1953 Mapes Mile High Gold Cup
Stan Dollar, Mrs. Ollie Meek Win in Tahoe Sky-High Regatta
TAHOE CITY, Calif., Sept. 14. (U.P.)—Stanley Dollar, Jr, was invincible on the curves of the Lake Tahoe course Sunday, taking the Mapes Gold Cup in the first annual Sky-High Regatta with his "Short Snorter" unlimited racing hydroplane.
Outdistancing Dollar on the straightaways at speeds up to 130 miles an hour was Hurricane IV, driven by its owner, William Stead, of Reno. But the Hurricane lost the race when it was out-maneuvered on the turns.
Dollar, who lived up to his reputation of being able to turn on a dollar, averaged 92.27 miles an hour for his fastest heat over the three-mile course.
Hurricane IV, driven on the first heat Saturday by Morlan Visel, of Los Angeles, had 86.91 miles an hour for its fastest heat.
Show Stealer
But the show-stealer of the day, who had the crowd of some 20,000 persons gasping and screaming, was Kenneth St. Oegger, of La Crescenta, Calif., in his Ruthless II. St. Oegger jockeyed back and forth for second place in the Gold Cup with his 16-foot hydroplane and, at times, even challenged Dollar's Short Snorter.
Less than five minutes after his blazing drive, St. Oegger sold the Ruthless II to Henry J. Kaiser, who witnessed the race near the judge’s stand.
Mrs. Oliver Meek [nee Phyllis Hope Hills], of Lafayette, Calif., piloted Dollar's Baby Skip-along through the fastest heat at 44.24 miles an hour to take the ladies’ unlimited class and win the women's Gold Cup trophy sponsored by Reno Printing Company.
Mrs. Henry J. Kaiser [nee Alyce Chester], of Homewood, Calif., took second spot in her Stardust with a speed of 41.20. Third place in the ladies’ class went to Mrs. Barbara Santos, Stockton, who won the second heat with a terrific drive.
The meet, held at Lake Tahoe’s elevation of 6,228 feet, was sponsored by the Lake Tahoe-Sierra Chamber of Commerce under the direction of chamber president Fred Main.
Members of the California Speedboat Association, Oakland, officiated. Mrs. Kay Hallet, Alameda, was chairman, while her husband, Fred Hallet, was referee. Chief scorer was Charlotte Brown, Sacramento.
Other results (fastest time): ,
Pacific One Design Hydroplane — Marion Beaver, Parker, Ariz., in Little Beaver, 47.51; Dr. L. J. Novotny, Indio, Calif., in Cherub II, 46.72.
"B” Racing Runabouts — Willie Meranda, Los Banos, in Vina Mae, 49.03; Howard McPhee, Avenal, in Beetlebomb, 48.15.
“E” Racing Runabouts — Ed Fletchall, Long Beach, in Money B Too, 57.60; D. Lyman and W. Tucker, Folsom, in E Bomb, 52.18.
Crackerbox — Carl Maginn, Glendale, in Hot Ice, 56.61; Richard Johnson, Monrovia, No-Go, 54.29.
136 Cubic Inch—Thomas Caldwell, San Mateo, in Blue Blazes, 48.03; Howard Newton, Concord, in Maybe, 46.38.
48 Cubic Inch — Kenneth Ingram, Los Angeles, in Ranger’s Pup, 57.03; Howard Newton, Concord, in Little Jim, 46.22.
135 Cubic Inch — John Corea, Dos Palos, in Skippy, 63.78 Buddy Holloway, Oakland, in Screaming Eagle, 59.46
225 Cubic Inch — George Mattucci, Oakland, in California Kid, 59.01; Harry Ammon, North Sacramento, in Candy Too, 54 02.
266 Cubic Inch — Kenneth St. Oegger, La Crescenta, in Ruthless II, 62.63 Earnest Bender, Fresno, in Thunderbolt, 62.13.
--- Nevada State Journal, September 15, 1953