1993 Season Summary
Statistics
| 1. | May 30 | Sneaky Pete's Texas Hydrofest | Dallas [Lewisville], Texas |
| 2. | June 5-6 | Budweiser APBA Gold Cup | Detroit, Michigan |
| 3. | June 13 | Budweiser Miami Regatta | Miami, Florida |
| 4. | June 27 | Budweiser Thunder on the Ohio | Evansville, Indiana |
| 5. | July 4 | Budweiser Indiana Governor's Cup | Madison, Indiana |
| 6. | July 11 | Ford Kansas City Thunderfest | Kansas City, Missouri |
| 7. | July 25 | Budweiser Columbia Cup | Pasco, Washington |
| 8. | August 1 | Seafair Texaco Cup | Seattle, Washington |
| 9. | September 19 | Texaco Star Mart Cup | San Diego, California |
| 10. | October 24 | Outrigger Hotels Hydrofest | Honolulu, Hawaii |
| Winner | Crew Chief | Designer | Builder | Engine | Course | Distance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5/30 | Miss T-Plus (1) | Tim Ramsey | Lucero-Jones | Lucero-Jones | Lycoming | 2 Miles | 28 Miles |
| 6/6 | Miss Budweiser (17) | Ron Brown | Jones-Brown | Brown-Jones | Lycoming | 2½ Miles | 52½ Miles |
| 6/13 | Miss Budweiser (17) | Ron Brown | Jones-Brown | Brown-Jones | Lycoming | 1⅓ Miles | 23⅔ Miles |
| 6/27 | Miss Budweiser (18) | Ron Brown | Brown-Jones | Ron Brown | Lycoming | 2 Miles | 28 Miles |
| 7/4 | Miss Budweiser (18) | Ron Brown | Brown-Jones | Ron Brown | Lycoming | 2½ Miles | 35 Miles |
| 7/11 | Miss Budweiser (17) | Ron Brown | Jones-Brown | Brown-Jones | Lycoming | 2 Miles | 28 Miles |
| 7/25 | Miss Budweiser (18) | Ron Brown | Brown-Jones | Ron Brown | Lycoming | 2 Miles | 28 Miles |
| 8/1 | Miss Budweiser (17) | Ron Brown | Jones-Brown | Brown-Jones | Lycoming | 2 Miles | 28 Miles |
| 9/19 | Kellogg's Frosted Flakes | Charlie Grooms | Ron Jones | Ron Jones | Lycoming | 2½ Miles | 35 Miles |
| 10/24 | Miss T-Plus (2) | Tim Ramsey | Ron Jones | Jones-Ramsey | Lycoming | 2½ Miles | 35 Miles |
| Built | Boat High Points | Total | Team High Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | (1988) | Kellogg's Frosted Flakes | 10967 | (2) |
| 2. | (1987) | Winston Eagle (3) | 10890 | (3) |
| 3. | (1987) | Miss Budweiser (17) | 8784 | (1-14340) |
| 4. | (1988) | Tide | 8774 | (4-9168) |
| 5. | (1992) | American Spirit (2) | 7182 | (6-6788) |
| 6. | (1989) | Miss Budweiser (18) | 5556 | |
| 7. | (1988) | Cooper's Express | 4762 | (7) |
| 8. | (1993) | Miss T-Plus (2) | 4391 | (5-8496) |
| 9. | (1982) | Miss T-Plus (1) | 4105 | |
| 10. | (1984) | Miss Circus Circus (5) | 2263 | (8-4353) |
| 11. | (1984) | Kauai Aloha | 2234 | (9) |
| 12. | (1992) | Miss Circus Circus (7) | 2090 | |
| 13. | (1984) | Oh Boy! Oberto (8) | 1990 | (10) |
| 14. | (1993) | Spirit of Hawaii | 573 | (11) |
| 15. | (1990) | Miss Sprint | 296 | (12) |
| 16. | (1990) | Winston Eagle (2) | 000 | |
| 17. | (1974) | Miss Tubs (2) | Dnq | |
| 18. | (1988) | Miss Exide (3) | Dnq |
| Driver High Points | Total | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Chip Hanauer | 14340 |
| 2. | Mike Hanson | 10967 |
| 3. | Mark Tate | 10890 |
| 4. | Steve David | 8496 |
| 5. | Mark Evans | 7182 |
| 6. | George Woods | 5857 |
| 7. | Mitch Evans | 4762 |
| 8. | Dave Villwock | 4353 |
| 9. | Nate Brown | 2917 |
| 10. | Mike Eacrett | 1990 |
| 11. | Ken Muscatel | 1502 |
| 12. | Mike Jones | 732 |
| 13. | Ken Dryden | 573 |
| 14. | Jerry Hopp | 296 |
| Former Names | |
|---|---|
| 1. | Holset Miss Madison (2), Holset Miss Mazda, Holset Miss U.S. Star, Gaylord's At Kilohana, Valvoline Miss Madison, Kellogg's Tony The Tiger |
| 2. | Miller American (2), Miller High Life (2), Miss Circus Circus (4) |
| 4. | Mr. Pringles (2), Executone (4), Ellis Park, Super Range Golf, Ultra Bold Dash |
| 5. | The Brake Shop (2), Miss Rock KISW-FM (5), Lytle State Rep., Miss UAW, Miss Hannalei Hotel, Dallas Motor Coach, ARC Construction (5), Tide's American Spirit |
| 7. | Risley's, Seaco Aviation Fuels (2), Holset Miss Madison (3), Miss D.O.C. (2), Miss Chiro Choice, Miss Meta Lax, Oberto Wild Waves, Oh Boy! Oberto Beef, Oh Boy! Oberto Pork (2), Oh Boy! Oberto (7), Poly Dyn, Miss D.O.C. Ray-Ban, Alvey's American Eagle |
| 9. | Atlas Van Lines (10), Spirit of America, Squire Shop (4), Oh Boy! Oberto (6), The Brake Shop (1), Arc Construction (3), Harvey Motor Sports |
| 10. | Atlas Van Lines (11), Miller American (1), Miller High Life (1), Race Rock Motor City Diner, Arc Construction (4), Spirit of San Diego, American Spirit (1) |
| 11. | Miss Tosti Asti (2), Miss 7-Eleven, Cellular One (2), Competition Specialties, Vantage Ultra, Winston Eagle (1), Superior Racing, Miss D.O.C, Acuvue, Gerst Amber, Pete's Wicked Ale |
| 12. | Coors Dry |
| 13. | Executone (3), Mr. Pringles (1), Risley's (2), U.S. West Cellular, U-24, Oh Boy! Oberto Pork (1) |
| 14. | Miss Rock KISW-FM (6), Coors Light |
| 15. | ARC Construction Special, Easter Seals, Jackpot Food Mart (2), Miss Kpoi, Miss Kpoi Gaylords Kauai, Ms. Pog, Taco Time |
| 17. | Lincoln Thrift (2) , Squire Shop II, Miss Bellevue Mazda, Miss Mid Mark Distributors |
| 18. | Miss Stroh Light, Boss Marine Sports, Sundek (1), Infinity Car Audio, Unlimited Marine Racing, Miss Motorcraft, Ms. Clothestime, BASF Unlimiteds Detroit, Miss Wellness Plan |
1993
As in 1984 after two years of the Fan Plan the U.R.C. went back to the draw system to decide who would compete in each heat.
They also went back to the system of full points for all heats. Part of the motivation might have been that the 1991 High Point race would have been a lot closer under the old system.
Both Budweiser and Winston Eagle stood pat for 1993. However Ron Jones Jr. got a major sponsor in the form of the return of Circus Circus to the hydro wars. The new double wing that ran as Coors Dry in 1992 and won at San Diego would be fully funded for 1993.
After 20 years the boats returned to Dallas [Lewisville], Texas to open the season. The back up Winston Eagle (debut 1990) ran against the 1987 Miss Budweiser and was thorougly defeated in a 3 lap race the day before the main event.
In the main event Miss Budweiser 87 won all her preliminary heats and heading into the final had three m.p.h. on the field. However in the championship heat she hooked and stalled before the start leaving the competition open to such as Miss Circus Circus (143.4 best lap), Winston Eagle 1987 (143.2) and possibly Tide (140.3).
Nevertheless it was Miss T-Plus that took the lead after Winston Eagle died in the first turn. Miss Circus Circus, who had defeated Tide and Kellogg's Frosted Flakes in the preliminaries, was close for a lap and then Miss T-Plus was away for the win.
Next was Detroit and Miss Budweiser 87 had five m.p.h. on the field taking all five of her heats to easily win the Gold Cup. This marked Chip Hanauer's eighth unassisted Gold Cup and thus tieing him with the great Bill Muncey. Hanauer's 1988 win had to be shared with Jon Prevost who drove a preliminary heat that enabled Chip to make the final heat in which he drove to victory.
The double wing Circus Circus was damaged in the Gold Cup so the back up Circus was brought to Miami. The boat had run in 1988-89 as Miss Circus Circus beginning her career as Atlas Van Lines in 1984. This time the 87 Miss Budweiser had seven m.p.h. on the field winning all four heats to take the regatta.
Budweiser tried their 1989 boat at Evansville and again won all their heats to win the race having five m.p.h. over the other entries. Although winning heat 3-B, Budweiser was penalized a lap for moving into Winston Eagle's lane. This was Chip Hanauer’s first race with the hull after it bit him in the second turn at San Diego last year after a similar experience at Seattle.
The competition got closer at Madison with both Winston Eagle and Circus running within two m.p.h. of Miss Budweiser again using their 1989 boat. Winston Eagle got the best of Budweiser in heat 3-A, but had mechanical trouble in the final heat thus losing to Miss Budweiser.
Budweiser switched back to their 87 hull for Kansas City. Again there were three boats within two m.p.h of each other - Budweiser, Winston and T-Plus (1982)
Winston Eagle again got the better of Miss Budweiser in a preliminary heat, but fell 3 seconds short in the final after giving the Anheuser-Busch entry a good battle. Tide flipped in a pre-race trial and injured driver George Woods to such an extent that he had to retire from the sport.
Nate Brown -- a crew member who had driven for Fred Leland last year after working on the Winston crew, replaced George Woods for the Tri-Cities. To his credit in his first race Brown posted a lap within 2½ m.p.h. of Budweiser who went back to their 1989 hull. However in her third heat Tide flipped over for the second straight race. Winston Eagle was 3½ m.p.h. behind Miss Budweiser.
Needless to say having such an advantage Miss Budweiser won the regatta although given a hard battle by a penalized Winston Eagle in the final heat. The back up Miss Circus Circus flipped over before the start of heat 1-A - the double wing had been shunted to the background at this point of the season.
Perhaps the most spectacular blow over in the history of the sport took place in the final heat at Seattle. Winston Eagle, who had won all three of her preliminary heats, led the 1987 Miss Budweiser heading into the second backstretch. Suddenly Winston became airborne and actually flew down the backstretch backwards before crashing down on its canopy which splintered. Fortunately driver Mark Tate came out of the accident relatively unhurt and drove in the next race.
Kellogg's Frosted Flakes from Madison had the fastest lap at Seattle by two m.p.h., but could not get by the winning Miss Budweiser in the final heat. Miss Circus Circus did not appear at Seattle since Circus again abruptly decided to get out of Unlimited Racing. The new double wing Miss T-Plus was again six m.p.h. off the pace as at the Tri-Cities.
At San Diego Winston Eagle was the fastest boat by six m.p.h., nevertheless she was washed down by Miss Budweiser 1987 on the intial backstretch of the final heat. She had won all of her preliminary heats heading into the championship heat. Miss Budweiser led the rest of the way after passing a dead Miss T-Plus in lap two, but was penalized a lap for encroaching on the Winston Eagle. Kellogg's Frosted Flakes, the trailer, then won the race.
American Spirit joined Miss T-Plus and Winston Eagle on the San Diego final heat sidelines by going dead in lap three. Tide was running sick so all Kelloggs had to do to win the race was to beat the piston powered Cooper Express. She accomplished this in lap 2 to account for one of the most bizarre triumphs in the long history of Unlimited Racing.
In one of the great upsets of the post World War II era, Miss T-Plus got out in front in the final heat at Honolulu and stayed there warding off the persistent challenge of the 1989 Miss Budweiser. Steve David in T-Plus won, however it was perhaps the wildest winning ride since Bill Muncey in Atlas Van Lines defeated Dean Chenoweth's Budweiser in the final at the Tri-Cities in 1980.
The double wing T-Plus did not really get on the circuit until the mid-season at Pasco. She was at best 6 m.p.h. off the pace until Honolulu. Laying in the weeds as it were she was beaten in all three of her Hawaii preliminary heats before suprising everyone in the final. Unlike the triumph of Coors Dry in 1992, there was now an open question as to whether the double wing was the design of the future having beaten Miss Budweiser head to head in a final heat.
Miss Budweiser 1989 still had the fastest lap 161.6 to T-PLus' 160.4. Winston Eagle didn't win a heat in Honolulu and wound up third in the High Point Standings behind Kellogg's Frosted Flakes.
[Statistics from Greene, V.2]