Boats Start Roaring on River Today
By Joe Dowdall

Bardahl Heads 'Hottest' Boat Field Boats Start Roaring on River Today Boss Vetoes Speed Bid by "Crew" Hydros Rarin' to Go for the World Title The Chrysler Crew Breezes Turbine to Test Its Water Wings Auto Engines Power Chrysler Crew to Win A Rewarding Race in Detroit Miss Chrysler Crew Takes World Cup Chrysler Crew Wins Championship In Spirit Of Detroit Hydro Races

There was a last-minute scramble for experienced drivers Sunday on the eve of the opening of qualifying trials for the World's Championship powerboat race on the Detroit River next Sunday.

Red Loomis, a heavy-footed driver from Seattle, elected at the last minute to drive Miss Wickman instead of Mike Wolfbauer's Savair's Probe. Veteran Freddie Alter moved to the wheel of Jim Herrington's Mariner Too when he learned his new boat, Parco O-Ring Miss, wouldn't be ready.

And Jack Schafer still has hopes of dining a more experienced driver to work with Clark Williams in his twin-engine Such Crust.

And veteran Danny Foster is in the wings in case youthful Jerry Schoenith can't shake the turn bugs out of his new twin-engine Gale Roostertail.

The 16-boat field will start making its run at the clock Monday morning to gain the $44,000 World's Championship Race. The 15 fastest qualifiers, who average 90 miles an hour or more for a run around the three-mile Detroit River course, will make the field.

The two fastest qualifiers Monday and Tuesday cannot be bumped, but the battle for the last few berths promises to be a good one.

The Gold Cup fleet averaged 105 mph in the qualifying trials for the Tampa Suncoast race two weeks ago. This field is expected to have an even higher average.

In addition to Suncoast winner Miss Bardahl, 11 other balanced entries, plus four new ones, are entered here.

Miss U.S., which posted the fastest heat at 99.9 mph in Tampa, Miss Lapeer, Savair's Mist and Miss Madison are all grouped with Miss Bardahl in the 100-plus mph lap category.

Chrysler Crew, the revolutionary boat powered by two hemi engines, is in the same field while it has two engines running.

My Gypsy, Atlas Van Lines, Miss Wickman, Notre Dame, Miss Smirnoff, and Harrah's Club are other quick boats ready to move up with the leaders.

The Gale Roostertail has four steps on a conventional hydroplane hull. It is powered by two Allison engines, geared to a single prop. The boat has shown straightaway speeds in trials but driver Jerry Schoenith has had a time getting the 36-foot-long, five-ton racer around the turns.

Rolls Royce-powered boats are the Miss U.S., Notre Dame, Miss Lapeer, Miss Bardahl and Mariner Too. The Such Crust has twin Allisons, like the Roostertail, and the Chrysler Crew has twin Chryslers. The rest are all powered by single Allison engines.

(reprinted from the Detroit Free Press, June 26, 1967)