1958 APBA Gold Cup
Who’s Going to Win the Gold Cup? [1958]
This year for the first time there will be more unlimiteds registered from the Far West than from the Detroit area, George J. Trimper, chairman of the Gold Cup-Unlimited Hydroplane Commission of the American Power Boat Association, has announced. Five of the dozen unlimited regattas are being held in the West, with the Apple Cup Race at Lake Chelan, May 11 having opened the nation's big-time roostertail circuit.
The next is the new Diamond Cup regatta oil Lake Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, June 28-29, sponsored by the Coeur d'Alene Power Boat Association. A Spokane. group is entering Miss Spokane, running at last, and a number of Seattle craft are expected to go. The Copper Cup at Polson, Montana will not be offered to unlimiteds, as the sanction and date has been usurped by the Diamond Cup. Instead race committee chairman Jim Holman has announced that the cup will be put tip for 266s on July 13-14, with a new Safeway trophy for the 280-cu. in. inboards.
July 26-27 the unlimiteds will move to Lake Tahoe for the Mapes Trophy race. Aug. 10 in Seattle is the Gold Cup race, and Oct. 15-16 the western circuit will be completed with the Sahara Hotel trophy race at Lake Mead.
The New Miss Thriftway (II) with Bill Muncey at the wheel will defend the Gold Cup on Lake Washington.
The new Ted Jones-designed-and-built Miss Bardahl will race under the burgee of the Queen City YC, it surprising development which may put this neighbor of the Seattle YC into big-time racing if Ole Bardahl takes the Gold Cup this year. With the experienced Del Gould its crew chief, Norm Evans its driver and plenty of Bardahl oil, this new green monster will be a top contender and plans an extensive campaign, including an eastern tour.
The new Miss Thriftway was launched April 12, was ready to race the next day and Willard Rhodes believes he has it faster boat than the late Thriftway. The Thriftway Too is now a definite threat, too, so the Rhodes' fleet will be formidable.
Although Bill Boeing's Miss Wahoo is retired and the dazzling Hawaii Kai in mothballs, there will be enough western unlimiteds to keep the course churned up. [Miss] Coral Reef (formerly Miss Rocket) will be raced by Austin Snell. Jim Ausland, Roostertails Inc., has Miss Seattle and the new Miss Pay 'n Save. The former Tempest is now Miss Burien. Bob Gilliam's Fascination will race for Sunnee Brand. From Pasco, Wash. comes Adios, formerly Henry Kaiser's Scooter Too. Bill Waggoner, Lake Mead YC, has the Maverick has the new Shanty II.
There'll be eastern boats out west, too, at least for the Gold Cup. The Seattle YC reports challenges from Gale V and VI of Detroit and Wildroot Charlie of Buffalo, N.Y.; and others, too, may come to skim Lake Washington’s golden circuit.
Bill Muncey, dashing pilot of the new Miss Thriftway, drove his own limited hydroplane, a 266-cubic-incher, to victory in Seattle Inboard Racing Association's opening regatta on Lake Sammamish, April 20.
(Reprinted from Sea and Pacific Motor Boat, June 1958)