April 2nd of this year the world’s fastest Grandpa Jerry Hopp set his 3rd major speed record driving Hopp Racing’s APBA Grand Prix Hydroplane. Jerry averaged 170.620 mph in the flying 1/4 mile straightaway at Oroville, CA. Jerry also hold the 1 2/3 mile circle track record set last summer at 110.081 mph and the Kilo straightaway record at 169.081 mph. Jerry now has a “Hat Trick” of boat racing holding 3 of the 5 APBA speed records in Grand Prix Hydroplanes.
70 year old Jerry gave a BIG Thumbs up to ARP for supplying the outstanding hardware that holds the Hopp Racing big block Chevy together. The 468 ci supercharged alcohol engine puts out 1500 HP and the engine is run at 8500 rpm. Hopp Racing uses the same engine for straightaway and circle track racing. Now the circle track season has started with upcoming races at Tri-Cities and Seattle Seafair in Washington state.