Reprinted from The Seattle Times, November 19, 1978
The Pak will be back — with turbines.
David Heerensperger, chairman of the Pay 'n Pak corporation, has announced plans to re-enter unlimited hydroplane racing with a turbine-powered boat in the 1980 season.
The new boat will be built by Jim Lucero, now crew chief of the Atlas Van Lines, last season's national champion. Lucero will remain with the Atlas camp for the 1979 season.
The new turbine boat will be powered by a Lycoming T-55 L7 gas turbine, originally developed for military helicopters.
Chuck Lyford, who served a crew chief on the turbine-powered U-95, will be a consultant to the Pak camp. In 1974 the U-95 was heralded as the "boat of the future" but failed to win a race and sank after an accident at the Seafair Regatta. The turbine project was abandoned later when the boat's owner, Jim Clapp, died.
Heerensperger's Pay 'n Pak won national titles in 1973, '74 and '75. Heerensperger dropped out of hydroplane racing after the 1975 season, selling his boat and equipment to Bill Muncey. Racing under Atlas Van Lines sponsorship, Muncey won the national title in 1976. The boat raced last season as Miss Madison.
Heerensperger ranks fourth on the all-time list of owners' victories with 24.
The way for Heerensperger's re-entry into hydro racing was cleared at the recent Baton Rouge, La., meeting of the Unlimited Racing Commission. A rule was passed allowing turbine racing "without restrictions" for a four-year period beginning with the first season Heerensperger's new boat races, according to Sue Sponnoble, executive secretary of the commission.
A total of 10 races are on the 1979 unlimited schedule. New sites are Long Beach, Calif., a site outside Salt Lake City and El Dorado, Kansas. Dropping from the circuit is Owensboro, Ky., site of last year's Gold Cup.
The Seattle unlimited race will be held August 5.
