1974 Champion Spark Plug Regatta
Miami Marine Stadium, Miami FL, June 2, 1974

Pak Qualifies With 116 Run Bud Win Overshadowed Walther Tenth to Die in 23 Years Was it the Rudder? Statistics

MIAMI (Special) — The Pay ‘n Pak of Seattle, driven by George Henley, easily qualified for Sunday’s Champion Regatta unlimited-hydroplane race with a run of better than 116 miles an hour today.

The Pak was one of three boats to qualify by 3 p. m. today. Bill Muncey got the Atlas Van Lines (U-70) in with a run of 114-plus and Tom D’Eath pushed the Miss U. S. over the standard of 95 m. p. h.

Twelve boats are here. The nine others (with drivers):

U-95 (Leif Borgersen), Just-A-Pest (Danny Walls), Budweiser (Howard Benns), Valu-Mart (Ron Armstrong), Mr. Fabricator (Tom Kaufman), Red Man (Skip Walther), Miss Madison (E. Milner Irvin), Miss Cott’s Beverages (Tom Sheehy) and Lincoln Thrift (Mickey Remund).

Skip Walther, brother of Salt Walther, is filling in for Jim McCormick in the Red Man. McCormick was injured in a spin-out yesterday. The boat was not damaged, but McCormick was hospitalized and will miss this race and next weekend’s President’s Cup in Washington, D. C.

Qualifying will continue through tomorrow afternoon.

(Reprinted from The Seattle Times, May 31, 1974)

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