August, 2013 |
Kip Brown testing the U-95
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David Bell gets cockpit ready for qualifying
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Jeff Bernard and Nate Brown on the radios with Kip
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Spider Jackson guiding U-95 onto trailer
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Kip flying the boat in qualifying
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Kip happy with last run, 2nd fastest in quals
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Jim Pletz holding skin fin guiding U-95 onto trailer
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Kip flying during quals
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Jimmy Labrie hoisting cowling
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Nate Brown examining prop
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Crew Chief Dave Bell and Jeff Bernard working
trailer firing turbine
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Troy Holmberg checking turbine while trailer firing
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Tiffany Troxell Brown drying her husband's seat
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Jimmy "got a problem, see me" Labrie
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Kip Brown and Jeff Bernard at driver's meeting
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Katie Forsell working on batteries
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Rob Chapman fueling boat
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Kip flying the boat during testing
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Saturday Morning testing
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Testing
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Game time
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Kip in his office
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Start Heat 1B
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Lisa Engle Crouse preparing cockpit windows
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Opening Ceremonies: L-R Rob Chapman, Brandon Crouse, Jim Pletz, Chef Ed Rouse, Nate Brown, Lisa Engle Crouse, Susan Weiner, Mark Weiner, John O'Brien, Jimmy Labrie, Tiffany Troxell Brown, Katie Forsell, Dick Desroche, David Bell, Rob Schommer, Jeff Bernard, Mike "Spider" Jackson
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Dick Desroche holding front line
bringing boat to water |
Kip on the front stretch
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Rob Schommer replaces sensor on drive shaft with help from Rob Chapman
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Crew ready to go, L-R Jeff Minar (on loan from Ellstrom Racing), Troy Holmberg, Dick Desroche, David Bell, Spider Jackson, Rob Schommer,
Jimmy Labrie
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David Bell ready to strap Kip in for Heat 3A
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Chef Ed Rouse preparing another
great meal for the crew, thanks Chef Ed!
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Kip Heads out for Heat 3A
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Race for score up buoy
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Here you can see just how big the holes in turn 1 are |
Kip leads the field into turn 1
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Up the backstretch
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Kip down the front stretch with one lap to go |
Kip holds off Jimmy Shane in lane 1 for heat win
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Rescue crew giving Kip congrats. A big shout out to
the men and women who are there when we need
their help!
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Mark Weiner bringing prop shaft to truck
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Brandon Crouse holding on to cart and BBQ as he helps Chef Ed pack up after another year of great meals.
(Yes Brandon did get thrown off in a corner, uninjured)
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Kip leads the field to turn 1 of final
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Flying down the front stretch |
Kip congratulating Jimmy Shane on his victory
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Kip Brown talking with Steve Raible on live TV after receiving the Budweiser Fastest Lap trophy
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Kip Brown 3rd, Jimmy Shane 1st, Steve David 2nd
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We meet great people at race sites all the time, here
Domisi Parham helps Rob Chapman roll up the hoses.
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Jeff Bernard and Jimmy Labrie washing boat for
photo shoot in the morning with Qatar drag teams
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Brandon posing while Kip and Rob help load turbines
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John O'Brien ready to call it a day |
Heading home |
Side of the truck (checkerboard is made up of images
of the team over the first six years starting on the
left here and wrapping around the truck)
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Big shout out the couple, Scott and Peggy Sheridan who gave me a ride all weekend so I could get some great shots of the U-95 Spirit of Qatar. This was their first tow ever bringing the U-48 Snoqualmie Casino's with Jamie Nilsen driving back to the docks. |
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July, 2013 |
Opening Ceremonies (only they ended 10 minutes ago)
L-R:
Kip Brown, Rob Chapman, Carol Pletz, Jim Pletz, Ed Cleveland, David Bell, Dick Desroche, Rob Schommer, Mark Weiner, Susan Weiner, John O'Brien, Mike "Spider" Jackson, Lisa Engle Crouse
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Ed Cleveland working on the boat
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Kip leading the field around turn 2
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Mark Weiner polishing a prop
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Kip heading to his office
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Lisa Engle Crouse applying Rain-X to cockpit
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Heading to start
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Kip coming out of turn 2
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Turn 2
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Down to start finish
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Dick Desroche working on turbine
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Brandon Crouse checking hatches and applying
high tech sealants (duck tape)
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Jim and Carol Pletz
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Crew Chief David Bell and Ed Cleveland getting turbine ready for final
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Rob Schommer putting H1 Unlimited's monitoring box in
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Dick Desroche and Spider Jackson guide the boat to
water while Ed Cleveland guides the crane operator
with David Bell ready to strap Kip in
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Start of the Final (U-95 middle boat)
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Into the water
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Rough water, rough finish in last
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Kip flying the boat down front stretch
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Nate Brown and Rob Chapman box the skid fin
to put onto truck
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John O'Brien and Brandon Crouse wrestle turbine
into truck
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Our Gang grades Kelly Stocklin's landing earlier
(he flipped in the U-100 Leland Racing hull)
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Kelly taking offense with John's score
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Kip Brown removing horizontal stabilizer wing bolts
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Kip hands wing to Nate Brown and Spider Jackson |
Rough water out there in final, rear left upright (holds horizontal stabilizer wing) broke from the boat
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Nate, Kip and Jeff Bernard survey the damage and plan for repairs before Seafair in one week
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