1952 Imperial Gold Cup
Ohio River, New Martinsville, WV, September 27-28, 1952

Lauterbach Wins Imperial Gold Cup

Dee-Jay Captures Speed-Boat Trophy Lauterbach Wins Imperial Gold Cup Last Weekend in September Regatta Statistics

The hills of West Virginia and Ohio formed a green backdrop as Daniel F. Murphy's light-green, shamrock-decorated, Gold Cup contender Dee-Jay won the 16th New Martinsville classic held on the Ohio River September 27 and 28.

The smooth, protected waters of the Ohio have been a contributing factor in making this one of the most popular of the season's many regattas, but much of the credit must go to the sponsoring Magnolia Yacht Club and the city's mayor, Bob Bruce.

But, smooth waters or not, you can't take credit away from Norman Lauterbach, Dee-Jay's builder. This Ventnor, N. J., speedster, with Philadelphian Howard Felton alongside as mechanic, did some fancy boat driving as he sped around the ten-mile first heat.

In the second heat, Dee-Jay coughed, sputtered, smoked and finally got under way in a delayed start. However, owner Murphy flagged Dee-Jay and company out of the race as she appeared as though she might be in trouble.

Thus, Oliver Elam and his 7-liter outfit, Mercury, whipped around the course in solo splendor.

When the trophies were awarded the committee gave the Imperial Cup to Dee-Jay, and the trophy for the best 7-liter boat on the course to Elam's Mercury.

Miss Pepsi, and driver Chuck Thompson, was still jinxed as far as this regatta is concerned. The big unlimited hydroplane was through practically before she had started the first heat.

She had just started when black smoke indicating fuel trouble forced her to stop. Further examination showed that on top of everything else the mahogany speedster also suffered a broken jackshaft.

Results of Other Events

Winners in the other classes were:

Class E service runabouts, Enoch Walker, Hampton, Virginia
Class D service runabouts, Harry Bickford, Hampton, Virginia
48-cubic inch runabouts, Robert J. McAllister, Ventnor, N. J.
Pacific One-Design, Rodney C. Brodgen, Newport News, Va
136-cubicinch, Jack Cook, Dover, Del.
Class E Racing Runabouts, Sherman Critchfield, St. Petersburg, Fla.
Class D Racing Runabouts, Elwood Pliescott, Cambridge, Md.
78-cubic inch hydroplanes, C. Mulford Scull, Ventnor, N.J.
225-cubic inch, Henry Vogel, Webster, N. Y.
135-cabic inch hydroplanes, Charles Loyd, Harrisburg, Pa.
226-cubic inch, Bobby Rowland, Portsmouth, Va.

(Reprinted from Motor Boating, November 1952)

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