San Diego Bay Fair is making an attempt to lure back the roaring unlimited hydroplanes — a tradition of speed and excitement — for September’s annual World Series of Powerboat Racing. Brett Seber, a member of the fair’s board of governors, said he was optimistic about the possibilities. So, the group will reserve some space along busy Mission Bay for Sept. 17-19. “Although a final contract hasn’t been signed, H1 Unlimited is expected to return to San Diego after a one-year absence,” Seber reported on Bay Fair’s website. “The (contract) numbers (were) worked out, so I feel very comfortable  that it’s going to happen.”  In addition to the unlimiteds, Bay Fair is expected to have tunnel boats, unlimited light boats, drag racing and offshore racing. Other contract “teasers” are in the mail. Meanwhile, H1 Unlimited chairman Sam Cole said: “Obviously, nothing would make us happier than to return to Mission Bay and be part of Bay Fair once again in 2010.  However, we want to make it perfectly clear that there is no agreement in place.” Seber and returning board member Jim Kidrick head the vital marketing team for the nonprofit event.  “It’s a big challenge to come up with sponsor money,” said race chairman Bob Davies. “We’re trying to woo people back.  Gone are the days of the ‘beer wars’ when Coors, Millers and Budweiser were sponsors.”  Budweiser pulled out after the 2007 event and Bay Fair officials had to go it alone last year. Discussions were under way with the Lucas Oil Drag Boat Racing Series for the drag racing competition off Crown Point. The sticking point, though, is the price  tag. According to Davies, it costs $180,000 for the boats to come down and between $75,000 and $100,000 for infrastructural needs. He puts a different spin on his views about the unlimiteds. The H1 Hydro series  (currently with six race locations) begins with 12 boats, but Davies questions how many really are working at the end of the year.   “We’ve seen this in San Diego over the years, that by the time they’ve run five,  six or seven events during the summer and arrive in San Diego, they’re all beat up, come in limping and bandaged,” Davies said.  Still, he agreed that the race boats do have the luster and a tradition.  “We’re never going to make a profit but we finished in a lot better shape last year than we ever have,” Davies said. “We filled in with different classes of boats and tried to give everybody something to look at.  “We had the unlimited lights and they put on one of the best shows I’ve seen,” he said.  “They enjoyed it because they were the stars.  Probably had more boats in our pits than we ever had. It’s the end of summer, the tourists have gone home and the locals come out one more time to be entertained and maybe camp in Mission Bay Park.”   With 27 classes of boats, Davies seems like a racing maestro. “It’s always a challenge to find how much water time is available, particularly when the drag boats need still water,” he said.   Scheduling of the event continues to be a major priority, Davies said.