The Grand Prix America hydroplane season is now past its halfway point, and the championship battle is tightening. Jeff Bernard and Bad Influence lead the standings on 512 points after Round 4, with Austin Eacret's Miss Renee sitting second on 415. Kevin Eacret's The Freak is close behind in third on 386.
New Zealand is well represented in the field. Ken Lupton has Lucas Oil NZ running in fifth place on 325 points, while Jack Lupton carries the Kiwi cause in seventh aboard Jack Lupton Motorsport on 230 points. American competitor Andrew Tate, a familiar face to New Zealand race fans through his regular appearances during the local season, sits just one position ahead of Jack Lupton on 208 points in Miss KookKat.
The series now moves to Mission Bay, San Diego, where racing runs from 12 to 14 September. Bayfair has long been one of the flagship events on both the H1 Unlimited and Grand Prix Hydroplane circuits, combining three days of flat-out competition with the atmosphere of a major beach festival. The weekend programme stretches well beyond the on-water action, with live music, cornhole competitions, car and lo-rider shows, and a full range of family activities making Bayfair one of the biggest events on the Southern California calendar.
The event carries considerable history. Last year marked 60 years since the inaugural Bayfair in 1964, when legendary racer Bill Muncey played a central role in establishing the Mission Bay racecourse. That 2.5-mile oval remains the longest and fastest on the H1 Unlimited circuit, and Dave Villwock's world lap record of 173.384 mph has yet to be beaten. In the six decades since, more than 5 million spectators have passed through the gates, with the festival sustained year after year by 700 volunteers.
Andrew Tate is expected to race at Bayfair, campaigning his H1 Unlimited hydroplane on the 2.5-mile Bill Muncey racecourse as part of the 2025 National Championship. Before that, he can also be seen competing in a tunnel boat at the Springfield, Ohio event scheduled for 23 to 24 August.
