Woomer going out
a winner

By Catherine Toth
Special to the Star-Bulletin

It was poetic justice for unlimited hydroplane owner Steve Woomer.

His boat, the Close Call Phone Card, driven by Mark Tate, stole the show at this year's JN Automotive Hydrofest yesterday at Pearl Harbor.

"I do deserve a little poetic justice after last year," Woomer said.

Tate steered into first place with a 12.5-mile final heat world record of 154.260 mph, securing his place as national driver champion. He outdistanced second-place finisher and defending national champion PICO American Dream, driven by last year's Hydrofest winner, N. Mark Evans.

In the process, Tate also broke the 35-mile race world record (156.876) and a qualifying heat course record (160.740).

"It was nice that the final was a nice, clean race," Woomer said. "We were able to do our thing."

At last year's Hydrofest, Woomer's boat, Smokin' Joe's, was knocked out of contention before the race even started. The Pfleuger Honda/KPOI pace car misread the markers, pushing Smokin' Joe's out.

Frustrated at officials and his team's overall past performance, Woomer said yesterday his boat racing days are over.

"I've pretty much decided enough's enough. I love the sport. I grew up watching the sport. I love it more than anything and I wish (the team) all the luck in the future. I just have some frustrations and I have a lot of other things I want to do.

"But dammit," Woomer added, "we went out winners."

Tate, who has been with Woomer for eight years, said that winning the national driver championship wasn't as important as winning this race for his team.

"It's a great accomplishment, but my main goal was to try and win this race for the team and my owner, and we accomplished that."

It was Tate's fourth Unlimited Hydroplane Racing Association season drivers' championship.

Although Close Call won the Hydrofest, the Miss Budweiser team clinched the 1997 Jasper Thunder Tour championship.

Driven by newcomer Mark Weber, Miss Budweiser crossed the finish line in third place yesterday.

Weber said winning the team title was a real group effort.

"Today is for the crew," he said. "They're well into their 40 hours and they're still packing up; they haven't slept yet."

The Budweiser racing team racked up its 17th world and national championship, its sixth in the last seven years.

Dave Villwock, defending national driver champion with the PICO American Dream and currently team manager for Budweiser, said that Weber stepped up for the team. Villwock was replaced by Weber in the cockpit in August after a crash sidelined him for the season.

"(He) fought through the tough times," Villwock said. "I won a lot of heats racing and we were dominant. I sort of handed off the ball to Mark when all the linebackers were lined up to tackle him. . . . He held his head up and he worked real hard . . . to gut it out and win that national championship."

Weber offered some advice to Woomer at the awards ceremony.

"Think about it, Woomer, just think about it," said Weber. "You had a great weekend. Don't stop now."