CHRYSLER JEEP DETROIT APBA GOLD CUP July 8-11, 1999 Wednesday July 7 1999 *** WEDNESDAY EVENING NEWSBITS - FROM BRUCE MADEJ Miss Budweiser driver Dave Villwock is waiting impatiently in the pits for tomorrow's qualifying run. Villwock flipped his boat in the first turn of the final heat in Madison last Sunday and with both hulls in the Detroit pit, he say's he's ready to get into the water. "As soon as they let me in tomorrow, I'm ready to go," said Villwock, the defending Chrysler Jeep APBA Gold Cup Champion. "The team has been working extremely hard and we want to do as much testing as we possibly can." Last week's winner Chip Hanauer is in Detroit, but he does not plan to make a trip to the pits until tomorrow. As of 5 pm Wednesday, the Pico team has not arrived. Mark Weber, driver of the Young Country presents Miss DYC, enjoyed over 200 photo sessions Tuesday night with contributors and fans of the boat at a Detroit Yacht Club affair. The boat is still not in the pits but should be here later tonight. The boat was at the Detroit Yacht Club Tuesday evening. [Ed. note: the boat came in Wednesday.] Ken Muscatel's new boat already has had an accident. Reports have it that the boat hit an overpass on a Detroit expressway sometime Wednesday. There is no report on the amount of damage. And, the U-9 hull has received all of its new decals from Carpenter Communications. Driver Mike Hanson and the rest of the team worked all day Wednesday to make the white hull a true sponsor machine. Mike Jones, the husband of wife and owner Lori Jones, is also the president of the American Power Boat Association. Mike has been seen passing out APBA decals for all the boats that do not have the APBA sanctioning decal on the hulls. The APBA is the sanctioning body of all powerboat racing in the United States. The APBA office is located on Nine Mile Road right here in East Pointe, Michigan. *** HERE ALREADY Unlimited's: U-100 Miss Budweiser (T3 & T5?) U-10 Young Country presents Miss DYC (Detroit Yacht Club) U-8 Miss Llumar Window Film U-9 Miss Carpenter Communications U-15 Hopp Racing U-20 Miss Appian Jeronimo U-2 Miss Chrysler Jeep Unlimited Light's: Graham Trucking Alamo Authorized Cellular *** CONTINUING COVERAGE We had the ThunderCam up and running today - on Thursday it will be on 10 a.m. to 6 p.m (roughly), as will our NewsBits page. On Friday, Cindy and Chuck Moore arrive and will be contributing reports from the Belle Isle pits. All the links: http://www.thunderfest.com/raceweek/coverage.html *** STILL HAVING SOME 'DNS' PROBLEMS I believe the problem is only at my end, but just in case: if you have trouble reaching www.thunderfest.com, use "http://209.69.205.5". - Brian Reed (Volunteer WebMaster: http://www.thunderfest.com)

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