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Miss U.S. I, Miss Reno Win Heats |
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1961 APBA Gold Cup
Pyramid Lake, Reno, Nevada, August 26-28, 1961
Miss U.S., Miss Reno Win Heats in ‘61 Gold Cup Race
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RENO, Nev., Aug. 26.—(AP) — Home town favorite Miss Reno, the defending champion, and Miss U.S. I, of Detroit, today captured the opening heats in the $35,000 Gold Cup championship for unlimited hydroplanes.
Miss Reno, piloted by Air Force Col. Russ Schleeh, took the first heat, beating five other 2,000-horsepower speedsters in 103.604 average miles an hour. Miss U.S. 1, driven by Floridian Donnie Wilson, scored a wire-to-wire victory in the second heat and was timed in 94.844 m.p.h. after posting the fastest qualifying time earlier this week of 110:656.
Wind accelerated between the first and second heats today and could have been the reason for the difference in winning times.
In this national championship of the big speedboats, the heats are each 30 miles, 10 laps of the three-mile course on Pyramid Lake, near here.
Finishing behind the Detroit boat were Miss Spokane at 94.035, Seattle’s Tempest at 93.913 and Gale V, of Detroit, at 90.316.
The races are scheduled Sunday, with the final matching the seven leading contenders.
In today’s first heat, Miss Reno sped past Miss Bardahl on the last lap when the Seattle craft, leader most of the race, suffered engine trouble.
Century 21, the former Miss Thriftway, was second; Detroit’s Such Crust, third; Miss Bardahl, a faltering fourth, and $ Bill fifth. Century 21, driven by two-time Gold Cup winner Bill Muncey, was timed in 100.447: Such Crust with Fred Alter at the wheel, 91.150; Miss Bardahl, 84.813 and $ Bill, with Red Loomis, of Lompoc, Calif., 81.007.
Fascination, of Seattle, had engine trouble in the first lap and was forced out.
Winners of each of today’s two races received 400 points with the next finishers receiving 300, 225, 169, 127 and 95.
(Reprinted from the Detroit Free Press, August 28, 1961)
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