dover Environmental, 156.465

5 Jeff Bernard (Kent, Wash.), U-5 Formulaboats.com, 155.340

6 Mike Allen (New Orleans, La.), U-7 Formulaboats.com, 155.218

7 Brian Perkins (Black Diamond, Wash.), Michigan Mortgage presents Spirit of the Navy, 138.125

Did not qualify but will still race: J Michael Kelly, Dick Scott Automotive; Ken Muscatel, Jarvis Fire and Water Repair.

-credit: abra