1995 Budweiser Columbia Cup
Columbia Cup Renewal
TRI-CITIES (July 30) -- The annual Budweiser Columbia Cup celebrated its 30th renewal at Pasco on the Columbia River in eastern Washington, with Budweiser owner Bernie Little hoping it would end in his 100th career triumph. Little's first win as an owner had come in the inaugural edition of this event, back in 1966, so there was some extra sentiment involved. But it was not to be.
In a devasting display of dominance, Mark Tate and the Smokin' Joe's put together their first complete sweep of the season -- top qualifier, winning all three preliminary heats AND the winner-take-all final -- to rush ahead in the season high point standings by a 9,909- 9,395 margin.
Hanauer and Miss Budweiser drew against Smokin' Joe's all four heats, ran second in all the preliminaries and then had the misfortune to blow a propeller in the final and, once again, failed to finish. Nate Brown, out for the first time in Bill Wurster's rechristened U-8 (Pizza Time 'N Exide) came home second, followed by Mark Evans in the Miss KISW Rock (U-99.9).
Muscatel, while running as fast as his U-14 Computers & Applications Epson Color Stylus had ever traveled, had the misfortune to blow over during qualifying and was lost for the weekend. His stalwart crew did manage to get the boat back into race-shape for the next weekend's [August 6] event at Seattle. Muscatel emerged unscathed from the wreckage, although his escape was momentarily hampered when his oxygen mask malfunctioned and he was without air for nearly a minute until rescuers got to the scene.
(Reprinted from the URC Electronic Thunderletter No. 29 September 28, 1995)