1969 Seafair Trophy Race
Miss Budweiser
Turns Lap at 117.674 m.p.h.Bill Sterett, piloting the Miss Budweiser, took the early lead today in the unlimited hydroplane Speed Trials on Lake Washington.
The Speed Trials are a warmup for Sunday's running of the Seafair Centennial Trophy race.
Sterett, on the course three times before noon, turned a best lap of 117.647 miles an hour. If that holds up as the best lap of the day it will be worth $1,500 to the Budweiser camp.
The Notre Dame with Leif Borgersen at the wheel, was the first boat out today and navigated the three-mile course at 117.137 m. p. h.
With that to shoot at, Sterett took the beer wagon out for a timed run, but turned back to the pits before an official start. A few minutes later the Bud was out again and registered a best of 115.139 m. p. h.
After test runs by the Savair's Mist and the Bardahl, Sterret came out again and topped the Notre Dame's time to take over the early lead.
Another man with his eye on the $1,500 first prize was Jim McCormick. As driver of the 12-year-old Atlas Van Lines, McCormick hopes to erase the Lake Washington course record for a three-mile noncompetitive run. That is 120.536 miles an hour, set by the late Bill Brow while qualifying the Miss Exide for the 1965 Gold Cup.
McCormick was enthusiastic about his chances of getting the record after a run of 119.469 m. p. h. yesterday.
"The boat turned that 119 and wasn't running well," McCormick said with a can't-wait smile. "With everything right, we could do it easily."
McCormick said the Atlas camp had one engine set aside for a serious run at the record. The others will be saved for race day.
Not all the camps were so concerned with the speed run.
"I don't want to blow a $6,000 engine for a $1,500 prize," was Bill Cantrell's reaction. Cantrell is the superchief of the Myr's Special camp.
Jerry Zuvich, crew chief for the Miss Bardahl, didn't think his charge would be out for the money run. He said:
"The most important thing for us is to get this boat ready for Sunday. We've been testing different props and still have quite a bit of work to do. We'll spend our time working toward Sun-day, not the Speed Trials."
Bill Muncey, driver of the Miss U. S., is another who wants to wait for Sunday's finale and an even-bigger purse.
"I don't want to endanger any equipment," Muncey said. "I want to win Sunday, and I'll have a better chance if all the machinery is in running order."
Some of the camps took on a wait-and-see attitude.
Dave Heerensperger, owner of the Pride of Pay 'n' Pak, said his outrigger would be out for sure if the water was rough.
"I think we can go better than the other boats in choppy water," said Heerensperger. "If it's rough, we will be out; if it isn't, well, then we'll probably take it easy and wait for race day."
Seven boats turned laps at better than 100 m. p. h. yesterday during test runs. In addition to the 119-plus turned by the Atlas, the Myr's Special ran a best of 113.208 m. p. h.; the Notre Dame a 112.735, the Budweiser a 112.033, Miss U. S. a 110.883, Bardahl a 109.091 and the Pay 'n' Pak a 100.559.
Parco's O-Ring Miss tested yesterday with a best lap of 92.308 m. p. h. And the Wanderer made it around the course once, but then headed for the pits for more work. It was not timed.
The Wanderer and Mister P's, the two boats left to qualify for Sunday, will get another chance tomorrow.
|
Myr's Special |
Dean Chenoweth |
|
Miss U. S |
Bill Muncey |
|
Notre Dame |
Leif Borgersen |
|
Miss Bardahl |
Fred Alter |
|
Parco's O-Ring Miss |
Norm Evans |
|
Budweiser |
Bill Sterett |
|
Pride of Pay 'n Pak |
Tommy Fults |
|
Savair's Mist |
Walt Kade |
|
Wanderer |
Ron Kasper |
|
Mister P's |
Bob Gilliam |
|
Atlas Van Lines |
Jim McCormick |
(Reprinted from The Seattle Times, August 1, 1969)
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