Facebook photo album available HERE

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A unique warm weather day greeted the Meyers Auto Tech Championship Series Powered by Rattlesnake RC as R/CU turned west in late August. Waughop Lake in Fort Steillacoom Park, located in Lakewood, WA, just south of Tacoma, was the site of the Diamond Cup, as the season entered its last quarter and points battles started to heat up.

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Over thirty boats were on hand to compete for the Diamond Cup. No 1/10th scale class was raced, however the battles on the water for the remaining three classes were as hot as the air above it!

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Gas Scale Final

1st: 1978 Miss Mark and Pak, Joey Caines

2nd: 1983 American Speedy Printing, Bill Brandt

3rd: 1977 Atlas Van Lines, Jim Whyte

4th: 1983 KISW Miss Rock, Dave Brandt

5th: 1974 Lincoln Thrift, Dave Englehart

6th (DNF): 1977 Charlie's Girl, Mike Henriksen

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Dave Brandt and the Miss Rock has been nearly flawless all season, however was a bit early during the start and was called for jumping the gun. In lane one, it was Joey Caines, who was handed the driving duties for Jim Whyte's boat, who took the early lead and never looked back. Using the penalized Miss Rock as a barrier, Joey pulled off the victory, taking his first victory in the gas scale class. Bill Brandt took second with the American Speedy Printing, with Jim Whyte and the ailing Atlas Van Lines taking the final spot on the podium.

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1/8th Scale Electric (FE) Consolation

1st: 2001 Znetix, Donn Lange

2nd: 1983 American Speedy Printing, Bill Brandt

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In the two-boat standoff, the Speedy clipped a buoy, handing the Znetix the easy victory to advance to the final.

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1/8th Scale Electric (FE) Final

1st: 1984 Team Velocity, Mike Henriksen

2nd: 1987 Miller American, Paxton Reunanen

3rd: 1977 Miss Esquire Products, Aidyn Brandt

4th: 1987 Eliminator, Dave Brandt

5th: 2001 Znetix, Donn Lange

6th (DNF): 1982 Atlas Van Lines, Marc Connelly

7th (DNF): 1976 Atlas Van Lines, Wayne Beeson

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The Eliminator spun in the first turn, handing the lead to the Team Velocity. Mike did not have an easy path forward however, as Paxton and Miller (who was victorious on this lake earlier in 2025) was charging hard. However, the Miller had to go the long way around, and never could make up the distance. It was about two boat lengths at the end, but Mike Henriksen was able to take his second victory of the year with the Team Velocity. However, despite the final struggles, Dave Brandt clinched the 2025 FE drivers' championship, which was his first FE drivers' title, but added to his illustrious career of 15 drivers' titles in nitro and gas classes.

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1/8th Scale Nitro Consolation

1st: 1983 American Speedy Printing (Blue), Bill Brandt

2nd: 1983 KISW Miss Rock, Gary Grembowski

3rd (DNF): 2024 Miss Beacon Electric, Jim Putich

4th (DNF): 1983 Miss Renault, Joey Caines

5th (DNF): 2001 Skyway Park Bowl, Kyle Fisher

6th (DNF): 1983 American Speedy Printing (R/W/Y), Mike Malloy

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With a lot of chaos in this heat, Bill Brandt played it cool to take the victory and advance to the final.

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1/8th Scale Nitro Final

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

2nd: 1988 Miss Stroh's Light, Scott Meyers

3rd: 2019 Delta/Realtrac, Zach Gordon

4th: 1977 Miss Esquire Products, Kirk Maupin

5th (DNF): 1994 Pete's Wicked Ale, Paul Jackson

6th (DNF): 1983 American Speedy Printing, Bill Brandt

7th (DNF): 1979 Miss Circus Circus, Geoffry Grembowski

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Paul Jackson and the Pete's Wicked Ale had lane one at the start, but the boat filed to properly light. As the field went down the backstretch, the Miss Circus Circus had the inside lane, with the Squire Shop outside. The Circus hit a hole and flipped in the right turn, and Trooper Dave never looked back. He collected his fourth nitro victory of the year, and extended his points lead in a tight battle for nitro points.