Look Who’s Blowing Your Doors Off

Honda Takes It's First APBA Pro/Am Open Win at Parker, AZ

Text by Kevin Shaw

Photos by Jim Heath

The weekend immediately following this past Thanksgiving Day welcomed a field of six runabouts (and double that number in stand-ups) for the first round of APBA Region 1 racing at the 61st annual Thanksgiving Regatta. Presented by Ross Wallach’s RPM Racing Enterprises and hosted by Parker, Arizona’s Blue Water Casino, this event would not only provide an early peak at next year’s top Region 1 contenders, but also award place winners with number plaques and class trophies earned over the previous year. More importantly, this weekend was witness to what might be the makings of the rivarly of the decade.

Region 1 regular and Southern California native Nick Vanis – who dominated 2007’s Long Beach-to-Catalina-and-Back and earned the APBA Number One plate for his multiple wins in 2008 – surprised all when he abandoned his wickedly fast 80-plus-mph Sea-Doo RXP and quietly pulled up with a brand-new candy-red and black, turbocharged Honda F-15X. Vanis, when asked about the change, said only, “For right now, all I can say is that I will be exclusively riding a Honda to compete in the Pro/Am Open for 2009.” Regarding the state of the Honda’s performance modifications, Vanis remained tight-lipped, but his results would be more revealing.

Facing a field of fully-outfitted runabouts (including two modded SHOs, a JSU-built STX-15F, and an 80-plus-mph RXP), Vanis would take the win in three out of the weekend’s four heats (landing second in the Saturday morning heat), earning Honda its first ever Pro/Am Open event win.

Above: A broad field of competitive stand-ups was on hand for this year’s Thanksgiving Day Regatta. Out of twelve skis, David Hardenburger was able to take the field, and also took the number one plate for his wins throughout 2008

Absent from Friday’s two heats, Yamaha’s Mike Follmer arrived early Saturday morning. Recently signed by Monster Energy, Follmer donned a new black-and-green helmet brandishing the new supporter’s logo. Surprisingly, in addition to Vanis’ all-new Honda backing, Rockstar Energy also climbed aboard with the current number-one Region 1 rider. Although Follmer’s tuned SHO was no match for the faster Honda, Follmer is anxiously waiting for the new FZR to clear homologation, which he plans on using for the 2009 season. Applying everything learned on the SHO to the more nimble two-seater should provide Vanis’ untouchable F-15X some stout competition.

(Above: Yamaha’s Mike Follmer – recently signed by Monster Energy – went toe-to-toe with current APBA Region 1 winner, Nick Vanis who shut out the entire field aboard his Honda F-15X GPScape)

(Honda’s Vanis faces off against Yamaha’s Follmer in a battle of manufacturer-supported racing. Adding to the heat was both major energy drink brands Rockstar and Monster, supporting opposing riders)

(Above: Note that Vanis removed both the back seat and the deep cooler bucket in order to allow cool, fresh air into the Honda’s engine compartment)

(Amazingly, Honda’s first time out in competitive Sprint Course racing ended with three out of four first place finishes and a first place overall for the weekend)

(Above: It’s been a long time coming, but Honda could possibly be the machine to beat in 2009)