1960 Presidents Cup
1960 September 18
Thriftway Cops Lead in Cup Race
WASHINGTON (UPI) — Favored Miss Thriftway, Willard Rhodes’ championship-bound hydroplane, jumped into an early lead Saturday in the 29th President’s Cup Regatta by winning the first elimination heat over three top challengers.
The white and persimmon-striped giant of motor boat racing was piloted by veteran Bill Muncey. The craft scored 400 race points in the win but. faces competition in both another elimination heat and the finals on the Potomac Sunday.
KOLroy, owned and driven by Bob Gilliam, was second, getting 300 race points. Third was oil man Ole Bardahl’s Miss Bardahl, who picked up 225 points.
Nitrogen Too, owned by Samuel DuPont of Wilmington, Del., and sponsored by the Washington Yacht Club, took the lead at the start but was overtaken by Muncey in Thriftway at the end of the first lap. Thriftway then let go a surge of power from her Rolls-Merlin engine. She pulled 200 yards ahead in the third lap, and three-fourths of a mile in front on the fourth lap.
— The Daily Herald, September 18,1960
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Opener Won by Thriftway
WASHINGTON (AP)— Bill Muncey drove Miss Thriftway to victory with plenty of room to spare in the opening race of the President’s Cup regatta on an unusually placid Potomac River Saturday.
Miss Thriftway, Willard Rhodes’ Seattle boat which leads the season’s competition for big hydroplanes, finished her 5-lap, 15- mile heat a mile ahead of KOLroy I, owned and driven by Bob Gilliam of Seattle.
Little Ron Musson in Nitrogen Too got off first and vied with Miss Thriftway for the lead through the first two laps but then fell off.
Performances Saturday afternoon and in another split heat Sunday qualify the six leaders for the final.
— The Eugene Guard, September 18, 1960
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Thriftway, U.S. 1 Are President’s Heat Victors
WASHINGTON — (AP)—Miss US 1 of Detroit, with veteran Roy Duby gradually pushing from behind, won the second test of the President’s Cup Regatta.
She joined Miss Thriftway of Seattle in the lead of the capital's annual powerboat classic. Bill Muncey had driven Miss Thriftway to triumph in the first section of the opening heat.
Miss Thriftway’s victory strengthened her bid for a wider lead in the season's competition among big hydroplanes as Nitrogen, currently second to Thriftway in the standings, had to withdraw from the heat because of an oil leak.
Miss Thriftway. owned by Willard Rhodes, led from the last turn of the second lap of her race and won easily.
Miss U.S. 1, George Simon's boat which won the President's Cup two years ago. had to come from behind for her victory.
Chuck Thompson, at the wheel of his Miss Detroit zoomed across the starting line with a 200-yard lead but saw it shaved on each straightaway until Duby sent Miss US 1 ahead on the backstretch of the fourth lap.
Miss Thriftway earlier had led KOLroy I, owned and driven by Bob Gilliam of Seattle, by a mile in the five lap, 15 mile test.
Miss U.S. 1 was clocked at an average of 105.613 for the course, slightly off Miss Thriftway’s speed of 106.550.
Nitrogen’s pullout cut the fleet to seven. But owner Samuel DuPont of Wilmington. Del., still had his ail aluminum Nitrogen Too in competition.
— The Fresno Bee, September 18, 1960
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Regatta Opens at Capital
WASHINGTON, Sept. 17 — (AP) — Seattle and Detroit, speedboating’s arch rivals, shared honors in Saturday’s opening of the President’s Cup regatta when Miss Thriftway and Miss U.S. 1 won qualifying tests.
Virginians, who finished among the leaders:
136 cubic inch hydroplanes — Wonton Duchess, Billy Brown, Richmond, finished in the first heat.
266-cubic inch hydroplanes — Jay-dee, Dean Burrage, Williamsburg, finished fourth In first heat followed by Miss Springfield, Merle Blair, Alexandria.
280-cubic Inch hydroplanes — Hurricane, Curtis Estis, Norfolk finished third In first heat, with Top Hat, Keith Blair, Springfield, eighth In same heat; Maybe Baby, Harold Satterfield, Arlington, finished third In second heat, with Blue Angel, Jerry E. Smith, Newport News, fifth In the same heat.
E service runabouts — E-Z Duz It, Harold Satterfield, Arlington finished third in first heat, with High Hopes, Bill Thomas, Gloucester, fourth, and Miss Bee Bee, W.E. Jones, Hampton, fifth.
— Richmond Times Dispatch, September 18,1960
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Virginia Boats Fail To Win On Potomac
WASHINGTON (AP) — Seattle and Detroit, speedboating’s arch rivals, shared honors in Saturday's opening of the President’s Cup Regatta when Miss Thriftway and Miss U.S. 1 won qualifying tests. Finals are set for today.
Bill Muncey drove Willard Rhodes’ Miss Thriftway of Seattle to an easy triumph in the first section of the No. 1 heat. Roy Duby throttled Miss U.S. 1 from behind to gain the second section victory for owner George Simon of Detroit.
Eight boats were entered in the annual Potomac River classic, but Samuel duPont's Nitrogen of Wilmington. Del., burst an oil line while trying to fire up her engine for the second race and was pulled out.
Francis J. Coneeny of Carneys Point, N.J., launched the limited class competition of the President’s Cup regatta with a comfortable triumph in his 48-cubic- inch displacement hydroplane, Ulua-Kai.
UNLIMITED HEATS
48-cubic-inch hydroplanes (1st heat) —
1. Ulua-Kai, Francis J. Coneeny, Carneys Point, N. J., 48.807 m.p.h.
2. Jim Boy II, C. W, (Jack) Vaughn. Norfolk, Va., 48.387.
3. Road Runner, Art McDougall, Alexandria, Va., 48.283.
4. Betty Gal V, George H. Loeb Jr., Norfolk. Va., 47.898.
5. Preemie Donna, Scudder Georgia, Bethesda. Md., 46.012.
136-cubic-inch hydroplanes (1st heat) —
1. Ca-Lyn-Ja, Linford Stump Palmer, Lewes. Del., 56.675
2. Wanton Duchess, Billy Brown, Richmond, Va., 53.444.
3. Bob Cat, George Buck Bowman, Bristol,] Pa., 53.381.
4. Giner B Too, Arnold V. Boyance, Massapequa, L. I., N. Y., 50.364.
136-cubic-inch hydroplanes (2nd heat) —
1. Li’l Barb, Alton L. Pierson, Queenstown, Md., 58.747.
2. Renegade III, Bill Bunn, Baltimore, Md., 56.285.
3. Hot Platter, William R. Wright Jr., Sparta, N. J., 51.020.
4. Desire II, George Rogers, Wilmington, Del., 41.247.
266-cubic-inch hydroplanes (1st heat) —
1. Wa-Wa-Too, Skeeter Johnson, Cambridge, Md., 71.713,
2. Wee Tommy Tucker E. A. Aleksandrowicz, Pasadena, Md.. 68.597.
3. Smithfire, Ennis Smith, Roanoke Rapids, N, C„ 64.935,
4. Jay-Dee, Dean Burrage, Williamsburg, Va., 62.112.
5. Miss Springfield, Merle Blair, Alexandria, Va., 52.848.
280-cubic-inch hydroplanes (1st heat) —
1. Iitt’ldo, David J. Clerk, Newtonville, Mass., 65.886.
2. Restless Tomcat, Phil Hardigan, Media, Pa., 64.148.
3. Hurricane, Curtis Estis, Norfolk, Va., 63.425.
4. Race Ipsa, Larry Bulman, Washington, D. C., 63.291.
5. Apache, Mike Thomas, Harvey cedars, N. J., 61.898.
280-cubic-inch hydroplanes (2nd heat) —
1. Bo-Bo-Too, Tilton C. Pierson, Queenstown, Md., 67.821.
2. Tempest, Andrew J. Miller, Philadelphia, Pa., 61.728.
3. Maybe-Baby, Harold Satterfield, Arlington, Va., 61.392.
4. Honey IV, D. Ilner, Honey Harbour, Ontario, Canada, 58.670.
5. Blue Angel, Jerry E. Smith, Newport News, Va.
E service runabouts (first heat) —
1. Second Mortgage, Richard L. Cooper, Miami Beach. Fla., 57.841.
2. Skip-E, Harry N. Bickford, Seabrook, Md., 57.252.
3. E-Z Duz It, Harold Satterfield, Arlington, Va., 56.145.
4. High Hopes, Bill Thomas, Gloucester, Va., 48.471.
5. Miss Bee Bee, W. E. Jones, Hampton. Va., 41.783.
— Daily Press, September 18, 1960
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Arch-Rival Hydros Share Race Wins
WASHINGTON (AP) — Seattle and Detroit, speedboating’s arch rivals, shared honors in yesterday’s opening of the President’s Cup Regatta when Miss Thriftway and Miss U.S. 1 won qualifying tests.
Bill Muncey drove Willard Rhodes’ Miss Thriftway of Seattle to an easy triumph in the first section of the No. 1 heat. Roy Duby throttled Miss U. S. 1 from behind to gain the second section victory for owner George Simon of Detroit.
Eight boats were entered in the annual Potomac River classic, but Samuel DuPont’s Nitrogen of Wilmington, Del, burst an oil line while trying to fire up her engine for the second race and was pulled out.
Nitrogen’s withdrawal gave Miss Thriftway a tentative boost in the 1960 season-long competition for big hydroplanes. Miss Thriftway currently leads the standings with a total of 1,975 points to Nitrogen’s second-place 1,021. Nitrogen’s driver, Norm Evans, reported that his boat will be ready for the second heat today, however, and a winning run could put her in the final.
The six boats with the best performances in the split qualifying heat become eligible for the decisive contest over the 5-lap, 15-mile course late today.
A crowd of 17,750 including Secretary of the Navy William B. Franke, saw Muncey defy the hazards of hugging the turn buoys as if he loved them and register the fastest average speed of the afternoon. He covered the 15 miles at 106.550 miles per hour. Duby was clocked at 105.613 in Miss U.S. 1.
Nitrogen’s sister hydro, Nitrogen Too, threatened Miss Thriftway through the first two laps of the opener but driver Ron Musson was forced to finish under wraps for fear trouble in his craft’s port exhaust would spark a blaze in her hull. As Nitrogen Too dragged home, Bob Gilliam brought his KOLroy I of Seattle across the line a mile behind Miss Thriftway. Bill Brow in Ole Bardahl’s Seattle Hydro, Miss Bardahl, was third ahead of Nitrogen Too.
Veteran Chuck Thompson slammed his Miss Detroit past the starting marker well ahead of Miss U.S. 1 in the second division but couldn’t hold his advantage beyond the third lap. Duby caught up on the next backstretch and won by almost three-quarters of a mile. Miss Buffalo, driven by Bob Schroeder for a Buffalo - Toronto group, trailed far behind in the three-boat race.
The Potomac was unusually calm for the big boats’ 1960 capital debut, but the weatherman forecast sprinkles and the customary chop for the today’s climax.
— Democrat and Chronicle, September 18, 1960
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Miss Detroit Wins Disputed President's Cup Race: Thriftway Ruled Second
Premature Start Cited
WASHINGTON, Sept. 18. — (AP) — Chuck Thompson’s Miss Detroit was declared winner of the President’s Cup today after regatta officials reversed themselves in a dispute over jumping the gun in the deciding heat.
Rival drivers and owners of big hydroplanes in the final 15-mile race over the Potomac River immediately protested. Led by Bill Muncey, who piloted Miss Thriftway of Seattle to apparent but voided triumph, they contended the veteran Thompson had streaked across the starting line ahead of signal.
Regatta referee E. M. Peatross ultimately ruled that only Bill Brow, at the wheel of Seattle’s Miss Bardahl, had beaten the gun.
That decision canceled an earlier verdict that both Miss Bardahl and Nitrogen, Samuel DuPont’s Wilmington, Del., hydro had started prematurely.
Nitrogen and Miss Bardahl were forced to run an extra lap beyond the scheduled five three-mile spins over the Potomac course. Both the Misses Detroit and Thriftway were flagged home after five.
Nitrogen had led Thriftway across by almost a half-mile, with Detroit third. And although the penalty lap carried Nitrogen around the river again, dumping her to third position ahead of Miss Bardahl, the original order of finish was eventually ratified —Nitrogen, Thriftway, Detroit and Bardahl.
As a result, the 48-year-old Thompson and stocky daredevil Muncey were tied in regatta points for their three heats in the two-day capital speedboating classic. Thompson was awarded the trophy because his elapsed time for the three 15-mile races, 26:45.9, was 19.7 seconds better than Muncey’s clocking.
Miss Thriftway might have won except for a washout on the first turn of this afternoon’s first qualifying heat. She lost more than half a lap to Miss Detroit and Miss Bardahl before getting under way again and finished, third and last.
Miss Detroit, owned and driven by Chuck Thompson of Detroit, is shown during one of the heats of the 29th President’s Cup Regatta yesterday prior to winning the unlimited event after a disputed start of the championship heat.
(United Press International Telephoto)
— September 18, 1960