1976 Dayton Hydroglobe
Hydroglobe | The Hydrobowl July 18, 1976
It was all Muncey for the third weekend in a row as Atlas Van Lines not only won the race, hut also set new records for fastest race, fastest heat, fastest lap and fastest qualifier. Those records axes race 103.197 mph; heat 105.012; lap 111.283; qualification 114.650. Salt Walther made his annual "hometown only" appearance in the U-77 Spirit of Dayton Walther (ex-Notre Dame, Cott, etc.), Brian Keogh had his recently purchased U-70 Such Crust I (Justa-Pest, Owensboro's Own, etc.) in the pits for rookie Terry Turner to drive, and Vagabond wore the name Bootheads' Luau Special on her right sponson.
HEAT 1-A
Olympia Beer and Miss U.S. ran alone as Spirit of Dayton-Walther did not start. U.S. took the start but Oly took over early and won going away. U-?4, 400; U-2, 300; U-77, DNS.
HEAT 1-B
An easy win for Muncey as Madison couldn't keep up and. Bootheads Luau Spl. was popping even before the start. She finished laps behind. U-76, 400; U-6, 300; U-66, 225.
HEAT 1-C
Jerry Bangs misjudged the start and made a loop in the turn before the start. Budweiser went over alone but Vernors was honking and took the lead to stay on lap 2. Such Crust, DNS. U-64, 400; U-12, 300; U-70, 0.
HEAT 2-A
In a good start, Oly took the lead up the middle, with Walther on outside and Such Crust on buoys. Oly led all the way. Crust stopped on lap 2, pulling to infield. U-74, 400; U-77, 300.
HEAT 2-B
Vernors took the start and led wire to wire over Bud. Vernors lapped Bootheads Luau on lap 4.
U-64, 400; U-12, 300; U-66, 225.
HEAT 2-C
Muncey blasted to the front at start after U.S. tried to edge Atlas out of the outside lane and onto the beach prior to clock zero. Atlas led all the way as U.S. could not keep up. Madison was third.
U-76, 400; U-2, 300; U-6, 225.
FINAL HEAT
Miss Budweiser jumped the gun by 25 seconds as Atlas and Oly and Vernors roared toward the line. U.S. was on the staggered start. Vernors, up the middle, lost power immediately. Atlas and Oly staged a spectacular duel for 5-1/2 laps, with Muncey winning. Olympia fried her engine on the final sprint home and missed finishing by a few feet. Miss U.S. took second, Budweiser third and Vernors and Oly did not finish.
Note: Wild Bill Cantrell took Gene Benning’s U-7 out for a test run following the race.
— Unlimiteds Detroit