1957 Sahara Cup
Two Coast Boats Win at Las Vegas
Miss Bardahl, Hawaii Kai Capture Heats in Sahara Cup Hydroplane Test
Las Vegas, Nev., Oct. 12 [1957] (AP) — The favored Hawaii Kai III and Miss Bardahl, both of Seattle, won their heats today in the second annual Sahara cup races for unlimited hydroplanes on Lake Mead.
Jack Regas of Livermore, Calif., piloted Hawaii Kai III around five laps of the three-mile course at 106.893 miles an hour in the second heat.
Norm Evans drove Miss Bardahl, owned by Norm Christiansen, at 97.297 miles an hour in winning 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 II [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 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 will be run tomorrow. Cumulative points from all heats determine the winner.
— October 13, 1957