1987 Budweiser Indiana Governor's Cup
In Madison Regatta Kropfeld drives Budweiser to title
by Arv Koontz, Sports Editor
Miss Budweiser driver Jim Kropfeld withstood the challenge of seven other drivers and incidents on the Ohio River Sunday afternoon to win his second Indiana Governor’s cup at the Madison Regatta unlimited hydroplane race.
The afternoon was marred by a spectacular accident in which driver Steve Reynolds was injured when the Cellular One boat he was driving went airborne and flipped.
Reynolds was taken, by ambulance, to a Madison hospital and later transferred, by helicopter, to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis.
The accident happened during heat 3-A, on the back stretch of the two and one-half mile course with 100,000 fans looking on.
A doctor who attended Reynolds said the 39-year old driver was unconscious when he was removed from the cockpit of the boat and placed in the ambulance.
The final two heat races and the Cup race were cancelled because of heavy winds and a storm.
Miss Budweiser was named winner of the race based on points accumulated in the four completed heat races. Miss Budweiser won two heat races and accumulated 800 points.
The start of the first heat race was delayed two hours when a rope became tangled in the propeller of a Coast Guard patrol boat. The boat drifted downriver, and divers had to free the propeller before it could be brought back to the race course.
When heat race 1-A was finally contested, Kropfeld quickly showed that he was the driver to beat as he took the lead at the start of the 7½ mile race and set a heat record with an average speed of 126.233 m.p.h.
During qualifying on Friday Kropfeld set a course record at 141.022.
Chip Hanauer drove the Miller American to the checkered flag in heat 1-B, Kropfeld won heat 2-A and Reynolds won heat 2-B in Cellular One.
Three Madison-based boats competed. The Holset Miss Madison, driven by Ron Snyder, placed second in heat 2-A and fourth in heat 1-A.
The Pepsi America’s Choice, driven by Mitch Evans, was third in heats 1-B and 2-A.
Risley’s Audio Video, piloted by Todd Yarling, did not finish heat 1-A and finished second in heat 2-B.
Miss Budweiser leads the national point standings with 3,100. Risley's is second with 1,919 and Holset Miss Madison is third with 1,846.
After Kropfeld and boat owner Bernie Little received the Indiana Governor’s Cup from Lt. Governor John Mutz, Kropfeld said, “I’m always happy to win, but I’d much rather win it in the water than on the shore.”
Kropfeld was behind Cellular One when Reynolds had his accident. Kropfeld said, “He started to come down and I veered left between him and some patrol boats. Things like this happen. It’s not a normal thing. It is in the back of our minds and we realize it can happen.”
This was Kropfeld’s second win at Madison with his other coming in the 1983 Indiana Governor’s Cup race. He now has 18 career wins.
He has piloted Miss Budweiser to three straight wins this season and will go after his fourth win this weekend at the Detroit Regatta.
(Reprinted from the Seymour (Indiana) Tribune, July 6, 1987)