1968 UIM World Championship
Lake Washington, Seattle, Washington, August 4, 1968


Blow to Bardahl Billy Was Break for Bubblin’ Bill
Muncey Luck Changes for Better
By Walt Parietti

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History of Thrills, Spills

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Gardner, Eagle Electric Miss Speed Record by Tick

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Muncey Qualifies Miss U. S. High on Ladder

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1968 Unlimited Hydroplane Roster

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A Persistent Game

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Miss U.S. Fastest Entry in 1B

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Bardahl, Eagle Electric in Same Heat

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Hydro Ladder

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Hydroplane Handicap

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Regatta Rules

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Time the Hydroplanes

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Bill Muncey Wins Hydro Title

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Muncey Luck Changes for Better

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Consistency Paid Off

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Feverish Battle Waged Backstage in the Pits

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Gardner Pushes Electric to Near-Record 120.267

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‘Mom’s Going to be Upset’ But Wracked-Up Regas Won’t Retire

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Muncey, Simon Celebrate Miss U.S. Victory

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Patriotic Parable

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Steady-Running U.S. Hydro Champ

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Miss U.S. Wins World Championship Hydro Race

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It's Diamonds For Miss Bardahl

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Statistics

"We were No. 2 in the nation in points last year but we didn’t win a boat race," Bill Muncey said.

And being hit by a house-boat earlier this year in Madison, Ind., didn’t help his confidence. But things look brighter today after Muncey’s Miss U. S. survived a trouble-packed day for the hydro fleet to give the veteran unlimited driver his fourth career victory on Lake Washington. He had won here in 1957, ‘60 and ‘62.

It was Muncey’s second win for George Simon, Detroit owner of the Seattle-based Miss U. S. "I won the first time I drove for George in the Florida Suncoast Regatta two years ago," Bill said.

After piling up 700 points in the first two heats yesterday, Muncey said, "We’re getting the breaks, maybe it’s our day." But he added, "We’re going to pull the engine and look it over. It just wouldn’t go."

The trouble turned out to be a broken shaft in the scavenger pump for the gear box. "One of our crew welded it with a quick patch job. If I didn’t push the boat, I was sure I could finish," Muncey said.

"We talked it over and Simon said we didn’t come here to lose."

At that point, Muncey said he hoped "someone keeps Billy Schumacher honest in Heat 2B." When Billy lost by half a boat length to Harrah’s Club, Schumacher was upset. "We were short one cylinder in that heat. It was gone before I started. Our luck is just gone. I don’t know what’s wrong."

And later in the final heat, Schumacher’s Miss Bardahl expired for the third time in five races this season.

"When the Bardahl blew, it became the kind of race we could win easily," Muncey said. "We were out in front of Billy when it happened and I was happy about that."

Muncey said he was extremely relieved when he heard that Jack Regas was conscious after he was thrown out of the Notre Dame. "No, I didn’t see Regas at all. I had my hands full with Walter Kade. I was working as hard as I ever worked trying to get by him."

In the final-heat restart, Muncey was running third to Warner Gardner in Eagle Electric and Tommy Fults in My Gypsy.

"As long as I stayed with the Gypsy I was all right," Muncey said. "Tommy made a couple of mistakes but he’s a good boy with a hard-running machine."

The victory was long overdue for Dave Seefeldt’s Miss U. S. boat crew, which included Einar Sortun, former University of Washington lineman, and two racing veterans, Walt Davis and Ricky Iglesias, who were members of the old Maverick, Shanty teams in the late 1950’s.

Iglesias, who lives in Mexico City, flew in for his first Seattle visit in nine years. "Seattle’s been lucky for me," he said. "I was crew chief for the Maverick when it won the Gold Cup here in 1959. "

Muncey said "Ricky is one of the finest men in the business in solving engine problems."

Muncey, an announced candidate for lieutenant governor, said campaigning in both politics in hydros would present some problems. "I’ll probably be flying out late for most races and fly right back in after every race."

How They Finished—And Collected

 

Av. Speed

Points

Payoff

Miss U. S

100.521

925

$6,500

My Gypsy

101.020

825

$4,500

Miss Eagle Electric

106.892

800

$3,300

Harrah’s Club

106.876

800

$2,200

Savair’s Mist

94.818

619

$1,600

Miss Bardahl

104,773

600

$1,200

Notre Dame

98.396

394

$850

Gale’s Roostertail

 

381

$550

Miss Budweiser

 

169

$450

(Atlas Van Lines, Smirnoff, Parco’s O-Ring Miss did not score points.)

(Reprinted from The Seattle Times, August 5, 1968)


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