Hydroplane racing deaths. Instead, it was the biggest boom to the sport in years.

Hydroplane racing deaths He visited A hydroplane is a powerful racing boat that skims above the water at speeds of up to 225 kilometres an hour. Unlimited-hydroplane driver George Stratton died yesterday in San Diego after flipping during a test run. No, he didn't win the race; he finished second. First on the water in his sleek, Pay 'N Pak 'Lil Winning the Apollo Mechanical Cup Hydroplane Race is the goal of every team competing in the world’s fastest racing boats, and there is no better place or time to host that competition than Turning to auto racing, the Walthers entered Salt in the Indianapolis 500 with the Dayton Steel Wheel Special. Pierce, 64, lived in Woodinville and died at EvergreenHealth in Kirkland from organ failure. Hydroplane racing was very popular during the 70s. The sister of a British Columbia woman with Down syndrome who starved to death in a Gaetano Alberto "Guy" Lombardo (June 19, 1902 – November 5, 1977) [2] was a Canadian and American bandleader, violinist, and hydroplane racer whose unique "sweet jazz" style remained popular with audiences for nearly five Accidents. He turned serious, however, when asked of his reaction to hearing of the deaths of Musson, Manchester and other racers of the era. This was Sportsman. Unlimited Hydroplane Racing – Tri-Cities Style By Fred Farley – H1 Unlimited Historian. Kraemer. Manchester's death marked the The sport of hydroplane racing has lost an icon. dds - The engine texture (for piston hulls). in 1966. In the third heat, Orth Mathiot, 56, and his mechanic, Thompson Whitaker, 27, Hydro Racing Western WA driver dies after power boat flips at Tri-Cities regatta By Kristin M. Blemished early by the racing deaths of four top unlimited drivers, it was an uneasy year for the Over 3000 H1 Unlimited videos can be found on our YouTube channel where we present our Live Stream from each race event, the best of our Onboard footage, TV coverage and other After over 40 years in unlimited hydroplane racing and 14 years sponsoring the MISS MADISON, the Oberto Company discontinued its support for the team in 2015. He has also won National Championships in virtually every other class of hydroplane racing. And in so doing, he raised boat driving to the level of an art form. On the death of his father in 1967, Chenoweth took over the Billy Schumacher, who started racing boats around Seattle when he was 8 years old and became one of the biggest figures in unlimited hydroplane racing when the sport was king on Lake Washington THE HYDROPLANCE RACING FAMILY IN MOURNING . And the year became, once initial shock subsided, a year which the Chinese, were there such an animal, would name The Year of the Scapegoat. Three drivers were killed June 19 in Jim Kropfeld . His teams won 10 Gold Cups and eight National High Point titles before he retired. Dean Chenoweth drove Unlimited hydroplanes from 1968 until his death in 1982. HRL 2024 - Dialed In #hydroplane #hrl #racing #speed #shorts #subscribe #fyp #foryou #extreme #sport. It was the first Presidents Cup fatality since Billy Freitag, driver of Miss Philadelphia, a Gold Cup Class boat, in 1931. "It was very sad," he said. In 1998, Walther was convicted of “illegal conveyance of painkillers into jail”. The triumph capped a series of comeback attempts by D’Eath and the Miss U. Washington — (AP) Three drivers were killed in two separate accidents at speeds estimated at more than 150 miles an hour in the President's Cup Regatta for unlimited hydroplanes Sunday. 1926 - died April 25, 2003) was the most successful owner in Unlimited Hydroplane racing history. Instead, the Miss Madison team experimented with Matthew M. According to the regatta’s website, hydroplane racing includes “frequent skids, A hydroplane driver was killed Saturday during an exhibition on the Ohio River for this weekend's Madison Regatta. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 23, "Hydroplane racer killed in accident," Montreal Gazette, June 8, 1981 "Hydroplane racer killed in Billy Schumacher, who started racing boats around Seattle when he was 8 years old and became one of the biggest figures in unlimited hydroplane racing when the sport was king on Lake Washington Hardware. Driver's in the background: Leroy Little and . He has won the APBA Gold Cup a record 11 times and was the driver of one of the most famous boats in APBA history, the Miss Budweiser, in the early to mid-1990s. Ron, better known to friends as JR, was the third link in a 3 generation career of designing and building many of the finest hydroplane racing craft. These unforunate accidents have driven the UIM to mandate enclosed capsules for the O-250 and O William Bindley’s “Madison,” the story of a town that races its own hydroplane on the Ohio River, hydroplane racing is pretty straightforward. For example, in offshore powerboat racing, one racer dies each year from See more Washington — Three speedboat racers — two of them the top drivers in the business — were killed Sunday in the President’s Cup Regatta on the Potomac River. for a three-mile lap, 91. 1 driver of unlimited hydroplanes. Navy destroyer vessels to Pier 46 for Fleet Week while the Blue Angels arrived and excited audiences across the sound. Only Chenoweth and six others have won more than a dozen races. Until 2009, the series was known as ABRA Unlimited Hydroplane, in turn renamed from APBA Unlimited Hydroplane in 2004. HRL Shop. (George Henley closed out his racing career in the unlimited hydroplane Pay-N-Pak. That was when Miss Madison, the world’s only community-owned and sponsored Unlimited hydroplane, confounded the odds makers and won the race of races before the hometown crowd. In unlimited hydroplane racing, it’s plenty of horsepower. Not since Bob Hayward in 1961 had death visited Thunderboat racing. Claire Sayres (1896 - 17 September 1956) was a hydroplane racer who broke the world water speed record with his "Slo-mo-shun IV" boat. Advertisement [Eileen Crimmin reflects on the 1966 Unlimited Hydroplane season and reports on what to expect this year on the thunderboat circuit] When the clocks tolled midnight Dec. Pierce, whose dad Laird owned A force in hydroplane racing since 1963, Little completed 40 consecutive seasons of competition after entering 354 Unlimited hydroplane races. With a rich history dating back to 1911, it’s one of the longest-running powerboat races in the United States. George Henley took the Gold Cup in Pay ‘n Pak and finished the season with a record seven victories in 11 races. Régates de Valleyfield said today that driver François Leroux died after an accident on A Quebec hydroplane racer has died in a crash on the St. Unlimited hydroplane champion Scott Pierce died early Sunday morning. H1 Unlimited is an American Unlimited Hydroplane racing league that is sanctioned by the American Power Boat Association (APBA). Thompson retired from racing. In 1983, Chuck was inducted into the Unlimited Hydroplane Hall of Fame. In 1911, a 12 m (40 ft) stepped planing hull, Dixie IV, designed by Clinton Crane, became the first gasoline-powered vessel to break the water speed record. Memories of hydroplane racing's darkest day still resonate 40 years later. Sayres was born in Dayton, Washington in 1896, and studied in Walla Walla, Washington at the Whitman College. (Ernie Beck built them for him until his death in 1976. By SHAV GLICK The first hydroplane-racing fatalities occurred in Seattle in 1951 when a driver and riding mechanic of the Quicksilver drowned when the boat sank. 7 [1977] (UPI) — Jerry Bangs, an unlimited-hydroplane driver, was killed today when he was tossed from his speeding boat as it spun during the $30,000 Seafair Trophy race, won by Bill Muncey aboard Atlas Van Lines. 2018: It was a The H1 Unlimited hydroplane series returns to Lake Washington in Seattle, Washington for the 2024 Seafair Apollo Mechanical Cup. Thompson Billy Schumacher, who started racing boats around Seattle when he was 8 years old and became one of the biggest figures in unlimited hydroplane racing when the sport was king on Lake Washington Death at Seattle: Quicksilver (from This is Hydroplaning) Statistics "The Saturday afternoon of Seattle's first Gold Cup Race, August 4, 1951, was warm and clear. Ron Jones Sr. The regatta is a key stop on the H1 Unlimited Hydroplane Racing Series, where boats race at [] Seattle comedian John Kiester, 35, an avid hydroplane fan and host of KING-TV's "Almost Live," wrote a humorous article on hydroplane racing for this year's Seafair Magazine. Deaths led to safety changes. At Lake Washington, hydroplane racing is one of Seafair’s finest traditions. But it didn't take long for the Little, a longtime Budweiser distributor, died last year at 77, and the brewery announced this year that it was severing its ties to unlimited hydroplane racing after this season. Matt is survived by his wife, Michelle Bostick, children Maelena Mattson (Blake S "Racing deaths called fate," St. Tragedy marred the first race ever held in Seattle when a Mathieu Daoust of Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Que. When he retired from unlimited hydroplane driving after the 1986 Seafair race, Tom D'Eath had tears in his eyes. At the time of the deaths, some felt the sport might die with the stars. Each of the above textures can also have a postfix in order to provide texture Example, (not my work), of the wooden hydroplanes Seattle kids would make and race in the 50’s. A resident of Lakeland, Florida, he was 77. No event for now! See all. Reprinted from the Los Angeles Times, September 09, 1985. [citation needed] Training of Kyōtei competitors is carried out at the Yamato Kyōtei School (now the Tom D'Eath (pronounced deeth) won three American Power Boat Association Gold Cups and three the Prince Edward Canadian Gold Cups. Hydroplane driver killed during practice Fults' dream ended Wednesday when he was tossed out of his unlimited hydroplane and killed in a freak accident only moments after the course was opened for practice runs. Tom started at age 14 racing in the "A" Utility Stock Outboard Class. " In 1980, none of the 10 races on the Unlimited Hydroplane Racing circuit were televised. The drivers did not wear Hydroplane Racing: Juggling Dynamite. Then, at the age of 50, Muncey was preparing to embark on his 29th year Deaths Fail to Discourage Owners From Continuing—New Smirnoff Readied. Ron Musson, 37, a three The death of Gerald (Jerry) Bangs in yesterday’s Seafair Trophy Race on Lake Washington prompted memory of 10 other unlimited-hydroplane racers who have been killed in the past 27 All told, 14 drivers have died racing unlimited hydros since 1951, three of them in Seattle (Jerry Bangs, in 1977, being the latest). He remains the only three-time winner of both. HRL 2024 - Tight Hairpin #hydroplane #hrl #racing #speed #shorts #subscribe DEATH OF DRIVER FRANÇOIS LEROUX. h1 We are all about hydroplane racing. (Reprinted from the Vancouver Province, June 20, 1966) Unlimited hydroplane racing, in its first two decades after World War II, saw six fatalities. Section 520 - Racing Outboards (O) This is Seafair’s 75th anniversary, and there are some families who have taken part in the event from the early years. He was killed in a collision along with driver Don Wilson of the Miss Budweiser, during the President's Cup Regatta in Washington D. owner, George Simon, and could not have occurred at a more appropriate site. Seattle has hosted the Seafair Cup consecutively since 1951. 15, 1990 12 AM PT In 1973 the Unlimited Racing Commission’s Executive Secretary Phil Cole asked Fred to take on the role of Official Unlimited Historian, a title that Fred held with tremendous pride until his death. Each of the above textures can also have a postfix in order to provide texture The idea of using nitrous oxide for a boost in RPM’s was an accepted practice in Unlimited Hydroplane Racing by 1971, not the outrageous and dangerous idea that was shown in the movie. Welcome to hydroracer, feel free to poke around and when you are ready registration is free. He lost the Gold Cup in Detroit in 1964 by one second. He entered the army in 1917. 31st, 1966, they sealed into history the most tragic year in unlimited racing. D'Eath was crying because he had "beaten death'' and escaped unlimited racing with his life and body intact. Between 1997 and 2002, the Seattle Outboard Association conducted the annual Chuck Hickling Memorial Regatta at Eatonville, Washington, in his honor. Last week brought massive U. , in 1986. The H1 Unlimited season typically runs from July through September, consisting of five races. Hydroplanes take off during the Richland Regatta races in Wurster, now 90, didn’t start racing unlimited hydroplanes until he was nearly 50. Thunderboat racing has lost Bob Gilliam, everyone's favorite Cinderella Man. S. Fran Muncey (Bill's widow) took over leadership of the team. h. to pain killers and other offenses would prove to be his undoing as he was in and out of jail from 1998 until his death . Seattle, Aug. 2025. The three, considered tops in the hydroplane-racing field, perished in two separate accidents on the Potomac River, during the race for the Presidents Cup. HRL 2024 - Ready to Rip #hydroplane #hrl #racing A hydroplane racer from Quebec is dead after crashing over the weekend at a regatta southwest of Montreal. centennial event. Fellow drivers, saddened by the second tragedy to hit their ranks in two weeks, voted along with boat owners to resume the race today. -- Consultez les résultats en direct de toutes les régates d'hydroplanes de la HRL près de chez vous ou à l'étranger. At the conclusion of the 2002 season, the Miss Budweiser team was presented with the first Bernie Little World High Points Championship Trophy, which was Detroit (AP)—Death rode with the top United States speed-boat drivers again Sunday as veteran Chuck Thompson, 54, was killed when his hydroplane flew apart on the Detroit River during the Gold Cup race. ) After being inactive in power boat racing since the Exide crash, Slovak had to re-qualify as a driver in 1966. A hydroplane (or hydro, or He's Mr. Ranking. Engine. Jim Lucero, who first attended an unlimited hydroplane race in the early days of the sport in Seattle and became its winningest crew chief before he retired, died Saturday at 77. Matthew M. " For sixteen years, This impressive performance signalled the death knell of the old style Gold Cup Class vintage of 1922 to 1941 although boats of the old variety continued to be a factor for years to come. Witnesses said the boat driven by Bangs, The Squire, was running third and H1 Unlimited is an American unlimited hydroplane racing league that is sanctioned by the American Power Boat Association (APBA). to victory in the $30,000 Gar Wood Trophy race on the Detroit River. In four years running what has been called the world's most dangerous sport, Doner thankfully has not witnessed a death on the race course. An outboard class has had five deaths this year, Houghton He's Mr. The Thompsons later renamed the boat Miss Supertest I and refurbished it. Roughly 10% of Kyōtei racers are women. Bill Doner paced the dock with a tight grip on an unlit cigar and nervously counted the days until November when he can stop being commissioner of the Unlimited Hydroplane Racing Association. It was the first President's Cup fatality since Billy Freitag, driver of Miss Philadelphia, a Gold Cup Class boat, in 1931. With races at major events like the Madison Regatta and San Diego Bayfair, fans witness intense speed and thrilling competition as boats race at over 160 mph on the water. Trailer. Dean Chenoweth & Miss WD-40. Les bateaux, mesurant entre 7 et 8 m, atteignent rapidement des vitesses supérieures à 273,7 km/h dans les lignes droites [4]. Gartner cracked his sternum and fractured his leg, and D'Eath, a nationally renowned hydroplane racing champion who won the APBA national championship and Gold Cup events, best known for piloting Bernie Little's Miss Budweiser, broke his neck. The races here are scheduled as a B. (George "Buddy" Byers had been contracted to drive but had retired after being injured in a limited hydroplane accident at Miami Marine Stadium. Prior to that, drivers wore a life jacket and helmet. When the definitive history of Veteran Hydroplane Driver Sold On Boat's Cockpit Safety Canopy. A hydroplane racer from Quebec is dead after crashing over the weekend at a regatta southwest of Montreal. He admits that he was always fascinated by hydroplane racing, dating back to when he was a kid in 1955, but his dad did not share that enthusiasm. Were Due Here. This was before the introduction (in 1986) of the F-16 safety canopy that is now mandatory in Unlimited racing. Neither were Seattle's boat-racing fans, who turned out at nearby Lake Washington to cheer their hometown entry, Slo-Mo-Shun V, which set two records in the first of three final runs —97. Slovak survived several crashes in boats and planes. DEATH OF DRIVER FRANÇOIS LEROUX. Mathieu Daoust of Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Que. Muncey died in a crash in the last heat in the last event of 1981 at Acapulco In the 35 years since unlimited hydroplane racing became a sensibly formalized sport, more than 130 drivers have taken part in it. He's been involved with jet powered river boats for years). Bernie Little Sr. As motorboat racing is a dangerous sport, many individuals (including drivers, crew members, officials and spectators) have been killed in crashes related to the sport, either in a race, in qualifying, in practice or a private testing session. SEATTLE — The deaths of boat racers Jerry Bangs and Bill Muncey gave Chip Hanauer the opportunity he needed to become the No. The death of Gerald (Jerry) Bangs in yesterday’s Seafair Trophy Race on Lake Washington prompted memory of 10 other unlimited-hydroplane racers who have been killed in the past 27 years. The series is known for Lee Edward "Chip" Hanauer (born July 1, 1954, in Seattle) [1] is the third most successful Unlimited Hydroplane racer in history. On It was his only victory in five years of racing unlimiteds. 826 m. According to the regatta's website, hydroplane racing includes "frequent skids, risk of collision, sometimes zero visibility, and no braking system. ) Little had been racing since 1963, but Hydroplane Racer is Killed Jerry Bangs. * * * The draw for Sunday’s elimination heats have been completed with (George Henley closed out his racing career in the unlimited hydroplane Pay-N-Pak. Grand Prix America Hydroplanes is a high-octane hydroplane racing series that showcases powerful V8 boats battling it out at iconic venues across North America. Grand Daddy of All Races '66 Gold cup to Run in Detroit: Muncey "There was no indication of deviation from normal competitive procedures as outlined in the rules of unlimited hydroplane racing. Driver's in the background: Leroy Little and HYDROS 101 HYDROS 101 Whether you have been a fan for decades or are just learning about the sport of Unlimited Hydroplane racing, we want to help you learn about all facets The 1967 unlimited hydroplane racing season was precisely one minute old when tragedy, the seemingly unshakable spectre that rides the roostertails these days, struck in the circuit opener, the Tampa Suncoast Cup race, June 11. . He was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1995 as their It was the second death in less than a year for the sport of hydroplane racing. Matt is survived by his wife, Michelle Bostick, children Maelena Mattson (Blake S By Fred Farley - Unlimited Hydroplane Historian. No one who attended the fabulous 1971 APBA Gold Cup Regatta in Madison, Indiana, will ever forget it. Safety Equipment. The mission is to document and promote the sport of unlimited hydroplane racing. was t-boned by Tom D'Eath. The sport of Unlimited Hydroplane racing prides itself on the record-keeping of almost every race finish dating back to 1904. Ron Jones Jr. Within two years he had moved through the 280- and 150-cubic-inch classes for inboard hydroplanes. , was killed while driving Miss Supertest. Like few drivers before or since, Dean could guarantee results. In 1994 Fred achieved a lifelong dream when the Hydroplane and Raceboat Museum arranged for Fred to go for a ride in the restored Slo-mo-shun V with Ken Muscatel on Lake Chelan. Mr. Our We are all about hydroplane racing. From 1955 until his death at Acapulco in 1981, Bill was the unchallenged superstar. Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his In 1973 the Unlimited Racing Commission’s Executive Secretary Phil Cole asked Fred to take on the role of Official Unlimited Historian, a title that Fred held with tremendous pride until his death. " -- This report by The Canadian Press was first Lucero was inducted into the Hydroplane Hall of Fame in 1980. dds - The texture for the boat trailer that gets placed in the pits. , 77, a leading figure in unlimited hydroplane racing and owner of the famous Miss Budweiser boat, died Friday night in Lakeland, Fla. It is the sport's first fatal accident in 18 years, and the first time a In 1981 driving legend, Bill Muncey lost his life during a race in Mexico, and the following year in 1982, Dean Chenoweth was killed while testing the Miss Budweiser on the Columbia River which was the most tragic crash in Fifty years ago last Sunday, Chuck Thompson lost his life racing on the Detroit River on July 3, 1966, when his “Miss Smirnoff” unlimited hydroplane was blown to pieces in Heat 3 of the ABPA Hydro Racing Takes Another. Rising from the accidents were inevitable anguishes, guilts and hindsights. This was what Auld Lang THUNDERBOATS? Iconic New Year's Eve bandleader Guy Lombardo (left) of "Auld Lang Syne" fame, was also a huge force in the world of hydroplane racing from the 1940s to the 1960s. As top speeds increased, more attention was paid to driver safety, much like with driver safety programs being instituted in most motor racing series today, such as NASCAR , Formula One, INDYCAR , Bernie Little Sr. A longtime resident of Bellevue, Washington, Chuck began his career racing outboards in the years between the World Wars. He It is with sadness that the management of the Régates de Valleyfield and the Hydroplane Racing League (HRL) announces that driver François Leroux has been transported to the Hôpital du Suroît in critical In the early days of hydroplane racing, accidents, and even the deaths of drivers, were considered somewhat routine (which was also the case on most early motor racing). See all 9; Beauharnois; Brockville; Brockville (July 3) Cambridge; North Tonawanda; Owensboro (Aug 21) Sorel-Tracy; Valleyfield; Full multi-camera replay of the U-40 Bucket List Racing driver Dustin Echols' flip in the Final Heat of the 2023 @madisonregattainc Indiana Governor's Cup. “I’m just scared to death of hurting the thing. Miller American’s Lycoming T-55 Gas Turbine and Miss Executone’s Rolls Royce Merlin are both rated at 3,000 horsepower. In the R1 class (the smallest inboard class - 1000cc) Imp engines could be used. Al, an accomplished driver of unlimiteds and midgets in the '40s and '50s. Lawrence River. All three, and their famous boats, were due to race on Okanagan Lake for the British Columbia Cup July 13 to 17. (Bernie went on to win a total of 134 races prior to his death in 2003. , was killed Sunday during a qualifying race at the 1000 Islands Regatta, according to a statement from the Hydroplane Racing League. In the long history of Unlimited hydroplane racing, no individual defined the sport more convincingly than William Edward Muncey. D'Eath also competed on land, by driving in the USAC Formula Vees from 1977 to 1981 and midget Les Grand Prix (GP) sont des courses ouvertes à des bateaux dotés d'un moteur à combustion et explosion V8 suralimenté capable de délivrer jusqu'à 1 500 chevaux. On June 19,1966, three drivers were killed in one race on the Washington — (AP) Three drivers were killed in two separate accidents at speeds estimated at more than 150 miles an hour in the Presidents Cup Regatta for unlimited hydroplanes Sunday. Ask members about the sport of hydroplane racing, what class they run and where to view races or buy He Simply Can’t Take a Holiday : Hydroplane racing: Tom D’Eath twice has come back from retirement to win championships driving the world’s fastest boats. I mean, like, scratching it, you know, coming back to the dock,” Hanauer said. Among its heroes was Eatonville resident “Smiling George” Henley. Stratton's death is the 15th fatality in Unlimited Hydroplane racing but the first since 1982 when Dean Chenoweth died after flipping during a qualifying run in Tri-Cities, Wash. Instead, it was the biggest boom to the sport in years. Age: 58 three-time national champion driver in unlimited hydroplane racing; piloted Miss Budweiser to national titles in 1984, 1986 and 1987; suffered a broken neck in 1988 during a crash in Miami; returned to racing briefly in 1989; his 22 career victories ranked fourth all-time at the time of his death; helped develop safety measures which became Unlike typical powerboat racing, where if a boat crosses the line too early, As the weights of racers make an important difference in hydroplane racing, female racers, often lighter than their male counterparts, have certain advantages. Bill Muncey, the owner-driver who won eight Gold Cups before his death in 1981 in a race at Acapulco, Mexico. They won the high points championship 22 years in 40 years of competition, and the Gold Cup 14 times. It is with sadness that the Régates de Valleyfield and the Hydroplane Racing League (HRL) learned of the passing of Sherbrooke resident François Leroux, driver Bill Doner paced the dock with a tight grip on an unlit cigar and nervously counted the days until November when he can stop being commissioner of the Unlimited Hydroplane Racing Association. The Madison Regatta, presented by River City Printing, is an iconic hydroplane racing event held annually in Madison, Indiana. A hydroplane (or hydro, or thunderboat) is a very Chuck Thompson, Miss Smirnoff—a 54-year-old driver who gets everything out of a boat, Thompson has won everything in unlimited hydroplane racing except the Gold Cup. In fact, the Miss Madison was one of the few teams to NOT use nitrous oxide boosters during the 1971 Gold Cup. Throughout his long career, Bob was a never-ending source of amazement, amusement, Ron was one of three ill-fated competitors to lose his life on Unlimited hydroplane racing's "Black Sunday" at Washington, D. Bill Muncey had died in a blow over accident the previous October. His Miss Budweiser team won 134 of the 354 hydroplane races they entered. Ask members about the sport of hydroplane racing, what class they run and where to view races or buy Both died in "blow-over" accidents. Ce type de compétitions se dispute aux États-Unis, au Canada, en Australie et en Nouvelle Hardware. In 1950, Thompson and his father bought a hydroplane named Miss Canada IV from a retired racer named Harold Wilson. Francois Leroux, 56, died from his injuries in hospital Tuesday. once estimated he built more than 500 boats in many different classes of racing. " Following and as a result of Dean’s death, research and development began which resulted in the introduction of the F-16 safety canopy in the Unlimited Class by designer Ron Jones, Sr. The debate about whether to continue the sport raged for days, but as former P-I reporter Bill Knight once wrote, The deaths of boat racers Jerry Bangs and Bill Muncey gave Chip Hanauer the opportunity he He’s Mr. DETROIT — In less than 12 months in 1981 and 1982, Bill Muncey and Dean Chenoweth, the two most victorious drivers in unlimited hydroplane history, died in racing accidents. Mattson, 60, of Poulsbo died in a hydroplane racing accident on June 25, 2021. Known Between 1959 and 1966, Ron Musson left an indelible mark of excellence on the sport of Unlimited hydroplane racing. In forty seven races entered, Musson scored sixteen victories, finished second nine times, and third six times. I also found myself announcing the races as often as racing my Blemished early by the racing deaths of four top unlimited drivers, it was an uneasy year for the rest of us to live. But it was the more than two dozen unlimited hydroplanes he constructed — some that helped usher in Before the Seattle Seahawks and Mariners, hydroplane racing was the big sport to follow in the Puget Sound region. p. Seattle comedian John Kiester, 35, an avid hydroplane fan and host of KING-TV's "Almost Live," wrote a humorous article on hydroplane racing for this year's Seafair Magazine. Rick Beatty, 60, of Dayton, Ohio, was ejected from the open cockpit of his Tom D'Eath has won national championships in nearly every class of hydroplane racing. Another severe crash The Seafair Cup (branded as the HomeStreet Bank Cup for sponsorship reasons, and formerly the Albert Lee Appliance Cup), is an H1 Unlimited hydroplane boat race held annually in late July and early August on Lake Washington in Seattle, Washington. The race is the main attraction of the annual Seafair festival. Their two hand-picked successors have carried the torch well. for the 30-mile D’Eath became a member of unlimited-hydroplane racing’s Winners Club yesterday when he drove the Miss U. '' So said Bill Muncey of unlimited hydroplane racing two years ago. During a Sportsman race at Charlotte in May of that year, Ed Gartner Jr. Chenoweth's death in 1982 came a year after Bill Muncey, the sport's winningest driver, died in a race in Mexico. In 2002, he celebrated his 40th year in racing and won his 22nd World High Points Championship with the MISS BUDWEISER, sponsored by Anheuser-Busch. “You know, Established in 1966 by Unlimiteds Unanimous, the UNLIMITED NewsJournal is published monthly. Mira was a last-minute addition to the Harrah team. , was killed Sunday during a qualifying race at the 1000 Islands Regatta in Grand Prix America Hydroplanes is a high-octane hydroplane racing series that showcases powerful V8 boats battling it out at iconic venues across North America. By SHAV GLICK Sept. Mattson Poulsbo - Matthew M. While holding off a challenge from his good friend Manchester in Notre Dame during Heat 2-B of Dean Chenoweth drove Unlimited hydroplanes from 1968 until his death in 1982. Miss Budweiser, driven by Seattle dairyman Bill Brow, 41, went out of control while in the lead on the first backstretch In 2018 several boat racing accidents occurred in Europe which resulted in driver deaths. ABC even had dropped its Wide World of Sports coverage. The Slo-mo-shun IV on display at the Museum of History & Industry in Seattle. Régates de Valleyfield said today that driver François Leroux died after an accident on By Fred Farley - Unlimited Hydroplane Historian. Miss Budweiser heads the list of boats with a Rolls Royce Griffon airplane engine rated at 4,000 horsepower. Hydroplane powerboats. These unforunate accidents have driven the UIM to mandate enclosed capsules for the O-250 and O-350 professional hydroplane classes that can exceed speeds of 100 mph. Recent videos. Chuck Thompson Killed In Detroit Gold Cup Race. We figure anything less than death is a minor accident. passed away at the age of 67 on Sunday evening, April 21 st. If you want to dig deeper into the database of results, install the H1 App on your phone or tablet and you’ll be able to sort and filter 120+ years of results in seconds, letting you win the argument over who won the Gold Cup in 1964 (it was Ron Musson driving the U40 1974 — After 23 years of racing at Seward Park, the hydros moved to Sand Point for a Gold Cup gathering marred by complaints over the new site, the sinking of the U-95 and the burning of the Miss U. In hydroplane racing he broke an arm, a leg and his back; lost most of his teeth; and damaged his kidneys before he was out of his 30s. dds - Various other parts of the hydroplane. *** Following the 1981 fatality of Bill Muncey, the Atlas Van Lines team continued in Unlimited racing for several more years. Calendar. Houghton has been present at 17 boat-racing deaths. The pages of another chapter in racing's classic past are closed forever. The three were: Ron Washington — Death came to three hydroplane drivers in two stunning explosions Sunday at the Presidents Cup Regatta — a race "won" by one of the men who died. In 2018 several boat racing accidents occurred in Europe which resulted in driver deaths. -----Visit http://www. There were eight more deaths in the next 20 years. “Jim Lucero was a giant within the sport of unlimited hydroplane racing and The Gold Cup, unlimited hydroplane racing's Kentucky Derby, vs. 2011-15 UIM Circuit Rules. Family members were at his bedside. C. HRL 2024 - Ready to Rip #hydroplane #hrl #racing Bernie Little (born in McComb, Ohio, USA c. Updated June 26, 2021 2:15 PM . Little's Miss Budweiser finished in the top three a total of 230 times. ) In the summer of 1972 Chesman won the British and the World championship. After Chenoweth's death, team owner Bernie Little In the late 1950s and early 1960s, he competed in unlimited hydroplane racing. Stanley St. Detroit (AP)—Death rode with the nation's top speedboat drivers again Sunday as veteran Chuck Thompson was killed when his massive hydroplane flew Unlimited hydroplane racing, in its first two decades after World War II, saw six fatalities. He is By Fred Farley - Unlimited Hydroplane Historian. Driver of the Notre Dame unlimited hydroplane. Following Sunday’s tragic death of well-respected Canadian hydroplane driver Mathieu Daoust of Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Quebec, the Hydroplane Racing League A pilot who crashed his boat during Sunday’s hydroplane race at the Valleyfield Regatta has died. July 13, 1987. The drivers. Inboard hydroplane racing has undergone a transformation since the introduction of the safety capsule about 15 years ago. Bangs, 42, Thrown in spin. His first victory came on the Columbia River near Bernie Little, the most successful owner in the history of Unlimited hydroplane racing, passed away on April 25, 2003, after a battle with pneumonia. 766 m. The series is known for Chenoweth's death came nine months after unlimited hydroplane racing lost possibly its greatest name, Bill Muncey. Calm, Cool and Collected in the Most Dangerous Game of Hydroplane Racing. Beginning with the 1917 Gold Cup in Minneapolis, Unlimited hydroplane racing entered the "Gar Wood Era. The hydroplane was powered by an Allison aircraft engine identical to the one I modified for Cobra II. According to Tex Johnston, "Seattleite Ted Jones, a keen marine engineer, designed a revolutionary speedboat, the hydroplane, supported at high speed by two sponsons - streamlined, buoyant, lateral extensions - attached to the forward sides of the boat's wide, flat body. He A hydroplane is a powerful racing boat that skims above the water at speeds of up to 225 kilometres an hour. His first hydroplane gig in 1965 was the result of luck. The three deaths were the first in unlimited hydroplane racing since 1962 [1961 —LF] when Bob Hayward of Embro, Ont. [citation needed]In March 1911, the Maple Leaf III, which was powered by two twelve-cylinder motors producing 350 hp each, set a new water speed record of 57 mph (92 km/h) on The Solent. wbnlfp kgaizga jczyfj ykynsj xziw nwioy sfai qevvn hatmyi anfio