June 15, 1982, GENEVA, N.Y. — John Walters piloted the Pay 'n Pak to his first ever unlimited hydroplane victory in yesterday's weather-delayed Thunder in the Park regatta at Sampson State Park in update New York.
The second-year driver from Renton, Wash., averaged 120.887 miles-per-hour over the five-lap, 10-mile final heat. The victory was also the first ever for the turbine-powered Pay 'n Pak.
Miss Madison, driven by Tom Sheehy, was the only other boat to finish the winner-take-all final. its average speed was 88.106.
The race was originally scheduled for Sunday, but 25-mph winds and choppy waters caused a post-ponement to yesterday.
"We tweaked the engine up (for the final heat)," explained Pay 'n Pak crew chief Jim Lucero. "I don't think anyone ever worked harder for his first win. John just drove the heck out of the boat."
Walters gunned the Pak over the starting line and in initial turn in first place. The Atlas Van Lines, which Chip Hanauer had maneuvered into the inside lane, was washed down by the roostertail of Miss Budweiser, driven by Dean Chenoweth. The Atlas' cowing and left wing support were knocked loose and Hanauer retired to the pits after one lap. The Bud was penalized one lap for the incident.
Halfway through the first lap, the favored Miss Budweiser pulled even and overtook the Pay 'n Pak in the second turn. At the beginning of the second lap, as the Bud's engine began to pop and smoke, Walters regained the lead for good. Not realizing the Budweiser had blew an engine, and had been earlier penalized, Walters pushed the Pak to 124.783 mph in the third lap, the fastest of the day.
"I kinda suspected he (Chenoweth) was having some problems when I went by on the front straight," Walters explained. "I got it up a little in the corner (when racing side by side with the Bud). It (the turbine engine) was making good power all day long."
