1986 Budweiser APBA Gold Cup
Turbines turn Gold Cup into a 2-hydroplane race
By Wylie Gerdes, Free Press Sports Writer
The answer is L7.
Bingo, if you thought the question was what kind of engine will power today's Gold Cup winner.
Two jet boats — the Miller American, driven by Chip Hanauer, and the 7-Eleven, with Steve Reynolds in the cockpit — appear to be the class of the field of seven hydroplanes. Both are powered by government-surplus L7 jet turbine engines.
About one-half million people are expected to line the riverfront for today’s race. The weather forecast is partly cloudy and warm.
The turbines are not the most powerful engines in the race. The Rolls-Royce Griffon that drives one of the two Miss Budweiser boats produces 4,000 horsepower — 1,400 more than the jets.
The advantage of the turbines is light weight. The business end of the turbine is only slightly larger than a home garbage can; the 10 feet of gleaming tube on the top of the boats is exhaust pipe. The engine weighs about 800 pounds and puts out 2,600 horse power.
The 7-Eleven has an aircraft-style canopy, taken from an F-16 fighter. The Miller has some aircraft-type controls that allow Hanauer to change the boat’s trim during the race. The Miller and 7-Eleven teams have the most experience with the turbines, and their drivers turned in the fastest qualifying times.
On Saturday, Hanauer turned a lap in 138.249 m.p.h., compared to the record 139.384 m.p.h. he set last year.
“We got within about a mile an hour of the record, and that was (set) with the big motor. I felt real good about that," said Hanauer. Last season, the Miller ran the larger L-11 engine, which has since been banned.
The boat is "ready as we can be," Hanauer said. "But the water could be completely different tomorrow. Of course everybody’s in the same boat.”
All week, the 7-Eleven looked almost as smooth as the Miller, though its speeds were a few miles an hour slower.
On Saturday, Reynolds ran backup equipment and his best speed was 131.253 m.p.h.
"Whatever happens, you can be sure the 7-Eleven will put its best foot forward. Let the chips fall where they may, no pun intended," Reynolds said.
Both Reynolds and Hanauer said the Griffon-powered Budweiser, driven by Scott Pierce, could be a threat.
“It could be in there if the water gets real snotty,” Hanauer said.
Reynolds also likes the Miss Madison, which upped its qualifying speed to 117.518 m.p.h. on Saturday.
“Ron Snyder is a real, real clever driver. There's nobody who can get a boat around a race course like he can," Reynolds said.
Another turbine, the Miss Budweiser, driven by Jim Kropfeld, appears to be a longshot. The boat appeared to have straightaway speed equal to Miller and 7-Eleven, but it handled poorly. During the week, Kropfeld said the boat's handling was “way out in left field."
Last year, Miller won both the Gold Cup and season championship. But last season, Miller was running the larger L-11 engine most of the time.
This season, the horsepower is equal. “Frankly, we feel very fortunate that we won as many races from the 7-Eleven that we did. We feel they had the capabilities of winning," Hanauer said.
Though the equipment appears to be equal, there are intangibles. Hanauer is going for his fifth straight Gold Cup on the course where he won his first.
But Hanauer and team co-owner Fran Muncey are the only remaining members from the 1982 Gold Cup team. A key figure, co-owner Jim Lucero, split from the team this season.
“In a way, I think it is an advantage," Hanauer said. “There’s a feeling that, hey, we haven’t been here from the beginning, but we aren’t going to drop the ball."
For 7-Eleven, there’s a “psych" factor. Reynolds appeared to be holding back in qualifying and testing, though he wouldn’t say so directly.
"There’s a lot of games that go on,” Reynolds said. “I remember Dean Chenoweth used to go up to Bill Muncey just before Bill was getting ready to run, and Dean would be eating the greasiest piece of chicken that he could find. The grease would be just running out of his mouth. Bill’s stomach would be tied in knots,” Reynolds said.
Reynolds has become the showiest driver in unlimited racing. He says he likes the rough Detroit course because it fits his “Rambo" style of driving.
"I like the river. It’s a test of who's got the most testosterone,” Reynolds said.
“Detroit is a great place to race," Hanauer said. “It’s even more fun to win here. This is where all the history and heritage is. The Detroit River is the Yankee Stadium of hydroplane racing.
“Detroit is one of the two toughest courses we run.... On this course, you have one really narrow turn and one really wide turn. That makes it harder to set up your boat."
(Reprinted from the Detroit Free Press, June 29, 1986)