The 2015 APBA Gold Cup, the 111th running of the APBA Gold Cup race and the 50th running of the local event, was held on July 24, 25, and 26, 2015 on the Columbia River in Kennewick, Washington. Contested over eight heats and a final on the 2.5-mile (4 km) oval, it was the first points-payin race of the 2015 H1 Unlimited season after the original first race, the Indiana's Governors Cup, was converted into an exhibition event after numerous delays. Jimmy Shane won the race, his second consecutive and all-time APBA Gold Cup win, the first win of the season, and the third APBA Gold Cup win for Miss Madison. J. Michael Kelly finished second, while Cal Phipps, Brian Perkins, and Scott Liddycoat rounded out the top five.
Jean Theoret won the pole with a speed of 160.509 miles per hour (258.314 km/h). Jimmy Shane, J. Michael Kelly, and Jean Theoret each won two heats apiece, with Scott Liddycoat and Cal Phipps winning the two remaining heats.
Qualifying
Jean Theoret ran the fastest lap in qualifying with a speed of . However, due to an N2 violation, the team was fined $100 following the time trials.
Pos Driver Team 1 U-96 Jean Theoret Ellstrom Racing 160.509 2 U-1 Jimmy Shane Miss Madison 157.395 3 U-5 J. Michael Kelly Porter Racing I 156.519
Heats
Heat 1A (July 25)
Jean Theoret won Heat 1A with a top lap speed of .
Results
Pos Driver Team Points 1 U-96 Jean Theoret Ellstrom Racing 400 2 U-3 Jimmy King Go 3 Racing 300 3 U-100 Kevin Eacret Leland Unlimited Racing 225 4 U-9 Scott Liddycoat Jones Racing 169 5 U-7 Jesse Robertson Porter Racing II 127 6 GBR11 Tom Thompson Unlimited Racing Group 95
Violations
Reason Penalty U-7 Jumped Gun One Lap U-11 Failure to leave Right of Way to U-11 One Lap and $250 fine
Heat 1B (July 25)
Jimmy Shane won Heat 1B with a top lap speed of .
Results
Pos Driver Team Points 1 U-1 Jimmy Shane Miss Madison 400 2 U-27 Cal Phipps Wiggins Racing 300 3 U-21 Brian Perkins Go Fast Turn Left Racing 225 4 U-5 J. Michael Kelly Porter Racing I 169 5 U-22 Mike Webster Webster Racing 0
Violations
Reason Penalty U-5 Jumped Gun One Lap U-22 Inside Buoy Disqualification
Heat 2A (July 26)
Heat 2A was scheduled to be run on Saturday, July 25, but, due to high winds, was moved to Sunday. J. Michael Kelly won Heat 2A with a top lap speed of .
Results
Pos Driver Team Points 1 U-5 J. Michael Kelly Porter Racing I 400 2 U-96 Jean Theoret Ellstrom Racing 300 3 U-1 Jimmy Shane Miss Madison 225 4 U-22 Mike Webster (hydroplane racer) Webster Racing 169 5 U-3 Jimmy King Go 3 Racing 0
Violations
Reason Penalty U-3 DMZ Violation Disqualification
Heat 2B (July 26)
Like Heat 2A, Heat 2B was scheduled to be run on Saturday, July 25, but, due to high winds, was moved to Sunday. Scott Liddycoat won Heat 1A with a top lap speed of .
Results
Pos Driver Team Points 1 U-9 Scott Liddycoat Jones Racing 400 2 U-27 Cal Phipps Wiggins Racing 300 3 GBR11 Tom Thompson Unlimited Racing Group 225 4 U-21 Brian Perkins Go Fast Turn Left Racing 169 5 U-7 Jesse Robertson Porter Racing II 127 6 U-100 Kevin Eacret Leland Unlimited Racing 95
Heat 3A (July 26)
Cal Phipps won Heat 3A with a top speed of .
Results
Pos Driver Team Points 1 U-27 Cal Phipps Wiggins Racing 400 2 U-21 Brian Perkins Go Fast Turn Left Racing 300 3 GBR11 Tom Thompson Lnlimited Racing Group 225 4 U-3 Jimmy King Go 3 Racing 169 5 U-7 Jesse Robertson Porter Racing II 0 6 U-12 Mark Evans Centurion Racing 0
Violations
Reason Penalty U-7 TBA DNF U-12 DMZ Violation Disqualification
Heat 3B (July 26)
Jean Theoret won Heat 3B with a top lap speed of . However, Theoret committed an unknown Level II penalty and thus was fined $250 and had 50 points deducted from his heat earnings.
Results
Pos Driver Team Points 1 U-96 Jean Theoret Ellstrom Racing 350 2 U-1 Jimmy Shane Miss Madison 300 3 U-9 Scott Liddycoat Jones Racing 225 4 U-22 Mike Webster Webster Racing 169 5 U-100 Kevin Eacret Leland Unlimited Racing 127 6 U-5 J. Michael Kelly Porter Racing I 95
Violations
Reason Penalty U-5 Jumped the Gun $250 Fine and 50-Point Deduction U-96 Unknown Level II Violation $250 Fine and 50-Point Deduction
Heat 4A (July 26)
Jimmy Shane won Heat 4A with a top lap speed of .
Results
Pos Driver Team Points 1 U-1 Jimmy Shane Miss Madison 400 2 U-27 Cal Phipps Wiggins Racing 300 3 U-21 Brian Perkins Go Fast Turn Left Racing 225 4 U-12 Mark Evans Centurion Racing 169 5 U-7 Jesse Robertson Porter Racing II 127
Violations
Reason Penalty U-7 Didn't Maintain Speed Before Start One Lap
Heat 4B (July 26)
J. Michael Kelly won Heat 4B with a top lap speed of .
Results
Pos Driver Team Points 1 U-5 J. Michael Kelly Porter Racing II 400 2 U-9 Scott Liddycoat Jones Racing 300 3 U-22 Mike Webster Webster Racing 225 4 U-96 Jean Theoret Ellstrom Racing 169 5 GBR11 Tom Thompson Unlimited Racing Group 127
Violations
Reason Penalty U-96 Didn't Maintain Speed Before Start One Lap GBR11 Jumped Gun One Lap
Final Heat (July 26)
Jimmy Shane won the Final Heat with a top lap speed of to win his second consecutive and overall APBA Gold Cup, both with Miss Madison. Jean Theoret dominated the final, but was later disqualified due to a DMZ violation.
Results
Pos Driver Team Points 1 U-1 Jimmy Shane Miss Madison 400 2 U-5 J. Michael Kelly Porter Racing I 300 3 U-27 Cal Phipps Wiggins Racing 225 4 U-21 Brian Perkins Go Fast Turn Left Racing 169 5 U-9 Scott Liddycoat Jones Racing 127 6 GBR11 Tom Thompson Unlimited Racing Group 95 7 U-96 Jean Theoret Ellstrom Racing 0
Violations
Reason Penalty U-96 DMZ Violation Disqualification
References