1985 Stroh's Thunderfest
D’Eath’s Boat is Still in Seattle
By Scott Albert, Times Herald Sportswrlter
DETROIT — Fair Haven’s Tom D’Eath expected a homecoming this weekend during the 1985 Spirit of Detroit Stroh’s Thunderfest.
Instead, the unlimited hydroplane driver is home.
D’Eath’s boat, Squire Shop, was scheduled to compete in Sunday’s race, but problems have kept it home in Seattle. The boat has been in Seattle since the racing season began three weeks ago.
“The boat is not racing in the East,” said Scott Smith, director of publicity for the Unlimited Racing Commission. “Because of finances, the boat is only racing on the West Coast.”
Squire Shop owner Bob Steil ran into financial problems when one of his sponsors dropped motor sports in favor of cable television. That is believed to be a factor in the boat’s inactivity, Smith said.
D’Eath drove for the Lite All-Star team last season. The former Gold Cup winner previously drove Squire Shop and has two career wins with the boat.
His first race this year will probably be July 28 in Tri-Cities, Wash. There are five races scheduled in the eastern part of the United States and four in the west.
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The Miller American, driven by Chip Hanauer, has been the center of attention during the qualifying heats — and it didn’t even run Friday.
The turbine-powered Miller American set a course record Thursday of 139.384 mph, breaking his own Detroit River mark of 136.115 he set while driving the same boat, then sponsored by Atlas Van Lines.
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The Miller American’s record-breaking qualifying time is tops among the eight boats entered.
Steve Reynolds, driving Miss 7-Eleven, turned in Friday’s fastest qualifying time of 137.300 mph to rank second. Executone Telephones, with Scott Pierce driving, is third with Friday’s 125.751 clocking.
Jim Kropfeld, in Miss Budweiser, ran the 2.5-mile course in 121.196 Friday in its first day of qualifying. Rookie Andy Coker, driving American Speedy Printing, qualified in 118.343 Friday, while Jerry Hopp, in Oh Boy! Oberto, was clocked in 112.839 Friday.
Todd Yarling, driving Miss Cellular One, qualified Thursday in 107.978. Wil Muncey, in Boatracing Magazine, has failed to reach the qualifying time of 105 mph, but will get another shot today.
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This season marks a changing of the guard — or sponsors — in unlimited hydroplane racing.
Two of the top boats on last year’s circuit, Atlas Van Lines and Miss Tosti Asti, are back this season, but under new sponsorship.
Atlas Van Lines, who sponsored racing teams for 17 years, is now Miller American. The boat, owned by Jim Lucero-Fran Muncey Racing and driven by Hanauer, is seeking its first win of the season in Detroit.
Miss 7-Eleven, the other turbine-powered boat on the circuit, is the former Miss Tosti Asti. Driver Steve Reynolds is back with owner Steve Woomer.
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Miss Executone, driven by Scott Pierce, is currently leading the American Power Boat Association’s point standings with 1,500 after the Miami and Syracuse, N.Y., races.
Pierce won two heats and the final at Miami. He won his first heat and was second in the final at Syracuse.
What’s in an engine? In unlimited hydroplane racing, it’s plenty of horsepower.
Miss Budweiser heads the list of boats with a Rolls Royce Griffon airplane engine rated at 4,000 horsepower. Miller American’s Lycoming T-55 Gas Turbine and Miss Executone’s Rolls Royce Merlin are both rated at 3,000 horsepower.
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The draw for Sunday’s elimination heats have been completed with the seven qualifying boats.
Heat 1A, which begins at 12 noon, will feature Miss 7-Eleven, Miss Cellular One, Oh Boy! Oberto and Miss Budweiser.
Miller American, Miss Executone and American Speedy Printing make up Heat 1B, scheduled for 12:30 p.m.
The final is scheduled for 4 p.m.
(Reprinted from the Port Huron Times Herald, June 29, 1985)