1948 Percy Jones Memorial

Gull Lake, Battle Creek, Michigan, July 17, 1948

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17 Coming To Gull Lake

All eight listed starters In the Henry Ford Memorial race at Detroit yesterday, plus nine other of the fastest racing craft on the North American continent, are expected to be on hand for the Percy Jones Trophy race at Gull lake Saturday. In all, 17 boats in the unlimited and Gold Cup class are slated for participation in the biggest speedboat classic ever held in inland Michigan waters.

Craft forced to withdraw from the Detroit races Saturday because of minor mishaps all are expected to be back in shlpshop shape for the Gull Lake events. These craft include Ed Fallon’s Miss Great Lakes, Jack Schafer’s Such Crust, the So Long and My Sweetie. The first three named threw propellers in warmups prior to the start of the first heat at Detroit but it was possible to complete repairs only on the So Long to enable It to get back into contention. Repairs on the other craft should be finished within the next day or so, however.

Guy Lombardo, victor in all three heats over the two and one-half mile Detroit river raceway Saturday, probably will be the favorite to capture the Percy Jones Trophy event, to be decided on a point basis in three heats of 15 miles each.

However, much faster time is anticipated over the Gull Lake raceway course than was established by yesterday's winner at Detroit. Lombardo's Tempo VI averaged only 58.325 miles an hour in winning all three heats but the Detroit river raceway was only a two and one-half mile course whereas the measured course for the Gull lake events this Saturday will be at five miles.

Since all craft have rated speeds of well above 100 miles an hour, the longer raceway will mean that much faster times will be turned in by the racing craft. Over the shorter course, the speedboats are barely able to attain maximum speed before hitting a turn, which slows their progress to a snail’s pace, comparatively speaking.

Additional to the craft slated to compete at Detroit yesterday, famed speedboats scheduled to be on hand for the Gull lake events the coming week-end are Miss Canada III and Miss Peps. Both won national and international championships in past years.

(Battle Creek Enquirer, Sun. Jul 11, 1948)