1958 Apple Cup
100,000 May Watch Chelan’s Apple Cup
Chelan, Wash., May 1 — Arizona's Maverick, the hot unlimited hydroplane which is defending champion of Lake Chelan's Apple Cup race, pulled into town today to begin preparations for defending her title on May 11.
Dr. L. V. Woods, chairman of the race which will see Miss Spokane take her maiden competitive voyage, said he expected as many as 100,000 spectators.
"The state patrol said we had 15,000 cars, last year. If you figure four people to a car, that's 60,000, and with Miss Spokane in the race this time we should hit 100,000," said Dr. Woods.
He said there would be no eating problem at Chelan on the day of the race, and said there'd be plenty of parking and seating accommodations for all comers.
No Places to Sleep
‘‘Sleeping room has been sold out long ago. Overnighters without reservations are just going to have to bring bed rolls or sleepIng bags," Dr. Woods advised.
People who want to leave Spokane on Sunday and make the start of the unlimited hydro race in ample time should start about four and one-half hours ahead of the 12:30 p.m. first heat time.
"We'll have space for 200 boats to moor along the log boom, and the airport says they can handle 300 light planes,” said Dr. Woods, who added that both Miss Washington and Miss Greater Spokane would be there to lend glamor to the occasion.
--- May 2, 1958
Public Send-Off Set for Spokane Hydro
When the Miss Spokane hydroplane takes to the water in the Apple Cup at Lake Chelan May 11 the 116th Air National Guard at Geiger will have played an all-important role in putting the big boat into competition. Pictured above are four Rolls-Merlin engine specialists who last night completed their 100th day of working on the craft with Crew Chief George Alexieve. Left to right are Don Revard, John Coleman, Jack Finlayson and John Morse. The guardsmen have put in more than 1600 hours of free labor all during their off duty hours. Many others have also assisted in getting the boat ready including Captain Dallas Sartz, the Miss Spokane's driver; boat hull specialist Leonard Blum, Harold Carman, Bud Martin and Jim Heon. The air national guard also conducted a booster button drive that will be climaxed at 8:30 tonight by a hydro dance in the ANG hangar al Geiger. The boat will go to Chelan on Monday.
The Miss Spokane unlimited hydroplane, slated for her first competitive effort a week from Sunday, will get a public sendoff at 5:30 tomorrow afternoon at Main and Post.
The big community-owned boat will leave at sunrise Monday morning for Lake Chelan where she is scheduled to race May 11 with a dozen other hydroplanes in the second annual Apple Cup.
Don Klages, president of the Spokane Unlimited Hydroplane association, said that all members of the crew who are taking the boat to Chelan would take part in the informal sendoff tomorrow. Autographed pictures of the boat and driver Dallas Sartz will he distributed to booster button owners. Klages said.
Sartz is scheduled to qualify the boat at Chelan on Tuesday morning. To qualify Sartz needs only to complete one lap at 90 miles an hour or better. Prior to the qualifying run he also will perform before a drivers’ committee and lake an oral examination before being certified to drive in the race. Sartz has had the big boat at speeds above 150 miles an hour in tests at Hayden lake.
Sartz can qualify as a driver in the Gold Cup at Seattle in August by completing three 15-mile heats at Chelan.
Crew chief George Alexieve said a new rear strut, drive shaft and propeller were being installed in the boat today. A second engine has been modified and also will be available for the Apple Cup if it is needed, he said.
— May 3, 1958
Spokane Hydro Off for Race
Spokane’s unlimited hydroplane was off to the races today.
A five-truck caravan left early this morning for Lake Chelan where the Miss Spokane boat will compete in next Sunday’s second annual Apple Cup race.
Crew Chief George Alexieve reported the craft was in top racing condition with several new pieces of equipment having been installed last week end.
In one truck bed was a brand new spare engine that the crew has modified for racing. Rules only permit one engine to be used during a race but a new engine can be installed in the event of mishap prior to the start of the first heat.
Alexieve said that it was probable the boat would not run its qualifying heat until tomorrow afternoon or Wednesday morning instead of tomorrow morning as originally planned. The delay would permit driver Dallas Sartz to become familiar with the course prior to the qualification run. A boat must travel one lap at 90 miles and hour or faster to qualify for Sunday's competition.
While victory, and the $1500 first prize that goes with it, are important to the money-short Miss Spokane camp, Alexieve explained that the No. 1 item on the racing agenda was getting the boat through three heats at Chelan without mishap. That would qualify Sartz as a driver in the Gold Cup, the race the Spokane camp wants to win most of all, he said.
— May 5, 1958