By Mike Harris, AP Sports Writer
Reprinted from The Day, July 6, 1975
MADISON, Ind. (AP) – Two months ago George Henley was sitting home “feeling pretty bad,” but Sunday he and his Pride of Pay ‘N Pak were back among the frontrunners in the unlimited hydroplane world.
Henley “retired” at the end of last season after driving the Pak to her second straight unlimited hydroplane national championship in his first year at her helm.
The 39-year-old Eatonville, Wash., drive made his quick comeback complete Sunday by coming up with his first victory of this season in the 24th Indiana Governor’s Cup race here.
“Quiet George,” a marine public relations and sales executive, took home about $6,300 and some salve for his ego after outdueling Billy Schumacher and current national standings leader Weisfield’s in two of three heats.
After winning seven of 11 thunderboat races in 1974 it took owner Dave Heerensperger’s crew five races this year to finally “get it together.” They did it well enough Sunday to give Heerensperger his third straight Governor’s Cup triumph and permanent possession of the sterling silver trophy, the third such cup in the series.
The key was a sensational second heat in which the Pak and Weisfield’s went head-to-head all five laps and each broke the old heat and one-lap records on the 2 ½ Ohio River course.
“All I knew was I had to go pretty fast to stay ahead of Billy. I didn’t have much left,” Henley said with a happy smile. “I haven’t had too many races like that even in limited racing where there’s more of that.
The two top boats dueled brilliantly in the opening preliminary heat but had to settle for second and third, with the Pak second, because both were penalized a lap for jumping the starter’s gun.
Then came the race that seemed as hot as the sun that baked more than 100,000 spectators. In that second battle, Henley averaged 115.148 miles per hour for the heat and had a top lap of 116.883. Weisfield’s was clocked at an average of 115.060.
The records, both set last year by Henley, were 110.892 and 114.796, respectively.
