Columbia Cup Summary

Muncey Masters Columbia Cup Did Muncey Cut Corner? Barney's Driver Say 'Yes' Columbia Cup Summary Race Summary Statistics

HEAT 1A — 1. Atlas Van Lines (Bill Muncey) 124.412 (national and course record); 2. Miss Budweiser (Dean Chenoweth) 119.300; 3. Van’s PX (Ron Armstrong) 104.724; 4. Tempus (Chuck Hickling) 99.867. Dr. Toyota died in first lap.

Miss Budweiser took an early lead in lane 2 and set a national lap record of 129.125 miles an hour to lead Atlas (126.227) by a roostertail at the start of lap 2. (The previous record was 124.481, set in 1976 in Pasco by Mickey Remund in an earlier Budweiser.)

HEAT 1B — 1. Miss Circus Circus (Steve Reynolds) 121.065; 2. Squire Shop (Chip Hanauer) 117.157; 3. Tri-City Tile and Masonry (Jack Schafer, Jr.) 105.461; 4. Barney Armstrong’s Machine (Chuck King) 99.206. Candyman, racing with only one of its two automotive engines, conked out in the fourth lap.

The heat was decided in the first turn of the second lap. Circus maintained a lead in lane 2. The Squire seemed to go into the turn too hot, had to back off, and then lost more speed when it had to cross Circus’ wake.

HEAT 2A — This hot-dog derby with Circus, Bud and Atlas was red-flagged in the third lap when the Circus began to take on water. Circus had lost its propeller and driveshaft on the first turn of the second lap while running second behind Bud. Bud was leading the Atlas when the heat was stopped.

HEAT 2A RESTART — 1. Atlas, 119.174; 2. Budweiser, 118.390; 3. Van’s PX, 104.969.

Atlas took a slight lead and Bud had trouble making the second turn. The boat started to walk on its sponsons and went through Muncey’s roostertail. Bud gained back what it lost and took the lead in the fourth lap and held a 2-second lead going into the final lap. Atlas won the heat by taking the lead in the first turn of the final lap.

HEAT 2B — 1. Squire, 104.749; 2. Barney Armstrong, 101.374; 3. Tempus, 93.848; 4. Dr. Toyota, 89.731.

The Squire took the lead in the first turn and the heat turned into a parade.

CHAMPIONSHIP HEAT — 1. Atlas, 119.585; 2. Squire, 113.122; 3. Van’s PX, 102.810; 4, Barney Armstrong, 93.809; 5. Tempus, 86.722.

Barney Armstrong crossed the starting line first, closely pursued by Miss Budweiser. The Atlas got a poor start when Muncey had to swing wide to get around Tempus. The Bud held the lead coming out of the first lap with Muncey on his tail. The Bud led Muncey by 1.7 seconds after the first lap and by 2.1 seconds after two laps. But going into the first turn on lap 3, the Bud lost power when a gear in its supercharger broke. Muncey took the lead and never looked bock.

NATIONAL POINT STANDINGS — 1. Atlas, 7,700. 2. Circus, 4,675. 3. Tri-City Tile, 4,094. 4. Dr. Toyota, 3,090. 5. Miss Budweiser, 2,642. 6. Squire, 1,925. 7. My Gypsy, 957. 8. Candyman, 694. 9. Van’s PX, 675. 10. Barney Armstrong, 665.