June 12, 1973. MADISON, Ind. - A new
Madison Regatta speed record
might be in the making when a
fleet of 11 unlimited hydroplanes
arrive here early next month for
the 26th annual Indiana
Governor’s Cup Race.
Prime contenders of shattering
records now held by Bill Muncey
in Atlas Van Lines, Billy
Schumacher in Miss Bardahl and
Jack Regas in Notre Dame are
Gene Whipp, Dayton, Ohio,
rookie pilot of Lincoln Thrift
Special, and Mickey Remund,
Palm Desert, Calif., driver of the
revolutionary new Pay ‘N Pak.
Setting their sights on a new
Madison record during the July
7-8 Ohio River race, Whipp and
Remund have shared the glory in
the first two unlimited races of
the season. Remund won three
straight heats to claim the
Miami, Fla., championship May
20, and Whipp, making his very
first start in an unlimited craft at
Washington, D.C., June 3, won
the President’s Cup title.
“We’re going to break the
Madison record,” Pay N Pak
owner Dave Heerensperger,
Seattle, predicted. “I’m certain
we can average 115 on the
Madison course and we’ll reach
125 by the time we get to Pasco
(Wash.) for the Gold Cup.”
Lincoln Thrift owner Bob Fendler, Phoenix, Ariz., thinks
his turbo-charged boat can
continue to set the pace after
breaking into the win column for
the first time in Washington.
“We didn’t back into the winner’s
circle,” said Fendler. “We beat
the best of them, and we can do it
again.”
Joining Pay ‘N Pak and
Lincoln Thrift in the run for a big
hunk of a $25,000 purse will be
defending national champ Atlas
Van Lines, driven by veteran Bill
Muncey; Red Man, piloted by
former Madison Gold Cup
winner Jim McCormick; Miss
Madison with Charlie Dunn, last
year’s Rookie of the Year, at the
controls; Gales’ Roosetertail,
Miss U.S., Notre Dame, Miss
Budweiser, Shakey’s Special and
Valu-Mart.
Two of the hydroplanes are
being mended for the June 17
Kentucky Governor’s Cup Race
at Owensboro after receiving
damage in Washington
accidents. The Notre Dame sank
after a drive shaft broke and
punched a hole in the bottom of
the boat. Gales’ Roostertail
flipped, throwing driver Fred
Alter into the Potomac River.
Both boats are being repaired in Detroit.
