1950 Imperial Gold Cup
Miss Pepsi Sinks in Mishap on Ohio
Driver and Mechanic Injured When Speed Boat Capsizes at New Martinsville
New Martinsville, W. Va., Sept. 24 [1950] (AP)—The $100,000 record breaking racing boat Miss Pepsi (2) sank in the Ohio River today and three race drivers were hurt in the New Martinsville regatta.
The boat turned end-over-end while rounding a pylon at a speed of about 60 miles an hour and tossed driver Chuck Thompson and Harold Beardslee, both of Detroit, into the water. They were taken to a New Martinsville hospital for treatment of shock, leg lacerations and bruises.
Ray Dossin of Detroit, one of the owners of the boat, said the craft either hit driftwood or nosed down in turning the pylon, causing it to upset. He said the amount of damage to the craft could not be determined until it is raised tomorrow.
Won President’s Cup
The craft last week captured the President's Gold Cup and set a new course record at Washington of more than 95 miles an hour. Earlier in the season, it had set a course record of 107 miles an hour at Detroit.
Miss Pepsi, out to set a course record, was leading by about 200 yards early in the race when the mishap occurred.
H. A. Hatch of Hamilton, Ont., driving Costa Lotta, suffered back and Ieg injuries when another racer climbed his craft on a turn.
Mac Wiefering of Dayton, Ky., piloting the Riga-Mortis, said Hatch's motor apparently misfired as both drivers fought around the turn in a heavy spray. A crowd of about 20,000 braved cold weather to watch the races with a record field of 140 boats in the day's program.
Two World Marks Clipped
Two new world records were set in the competition.
Edison Hedges of Atlantic City recaptured the Class F service runabout division record with a speed of 50.533 miles an hour.
The other new mark went to Sidney Street of Kansas City, Mo., who piloted the Gee Whiz to 76.922 m, p. h. in the 135-Cubic-Inch Hydroplane Class. Street took both heats to capture the Viking Trophy, with Joe Wolf of Reading, Pa., second, and Thomas Cooper of Kansas City, Mo., third.
The Gold Cup race, in which Miss Pepsi was sunk, was won by Horace Dodge's Delphine X, piloted by Danny Foster of Detroit at an average speed of 86.49 mph. Second was Daniel J. Murphy Jr. of Philadelphia, who won the first of two heats. Joseph Schoenith of Detroit was third. Al Brinkman of Buffalo, N. Y., in Seabiscuit, won the World Trophy race for 225-cubic-inch hydroplanes with speeds in the three heats of 73.75 and 76 mph. Bob Bogie of Saranac Lake, N. Y., was second and C. H. Smith of Cincinnati third.
[Reprinted from the New York Times, September 25, 1950]