1952 Marine Derby
5,000 See Marine Derby Thriller; Victory Babe Wins 266-Cu.-In. Class
By Wallace Blair
A crowd of more than 5,000 lined the banks of the Ohio River at Arctic Springs yesterday to watch the sixth annual Marine Derby replete with thrills and spills only furnished by speedboat racing.
Sponsored by the Falls Cities Motorboat Racing Association, the program consisted of 12 races divided into five classes according to cubic-inch piston displacement.
Victory Babe, whose time was second only to Wild Goose, with a top speed of 63.11 miles per hour won the 266-cubic-inch class. Babe is owned by Carl Goetz, Cincinnati, a leader in speed boat racing for years.
Miss Kress Takes Second
Second in this race was Miss Kress, owned by John Kress, Detroit, Michigan. His best time in the three heats was 60.93. The Hornet, one of two boats by that name, and entered by Marion Cooper, Louisville, finished third.
His best time was 59.96.
Most times made during the afternoon were considered good because of a choppy river and high wind.
Miss Kress won the free-for-all hydroplane race over a 10-mile course .in 11 minutes, 27 seconds. Close behind only 16 seconds back was Water Bug. owned by Sam Guarino, Detroit, Mich. Twenty-two seconds off the pace was Marion Cooper's Hornet.
All three of these boats are powered with Ford V-8 engines.
Miss Kress has a Hallett hull and the other two hulls were built and designed by the owners.
Most consistent winner of the day was Miss Columbus, owned by Chuck Hunter, Columbus, Ohio, which won the 225-cuoic-inch class. She won all three of her heats and her time for the first two varied only .45 of a second.
It was in this class fans were given the most excitement of the day. Rig-A-Mortis, owned by Mac Wiefering, Dayton, Ohio, and driven by Glen Parish was in the lead when it turned over going around the last buoy coming into the stretch of the first heat.
Boat Is Upset
Flahey finished third in the second heat and driver Doug Frede, after crossing the finish line, attempted to turn to bring it to shore when a wave caught him and turned the boat upside down. Frede was unhurt and the Coast Guard towed the boat to shore.
When a line broke as the boat was nearing the officials barge and Flahey was beginning to sink in about 27 feet of water, Capt. John Beatty, Cincinnati, jumped in with his clothes on and dived to tie a line under her bow.
Although there was no boat to compare with Horace Dodge's My Sweetie or Jack Schafer's Such Crust, the competition was all that could be asked for in every race.
Race Officials Named
The races were under the direction of Wood Axton, commodore; James Noonan, vice-commodore. and Charles “Soupy” Ciconett, chairman.
A staff of about 200 handled the show.
About 100 drivers and owners attended a banquet on the grounds at Arctic Springs last night when checks and trophies were presented the first four places in each race.
Results
Class 48 cu. in. — Mad Hatter, owned by O. J. Hollenbach. McHenry, Ill.; Strange Reaction. Kendard Johnson, Harper Wood, Mich.; Miss Led, Charles Breen, Cincinnati.
- 1st heat — Mad Hatter, 38.49; Miss Led, 34.88; Strange Reaction, 33.33.
- 2d heat — Mad Hatter, 40.08; Strange Reaction, 39.02; Miss Led, 35.98.
Class 135 cu. in. — Who Dat, owned by Don Wilson, Dearborn, Mich.; Gee Whiz, Sid Street, Kansas City; Skid Doo, John Cramer, Dayton, Ohio.
- 1st heat — Skid Doo, 50.84; Who Dat, 47.46; Invader, 44.77.
- 2d heat — Gee Whiz, 60.77; Who Dat, 59.96; Skid Doo, 49.94.
- 3d heat — Gee Whiz, 59.40; Who Dat, 58.82; Skid Doo, 49.97.
Class 225 cu. in. — Miss Columbus, owned by Chuck Hunter, Columbus, Ohio; Water Bug, Sam Guarino, Detroit, Mich.; Hornet, Marion Cooper, Louisville.
- 1st heat — Miss Columbus, 58,47; Water Bug, 53.69; Hornet, 53.41.
- 2d heat — Miss Columbus, 58.02; Water Bug, 57.72; Flahey, 57.50.
- 3d heat — Miss Columbus, 55.59; Water Bug, 54.77; Hornet, 52.60.
Class 266 cu. in. — Victory Babe, owned by Carl Goetz. Cincinnati; Miss Kress. John Kress. Detroit, Mich.; Hornet, Marion Cooper, Louisville.
- 1st heat — Wild Goose, 63.55; Victory Babe, 63.11: Miss Kress, 55.28.
- 2d heat — Victory Babe, 62.71; Miss Kress, 60.93; Hornet. 59.96.
- 3d heat — Victory Babe, 59.92; Hornet, 56.81; Miss Kress, 56.60.
Free-for-all, Hydroplanes (one heat) — Miss Kress, 11 minutes 27 seconds; Water Bug. 11 minutes 43 seconds; Hornet, 11 minutes 49 seconds. Distance 10 miles.
--- August 4, 1952