After a three-month break from racing, the National Jet Boat Association started the second half of racing on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 17 and 18 at Lake Ming in Bakersfield. Matt Hudson was ready to back up his May win in the Super Eliminator class. During the break, Hudson decided to change gears on the boat and he made a test and tune pass Saturday before qualifying and ran an 8.52 @ 122 mph.

During Saturday morning qualifying for the 9.0 second bracket, Hudson made two passes, one at 8.64 and 8.67 @ 122 mph and 117 mph respectively. In the Super Eliminator bracket, Hudson put down an 8.44 @ 125mph. Hudson declared to go into the 8.0 second bracket for Sunday eliminations.

He won his first round race on Saturday night with an 8.83 @ 122 mph. After making some changes Saturday night, he lost his first round in the 8.0 second bracket with an 8.44 @ 128 mph. Since that put him out of the 8.0 bracket, he set his sights on winning Super Eliminator. He won both round two and three with a pair of 8.44s on an 8.40 dial in index. Hudson was declared the winner when the wind was too strong to finish the races. With three boats remaining in the S.E. class, he was named the winner because he ran the closest to his dial in index time on his last pass.

There are two more races remaining for the year – over the weekends of Oct. 22 and 23 and Nov. 19 and 20. Hudson remains #2 in points in the Super Eliminator class. He offered thanks to his sponsors, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Escalon; Tilbury Napa Auto Parts, Escalon; Farmers Blacksmith & Welding, Escalon and a special thank you to “his crew” – Dave Hernandez, boat launch/pick up driver, Danny Stone, pit crew, and of course, his mom and dad.