1954 Mapes Mile-High Gold Cup
Dollar's Boat Wins First Heat of Regatta
Sky-High Race At Peak Today In Lake Tahoe
Swift Craft Flash Across Choppy Waters
By Ty Cobb, Journal Sports Editor
CAMP RICHARDSON, Lake Tahoe, Calif., Sept. 11. (Special to the Journal)—Stan Dollar today took one big step toward retaining his Lake Tahoe Sky-High Regatta championship and the prized Mapes Gold Cup.
The veteran speedboat driver defied strong wind, choppy water and a field of fast rivals to take the first heat of the unlimited class.
Over 100 MPH
Hitting speeds of well over 100 miles per hour on the straightaways, the defending champion's Short Snorter finished the initial five-lap 15-mile grind over a triangular course in average time of 80.631 MPH.
Sunday morning it'll be Dollar against the field as five, and possibly six, of the nation's fastest hydroplanes compete In their second heat. This will be first on the Sunday program, starting at between 9 and 9:S0 a.m., according to director Fred Main. Then will come final heats of the various divisions—nine of them, plus a ladies race.
Climaxing the mile-high event here at the south end of this beautiful big lake will be the third and final heat of the Gold Cup contest for the unlimited class, completing the three-heat 45-mile classic.
There'll be plenty of vantage points for spectators planning to come from various points of western Nevada and the California side of Tahoe.
They can sit in the specially constructed 4,000-seat bleachers here at Camp Richardson, directly overlooking the long home stretch straightaway (at $3.00 per seat). Or they can perch, free, on the sand dunes of neighboring shorelines, including the government's Pope Beach nearby.
Binoculars are not a "must," since the spectators really have a close-up view, but will be a help in observing the far turns. And it's not vital that onlookers arrive exactly at 9 a.m. The races continue all morning and the Gold Cup final is booked for 1:50 p.m.
They'll see Dollar's Short Snorter fare the challenge of Scooter, Hurricane IV, Restless, California Kid and possibly Breathless.
Skilled crews of mechanics were working well into the night here at the shoreline "pits" and boat houses to repair damages of yesterday's race, to lune motors for ever greater speeds and in other ways to prepare them for Sunday's finals.
Some Damage
Dollar's Short Snorter hit some floating object on the last lap today and tonight Stan reported the propeller was somewhat bent and a hole was punched in the hull. "I knew water was coming in somewhere and I was sure glad that was the last lap," he said. Thudding into the choppy waves at 100 miles per hour, the impact churned the seepage in the cockpit into a heavy spray but it didn't daunt the veteran pilot known at his Piedmont, Calif. winter home as R. Stanley Dollar jr of the Dollar Steamship line but as Stan to his friends of many summers at Lake Tahoe the husky driver is one of the county's best-known speedboat wheelers. At various times he has won every major race the National Gold Cup, the Silver Cup (Detroit) the international Harmsworth Trophy, numerous Tahoe championships and twice was voted the nation's leading all around driver.
Today he and Short Snorter, one of the oldest craft on the Lake with a frame constructed about 15 years ago, set a pace from start to finish. The race was delayed in getting started as the Murphy family's touted Breathless ran into troubles. This big craft reputed to have hit 142 MPH in a practice spin hardly got beyond its launching point despite the efforts of Jay Murphy at the controls and the work of mechanics during a half hour respite voted by the other drivers Breathless was left in dry dock.
Short Snorter's 1500 horsepower engine roared at the starter's flag and the defending champion held a slight lead going into the first turn, Henry J Kaiser's red-and-white Scooter of 1300 hp was driven by Jack Regas almost neck and neck with Short Snorter. The powerful Hurricane owned and driven by Bill Stead of Reno took longer to get under under way and was forced to take the first turn [......] opened up the bellowing 3,000 HP under Hurricane's red hull and rooster tail spray and rose in a spectacular trail behind the Nevada craft. But Dollar and the Kaiser craft had already jumped Inlo a command lead. Although Stead pulled away from California Kid and Restless he was unable to gain on the leaders. Dollar took the choppy far (west) turn in fine style and came roaring down the first home stretch several hundred yards in front of Scooter. Scooter held a big lead over Hurricane IV. Strung out behind were the smaller entries: California Kid and Restless. California Kid co-owned by Lon Graditi and George Mattucci of Oakland and piloted by the latter held fourth place the rest of the way. Henry Kaiser's second entry the red-hulled Restless piloted bv Ken St Oegger ran a steady race but didnt gain on the leaders. Both the brown-yellow California Kid and Restless are 500 hp craft of the seven litre classification Dollar's Short Snorter finished about a half mile to the good over the 15 mile grind averaging 80.63 according to the computing of California Powerboat Association Scooter was second in 75.84 mph average time Hurricane IV third in 69.98 California Kid fourth in 66.92 average time and Restless fifth in 62.24 Dollar has fastest single lap time of 82.49 mph the second time around. Among the repairs being made tonight are new starting aparatus for Breathless the 2,000 h.p. craft which missed out today but mav still compete Sunday in the last two heats. Kaiser's Scooter took on until when the water intake scoop (for the cooling system) broke and the boat took water inside the hull. Restless ran the race with one blown out of operation it was learned. On the point system Short Snorter has 400, Scooter 300, Hurricane 225, California Kid, 169 Restless 127.
The unlimited speedsters weren't the whole show. From early moming until well past noon racing craft of various classes gave the spectators a lot to look at. The 226 cubic inch hydroplane division had a terrific three boat finish at a pace well over a mile a minute. Winner was Lil Injun driven by Ollie Prather of Arcadia which averaged 68.08 mph. Second was Thunderbolt, Palos Verde and Fresno [.....] Harold Coehlo of Merced 54.4.
Richard Hallett of Downie, Flying Saucer won he 225 cubic inch race with a 59.64 average. This was a shade above the 59 24 of King Pin II driven by George King of Fresno. Third was Galloping Gael, Roger Murphy of Piedmont.
The 135 was won by the noted driver Morlan Visel of Los Angeles in Little Joe which he piloted to an average time of 61.58. Second was Fred Galente of Visalia in Joey III at 59 74 MPH and third was Fred Corea of Dos Palos in Skippy at 58.76.
Winner of the 48 cu in class was Victor Klette of Norwalk in Little Jim 49 9, followed by Mighty Mouse [....]
Hallett of Downie second in Holiday 488) and Thomas Caldwell of San Mateo in Blue Blazes 48.517.
Cracker Box division winner was Bob Patterson of Van Nuys in Hot Cinders averaging 52.40 This was a terrific finish virtually a dead heat. Stan Newton of Livermoore took second in Whiskey Bill at a 52.09 average, a fraction, ahead of Earl John New Cuyama in It'll Do at 52.08
Class B racing runabout honors went to Ernest Rose of Pattcuon in Lil Bee at 51.42 followed by Woody Eldredge of Merced in Slide Rule 48.69 and P O Overpack of San Leandro in Queen Bee, 46.96 The regular racing runabout class was taken by Bob Willis of Long Beach whose Rough Neck averaged 57.06. Next came Guy Wilson Los Angeles in Slipper E at 54 811 and Abe Pelvas of Folsom in E Bomb at 49.41.
Opening race in the Pacific One Design class won by Morgan Keaton of Berkley in Cherub at an average of 46.12. Second was Elmer Cravner of Los Angeles in Pudgy, 42.88 followed by Bill Robinson, North Hollywood in Stormy, 41.44. Refreshment stands kept the spectators supplied with soft drinks and hot dogs while announcers George Wright and Fred Main gave a running description of the races via the loudspeaker system The racing officials in included chairman Kay Hallett, timer Roland Till, referee Fred Hallett, inspector Al Hart, pit menager Bob [....], starter Sam Baker, scorers Lucille Wright and and Jackie Quintel and chief scorer Charlotte Brown, starting clock Peggy Hawk and Aldyne Denny and Elmer Frates and Bob Montanelli piloting patrol boats.
--- Nevada State Journal, September 12, 1954