By Chuck Ashmun
Reprinted from The Seattle Times, March 12, 1976
George Henley's hydroplane-racing career has ended — again.
The popular pilot of the Pay 'n Pak unlimited today said he does not plan to return to boat racing now that the craft he steered to two consecutive national championships has been sold.
"We had our fun, but I don't have any plans to drive any more," Henley said.
"Don't say I've retired. That sounds like a fella who's sitting back and got it made. Let's just say I'm gonna play it cool for a while. I'm not out looking."
Henley was wooed out of a brief retirement by the Pay 'n Pak owner, Dave Heerensperger, after the second race of the 1975 season and steered the Pak to the national point title by winning five of the last six races on the circuit, including the prestigious Gold Cup regatta.
"I kind of felt responsible to the Pay 'n Pak people last year," Henley said of this sudden return to the sport. He also was enticed by a lucrative contract."
"But now that he (Heerensperger) is out of the sport, it's really easy for me to get out too."
Heerensperger recently sold his racing equipment — a package that included a new hull under construction, last year's championship hull, one other hull and some 30 engines — to Bill Muncey and Atlas Van Lines. The deal reportedly amounted to a high six-figure sum.
Henley, of Eatonville, said he has not been contacted by Muncey, also a driver, about piloting either the new, aluminum-hulled craft or the boat which won the title last season.
Asked if he might again change his mind and return to racing if made the right offer, he said:
"I don't think so. It would be hard to beat what we did last year. That was a real challenge, bringing the boat up from the bottom of the ladder to the top after the season had started. I don't know if I could ever get that enthused again."
Henley said he met with Heerensperger after the final race of the 1975 campaign and agreed to drive for him again this year.
"But I've lost that do-do-it drive since then," he said. "It's sort of a relief to be out of it."
