Columbia Cup | R/C Unlimiteds

NAMBA Nationals

Dave Brandt sweeps Saturday to cap off a successful NAMBA Nationals for R/CU

Photo album from Day 6 (Thursday) available HERE

Photo album from Day 7 (Friday) available HERE

Photo album from Day 8 (Saturday) available HERE

R/C Unlimiteds was proud to co-host the 2026 NAMBA Nationals, as the site coordinator for the week-long event put on by NAMBA District 8. Over 600 boats were on-hand with over 150 racers travelling from all over the United States and Canada, and it was all at the Columbia Park Fishing Pond in Kennewick, WA. As the R/CU Columbia Cup traditionally does, the final raceday occurred on the Saturday of the Tri-Cities Water Follies, which brought plenty of new fans to come check out the action!

Be sure to check out the R/CU Facebook page for photos of all the scale boats, as there were over 100 scale boats entered in the 5 scale classes. R/CU entered most of them, but it was awesome to race against other racers in the scale classes.

Drivers from the Meyers Auto Tech Championship Series Powered by Rattlesnake RC raced not only in the scale classes, but events throughout the week. Here's a wrapup of all the podiums from R/CU prior to the last day, including 7 national championships! Congratulations, we are proud to have you represent R/C Unlimiteds on a national stage!

GX2 Sport Hydro: Scott Meyers (3rd)

P Limited Tunnel: David Newton (1st)

X Hydro: Dave Brandt (2nd)

GX2 Outrigger: Dave Brandt (1st)

G1 Outrigger: Mark Anderson (1st), Dave Brandt (3rd)

C Hydro: Dave Brandt (1st), Paul Omerzu (3rd)

P Limited Mono: David Newton (2nd)

P Catamaran: Paxton Reunanen (3rd)

Gas Thunderboat: Neil Boyle (1st), Ken Boyle (2nd)

1/10th Scale Vintage: David Newton (1st), Paxton Reunanen (2nd)

1/10th Scale Modern: Paxton Reunanen (1st), Geoffry Grembowski (2nd), Henry Oord (3rd)

That brought us to the final raceday on Saturday. The last classes were gas scale, 1/8th scale electric (FE), and 1/8th scale nitro, so the race counted for R/C Unlimiteds as well as the NAMBA National championships. Here's a recap of all of the excitement, race files are available at the NAMBA Race Entry System website.

1/8th Scale Nitro Final

1st: 1978 Squire Shop (U-65), Dave Brandt

2nd: 1977 Squire, Kirk Maupin

3rd: 1974 Lincoln Thrift, Steve Kinney

4th: 1988 Miss Stroh Light, Scott Meyers

5th (DNF): 2019 Delta/Realtrac, Zach Gordon

6th (DNF): 1978 Squire Shop (U-64), Aidyn Brandt

At the start, Scott Meyers and the Stroh was positioned perfectly in lane one, but squeezed the throttle a little too early and was called for jumping the gun. Up the backstretch, the Delta/Realtrac was leading and gave a little shoulder to the Squire Shop (U-65), and the Squire did a little half-spin and fell a few roostertails back. Thus the comeback began. Zach Gordon and the Delta was leading, but Dave Brandt slowly reeled in the leading boat. On lap 5 of 6, disaster occurred for the first-time hopeful. The Delta drifted wide, then coming out of the right turn inexplicably lost steering and coasted to a stop just on the shore. That left Trooper Dave out front, and he took home the victory for his 3rd national championship of the week, and a hometown victory in nitro.

1/8th Scale Electric (FE) Final

1st: 1987 Eliminator, Dave Brandt

2nd: 1978 Squire Shop (U-65), Steve Kinney

3rd: 1974 Miss U.S., John Borden

4th: 1976 Miss Esquire Products, Aidyn Brandt

5th (DNF): 1983 American Speedy Printing, Bill Brandt

6th (DNF): 1982 Oh Boy! Oberto, Jim Brittain

The winner of the race might be the same, but it took some nervy laps to get the final result of this race. Bill Brandt jumped out to the early lead, with the Speedy Printing showing impressive speed. Dave Brandt was trying to chase down his dad on the inside, but the Speedy had (forgive the pun) plenty of speed on the straights to hold off the Eliminator. However, on the 4th lap in the left turn, the Speedy caught a wave and barrel-rolled, ending the dream for Bill and the boat. From there, Dave Brandt managed the race, and took the victory with Steve Kinney and friend-of-the-club John Borden rounding out the podium.

Gas Scale Final

1st: 1983 KISW Miss Rock, Dave Brandt

2nd: 1982 Miss Machine Rock Band, Mike Henriksen

3rd: 1983 Miss Houston, Henry Oord

4th: 2014 Miss Graham Trucking, Charles Dandy

5th (DNF): 1988 Miss Stroh Light, Scott Meyers

6th (DNF): 1969 Pride of Pay'n Pak, Zach Gordon

Who else but Trooper Dave to make it 3-for-3 on Saturday with a win in the gas scale class? It did not look like he was positioned well in the leadup to the start, but he was able to sneak into lane one as the rest of the field was a little early. From there, it was a scene all-too-familiar to the rest of the field, as he managed the race expertly over six laps to take the victory and cap off his 5th national championship of the week. Mike Henriksen and Scott Meyers were battling behind for 2nd before the Stroh overturned in the left turn, allowing Mike and Henry Oord to cap off the podium.

Overall, it was a great 2026 NAMBA Nationals for R/CU. With 17 podiums and 10 national championships, R/C Unlimiteds drivers showed why they are the class of the country. Thank you to all who worked on what was an amazing week of racing in the Tri-Cities!

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July 18-25

Location: Family Fishing Pond, Columbia Park, Kennewick, WA

Contest Director: NAMBA

Previous Race Winners

Race held in Columbia Park, Kennewick, WA 1978-2000, 2003-present

Race held in Two Rivers Park, Finley, WA 2001-2002

Current-2022: winners shown as nitro // FE // gas

-2026: Dave Brandt (1978 Squire Shop (U-65)) // Dave Brandt (1987 Eliminator) // Dave Brandt (1983 KISW Miss Rock)

-2025: Dave Brandt (1978 Squire Shop (U-65)) // Dave Brandt (1987 Eliminator) // Dave Brandt (1983 KISW Miss Rock)

-2024: Dave Brandt (1978 Squire Shop (U-65)) // David Newton (1984 Atlas Van Lines) // Mike Malloy (1983 American Speedy Printing)

-2023: Kirk Maupin (1977 Squire) // Jim Brittain (1982 Oh Boy! Oberto) // Dave Brandt (1983 KISW Miss Rock)

-2022: Kirk Maupin (1977 Squire) // Paxton Reunanen (1983 KISW Miss Rock) // Dave Brandt (1983 KISW Miss Rock)

-2021: Kirk Maupin (1976 Miss Vernors) // Paxton Reunanen (1983 KISW Miss Rock) // Jim Whyte (1977 Atlas Van Lines)

-2020: Race cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic

2019-2013: winners shown as nitro // FE

-2019: Dave Brandt (1978 Squire Shop) // Rob Brackett (2008 Formulaboats.com U-5)

-2018: Kirk Maupin (1977 Miss Esquire Products) // David Newton (1993 Miss Budweiser (T-3))

-2017: Dave Brandt (1978 Squire Shop) // Rob Brackett (2011 Valken Sports)

-2016: Scott Meyers (2010 Superior Racing) // David Newton (1988 Miller High Life)

-2015: Dave Brandt (1969 Pay'N Pak) // David Newton (2012 Spirit of Qatar)

-2014: Dave Brandt (1995 Pico American Dream) // Dave Brandt (2008 Miss Elam Plus)

-2013: Adam Putich (2007 Miss Beacon Plumbing) // Paul Omerzu (2008 Formulaboats.com II)

Prior to 2013, no FE class run

-2012: John Olson (1976 Miss Vernors)

-2011: Dave Brandt (1999 Pico American Dream)

-2010: Dave Brandt (1999 Pico American Dream)

-2009: Kirk Maupin (1977 Miss Esquire Products)

-2008: David Newton (1985 Miss 7-Eleven)

-2007: Bill Brandt (1972 Notre Dame)

-2006: Dave Brandt (1995 Pico American Dream)

-2005: Dave Brandt (1995 Pico American Dream)

-2004: Don Mock (1984 Atlas Van Lines)

-2003: Kirk Maupin (1977 Squire)

-2002: Don Mock (1984 Atlas Van Lines)

-2001: Jesse Robertson (1994 Miss Budweiser T-3)

-2000: Lee Robertson (1995 Pico American Dream)

-1999: Jesse Robertson (1989 Miss Circus Circus)

-1998: Jeff Snell (1984 Oh Boy! Oberto)

-1997: Jesse Robertson (1989 Miss Circus Circus)

-1996: Don Mock (1984 Atlas Van Lines)

-1995: David Jensen (1969 Pride of Pay 'N Pak)

-1994: Paul Kitano (1980 Pay 'N Pak)

-1993: John Howell (1974 Sunny Jim Jam)
-1992: David Jensen (1969 Pride of Pay 'N Pak)

-1991: Paul Kitano (1980 Pay 'N Pak)

-1990: Rick Campbell (1988 Miss Circus Circus)

-1989: Sam DeFillipps (1987 Sutphen Spirit)

-1988: David Jensen (1969 Pride of Pay 'N Pak)

-1987: David Jensen (1969 Pride of Pay 'N Pak)

-1986: Roger Newton

-1985: Mike Hamilton

-1984: Roger Newton (1980 Miss Budweiser)

-1983: Doug Tumilson (Miss U.S.)

-1982: Jack Haugen (1957 Thriftway Too)

-1981: Steve Benson (Miss Vernors)

-1980: Dallas Cook (1967 Miss Bardahl)

-1979: Bill Osborne (1977 Charlie's Girl)

-1978: Jess Gray