Heerensperger, of suburban Mercer Island, was in Denver and unavailable for comment Wednesday night, but Muncey confirmed from San Diego he had purchased the craft "lock, stock and barrel for a high six figure price...just under seven figures."
The exact price was not disclosed.
Jim Lucero, who has been Heerensperger's crew chief for six years, said, "Yes, Dave is getting out, but we'll keep the same mechanical crew together for Muncey."
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| Bill Muncey |
The Pak won the unlimited hydro high-point championship for the last three years, the Gold Cup for two straight years and the Seattle Seafair hydroplane race for three years.
Muncey said the total purchase from Heerensperger included three boats - last year's Pak, a new hydro Lucero is building and the Li'l Buzzard - 30 engines, eight gear boxes, two trucks, a trailer and a complete machine shop.
Lucero said business considerations may have prompted Heerensperger to sell.
"If he wanted to run his boats effectively next season he would have gone all summer," Lucero said. "Dave just doesn't have that kind of time."
Heerensperger added more business responsibilities in November when he was elevated from chairman of the board to president of Pay 'N Pak Corp.
Heerensperger first started in hydro racing in 1963-64 when he purchased the Miss Spokane and renamed it the Eagle Electric, for the Eagle Electric plumbing supply business he then had in Spokane. He was figured in hydro racing circles on and off ever since.