1979 El Dorado-Bluestem Regatta
Atlas Van Lines Breezes To Win In El Dorado, Kansas
Bill Muncey scored his 55th career win and 5th straight this season as he steered his Atlas Van Lines to two heat wins out of three to capture the first El Dorado/Bluestem Regatta held July 15 on Lake Bluestem near Wichita, Kansas. Only five boats competed and Muncey's chief rival, Steve Reynolds in Miss Circus Circus, once again had mechanical woes in the final heat after being the fastest qualifier at a record 126.316 mph and turning a lap of 121.666 in the race. The Circus boat loaded up at the start of the finals and chugged to a halt as Atlas scooted by.
Second place went to Dean Chenoweth in the new Miss Budweiser, driving in only his second race after coming out of retirement to pilot Bernie Little's new cabover. Third in the race went to Jack Schafer Jr. driving Ken Thompson’s U-3 Tri-City Tile & Masonry. Bob Maschmedt in the dependable Dr. Toyota pulled another fourth place finish, their fourth this year. Miss Circus Circus, after stalling in the finals, placed fifth overall. The boats move to the Northwest for the Tri-Cities Columbia Cup July 29 and the Squire Shop Regatta at Seattle August 5.
| El Dorado/Bluestem Regatta (1st) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. U-1 | Atlas Van Lines | Bill Muncey | *2nd | 1st | 1st | 1100 Pts. |
| 2. U-12 | Miss Budweiser | Dean Chenoweth | Dns | 2nd | 2nd | 600 |
| 3. U-3 | Tri-City Tile | Jack Schafer | *4th | Dns | 3rd | 394 |
| 4. U-8 | Dr. Toyota | Bob Maschmedt | 3rd | 4th | 4th | 563 |
| 5- U-31 | Miss Circus Circus | Steve Reynolds | *1st | 3rd | DNF | 625 |
| *Jumped starter's gun, 1st Heat. | ||||||
— Unlimiteds Detroit