Jason Sailer wins 1100 Runabout, finishes weekend with three titles in DePue

DEPUE – The excessive heat cleared the way for a great day of racing for thousands of fans during the final day of the racing on Sunday.

First on the water was the two-man 1100 Runabout teams where defending national champion Nick Hoot was trying to repeat and looked to be in prime position to do so.

In the first heat Jason Sailer and Dominick Trolian got out front early and cruised to the victory as Hoot and Brady Brinkman finished second. The second heat it was Jerzee Holman and Melanie Boulot, who came into the weekend with two victories at Pleasant Prarie and Constatine, Mich., who cruised to an easy victory, but again Hoot set himself up with another second-place finish.

Sailer and Holman each had issues in one race while Hoot was again top two both heats. That brought up the final heat with Hoot in prime position to repeat.

Hoot had the early lead, but after the first lap got loose in turn two and was ejected from the boat. The race was stopped and emergency crews tended to Hoor, who once to he got to shore was able to walk under his own power.

That opened the race for several racers on the restart. Holman and Sailer battled for first at the start of the race, but Holman got loose and Sailer cruised to his third championship of the weekend as he also claimed the 500 Runabout and 700 Runabout.

“It was an amazing weekend to say the least,” Sailer said. “Hoot got loose there and thankfully was OK and then Holman did as well, but we’ll take it. DePue really brings out the best in us for sure. I just want to thank the DePue’s Men’s Club and the village of DePue for all the hard work getting this weekend together.”

Second series of the day was the 125 Hydro and 2022 champion Brian Palmquist wanted to show everyone in the first heat that he was out to defend his title and did so with a convincing victory.

Heat two though belonged to 15-year old Cooper Thompson, who was out front from the start and had a huge lead, but Palmquist closed quick on the youngster and took home second in the heat.

The final heat of the afternoon for the 125 Hydro saw Ethan Fox with the first lap lead with Palmquist in second and Thompson in third.

Not long after, Palmquist took over and left no doubt he was going to repeat as his closest competition in Thompson had engine trouble and was unable to finish.

“I wish I could say it was easy but I’d be lying,” Palmquist said with a laugh. “Guys were side by side and then Cooper had some trouble and I was able to stay out front to get the win.”

After the intermission, the 250 Hydro boats were up, and after defeating his dad Pete Nydahl in the 350 Hydro on Saturday, Kurtis Nydahl was aiming to make it a clean sweep.

From the start, it was no doubt Kurtis Nydahl was the man to beat as he ran away with all three heats in convincing fashion.

“I wouldn’t say it was bragging rights over dad,” Kurtis said, laughing. “If I let him win I’ll never hear the end of it. But I owe him a lot as he builds the motors and the rest of the crew deserve so much credit for making that boat so fast yesterday and today.”

The final race of the weekend was the 350 Runabout. Jerry Davids Sr. was able to pull ahead early in the opening lap of the first heat and then pulled away the last half of the race for a convincing victory.

Heat two saw Mike Krier take the early lead, but out of nowhere on the back stretch Davids Sr. kicked it into high gear, passing two boats at once and again taking the victory.

“I‘lol tell you what, to win a second championship in a row against the best drivers in the world in special,” Davids said. “We had to borrow a propeller, but I just drive the boat. There are so many guys that go into this, but it feels great.”

That set up the final race where Mike Werner took the top stop right from the start and got the third heat victory, but the championship belonged to Davids Sr. to close the 2023 APBA Pro National Championships.

Notes: Winners of the Frank Solorio grant were Emily Marquez, who was a 2023 DePue High School graduate who plans on attending the Air National Guard and then return to IVCC for her RN and before transferring to St. Francis for her BSN. The second award winner was Alyssa Torri, who was a 2023 St. Bede graduate who plans to attend IVCC and then transfer to either Illinois State University or University of Illinois.