After a controversial start and 20 minutes after the race finished Bonney Lake resident J. Michael Kelly won the H1 race of the 2014 Seafair Cup.

Among the many races Kelly has won in his career, this was his first win at Seafair.

“I couldn’t be happier,” Kelly said during an interview following the official announcement that he had won. “It’s my hometown race. I got a win in front of my family and friends.”

Kelly led for every lap of the championship.

Following the conclusion of the race, officials spent time reviewing film to see if any penalties should be added to the final times of any of the racers.

The penalties under review were the start and the final lap of the race.

To start the race, three hydroplanes, including Kelly’s, started the race what appeared to be a second before the clock hit zero.

There was also question if Kelly had encroached into a fellow drivers lane during the final lap.

If he had, it would have cost him the win and added a minute to his final time.

After deliberation, the race officials announced it was a clean start and that Kelly made a legal overlap and did not encroach the other hydroplane driven by Jimmy Shane who came in third.