The last thing Cal Phipps heard on the radio was, “Don’t let J. Mike [Kelly] pass us, he’s coming hard.”
When Phipps’ radio went out during lap two of Sunday’s heat 2B hydroplane race, it effectively left him stranded. The driver of the Dalton Industries boat was leading the race at that point, but without communication from his team, he was unaware how much of an advantage he had over Kelly’s Graham Trucking I boat. That left his strategic choices a toss-up.
“I didn’t know whether to pinch it or run it wide, so I pinched it and ran it wide,” said Phipps, who won the heat.