1972 APBA Gold Cup
Driver Injured When Madison Sinks At Detroit
DETROIT — (Special) Unlimited-hydroplane drivers, impatient after yesterday’s unagreeable weather washed out qualifying runs for Sunday’s Gold Cup, were out early today.
Three boats were added to the "qualified" list, but one — the Miss Madison — crashed and sank during a later test run on the choppy Detroit River.
Bill Schumacher got the Seattle-based Pride of Pay ‘n Pak in with a two-lap average of 106.143 miles an hour. Two laps at better than 100 m.p.h. are required for entry in: the Gold Cup field.
Terry Sterett pushed the Budweiser to 104.985 m.p.h.
Six boats qualified Wednesday. Bill Muncey in the Atlas Van Lines I topped the list with a 120.948 m.p.h. clocking. The mark is the best ever for Gold Cup qualifying, but will not go down as a record because the course is not surveyed.
Others qualified:
Notre Dame (Dean Chenoweth), 113.745 m, p. h.; Atlas II (Tom Sheehy). 107.103 m.p.h.; Pizza Pete (Bob Gilliam). 105.575 m.p.h.; Lincoln Thrift (George Henley). 104.600 m.p.h.: Timex (Jim McCormick), 102.718 m.p.h.
Charlie Dunn, driver of the new Madison, was rushed to Detroit General Hospital where his condition was listed as "temporarily serious."
A hospital spokesman declined to detail the driver’s injuries, but said it appeared "he will be all right."
Jim Cole, pit boss, said Dunn was driving down the course when the boat hit a "hole" or groundswell and broke up. The river was choppy, due to heavy winds in the area.
Divers found the Madison engine, but still were searching for the splintered hull this afternoon. The divers reported heavy currents in the area where the Madison went down.
Dunn, an unlimited rookie from Miami, had his troubles yesterday, too.
He made one attempt to qualify — and headed for shore after completing only one-half lap.
"It was horrible," Dunn exclaimed to a cluster of drivers on the bank. "There were two- and three-foot whitecaps down the back-stretch. I ran right into those waves, and the whole nose went under. I said that’s enough, right there.
"I thought maybe I could just run 100 miles an hour and get qualified," said Dunn.
(Reprinted from The Seattle Times, June ?? 1972)