By Del Danielson
Reprinted from The Seattle Times, August 15, 1971
EUGENE — Billy Schumacher, fastest qualifier for the third unlimited-hydroplane race in a row, will have his hands full in Heat 1A of the Emerald Cup at noon today.
Schumacher, winner of Seattle's Seafair Race last Sunday, drew into 1A with Dean Chenoweth and Jim McCormick, a pair of double winners running one-two for the national-points championship.
Schumacher pedaled the Pride of Pay 'n Pak to a qualifying average of 112.502 miles an hour late yesterday, upping his Friday mark by 6 m.p.h. Schumacher was the top qualifier for the Tri Cities' Atomic Cup three weeks ago and set a world qualifying record of 120.405 m.ph. prior to the Seafair event.
Four boats were unqualified at the time of the draw yesterday and were given extra time on Dexter Reservoir's 2½-mile layout. Another draw will be held at 11 this morning, putting the late-comers in heat selections.
The lineup, as it stands now:
Heat 1A — Van's P-X (Mickey Remund), Pride of Pay 'n Pak (Schumacher), Budweiser (Chenoweth) and Madison (McCormick).
Heat 1B — Hallmark Homes (Leif Borgersen), Valu-Mart (Bob Gilliam) and Atlas Van Lines (Bill Muncey).
Ron Larsen, George Henley and Dave (Salt) Walther reached the 95-m.p.h. (two-lap) minimum after the drivers' meeting. Larsen got Timex up to 95.541, Henley turned 95.188 in the Lincoln Thrift, and Walther clocked 99.554 m.p.h. in the Country Boy.
Terry Sterett and his Smyth Smoother Mover will be given a chance this morning.
Dexter, a picturesque pond 20 miles south of Eugene, was rippled by 10 m.p.h. breezes when Schumacher turned the Pride loose late yesterday. Schumacher posted three laps at better than 110 m.p.h. His best was 113.065, highly respectable for this short, pear shaped course.
The pit turn, with a 1,500-foot diameter, has been dubbed "Schumacher corner." The Seattle driver sweeps wide through the turn, where he gets maximum performance from the pickle-forked Pride.
The east corner, with a 900-foot turn, is "Chenoweth corner." There, the Bud driver hugs the buoys — his favorite tactic — in setting up for the straightaways.
The few spectators on hand were pleased with the draw putting the Pride against the Bud right off the bat.
"Schumacher is the guy to beat," Chenoweth said. "At the first of the season, I felt there were four or five boats I'd have to outrun, but now it's Billy. The Pay 'n Pak crews has that boat singing. Billy's the guy to beat if I want to win. And I do."
Schumacher, who ended a three-year victory drought when he won in Seattle last week, was smiling after the draw. Schumacher has a mathematical — although a long shot — chance of winning the national championship. He is 1,329 points behind Chenoweth and trails second-place McCormick by 596.
"I'm glad the Bud and Madison are in there with me," Schumacher said. "I can gain on both of them if I can get out in front."
McCormick, like Chenoweth, is concerned about the charging Schumacher.
"This big, first turn favors the Pay 'n Pak," McCormick said. "Billy will come through this corner like gangbusters. The small turn at the far end may bother him, but he'll be way out in front by then."
It was first announced that an 11-boat field would mean six of the big unlimiteds in one section, five in the other. But at the drivers' meeting, concern was voiced over the tightness of the east corner where the boats will mill around prior to the start. In that corner, the exit buoy is about 570 feet from shore.
Bill Newton, referee, took a poll of drivers. Most said there isn't enough room for six boats. Newton then ruled there will be two sections of five boats each, with the 11th — the slowest qualifier — designated the alternate starter.
Right now, that is the Lincoln Thrift. If Terry Sterett can better Henley's 85.188 m.p.h., Henley will be on the beach.
