UIM Class 1 World Championship in Sheboygan (WI), USA - 9-10 August 2024
Since announcing his commitment to compete in the Union International Motonautique (UIM) Class 1 series back in 2021, Mike Falco has invested significant time, effort, and resources into his racing endeavors.
This season, with a new Victory boat and Billy Moore handling the throttles, the team has finally started to click. Their progress was evident, with Defalco securing pole position at every event. Despite their impressive speed and acceleration, the team faced several setbacks during the races due to technical issues, resulting in outcomes that didn't quite reflect their potential. Still, it was clear that a victory was within reach.
They achieved that breakthrough. As they rounded the first buoy on the opening lap, Mike and Billy held their own against the formidable competition from Monster Energy/M CON Racing and dfYOUNG/Good Boy Vodka. Gradually, they extended their lead to about five hundred feet, with Monster Energy/M CON following in second and dfYOUNG/Good Boy Vodka in third. Making its debut in 2024, XINSURANCE trailed in fourth place.
The gusty conditions required all four boats to adjust their course, likely giving the drivers quite a workout. Mike Falco and Billy Moore secured their first win as a team, a victory that was well-earned. While Tyler Miller and Myrick Coil still top the leaderboard, Defalco's win propels him into second place.
Rich Wyatt, racing with dfYOUNG/Good Boy Vodka, experienced his first Class 1 victory at the inaugural 2023 race in Sheboygan, so he could surely relate to how Falco was feeling. Wyatt and his driver Alex Pratt can take solace in their third-place finish, both in the race and in the overall 2024 standings so far.
XINSURANCE, though trailing the pack, managed to complete the race and earn 9 points. Randy Kent mentioned that the team had faced drive issues during testing the previous week, forcing them to switch to spare drives that weren’t ideal for the race conditions. They now plan to adjust their setup for the second race on Sunday.
