1951 Steel Cup
200,000 See Miss Pepsi Win Regatta
Such Crust Conks Out In First Heat
Canton, O., Boat Second by Default
By Carl Hughes
It was a rather hollow victory, no other entry being able to finish against it, but world record-holding Miss Pepsi raced off with the Steel Cup in the second annual Welcome Week Regatta yesterday afternoon before a crowd of some 200,000.
Two other boats, including last year’s winner, started against the $100,000 Detroit whippet but neither got past the first heat.
Such Crust, the defending champion in the feature race, was off to a good start in the opening heat but conked out midway.
Out for Six Weeks
It had motor trouble that prevented any further racing and, in fact, will not be in the national competition again for six weeks or so.
The only other entry in the unlimited class competition for the Steel Cup—Tomyann of Canton, O.—got off to a late start in the initial heat. It was late in leaving the pits and was second by default.
Tomyann didn’t enter the following heats, though, and Miss Pepsi was left to race only against time.
The huge, 32 foot boat skimmed over the upper Ohio and lower Allegheny Rivers at the Point at an average of 73 plus miles per an hour for its final heat. That was 3 MPH better than Such Crust did last year.
Spectators Thrilled
Chuck Thompson drove the beautiful Detroit boat owned by Walter and Roy Dossin. The craft had a world record of 107 MPH for a five-mile course, but had no reason to risk engine trouble by really opening up yesterday although Thompson did that somewhat in the last heat to give the spectators a thrill.
The only Pittsburgh boat entered, Burnett Bartley’s Wildcatter, won the Alcoa Aluminum Cup in the seven-litre class. It was the only finisher in the first heat, and there were no entries in the second.
The lone repeat winner from last year’s regatta was Briar Hopper in the 225-inch hydroplane Class I. It was raced as Little Colonel at that time, and retained the Rodgers gold cup.
The Koppers Cup for the 225-inch division II went to Stormy Weather.
Wa Wa Wins
The Glass Cup went to Wa Wa in the 135-inch class but the boat was second in the second heat after finishing on top in the first. The victor in the second time around was Marbel, which managed to stay out front despite a detour en route.
It had a sizeable lead going into the last lap, when driver Curtis Martens of Hampton. Va., headed up the Monongahela instead of the Allegheny. By the time he realized his mistake and turned around, he was second, but managed to go back in front in the last time around.
One Boat Sinks
Widgeon copped the motor boat trophy for 48-inch runabouts. while the Rust Heinz Memorial Cup went to Yankee Boy in the 48-inch hydroplane class.
The chief casualty of the day's racing was Sneaky Pete, a little 48-inch runabout which sank in the Allegheny in a warm-up previous to the races.
— June 3, 1951