The Meyers Auto Tech Championship Series Powered by Rattlesnake RC returned to central Washington for the Rose Cup. Ellensburg was the site for the second time this year, and Saturday was a total blow-out: winds of excess of 60 MPH prevented any testing.

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Sunday dawned a lot calmer and near-perfect, as the day warmed to 70 degrees F with sunny skies and light wind. The wind began to gust up towards the finals, but nothing compared to Saturday or the earlier race there this spring.

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46 boats were on hand across four classes to race for the Rose Cup, as the 2025 season continues to roll into form!

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1/10th Scale Electric Final

1st: 1974 Miss U.S., Brooklyn Kinney

2nd: 1955 Hawaii Kai, Enzo Henriksen

3rd: 1960 Miss Burien, Jason Walters

4th (DNF): 1983 American Speedy Printing, Lexy Brandt

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The Miss U.S. hit the start perfectly with speed, and Brooklyn took the early lead. The Speedy tried to keep up before it went dead in the left turn. Brooklyn was able to hold off the two roundnose boats to take her second victory of the year.

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Gas Scale Final

1st: 1983 KISW Miss Rock, Dave Brandt

2nd: 1983 Miss Houston, Henry Oord

3rd: 1977 Atlas Van Lines, Jim Whyte

4th (DNF): 1983 American Speedy Printing, Bill Brnadt

5th (DNF): 1977 Charlie's Girl, Mike Henriksen

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The gas scale class had a smaller-than-typical turnout, but it did not take away from the competitiveness of the final. Dave Brandt took the early lead and maintained it to win 4 out of 4 for 2025, but it was not as easy as it sounds. Henry Oord challenged with the Houston, with Jim Whyte rounding out the podium with the Atlas.

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1/8th Scale Electric (FE) Consolation

1st: 1984 Team Velocity, Mike Henriksen

2nd: 1972 Notre Dame, Lexy Brandt

3rd: 1975 Miss Valvoline, Ken Hash

4th (DNF): 2011 Red Dot, Jason Colean

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Jason Colean continues to get the Red Dot quicker and quicker, but it spun and rolled. Mike Henriksen has showed speed all year with the Team Velocity and was able to keep it on the water to take the victory over Lexy Brandt. Ken Hash completed his second-race ever with a solid finish in the consolation.

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1/8th Scale Electric (FE) Final

1st: 1987 Eliminator, Dave Brandt

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

3rd: 1984 Team Velocity, Mike Henriksen

4th: 1977 Miss Esquire Products, Aidyn Brandt

5th: 1983 Miss Houston, Henry Oord

6th: 1976 Atlas Van Lines, Wayne Beeson

7th (DNF): 1987 Miller American, Paxton Reunanen

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Many were expecting chaos with the FE final as the winds increased, but remarkably most of the field stayed clean. Paxton and Dave took the early lead, and ran side-by-side for most of the first lap. In the right turn the Miller rolled, which gave Dave some room to manage the wind and take his 3rd victory in 4 races for 2025. The Squire Shop took its best finish of its career thus far, with Henriksen coming up from the trailer position to finish 3rd.

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1/8th Scale Nitro Consolation

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

2nd: 1978 Squire Shop (U-64), Aidyn Brandt

3rd: 1990 Oh Boy! Oberto, Adam Faussett

4th (DNF): 1983 American Speedy Printing, Bill Brandt

5th (DNF): 2012 Matrix Auto Systems, Brian Anderson

6th (DNS): 2011 Miss Lakeridge Paving, Gary Grembowski

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Wait a second, why was the R/CU's winningest driver in the consolation race? Dave had a tough preliminary heat draw, but recovered well enough to take the victory in the consolation over his son and advance to the final.

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1/8th Scale Nitro Final

1st: 1977 Miss Esquire Products, Kirk Maupin

2nd: 1982 Oh Boy! Oberto, Jim Brittain

3rd: 1978 Squire Shop (U-65), Dave Brandt

4th: 1974 Miss U.S., Steve Kinney

5th: 1979 Miss Circus Circus, Geoffry Grembowski

6th (DNF): 1993 Miss Rock, Brent Edinger

7th (DSQ): 1988 Miss Stroh's Light, Scott Meyers

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The Stroh's got caught up in a skirmish in the mill, as he washed down the Miss Rock on the backstretch while cutting, which resulted in a disqualification. Up front, it was Jim Brittain in lane 1, and Kirk Maupin in lane 2, as they battled over 5 laps. In the end, R/CU's "Ice Man" took his first victory of 2025, with Brittain settling for 2nd, and Dave Brandt coming up from the trailer to take the final podium spot.

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