1960 Apple Cup
Lake Chelan, Chelan, Washington, May 8, 1960

Muncey Wins Apple Cup

Muncey Wins Apple Cup
The Apple Cup Revisited
1960 Apple Cup - Statistics
Bill Muncey, hosed down twice by Mira Slovak in Wahoo, doggedly went on to win the Apple Cup at Lake Chelan, May 8 with Miss Thriftway. Hydroplane experts — and none more experienced than durable Mr. Muncey — say that the surfacing prop of an unlimited throws up a mass of water that may amount to some hundreds of gallons. Running through a roostertail is like running through a cement wall and the force of this air-borne water has been known to tear off sponsons or damage decking.

Muncey was early wetted down in the Apple Cup, running into Wahoo’s roostertail on the first turn of the first lap of the first heat. The spray shorted out Thriftway’s big Rolls engine, although it was protected by a cowling this year, and the unlimited went dead in the water. Muncey was almost a full lap behind before he could get away again, and never could quite catch up with the others. Wahoo finished first, Norm Evans in Nitrogen was second and Muncey was a third. The Wahoo’s roostertail had torn the goggles from his helmet.

The two had a second encounter in Heat 2A after Muncey had established a lead with a good start and Wahoo was a close second. On the last corner of the second lap, Muncey was cutting wide when Slovak shot down an inside lane. Muncey said later he had to back off to avoid a collision; but he could not avoid another horrendous hosing by Wahoo’s aggravating roostertail. Muncey slowed, gave chase, but on the last lap Wahoo threw an engine rod, so Thriftway won.

On the final heat with the only serious challenger sidelined, Muncey went on to an easy win, with Nitrogen a steady second after staving off a threat by Chuck Hickling in Miss Burien.

After the Apple Cup race, Muncey cited the APBA rulebook to the effect that when two boats are on intersecting courses, the one which has the other on her own starboard shall keep out the way. But Slovak said that he was free and clear and well ahead of Thriftway before any crossing situation developed. The referee, Stanley Donogh, said there was no violation of the rules.

So, there the incident closed, as Thriftway owner Willard Rhodes, with the Apple cup firmly in grasp, did not protest officially; but he indicated that only the cool, resourceful driving of Muncey averted what could have been a tragic accident.

Total Points

1 Miss Thriftway 1025
2 Nitrogen 900
3 Miss Burien 750
4 Miss Bardahl 738
5 Wahoo 400
6 Miss Everett 254
7 KOLroy I 225

Heat Results

Heat 1 A
  Time MPH Points
Wahoo 8:53.2 101.275 400
Nitrogen 9:00.6 99.889 300
Miss Thriftway 9:54.8 90.786 225
Hawaii Kai III DNF
Miss Everett DNF

Heat 1 B
Miss Bardahl 8:57.4 100.483 400
Miss Burien 10:03.0 89.552 300
KOLroy I 11:29.4 78.328 225
Miss Spokane DNF

Heat 2 A
Miss Thriftway 8:26.4 106.635 400
Nitrogen 8:57.6 100.446 300
Miss Burien 9:04.4 99.191 225
Miss Bardahl 9:31.6 94.471 169
Miss Everett 12:27.8 72.211 127
Wahoo DNF
KOLroy I DNS

Final Heat
Miss Thriftway 8:29.8 105.923 400
Nitrogen 8:48.6 102.156 800
Miss Burien 8:53.8 101.161 225
Miss Bardahl 8:14.4 97.402 169
Miss Everett 10:30.2 85.687 127

Hawaii Kai III and Miss Spokane, no points.
(Reprinted from Sea and Pacific Motor Boat, July 1960, pp.41-42)

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