1986 Budweiser Las Vegas Silver Cup
Hydroplanes
The last time unlimited hydroplanes tried to race on Lake Mead in the 1960 Gold Cup they were blown away by high winds. When the race was stopped and declared no contest, it was the only time in the 36-year history of the Gold Cup that it had been canceled. Four earlier races were held on Lake Mead, and three of them were hampered by bad weather. Mira Slovak won the 1959 Lake Mead Cup in Bill Boeing's Wahoo.
The unlimiteds will try again Sunday in the revived Budweiser Las Vegas Silver Cup. The race will determine the national championship being contested by defending champion Chip Hanauer of Seattle and Jim Kropfeld of Cincinnati. Hanauer, driving the Miller American, has a 269-point lead, 7,569 to 7,300, over Kropfeld and Miss Budweiser. There are 1,200 points available in Sunday's heats and main event.
(Reprinted from The Los Angeles Times, September 25, 1986)