TRI-CITIES, Wash.-
Veteran unlimited hydroplane driver Dave Villwock, 68, had a spectacular blow-over accident in the first lap of heat 2 of the Columbia Cup on Saturday.
Villwock is the all-time winningest driver in Unlimited Hydroplane racing history, with 67 wins. He has won 10 High Point Championships.
Saturday was not his first time suffering an accident on the Columbia, either. In 1997 and 2006, Villwock experienced some of the most spectacular flips in Columbia Cup history.
1997 Budweiser flip: In the first turn of the winner-take-all final, Villwock and the Miss Bud went up and over, landing upside down. Villwock lost two fingers in the accident.
2006 E-LAM FLIP and WIN: Early on race day Villwock, piloting the E-Lam Plus went airborne and did almost two complete flips, before landing right side up. Amazingly, the damage was so minimal, that Villwock would come back to win the Columbia Cup later that afternoon.
