Muncey Joins Schoenith for '70 Unlimited Tour

Bill Muncey, perhaps the most successful driver in the history of unlimited hydroplane racing, and the Gale Enterprises racing Team of J. Lee Schoenith and his father, Joe, have complete an agreement which will place Muncey in the driver's seat of the Myr's Special.

Signing of Muncey by the Schoenith interests ends 15 years of friendly rivalry between them. During that time, Muncey won four APBA Gold Cups, three national championships, two world championships, erased almost every competition record and won about every race in the United States more than once. More often than not, the boat he defeated to take the laurels was a Schoenith entry.

The newly formed alliance teams three of the most successful name in the boat racing world. Lee Schoenith won the APBA Gold Cup in 1955 and was national champion four times. Bill Cantrell also has won the Gold Cup and guided the mechanical destinies of the Myr's Special in 1969 as she missed a national championship by a whisker and won the Indiana governor's cup and Tri-Cities Atomic Cup races. Cantrell was named Sportsman of the Year in unlimited racing for 1968.

The three men, who between them have left an indelible mark on the sport, will probably be the only active winners of the Gold Cup in action next year at San Diego.

For Muncey, it is the latest ride in a series that started with the Miss Great Lakes and progressed to Miss Thriftway, Miss Century 21, Notre Dame, Such Crust and Miss U.S. He replaces Dean Chenoweth, who left the Myr's team after two seasons. No replacement has been announce for Muncey by Miss U.S. owner George Simon.

[Reprinted from Sea and Pacific Motor Boat, February, 1970, pp.23-24]