1960 Detroit Memorial
Detroit Memorial: Thriftway May Race
The hydroplane wars resume in Detroit June 26, but the Seattle naval armada will be represented only by a skeleton fleet.
Miss Bardahl and KOL-roy I will definitely compete in the eastern race. Miss Thriftway, winner of the recent Apple Cup race, is a likely starter.
But none of the other Seattle-based boats are even considering competing at Detroit or in any of the other eastern unlimited races.
"I'd really like to go back there this year," Thriftway pilot Bill Muncey said. "Always before when I've competed in the Detroit race we've been experimenting with the boat or something. I've never really had an edge. But we've got one this year—the boat is really running—and I'd like to keep the pressure on the competition."
A decision on Miss Thriftway is expected soon and will probably be based in part on the performance of the sister ship, Thriftway Too. Col. Russ Schleeh is scheduled to put Thrifty Too through a test run in mock competition with Muncey and Miss Thriftway, but Schleeh has delayed making the trip here because of the illness of his wife.
Miss Bardahl is currently touring the New England states for a series of appearances. Since next Sunday's exhibition race at Cleveland was canceled, Miss Bardahl will now arrive in Detroit on about June 19.
KOL-roy I, Bob Gilliam's new boat which developed a carburetor cough at Chelan, has been running smoothly in recent tests. Gilliam, who will drive the boat, plans to head east about June 18.
The other boats in the Seattle fleet, with two exceptions, won't see competition again until the Diamond Cup on Lake Coeur d'Alene July 24.
Austin Snell of Tacoma, has announced that his boat, Coral Reef, will pass up Coeur d'Alene and point for Seattle's Seafair Trophy Race in August. Bill Boeing's Miss Wahoo will also remain in the barn until Seafair time.
--- June 6, 1960