1957 Sahara Cup
Breathless Second in Boat Race
Las Vegas. Nev., Oct. 12 — UP — Hawaii Kai III, the favorite, and Miss Bardahl, won their heats today in the second annual Sahara Cup races for unlimited hydroplanes on Lake Mead. Both are entered from Seattle, Wash.
Jack Regas of Livermore, Calif , piloted Hawaii Kai III around five laps of the three-mile course at 106.983 miles an hour in the second heat.
Norm Evans drove Miss Bardahl, owned by Norm Christiansen, at 97.297 miles an hour to win the first heat
Each winner collected 400 points.
Miss U.S. IV, piloted by Don Wilson of Detroit finished second in the second heat for 300 points. Thriftway Too was forced from the race when its engine went dead on the second lap. Miss Seattle couldn't start.
In the first heat, Breathless II, owned and driven by Jay Murphy, Piedmont, Calif., was second. Maverick, the W. T. Waggoner boat from Phoenix, Ariz., driven by Bill Steed, was third for 225 points.
Two world records were set in the limited class events.
Galloping Gael, driven by Roger Murphy, Piedmont, Calif., set a new record for 7-liter hydroplanes by speeding over the five-mile competitive course at an average speed of 90.090 m.p.h.
Duane Easton, Lakewood, Calif,, set a new mark for Class B racing runabouts when he piloted Pogo over the five-mile course at an average of 63.425 m.p.h.
— October 13, 1957
Miss Wahoo, Hawaii Kai Top Records
By Frank Gianelli
Lake Mead — America’s finest speedboats whittled two Sahara Cup Regatta records in opening heats yesterday—giving promise of new national times when finals are run today.
Record honors went to a pair of western boats — Miss Wahoo and Hawaii Kai, both operating out of Seattle, Wash.
Miss Wahoo snarled to a new one-lap record of 107.366 mph, topping the 105.479 set in the 2-1/2 mile run last year by Hawaii Kai. The Kai came back to set a new 15-mile heat record of 106.893, to erase the 100.139 mph she set in this regatta last year.
While Hawaii Kai percolated smoothly to win her heat, Wahoo conked out after one burst of brilliancy, breaking off a propeller blade on the second lap, and sitting out of the race as a spectator.
The performance of the two boats—plus the promise of a couple of others, indicates todays finals may rank with the best in hydroplaning history.
The unfortunates yesterday were Maverick, owned by Phoenician Bill Waggoner, and Thriftway Too, owned by Willard Rhodes of Seattle.
Driver Bill Stead just never could get Maverick into the race, as she went temperamental with carburetor and ignition troubles, and coughed her way around the course like a case of Asian flu.
Mechanics scheduled a nightlong session to doctor Maverick back into contention for today’s three heats.
Another unfortunate yesterday was the "Thrifty,” which looked great in trials Friday and in pre-rate warmups yesterday, then coughed to a halt on the third lap in her duel with Hawaii Kai.
There wasn't any question that Kai woulld be the winner, but Thriftway Too was making hot pursuit.
The first heat was won by Miss Bardahl, of Detroit, in the relatively slow time of 97.399 mph, followed by Breathless II, and the limping Maverick. Miss Wahoo failed to finish.
In the second heat, the finish order was Hawaii Kai and Miss U.S. IV. Thriftway Too did not finish, and Miss Seattle had engine trouble and failed to get started.
In 10 other classifications, 115 snarling hydros enter their second day of action today with two Parker drivers included. They are Marion Beaver in the 225 cubic-inch class, and Howard Harris, in the Pacific One design class.
Yesterday’s races were run smoothly, under almost perfect racing conditions. Only one serious crackup occurred. O. B. (Red) Reeder of Hutchinson, Kans., suffered a broken arm and multiple cuts when his 135-inch cubic inch hydro, named The Helluva, flipped and was demolished.
— October 13, 1957
Hawaii Kai Sets Mark in Victory
By Braven Dyer
Lake Mead, Oct 12 — If they’re going to beat the defending champion, Hawaii Kai, in the second annual Sahara Cup Race final here tomorrow they'll have to make the fuchsia-colored monster tow a barge, or something.
That was the opinion of those who watched Jack Regas drive the national champion to an easy victory in the second of two qualifying heats here this afternoon.
A crowd of 10,000 people sat in warm sunshine and saw Miss Bardahl cop the first heat from three rivals.
A ‘Gift’
Miss Bardahl's win was virtually a gift inasmuch as Miss Wahoo, slated to furnish the hottest competition, went out of the race before they’d completed two laps.
Hawaii Kai broke her own heat record of 100.139 m.p.h. hung up last year by turning the 15 miles today at a 106.-893 clip.
This was almost 10 m.p.h. faster than Miss Bardahl's time for this afternoon’s first heat, the clock showing 97.349.
Trailing Hawaii Kai in the second heat was Miss US IV as Miss Seattle failed to start and Thriftway Too “expired” on the first turn of the second lap.
10 Boats
There were 10 boats here ready to go today, but only eight entered the water and only seven actually went to the post. Six qualify for the final after two semifinal heats tomorrow, but there is no assurance that this many will make the grade.
Regas got away to a flying start in the second heat today and roared around the course at such sensational speed that two records fell.
Hawaii Kai's one-lap time of 111.34 m.p.h. broke her own last year’s mark of 105.479 and also shattered the one-lap record which Miss Wahoo had hung up earlier this afternoon.
Miss Wahoo had set a new one-lap record in the day’s opening heat. The time was 107.366 m.p.h.
Coming down the straightaway on the second lap Miss Wahoo lost a blade on her propeller and that finished her for the day. She goes in one of the qualifying heats tomorrow and, if mechanically sound, should provide red-hot competition for the others.
Miss Bardahl won that first heat, with plenty to spare, after running in a second spot until Wahoo encountered trouble.
Breathless II was second, while show money went to Maverick.
Miss Bardahl averaged 97.349 m.p.h. for the 15-mile heat, which was well ahead of the 86.2275 and 72.4491 by the others, neither of which got really wanned up until after the hialfway point.
O. B. (Red) Reeder from Hutchinson, Kan., received a broken arm, plus contusions and bruises, in one of the races for smaller craft. His boat, named The Helluva, disintegrated and heaved him into the drink. This was in the 135-cubic-inch hydroplane race.
— October 13, 1957
Seattle Boats Lead at Mead
Las Vegas, Nev. (AP) — Hawaii Kai III, the favorite, and Miss Bardahl won their heats Saturday in the second annual Sahara Cup races for unlimited hydroplanes on Lake Mead. Both are entered from Seattle.
Jack Regas of Livermore, Calif., piloted Hawaii Kai III around five laps of the three-mile course at 106.983 miles an hour in the second heat.
Norm Evans drove Miss Bardahl, owned by Norm Christiansen, at 97.297 miles an hour to win the first heat.
Each winner collected 400 points.
Miss U.S. IV, piloted by Don Wilson of Detroit finished second in the second heat for 300 points. Thriftway Too was forced from the race when its engine went dead on the second lap. Miss Seattle couldn’t start.
Breathless Second
In the first heat, Breathless II, owned and driven by Jay Murphy, Piedmont, Calif., was second. Maverick, the W. T. Waggoner boat from Phoenix, Ariz., driven by Bill Stead, was third for 225 points.
The fourth entry in the first heat, Miss Wahoo of Seattle, owned by William E. Boeing Jr. and driven by Mira Slovak, was leading by a quarter mile in the second lap when she lost her rudder and was forced out.
Three Heats Today
Three heats will be run Sunday. Cumulative points from all heats determine the winner.
Fascination, a Seattle Yacht Club entry in the unlimited class, qualified late Saturday in a special trial following the racing events. It was piloted by Bud Gilliam of Tacoma.
Two world records were set in the limited class events.
Galloping Gael, driven by Roger Murphy, Piedmont. Calif., set a new record for 7-liter hydroplanes by speeding over the five-mile competitive course at an average speed of 90.090 m.p.h. The old record of 86.289 m.p.h. was set in last year’s Sahara Cup by Rich Hallett, Downey, Calif., driving Seven Grand.
Runabout Record
Duane Easton, Lakewood, Calif., set a new mark for Class B racing runabouts when he piloted Pogo over the five-mile course at an average of 63.425 m.p.h. The old record of 61.517 was held by Ernie Rose, Paterson, N.J., in Lil’ Bee.
Both Easton and Murphy won their classes.
The 135 cubic-inch hydroplane class was won by Jack Salmon, Pico, Calif., and the 136 cubic-inch hydroplane class was won by Bill Phelps, Long Beach, Calif.
— October 13, 1957