1950 National Sweepstakes
& Red Bank Gold Cup
Regatta Feature Races Draw Talented Fields
Red Bank —The 18th annual National Sweepstakes Regatta, the largest drawing event in motorboat circles, will be held here on the Navesink River Saturday and Sunday afternoons with a well-balanced field entered in the two feature 10-mile races, the National Sweepstakes and Gold Cup.
The Regatta will get under way at noon Saturday with a field of more than 100 outboards scheduled to compete in the first 10 races of the program. Sunday the racing program starts at 1 p.m.
The National Sweepstakes, which consists of 10 mile heats at 3:20 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday, promises to have its largest field in a number of years, with 13 boats having been entered, according to Commodore Joseph C. Irwin. The only leading inboard in the country missing from the list, according to Mr. Irwin, is Slo-Mo-Shun, which will not be here because owner Stanley S. Sayres has decided to rest it until the Harmsworth Trophy race in Detroit Labor Day
However, the three boats which trailed Slo-Mo-Shun in its record setting pace at the Detroit Gold Cup race two weeks ago are all entered. A strong favorite will be Horace Dodge's My Sweetie, which copped the two major races at Red Bank last year, and swept the Henry Ford Memorial at Detroit last week.
Tempo VI Entered
Another strong contender will be Maestro Guy Lombardo in his Tempo VI, which trailed Slo-Mo-Shun at Detroit two weeks ago and finished third in the Ford race. Still another veteran pilot of Gold Cup competition who has filed an entry blank Is Lou Fageol. Kent, Ohio manufacturer, who entered his So Long. Bob Bogie, Saranac Lake, N. Y., who finished fourth In the Gold Cup race behind My Sweetie has also entered his Blitz III, which swept both heats of the 225-cublc inch class in that regatta.
A surprise entrant was Harry Lynn, whose La Ha La was the talk of racing pits two years ago. Others entered in the National Sweepstakes are Joe Van Blerck. Freeport, L. I, in Aljo; J. D. Powell, Richmond, Va., In Skidaddle; Jim Davis, Keansburg, in Stubby VI; Oliver Elam, jr., Ashland, N. Y., in Mercury; John M. Bogie. Saranac Lake, in Blitz III, and Arthur E. Madison, Concord, N. H., in Buckaroo.
Much the same field is expected to compete in the Red Bank Gold Cup race, which this year will have two heats for the first time. Saturday the Gold Cup will climax the day’s activities at 5:40 p.m. and Sunday it will terminate the two-day program at 5:20 p.m. Perpetual trophies offered by the National Sweepstakes Regatta association, inc., sponsors of the event, will he given to the winners. My Sweetie will be defending both cups It won last year.
An innovation in powerboat racing to be used at the Sweepstakes Regatta will be the world's first use of the recently-perfected Longines electronic timing device which consists of a bank of six clocks started electrically and operated synchronously to prevent errors in timing of the events.
Another feature of the Regatta which the competitors will field is the 225-cubic inch hydroplanes In which tha competitors will vie for points for the Trimper trophy, emblematic of National supremacy, as well as Mexican Good Will trophy offered by President Miguel Aleman of that country.
The 91-cubic inch hydroplanes also have a formidable array of speedsters who will be seeking to annex the Col. Garcia Valseca Trophy from Mexico. It has been announced that Dr. Jose L. Larrea, consul general of Mexico, will be present to award the two Mexican trophies to their winners.
Six Monmouth county boats have been entered In the race for Jersey speed skiffs. The entrants are Harold E. Disbrow, Long Branch; Bud Dixon, Rumson; Stephen J. Schmidt, Long Branch; Marshall Van Winkle, 3d, Little Silver; Ray Morris, Red Bank, last year's winner, and Joseph Julian, Highlands.
Two other Monmouth count Ians entered are Ed Campnella, Rumson veteran, and Jack Van Deman. who have listed their boats In the races for 91-cublc inch hydroplanes and In the special race being run jointly for 43-cublc. inch and 48-cublc Inch hydroplanes.
--- August 3, 1950