1950 Buffalo Launch Club Regatta
Niagara River, Buffalo NY, August 20, 1950
Aljo
Sets 7 Liter Record
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The Buffalo Launch Club regatta on August 19-20 attracted an excellent turnout of prominent American and Canadian drivers. Among these was Peter Daoust from Lachine, who succeeded in winning both heats of the 225 cubic inch hydroplane race with a 700 point total score. In doing this he defeated Merlyn Culver driving his Yankee Doodle. Daousts boat, Canada Maid, took first place in the first heat and a second in the second heat. Yankee Doodle won the second heat, but could only get a third place in the first heat.
On the way to Buffalo Guy Lombardo's truck carrying Tempo VI was detained at Liberty, New York for being too long and too wide for the highways. The boat finally was allowed to proceed and reached Buffalo in time for its events on the second day.
While driving in the 135 cubic inch class Daoust, driving another fit. Gooch III, was a little too eager and beat the gun and was disqualified. A Detroit boat, Miami Boy, driven by Bob Lueckenhoff, captured the 135 class by taking both heats. A second race for limited 135's with two two-heat contests finds one heat each taken by Miami Boy, Bob Lueckenhoff ; WaWa, Joe Wolf; Blitz III, Robert Bogie, and Mi Son, Bill Muncey.
George Trimper, donor of the high point trophy, succeeded in taking both heats of the Class E service runabout event and secured for himself the J. Given Willet Trophy.
Sam Crooks, formerly outboard driver and now driving in the 48 cubic inch hydroplane class, managed to win the event on points. He took a third and a first and a total of 625 points. The Class D racing runabout went to Sour Puss, Al Endser, who won both heats at speeds over 40 miles.
The larger Class E racing runabouts found the results a bit confusing as Last Fling, Norman Frey; Pocono Pine, and Hell's Angel, Sherman Critchfield, each got credit for one heat.
Classes D, E and F were represented in service runabout classes, and Joanron with a second and a first totalling 700 points won Class D.
Class E was taken by Baby Loon, George Trimper, with two first. Class F went to Windy II with a first and second, and a point score of 700.
The second day's racing provided events for the seven liter and unlimited class boats. Joe Van Blerck, driving Aljo, drove through both heats in rough water to win, and at the same time set a new record in the first heat of 61.94 m.p.h. and also secured the national championship title in the class.
A fleet of Golden Cup Class boats were entered in the unlimited hydroplane event and in this Tempo VI, driven by Guy Lombardo, took the single heat of 15 miles in rough going at a speed of 66.561 mph. The rough water required skillful driving and Aljo took second place. Several of the boats were damaged by the rough water and sank.
Summaries
Buffalo Launch Club August 19-20, 1950 |
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First heat, Ten mile |
1 |
Aljo |
Joe Van Blerck |
Freeport, L.I. |
2 |
Mercury |
Oliver Elam |
Ashland, Kentucky |
|
DNF |
So Long |
Ray Fageol |
Kent, Ohio |
|
Time 9:41.2. Speed 61.940 mph (new world record) |
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Second heat, Ten miles |
1 |
Aljo |
||
2 |
Mercury |
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Time 11:46.7. Speed 40.934 mph. |
Unlimited Hydroplanes | ||||
First heat, Fifteen miles |
1 |
Tempo VI | Guy Lombardo |
Freeport, L.I. |
2 |
Aljo | Joe Van Blerck | Freeport, L.I. | |
3 |
Sister Syn | Bob Petz | Grosse Point, MI | |
4 |
My Ambition | Bob Schroeder | North Tonawanda, NY | |
5 |
Sour Puss | Al Endres | Grand Island, NY | |
DNF | Mercury | Oliver Elam | Ashland, KY | |
DNF | Gale | Gene Arena | Detroit | |
Time 13:31.3. Speed 66.561 mph. |
225-Cubic Inch Hydroplane
Division II
First Heat — 1, Canada Maid, Peter Daoust, Lachine, Que.; 2, .My Ambition, Robert Schroeder, North Tonawanda, N. Y.: 3, Yankee Doodle, Merlyn Culver, Dayton, Ohio; 4, Kingtot, John Haineault,Cornwall Ont.; 5. Buzzin Cussin, Lee A. Ray, Syracuse. N. Y.; 6 Maple Leaf, Ed Pine, Belleville, Ont.; 7, My Sin, Harry Vogel, Rochester. N. Y.: 8. Hurricane, G. Giard, Bauharnois..Que.; 9, Lawrence Tech Don Ziegler. Detroit; 10, Jay-Cee. J. D. Smith, Cincinatti. Did not finish: My Ruthie, Bill Hodgson. Toronto, and Miss Kress. Dick Rankin. Pontiac, Mich. Time — 5:07.8. Speed — 58.479 m.p.h.
Second Heat — 1, Yankee Doodle; 2, Canada Maid; 3, Kingcot; 4. Buzzin Cussin; 5, My Ambition; 6, My Ruthie; 7. Maple Leaf; 8, My Sin; 9, Hurricane. Sea Biscuit disqualified. Time — 5:10.4. Speed — 57.989 m.p.h.- Point Score: Canada Maid, 700; Yankee Doodle 625; My Ambition 427.
135-Cubic Inch Hydroplanes
(1st Race)
First heat — 1, Miami Boy, Bob Lueckenhoff, Detroit; 2, Skid-do, John Cramer, Detroit; 3. Little Audrey III, Harry Vogel,_Dearborn, Mich.; 4 Gooch, Wilfred Daoust, Lachine. Quebec; 5, Blue Devil, Don Ziegler, Detroit; 6. Hornet, George Reynolds, Brocksville, Ont.: 7, Nit Wit V, Frank Smith, Kingston, Oat.; 8, Pirate, Bob Vanrhee, Detroit; 9, Static, W. G. Belfie, Gananoque, Ont.; 10, Ckoro, Bill Luby, Troy, N. Y.; 11, See Me Go, Cliff Arnold. Hamilton. Ont. Time — 5:36.5. Speed — 43.492 m.p.h.
Second Heat — 1, Miami Boy; 2. Skid-do; 3. Little Audrey III; 4. Hornet; 5, Blue Devil; 6, Pirate; 7, See Me Go; 8, Family Curse; 9, Miss-Guided Miss; 10, Static. Gooch III and Nit Wit V disqualified for jumping gun. Ditzy Liz, Vincent Lizzio, Dearborn, and Ckoro did not finish. Time — 5:25.6. Speed — 55.334 m.p.h.
Point Score — Miami Boy 800, Skid-do 600, Little Audrey III 450, Hornet 264, Blue Devil 254.
One-Design Class
First Heat — 1, Sapphire, George W. Carnegie, Toronto; 2, For Sale Too, Frank Ramsey, Rideau Ferry, Ont.; 3. Gorrie, G. R., Georgie Gorrie, Toronto. Time-7:36.5. Speed-39.430 m.p.h.
Second Heat — 1, For Sale Too. Sapphire and Gorrie G. R. did not finish. Time — 7:39. Speed — 39.215 m.p.h.
Point Score — For Sale Too 700. Sapphire 400, Gorrie G. R. 225.
48-Cubic Inch Hydroplanes
First Heat — 1, Fancy Pants, Fred Alter. Detroit: 2, Joy, Amato Taneal, Washington; 3, Penelope, Sammy Crooks, St. Petersburg, Fla.; 4, Sharp Shooter, E. H. and F. P. Barkham, Detroit; 5, Offset, Donald Hollister, Grosse Pointe, Mich. Did not finish: No Name. Robert Young, Ferndale, Mich.; Pooper, Don White, St. Petersburg; My Baby, Tom Hanley, Grosse Pointe. Time — 9:06.5. Speed — 32.936 m.p.h.
Second Heat — 1, Penelope; 2, Joy; 3, Sharp Shooter; 4, Fancy Pants. Did not finish: Offset. Time — 7:57.6. Speed — 37.688 m.p.h.
Point Score — Crooks 625, Taneal 600, Alter 569, Bargham 394, Hollister 127.
D Racing Runabouts
First Heat — 1, Sour Puss, Al Endres, Grand Island, N. Y., 2. Meteor, Charles Abbot, Petersborough, Ont. Wild Oats, Bob Graham, Kenmore. N.Y., did not finish. Time — 6:52.6. Speed — 43.625 m.p.h.
Second Heat — 1, Sour Puss; 2, Meteor. Time — 7:20.6. Speed — 40.853 m.p.h.
Class E Racing Runabouts
First Heat — 1, Last Fling, Norman Frey, Pocona Pines, Pa.; 2, Grumpy. Adam Valyar, Grand Island, N. Y.; 3, Hell's Angel, Sherm Crichfield, St. Petersburg, Fla.; 4. Dot E IV, Ed Endres, Grand Island, N. Y. Time-7:02.5. Speed-42.604 m.p.h.
Second Heat- — , Hell's Angels 2, Dot-E IV; 3, Last Fling; 4. Grumpy; 5, My Baby, Joseph Less. Tonawanda, N. Y. Time — 6:36.6. Speed — 4.386 m.p.h.
Class D Service Runabouts
First Heat, Miss Coral Gables, Dr. W. W. Schomberg, Coral Gables, Fla.; 2. Joanron, Sam Fehr, Jr. Buffalo. N. Y. Time — 7:44.5. Speed — 38751.
Second Heat — 1, Joanron, Miss Coral Gables did not finish. Time — 7:54. Speed — 37.974 m.p.h.
Point Score — Joanron 700, Miss Coral Gables 400.
Class E Service Runabouts
First Heat — 1, Baby Loon, George J. Trimper, Buffalo; 2, Little Injun, William Yeager, Warren, Pa.; 3, Swamp Fire, Bill Eagle, Washington, Pa. Time-7:31.8. Speed-39,840.
Second Heat — 1. Baby Loon; 2, Little Injun; 3. Swamp Fire. Time — 7:29.4. Speed — 40.053 m.p.h.
Point Score-Baby Loon, 800, Little Injun 600, Swamp Fire, 450.
Class F Service Runabouts
First Heat — 1, Wendy II, Charles Pankow, Buffalo; 2. Susie B, B. G. Bartley. Pittsburgh; 3, Rock-A-Rye, Russell Kirkpatrick. Clarksburg. W. Va. Did not finish; Hungry Baby, William Oldfield, Buffalo. Disqualified; Micky B. Alfred Boyd, Tonawanda, N. Y. Time 7:372 Speed-39.370 m.p.h.
Second Heat — 1, Susie B; 2.Wendy II; 3, Rock-A-Bye; 4, Mickey B. Time — 7:31.8. Speed — 39.840 m.p.h.
Point Score — Wendy II, 7013; Susie B, 700; Rock-A-Bye, 450. Wendy II wins on better elapsed time.
[Note: Future Unlimited driver Fred Alter winning in Fancy Pants (48 cu. in.); Bob Schroeder driving My Ambition (225 cu. in.). B.G. Bartley (Sr.) would drive 7-liter boats in the unlimited ranks. George Trimper would later become owner of Wildroot Charlie and still later Unlimited Racing Commission chairman —LF].
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