MOTORSPORT AMERICA’S COVERAGE OF THE 2025 LAKE GUNTERSVILLE ALABAMA HYDROFEST
Offshore Super Stock racing boats at the Hydrofest on Lake Guntersville!
Photos by Motorsport America photographers Derek Jackson and Frank Bellis
After a severe thunderstorm cancelled competition on Saturday afternoon at Lake Guntersville, racing resumed Sunday morning but the event was delayed for most of the afternoon because of high winds that surpassed the 20mph safety threshold.
“It’s like NASCAR when it rains, there’s not much else you can do. But thanks for everyone here in Alabama for having us. Hopefully there’s a future here and we will see you next year,” said 2024 Southern Cup winner Andrew Tate.
2024 SOUTHERN CUP WINNER ANDREW TATE – photo by Frank Bellis for Motorsport America
The conditions led to three boats flipping over during the three-day event, with two of the accidents occurring Sunday morning. According to organizers, all three drivers were rescued without serious injuries.
“The wind has a lot to do with what the water is doing,” said Dave Villwock, driver of the U-27 hydroplane. “When the wind’s calm, the waters calm. You got a nice, easy day. It starts to blow things up for you and makes things interesting… a little different when you’re going 200 miles an hour, obviously.”
Haley Rutland, communications director for Marshall County Tourism & Sports, said the event brings significant economic impact to the area, generating approximately $3 million and drawing visitors from nearly 30 states and several countries, including Canada, New Zealand and Bermuda.
“We have thousands of people coming to our area, staying in our hotels, going to our restaurants, shopping at grocery stores,” Rutland said. “This is the biggest event in Marshall County.”
Despite the challenges, H1 Unlimited extended its sincere thanks to the fans, sponsors, volunteers, and the Guntersville Lake HydroFest organizing committee, including Marshall County Tourism & Sports, for their unwavering commitment and passion for boat racing. Your dedication is the heartbeat of this sport.
The teams now turn their focus to their next event, where one of the sport’s most celebrated events will mark its 75th anniversary. Fans can expect redemption stories, fierce competition, and another unforgettable weekend of boat racing July 4-6 in Madison, Indiana.
Offshore Super Stock Boats being unloaded in the pits at Lake Guntersville in Alabama!The DrinkKelo dot com Offshore Super Stock racing boat awaits it’s turn to be unloaded under the strict supervision of race officials at Lake Guntersville! This S-47 racing boat is driven by Dale McEachern & Austin Blocker out of their home port in Canada!The S-8 Wozencraft Offshore Super Stock racing boat from Minnesota is seen here high over the Lake Guntersville as it’s being unloaded into the Lake Guntersville pits in Alabama!The Wozencraft pit crew wrapping crane straps after being unloaded in the pits at Lake Guntersville in Alabama!The Wozencraft S-8 Offshore Super Stock racing boat from Minnesota in the Lake Guntersville pits!CoCo’s Monkey from Key West, Florida awaiting unloading in the Offshore Super Stock pits at Lake Guntersville in Alabama!Offshore Super Stock Boats in the pits at Lake Guntersville in Alabama!Offshore Super Stock Boats in the Lake Guntersville pits in Alabama!Dave Villwock’s U-27 Miss Apollo shows the damage cause by Saturday’s crash at the 2025 Hydrofest on Lake Guntersville in Alabama.The H-1 Unlimited Pit at Lake Guntersville in Alabama!Offshore Super Stock racing boats make their way through Turn Four in the distance on Lake Guntersville in Alabama!Team Bermuda S-25 went airborne and capsized after catching air in the trailing wake from Team Celsius S-43. Both crew members had already escaped when rescue boats arrived and were both unharmed in the melee’.Wozencraft S-8 driven by Jeremy Tschida and Julian Maldonado out of their homeport in Minnesota, as Chris Hopgood and Jay Muller of Team Celsius S-43 from Fort Lauderdale struggle to keep up!Demon Bikini driven by Leanna Shadlow and Chad Havens out of their home port of Texas! The S-33 Offshore Super Stock boat finished P9 in Heat #2, seen here with the capsized S-25 Team Bermuda boat of David Selly and Steven Bridges in the distance, who were both unharmed during the mishap!Allen Roll-Offs & CoCo’s Monkey fighting for position through choppy waters on Lake Guntersville!The Team Allen Roll-Offs Lawn Care & Landscaping Offshore Super Stock racing boat out of Des Moines, Iowa driven by Randy Keys and Billy Allen! The S-17 Super Stock race boat finished P5 in Heat #2!CoCo’s Monkey dot com, driven by Pete & A.J. Bogino from their home port in NY State. S-39 finished P10 in Heat #2!MOM AIN’T HAPPY driven by Tom Kennedy and Scott Blumberg out of their home port of Illinois! The S-55 Offshore Super Stock racing boat finished P7!Wozencraft leads the pack through choppy waters on Lake Guntersville in Alabama! The S-8 Offshore Super Stock racing boat was screaming fast on Sunday, finishing P1 & P2 in Heats 1 & 2 respectively!S-89 Raymarine’s Cole Leibel & Gary Ballough are seen here closing in on S-54 Hi-Tech Deck driven by Matt Jamnicski & Shaun Torrente on Lake Guntersville in Alabama!Guntersville Lake Police struggles to keep up with the speed of S-89 Raymarine Offshore Super Stock racing boat from Canada! The S-89 Raymarine team won the Hydrofest Heat #2!Offshore Super Stock Boats S-47 DrinkKelo and S-23 Speedmaster Performance battle for position on Lake Guntersville in Alabama!The Speedmaster Performance Marine Offshore Super Stock racing boat out of Long Island, NY driven by John & Mike Demeino! The S-23 boat finished P8 in Heat #2!The Hi-Tech Deck Offshore Super Stock racing boat driven by Matt Jamniczki & Shaun Torrente out of their home port of Fort Myers, Florida! The S-54 boat finished P4 in Heat #2!Hop Racing’s Hydro Simulator Experience at Lake Guntersville was fun for race fans of all ages during the weather delay!Hydrosport fans taking advantage of Hop Racing’s Hydro Simulator Experience during the weather delay at Lake Guntersville!Black Flag signaled unsafe conditions on Lake Guntersville due to high winds that led to the cancellation of the 2025 Southern Cup. – H1 Unlimited Racing Photo
