Blue Chip Coming to Tri-Cities, Gold Cup

KENNEWICK — Mitch Evans will be bringing his U-80 Blue Chip vintage Unlimited Hydroplane back to the Tri Cities Water Follies, July 25-27. The Blue Chip will be on the Columbia River with other vintage Unlimiteds from the Hydroplane & Raceboat Museum making exhibition runs. This particular version of the U-80, built in 1957 (according to Hydro’s Who’s Who), raced as the Blue Chip in 1963 and 1964 on the Unlimited circuit. When Evans acquired the hull, he first ran it as the vintage U-22 Breathless III. Evans won the 2003 Tri Cities race driving Ed Cooper’s U-3 “Turbinator” and was the 1989 Columbia Cup winner as well.