Auburn’s Dave Villwock completed a flawless weekend on the Detroit River by taking the 101st APBA Gold Cup Unlimited Hydroplane race Sunday afternoon.

Villowck, driving the U-96 Spirit of Qatar entry, was the top qualifier and captured all four of his heats during the weekend.

In the five-lap final, Villwock, with lane choice, went on to capture the race handily, beating Steve David by a resounded 20 boat lengths.

It was Villwock’s third straight Gold Cup win and eighth of his career, tying him with the late Bill Muncey and putting him three shy of Chip Hanauer’s 11. Villwock now has 60 career victories, two shy of Muncey’s all-time mark and one behind Hanauer.

“I have to thank Chip Hananuer and Bill Muncey for the path that they have paved to made it all possible,” said the 56-year old Villwock. “Unbelievable, unbelievable to match the numbers, just unbelievable.”

J. Michael Kelly finished third, followed by Greg Hopp, Jeff Bernard and Nate Brown.

“The course was very rough,” Villwock said. “The Oberto (David) is a very good rough water boat, but I think our boat just ran better in all type of river conditions all weekend.”

The Unlimited fleet now goes to Tri-Cities for the 45th Lamb Weston Columbia Cup on July 23-25.

The series returns to Seafair to challenge the Lake Washington course on Aug. 6-8.