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.
Showing posts with label 1978. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1978. Show all posts
Sunday, January 20, 2019
Sunday, April 30, 2017
Heerensperger eyes speed record for Pak
By Craig Smith
Reprinted from The Seattle Times, November 25, 1978
The new Pay ‘n Pak turbine-powered hydroplane won’t be ready for a test run until December, 1979, but it’s owner already is dreaming of a national speed record.
Dave Heerensperger, chairman of the board of Pay ‘n Pak Corp., said he is thinking of trying to break the straightaway speed record if the boat performs up to his expectations in races. The record is 200.419 miles an hour set in 1962 by Miss U.S. I.
Heerensperger dropped out of hydroplane racing three years ago after winning three consecutive national titles with a Miss Pay ‘n Pak that campaigned last season as Miss Madison. He said the resurgence of the sport was a big factor in his decision to resume racing.
“Two years ago the sport looked like it was in trouble,” he said. “But now there are five pretty fast boats . . . And I think some people are realizing the value of commercial sponsorship.”
Heerensperger added that his company has grown in the past three years and the cost of racing “isn’t as significant to the company as it used to be.”
In 1974 the U-95 raced with a turbine but never won a race. The boat sank in the Seafair Trophy Race and the project was abandoned later when the owner, Jim Clapp, died. The U-95 hull raced last season a the U-96 with a Rolls-Royce aircraft engine.
Why does Heerensperger think he can succeed when the U-95 failed?
“One big reason is weight,” Heerensperger said.
Heerensperger want the Miss Pay ‘n Pak to weigh less than 5,000 pounds. He suspects the U-95 weighed about 7,000 pounds. One reason the new boat will weigh less is because it will have one large turbine engine instead of two smaller ones, he explained.
Heerensperger added that the entire project “is going to have a lot of new technology in it.”
The turbine will be a Lycoming, T-55 L-7 gas turbine, originally developed for military helicopters. The Pay ‘n Pak camp says the engine has a 2,600-plus horsepower rating.
Heerensperger noted that the U-96 went faster when it was turbine-powered than it ever has with Roll-Royce power.
The new Pay ‘n Pak, to be designed by Jim Lucero, will be built in Kent. Lucero will remain as crew chief of Bill Muncey’s Atlas Van Lines through the 1979 racing season. Asked the reaction of Bill Muncey, owner-driver of the Atlas Van Lines, about losing Lucero, Heerensperger quipped, “It aged him a little.”
Heerensperger said he thinks the turbine can be much more dependable than the piston aircraft engines of other hydroplanes.
“This is a jet engine,” he said. “Look at jet engines on airplanes. They run for thousand and thousands of hour without hardly any maintenance.”
Heerensperger added, “We won’t be running this engine any harder than it was designed for helicopter use. The Rolls-Royce engines are run twice as hard as they were designed for airplane use. You are really straining them.”
Heerensperger said the new boat itself will cost less than $100,000 and he put a $50,000 tag on the gearbox. He wouldn’t divulge the cost of the turbine engines.
The owner said there are no plans to name a driver until after the boat is tested.
Reprinted from The Seattle Times, November 25, 1978
The new Pay ‘n Pak turbine-powered hydroplane won’t be ready for a test run until December, 1979, but it’s owner already is dreaming of a national speed record.
Dave Heerensperger, chairman of the board of Pay ‘n Pak Corp., said he is thinking of trying to break the straightaway speed record if the boat performs up to his expectations in races. The record is 200.419 miles an hour set in 1962 by Miss U.S. I.
Heerensperger dropped out of hydroplane racing three years ago after winning three consecutive national titles with a Miss Pay ‘n Pak that campaigned last season as Miss Madison. He said the resurgence of the sport was a big factor in his decision to resume racing.
“Two years ago the sport looked like it was in trouble,” he said. “But now there are five pretty fast boats . . . And I think some people are realizing the value of commercial sponsorship.”
Heerensperger added that his company has grown in the past three years and the cost of racing “isn’t as significant to the company as it used to be.”
In 1974 the U-95 raced with a turbine but never won a race. The boat sank in the Seafair Trophy Race and the project was abandoned later when the owner, Jim Clapp, died. The U-95 hull raced last season a the U-96 with a Rolls-Royce aircraft engine.
Why does Heerensperger think he can succeed when the U-95 failed?
“One big reason is weight,” Heerensperger said.
Heerensperger want the Miss Pay ‘n Pak to weigh less than 5,000 pounds. He suspects the U-95 weighed about 7,000 pounds. One reason the new boat will weigh less is because it will have one large turbine engine instead of two smaller ones, he explained.
Heerensperger added that the entire project “is going to have a lot of new technology in it.”
The turbine will be a Lycoming, T-55 L-7 gas turbine, originally developed for military helicopters. The Pay ‘n Pak camp says the engine has a 2,600-plus horsepower rating.
Heerensperger noted that the U-96 went faster when it was turbine-powered than it ever has with Roll-Royce power.
The new Pay ‘n Pak, to be designed by Jim Lucero, will be built in Kent. Lucero will remain as crew chief of Bill Muncey’s Atlas Van Lines through the 1979 racing season. Asked the reaction of Bill Muncey, owner-driver of the Atlas Van Lines, about losing Lucero, Heerensperger quipped, “It aged him a little.”
Heerensperger said he thinks the turbine can be much more dependable than the piston aircraft engines of other hydroplanes.
“This is a jet engine,” he said. “Look at jet engines on airplanes. They run for thousand and thousands of hour without hardly any maintenance.”
Heerensperger added, “We won’t be running this engine any harder than it was designed for helicopter use. The Rolls-Royce engines are run twice as hard as they were designed for airplane use. You are really straining them.”
Heerensperger said the new boat itself will cost less than $100,000 and he put a $50,000 tag on the gearbox. He wouldn’t divulge the cost of the turbine engines.
The owner said there are no plans to name a driver until after the boat is tested.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Familiar Face Back
Reprinted from the Spokane
After three years “on the beach,” Dave Heerensperger is
ready to return to unlimited hydroplane racing.
Chairman of the board of the Kent ,
Wash.-based Pay ‘N Pak chain, Heerensperger
got into the unlimiteds in the mid-1960s when he took over the old Miss Spokane
and was to produce three straight national champions before retiring in 1976.
After returning from the recent American Power Boat
Association meetings in Baton Rouge ,
La.
Jim Lucero, former crew chief of the three-time national
champion Pay ‘N Pak, will supervise building of the new boat this summer. At
the same time, he’ll continue as crew chief for 1978 national champion Atlas
Van Lines.
Known for his innovative departures, Heerensperger indicated
new materials and designs would be used in the new boat. A first model revealed
two wings, one in front as well as the rear wing. But many changes could be
made before the hull is built.
Charles Lyford, the expert behind the only turbine powered
hydroplane to compete on the unlimited circuit in the past, the ill-fated U-95,
will be the consultant on the engine requirements and features. Before the U-95
sank in 1974, it was hailed as the “boat of the future.”
The turbine will be a Lycoming T-55 L-7 gas turbine,
developed from military helicopters and said capable of producing 2,600-plus
horsepower.
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