Category Archives: RacingNews(ENG)

RacingNews(ENG)

James Bushell’s team is fighting to overturn a disqualification ruling deemed unfair and ahead of time, after the PWC star won the first three motos of the US championship, only to be told his ski was underweight. After the race, James’ new ski was found to be 78lbs underweight according to new rules – yet the IJSBA website stated that the weight change would not be coming into play until 2014.Speaking after the decision, James said: “My World Finals ski weighed in at 663lbs and this new one is heavier – 672lbs. Nobody knew about this new ruling coming into force before the stated date, and I feel the IJSBA was wrong to call disqualification.” A spokesman for 158 Racing said that the new weight ruling was announced on the IJSBA website in January, but the recommendation was that it would not come in until 2014. This statement is still live on the IJSBA website, in an article dated January 4, 2013. (See http://www.ijsba.com/2013/01/04/ijsba-releases-managing-directors-recommendations-for-changes-to-the-2013-competition-rule-book/ ) James’ father, Steve Bushell, also insists the weight of the Sea-Doo was race-legal: "James’ team is always extremely careful to ensure we’re working well within the rule book, so there’s no way they would have allowed him to race on a Sea-Doo that was not legal.” He added: “We have lodged a protest because we feel we have been treated unfairly, and we’re hoping the decision will be overturned, so we’ll await the outcome before commenting further.”

View the list of results of all Classes from Round 1 of UWP National Tour 2013 by clicking the attachment sign.

In the Ski GP class Chris MacClugage flat out dominated aboard his Hydro-Turf Macc Racing Monster Energy boat leading every lap en route to the top step. David Redinger looked solid aboard his Kommander Industries Fly Racing Blowsion Kawasaki earning a second place finish. Kody Copenhaver was a first time podium finisher in the third spot aboard his Kommander Industries Oakley ride.

James Bushell ran very strong in the Pro-AM Runabout Open class taking all three motos on his OptimaRacing.com BRP Sea Doo, but during tech inspection the IJSBA Official on site found a technical infraction on the English rider's boat which gave the victory to the Dean's Team Factory Yamaha pilot Abdullha Alfadhel from Kuwait. Erminio Iantosca went 3-4-3 to put his Hydro-Turf, Judge Motorsports, Riva Racing Sea Doo on the second step of the box. Brian Baldwin rebounded from the bad crash he had at the final stop of 2012 season in Charleston, WV to claim the final podium spot on his Judge Motorsports Fly Racing Sea Doo.

The racing in the Pro-AM Runabout stock class was fast and clean on Sunday with Eric Francis bouncing back from a 4th place finish on Saturday to go 1, 2 to take home top honors on his Dave's Auto Body, Hydro-Turf, Monster Energy Kawasaki. Mike Bellamy was all smiles riding to his first ever 2nd place finish and Eric Lagopoulos held on for the third and final podium spot with his Hydro-Turf Riva Sea Doo.

Young rider from Indonesia, Aero Sutan Aswar did pretty well in the Round 1 of the US National Tour. He got a 3rd in First moto and then he finished 3rd again in moto 2 however he realized that his three-cylinder engine was running in two cylinders so he did not take the risk to enter the final moto. Since James Bushell got disqualified he ended up in 5rth overall. He is being sponsored by BNI, Jettribe and Celebrity Fitness.

James Bushell is a great rider and he proved it the last two years however, his fast race boat got disqualified on Sunday after the Technical Inspection in the first Round of the US National Tour since it was found out that it was precisely 78pounds lighter than it was supposed to be. So how does that happen? It was built properly in the first place and then it looses some weight out of the blue? We hope that there will be an official explanation by his Team ragarding this issue.