Fastest field ever set for Columbia Cup

By Hec Hancock
Reprinted from Tri-City Herald, June 28, 1980

After three days of qualifying that saw almost as many records broken as political promises after an election year, the fastest fleet of unlimited hydroplanes ever assembled is poised for today's Columbia Cup regatta.

Let by Dean Chenoweth in the Miss Budweiser, which set a world record on the two-and-a-half mile Columbia Cup course of 138.248 miles per hour, the 11 qualifiers averaged over 116 mph making it the fastest field ever assembled for a hydroplane race.

That average, incidentally, would be a mile faster — 117 mph— had the top speed of the new Pay 'n Pak turbine boat of 123.796 mph been allowed. That speed, however, was clocked before driver John Walters successfully passed his qualification test as an unlimited driver.

Saturday's unveiling of the Pay 'n Pak drew plenty of attention and ovations from the large crowd around the pit area.

As it was, the long awaited arrival and performance of Dave Heerensperger's Pay 'n Pak was the highlight of Saturday's qualifying activities. A crowd that lined the bank of the Columbia River burst into applause as the Pay 'n Pak, sounding more like a departure of a Hughes Airwest flight than a boat, roared away from the dock.

The boat's performance, particularly in view that it had only one test run and that as last as Thursday, was impressive. Walters turned in laps of 109.091, 123.796 and 114.943.

"Absolutely unbelievable," a happy Heerensperger said. "We have a lot yet to learn about the boat but this was a big step."

"I only used about 50 percent of my horsepower," Walters reported after the run. "It handles very well."

The Miss Budweiser opened the onslaught on the record book by posting a speed of 134.128 mph on its first warmup run Thursday. That broke the old mark of 133.929 set by Bill Muncey at San Diego in 1979.

On Thursday, Muncey regained the record, if only briefly, by averaging 126.364 mph.

Exactly 14 minutes later, however, Miss Bud had the record back having toured the course at 138.248.

However, despite the predictions by Bernie Little, owner of the Miss Bud, that the boat would do 140 mph Chenoweth and the rest of the beer boat team were content Saturday to settle for testing in preparation for today's race.

Fastest lap of the day was the 132.159 mph turned in by Steve Reynolds shortly before the course closed for qualifying.

The Miss Budweiser and the Pay 'n Pak, the two glamour boats of the fleet, won't have to wait long before their paths cross. Both boats are included in Heat 1A. Rounding out the six-boat heat are the Squire Shop, Kawaguchi Travel Service, Miss Tempus, and the Barney Armstrong Machine.

In Heat 1B will be Dr. Toyota, Atlas Van Lines, Circus Circus, Oh Boy! Oberto and Don Campbells' Food Service.

Heat 1A will start at 12 noon and followed by Head 1B at 12:45 p.m.

There will then be a redraw with Heat 2A to start at 2 p.m. and Heat 2B at 2:45 p.m.

The six leading point earners will then meet in the winner take all championship at 4 p.m.

A crowd of more than 40,000 is expected to line the banks of the Columbia River for the 15th running of an unlimited hydroplane race in the Tri-Cities.

Extra hydro, 'collision' cause confusion

By Hec Hancock
Reprinted from The Tri-City Herald, July 22, 1974

Controversy and confusion, long the trademark of unlimited hydroplane racing, all but obliterated the finish of the $37,000 World Championship Regatta Sunday on the Columbia River.

The famous seven-boat start.

George Henley, a 37-year-old rookie driver from Eatonville, drove Pay 'n Pak to victory in the winner-take-all championship heat.

That much is a matter of record.

It is also a fact there were seven boats, one over the limit, in the final heat and Bill Muncey, hardly a stranger to rhubarbs, was fined $250.

Neither was it speculation that the turbine powered U-95 suffered an estimated $15,000 in damage to its tail section during the first lap of the championship heat.

However, just how the U-95, which set a course record of 113.469 in winning the second heat, was damaged set off a heated argument that surged back and forth through the pit area for more than an hour following the race.

About the only think everyone agree upon was the Muncey and the Atlas Van Lines had no business being in the race.

Muncey's presence came about when, as an alternate boat, he joined the field when he felt the U-74 Valu-Mart was unable to answer the starting call.

"The last time I had a chance to see the Valu-Mart the driver was standing on the deck. That was with a minute and 30 seconds to go," Muncey said afterwards.

As a consequence the veteran driver decided all systems were go.

Meanwhile, Ron Armstrong, Valu-Mart driver, got his boat going thus making it a seven-man field. Witnesses report that was with 1:40 left.

It was the traffic jam created by the seven thunderboats desperately endeavoring to negotiate the first turn that brought grief to U-95. Somehow the boat driven by Leif Borgersen was hit from behind forcing it to go dead in the water.

It was nearly a minute before it could resume under its own power, putting it out of contention. 

"You knew something wasn't right," U-95 Borgersen said afterwards. "Everything closed in on that first turn. It was like a funnel. All of the sudden the boat went up in the air. Then it went sideways and whether it caught the right sponson and hooked or took a direct hit I don't know."

Chuck Lyford, team manager of U-95, charged it was Muncey who had clipped his driver's boat. But other than being in the field illegally, Lyford did not blame the Atlas driver as much as the Valu-Mart, which he claimed moved from the outside and caused the crunch.

Bill Newton, race referee, ruled Valu-Mart was in the clear.

"Someone moved from lane five to the inside and that's illegal." Muncey stated. He later felt it was the Pak. Later he thought it must have been the turbine.

"There was no collision, I did not hit it," he said in answer if it had been his boat which had hit the U-95.

"Muncey gets fined $250 and the damage costs me $15,000, I don't think thats right," an irate Pam Clapp, owner of the U-95 retorted after Newton rejected her written protest.

About the only one who wasn't confused was the winner Henley.

"I got a good start and was out in front by the turn."

As a consequence he didn't see any of the confusion that transpired in his wake.

After the "non-collision" Henley sped virtually unopposed to victory pocketing $7,100 for the triumph. Fred Alter in the Pizza Pete earned $4,600.

Commissioner George Byers Jr., chairman of the Unlimited Racing Commission, promised Ms. Clapp he would appoint a four or five-man committee to investigate. "We'll get together a few days before the Gold Cup in Seattle and go over available information and look at any films on the race he stated."

Interestingly enough a protest used to automatically stop the awarding of prizes. Under present rules, the referee has the authority to determine the outcome right on the spot.

The rule as changed largely because of an incident in 1956 when it was 85 days before the winner of the Gold Cup was determined.

Muncey was declared the winner of that race when TV films showed he hadn't hit a buoy as charged.

Son of U-95

By Hec Hancock
Reprinted from Tri-City Herald, June 27, 1980

Just to be on the safe side it might be a good idea for thunderboat aficionados to circle today's date, June 27, 1980, on their calendars.

It could be a red-letter day in the history of the sport, possibly even of the magnitude of the development of the Slo-Mo-Shun IV and the three-point suspension back in 1950  by Seattleites Ted Jones and Stan Sayres.

On the other hand, the introduction of the turbine engine to the sport of unlimited hydroplane by Dave Heerensperger and the new Pay 'n Pak might just be another interesting day of thunderboat racing.

The new turbine powered Pay 'n Pak kicks up her heals.

Either way, boat owners, drivers and race fans will be following the turbine engine's first taste of competition with a great deal more than just passing interest.

"It could be the biggest thing to hit racing or the biggest and most expensive bust," admits Heerensperger, who won three national championships before selling his boats, engines and equipment in 1975.

It's been almost two years in the works, and Jim Lucero, crew chief and boat designer, hopes he has successfully adapted the type of turbine engine used by helicopters during the Vietnam War to use in thunderboat racing.

If it works, an entirely new world of hydroplane racing will have been opened up.

The advantage the turbine engine offers over the traditional reciprocal engine are many.

It's much lighter first of all. The Pay 'n Pak's turbine engine weights about 700 pounds compared the Griffen Rolls Royce's 2,500 but can deliver approximately the same 3,000 horsepower.

The turbine, which can produce full power in a one-and-half seconds, is more durable, in greater supply and much more current than the World War II vintage aircraft engines.

But whatever the ultimate potential of the engine, Heerensperger cautioned against expecting too much too soon.

"We probably won't see much Sunday," he said after the boat's run Saturday. "We have a lot to learn and may adjustments to make. We're not going to be running 180 mph because we don't want to get anybody killed."

Actually, the appearance of the Pay 'n Pak in today's Columbia Cup race isn't the first jet-powered boat to race.

Back in 1974 the U-95 equipped with twin Lycoming gas turbines set a world record of 113.464 mph for a 2½-mile heat in the World Championship race here with Leif Borgersen in the cockpit.

In fact, the U-95 whipped the Pay 'n Pak which went on to win the national championship that year and might have won the race had it's tail assembly not been clipped in the first turn of the final by another boat.

The boat was the project of the late Jim Clapp, who died before he could see the fruits of his idea and investment. Hist widow, Pam, carried the project on.

Chuck Lyford, the crew chief on the first jet boat, is associated with the present Pay 'n Pak team and is much less inhibited in his optimism over the boat's future than is the owner.

"This boat's much faster right now than the U-95 was on its best day," he said as he watched the new turbine boat lowered into the water Saturday at the Columbia Park pits. "It has more power and less weight."

More important, thought, is the fact is has but one engine, thus greatly simplifying the transmission of power.

"This boat has one gear box while we had five. That's a lot of things to go wrong," he points out. "They haven't begun to pull on their power yet but I really don't foresee any problem." Lyford said. "The ability to produce full power almost instant is going to be spectacular coming out of turns."

Actually, the present turbine engine used by the Pak is the type Lyford wanted back in 1974, but it wasn't available because of Defense Department restrictions.

Also along for the turbine boat's maiden voyage was Pam Clapp.

"I really admire Jim for his foresight. He was really enthusiastic about turbine engines and had he courage to put his money behind the idea. In the finally analysis it takes an idea get things going."

Clapp invested about $600,000 in the project and Pam added another $200,000. The boat sank during a race on Lake Washington.

"I was sad," his widow recalled, "but also in a way relieved. I felt I had fulfilled my obligation."

Now another owner has his money on the line and it ready to roll the dice.

"Anyway," says Heerensperger, "if Griffons are so great, how come they don't use them in helicopters."

Chenoweth Pilots Bud To Victory In Tri-Cities

Reprinted from Sea and Pacific Motor Boat, September 1973

Mickey Remund and the Pay 'n Pak had a substantial lead in the final heat of the APBA Gold Cup
until a broken propeller ended his run. Photo by Lee Stickler.

Going into the Gold Cup Race, Dean Chenoweth had one vivid memory of the unlimited hydroplane course on the Columbia River at Tri-Cities in South-Central Washington.

In 1970 the driver of Miss Budweiser was pitched violently from the cockpit and the boat sank. Luckily, Chenoweth escaped with minor injuries.

Chenoweth has another happier impression of the Richland-Pasco-Kennewick area after Gold Cup '73. He piloted the Bud to victory in powerboat racing's premier event by outlasting a Seattle-based Pay 'n Pak in the final heat. It was Chenoweth’s second Gold Cup win, his third victory on the circuit this season.

In the final heat, the Pak had a substantial lead after running the first lap in record time. But a blade of the Pak's prop broke, the boat bounced crazily a couple of times and settled to a stop. Patrol boats had to rescue the hydro from sinking just as Miss Budweiser hit the finish line.

Going into the final heat, Pak driver Mickey Remund had a perfect 1200 points while Budweiser and Atlas Van Lines each had 1100.

Bill Muncey's Atlas ended up second after making an unsuccessful charge at the Budweiser midway in the final heat while surprising Fred Alter drove Pizza Pete — the former Gale's Roostertail to third. The Pak was fourth and Notre Dame, fifth.

If you don't think the unlimiteds are going faster, consider the records set on the 2½-mile Columbia River course: In addition to the Pak's single-lap mark of 119.691 mph, Budweiser boosted the 15-mile speed mark for one heat to 111.386 mph.

Bud's 60-mi. speed average was a record 105.354 mph, almost five miles faster than the 1970 standard set by Notre Dame. Both the lap and 60-mile performances are the fastest in unlimited history.

Hydro Driver Fined For Remarks

Schumacher Out $500

By Chuck Ashmun
Reprinted from The Seattle Times, July 28, 1975

TRI-CITIES — Billy Schumacher today was fined $500 by the unlimited racing commissioner, George (Buddy) Byers, Jr., for remarks the Seattle driver made following yesterday’s Gold Cup race.

A threat of suspension, tossed out by the race referee, Bill Newton, was not carried out.

"I’m not going to let him off all that easy," Newton said after Byers decision was announced.

But it appears that the fine will stand by itself.

"I have the greatest respect for Billy . . . on the water," Newton added. "He doesn’t seem to know when to shut off his mouth."

Schumacher, driver of the Weisfield’s, said: "I think a man should be able to speak his mind when he’s in the right. And I was in the right. We should have freedom of speech. Without it, we’re in trouble."

Byers’ ruling followed a post-race interview in which Schumacher said:

"I was cheated. In my mind, it was a poor decision on the part of the referee; and he’ll probably suspend me for saying it."

Newton, the race referee, at the time unaware of the reaction from the Weisfield’s driver, said:

"I don’t care what Billy says, but if what I see in the newspaper . . . is contradictory, I may take drastic action.

"By drastic, I mean really drastic. One year."

What Schumacher also said was:

‘He’s supposed to be God. I’d sure like to see him walk across the river, though."

Schumacher was nodding toward the mighty Columbia.

Schumacher’s anger surfaced after Newton had ruled that the Seattle driver would be fined $100 for a racing infraction, then changed his mind.

Newton said he rescinded the fine "out of good sportsmanship," but Schumacher insisted he had broken no rules to begin with.

"This whole thing is ridiculous," fumed Schumacher. "I should get the points." When Newton rescinded the fine, he did not restore the 169 points which Schumacher felt he should have received for finishing fourth in yesterday’s first heat.

With those points, the Weisfield’s today would be the national point leader in unlimited-hydroplane standings. Without them, Weisfield’s ranks second behind the Pay 'n Pak.

The ruling came about after Schumacher, leading the first-heat field lost engine power because of a blown supercharger. He continued to drive around the course, however, at a much slower pace.

Newton, after consulting with his assistant referees, ruled that a black flag should be flown, signaling to Schumacher that he was creating a hazardous wake and that he should pull off the course.

"I didn’t even see a black flag until I was headed down the straightaway on the last lap," said the driver.

"The race (for the top spots) was over. I was not endangering anybody with my wake."

The rule in question has to do with what the hydro people call "planing." Boats are required to maintain a plane — skim over the surface — rather than drop down to the extent that the craft is traveling through the water instead of over it.

Schumacher says he maintained a plane. Newton said: "Billy may think he was, but . . . no way."

"I’m humiliated after today, and I think the crew is, too," Schumacher said after the race.

Of the Pay 'n Pak win, he said, "It was not their performance. It was our lack of performance."

The Pay 'n Pak owner, Dave Heerensperger, said: "You have to think that way in boat racing. You have to be optimistic."

Schumacher said he received some repercussions after the Weisfield’s camp elected not to try for the course qualifying record here and added:

"The way today went, we should have gone for it. In Seattle we probably will. I don’t know."

Newton said, "The rule is automatic. A boat must automatically pull off the course when it’s not in a plane, even without a black flag.

"This rule was put in at our meeting in Detroit. Ironically, it was proposed by Les Rosenberg."

Rosenberg owns the Weisfield’s.

The Pay 'n Pak is coming back

Apr 19, 2017, TRI-CITIES, WA - On June 2nd, boat racing fans in the Tri-Cities will get a chance to see some of their favorite boats...whether it's the Miss Madison Homestreet Bank boat cruising on the water, or the Graham Trucking U-5.

The Pay 'n Pak hydroplane returns to the Tri-Cities in June.

But they'll also get a chance to see what was once a legendary boat, a boat that was certainly a fan favorite. Taking the boat racing community by storm in the 70s, this boat went on to win a world title in 1974 and a gold cup in '75, both coming in the Tri-Cities. But it wasn't just the wins that made this boat special.

''Coming out in 1973, it was unlike anything had ever seen before," said David Williams, Hydroplane & Boat Race Museum Director. "It was the first boat to be built out of honeycomb aluminum. It was the first boat to have a wing, and it was the first boat at that point to have a wild paint scheme as an all-white boat with the orange and black letters on it. So it's a pretty iconic boat.''

And now, 42 years later, the Pay 'n Pak is coming back. After years of rebuilding, the boat will make its first appearance at the testing session in the Tri-Cities.

''This boat has a significant history," Williams said. "Even though the team was based in Seattle, Pay 'n Pak was owned by Dave Heerensperger. Dave started out in eastern Washington with the Pay 'n Pak stores. He always sort of felt that the Tri-Cities was his home race course. So we're thrilled to bring the boat back here to run on what we all thought was its home race course.''

And for fans, it should be a thrill to see what was once a beloved boat back in the water.

''The super loud V-12, the Allison engines, it will be so fun," said Kathy Powell, Water Follies Director. "That will just bring back everybody's nostalgia and memories from the good old days when the boats were loud. It will be tons of fun.''

Hydroplane driver hurt in spectacular flip

Reprinted from The Daily Colonist, July 29, 1980

KENNEWICK, Wash. (AP) — "You can't win if  you don’t play,” said Pay 'n Pak hydroplane driver  John Walters after a first-run test of his new machine on the Columbia River one day before the  Columbia Cup race.

He may have played too hard. The boat that had electrified a large crowd on Saturday horrified those gathered for the race Sunday.

Walters took the Pay 'n Pak for a test spin around the course prior to the day’s first scheduled heat.

Accelerating hard down the straightaway in front of the south bank of the river, the boat was caught by the wind, turned on its heel and went hurtling 30 feet into the air. The boat flipped backward 2½ times, hit the water on its nose and flipped backward again, coming to rest upside down in the water.

Walters was ejected on the first flip. The rescue barge was at his side 55 seconds after the start of
the crash. Divers were in the water helping the injured driver 10 seconds later.

Walters, an experienced young limited hydroplane driver making his debut on the unlimited circuit, was rushed to hospital where he was treated for a broken hip socket and a rash of cuts, bruises and sprains.

Damage to the boat was concentrated on its right side, where the front portion of the sponson was sheared off. The top was smashed. Crew and designer Jim Lucero estimated damage at $30,000 but  said the boat was not a total loss.

Owner Dave Heerensperger said Walters was running the course to get his timing down against the start clock and evidently got moving too fast for the tail wing and sponsons to handle.

The Pak is Back!

Story and photo by Herman Marchetti

Kennewick, Wash. — Friday, June 2nd was the official testing for the H1 Unlimited hydroplanes in the Tri-Cities. This year the Hydroplane & Raceboat Museum in Kent, Washington showed off their newest absolutely beautiful, restoration, the 1973 Pay 'n Pak unlimited hydroplane.

Dr. Ken Muscatel leaves the Neil F. Lampson Pits for the first
running of the newly restored Pride of Pay 'n Pak from 1973.

With oversight from Museum director David Williams, the restoration team, and drivers Dr. Ken Muscatel and Mike Hanson, the Pak made four runs on the Columbia River in their first public showing.

A large crowd was on hand to witness the event and they were not disappointed. On the final run of the day, Mike Hanson buzzed the shoreline to the total delight of the fans. When Mike stepped of the boat he said, "Sometimes you just gotta have some fun.

Also on hand was the U-1 HomeStreet Bank with champion Jimmy Shane, U-9 Jones Racing Les Schwab with Andrew Tate, u-21 PayneWest Insurance with Brian Perkins, U-440 with Dustin Echols, and Grand Prix West GP-15 with Greg Hopp.

All the boats made multiple runs and no major issues came up. it was a great day on the shores of the Columbia River.

The Pak is officially back

June 2, 2017 — Tri-Cities — It's official! The Pak is really back!

After a 40 year hiatus, the 1973 Pay ‘n Pak returned to the Columbia River. Participating in H1 Unlimited’s annual Spring Training test session, the “Winged Wonder” made its official public debut following an extensive four-year restoration.

The 1973 Pak 'n Pak, with crew chief Mike Hanson driving, roars down the Columbia River.
Photo by Steve Connor.

Dr, Ken Muscatel purchased the Pay 'n Pak from the Dave Bartush collection in Detroit in 2012. The legendary hull was restored at the Hydroplane & Raceboat Museum, in Kent, Wash., under the supervision of crew chief Mike Hanson.

Mary Henley, wife of former Pay ‘n Pak and Hall of Fame driver George Henley, was on-hand for the champagne christening of the boat before both Muscatel and Hanson put it through its paces with several runs throughout the day.

“We're approaching it (testing) in steps because we're still figuring out the props and making sure we don't melt down the engine - fuel, air, water, etc.,” explained Muscatel. “Mike (Hanson) and I had a plan that we followed Friday, and we got to 130+ MPH. But the props were pitched enough and the engine would over-speed at a little more than 1/2 throttle.”

“This is why you test (to anyone who doesn't think we put the gas pedal down, this is why),” continued Muscatel. “Both Mike and I have qualified turbines over 158 MPH on that course so we know which way the gas pedal goes.”

A crowd of dedicated hydroplane fans were on hand to view the spectacle. “A great day of unlimited testing in the Tri-Cities,” exclaimed an excited fan holding camera with a large telephoto lens. “Beautiful weather, catching up with old friends, making new ones, and witnessing the rebirth of a legend!”

David Williams, the executive director of the Hydroplane & Raceboat Museum, was quick to share the same enthusiasm. “These guys ROCK! It was a great day testing the Pak on the Columbia river. We went out four times and tried three different propellers. Learned a lot and it is always a very special time when you see a new Museum crew learn to work together and become not just a team, but a real band of brothers.”

Designed and built by master hydroplane build Ron Jones, the Pay 'n Pak ranks among the all-time great thunderboats with 22 race victories. It stands as the first hydroplane of any shape or size to be built of aluminum honeycomb, rather than marine plywood. It was also first hull to sport a horizontal stabilizer wing.

The hull’s debut was a success and it is scheduled to return in July for the 2017 HAPO Columbia Cup as a part of the vintage exhibition.

Dual at Columbia Cup

Tri Cities, 1981 — The Miss Budweiser, with Dean Chenoweth driving, takes out the Pay 'n Pak with a wide drift out in the last preliminary heat knocking the Pak out of the final heat. The Pak was running hot all day until this.

Photo by Bill Osborne

"It was both frustrating and encouraging," recalled Pak driver John Walters. "I think that was pretty much the first time in a while, and that year, that anyone had been able to run with Dean and the Bud, especially from the outside.

"It was not the first time that year that I had to deal with getting pushed around and bullied. In Evansville that year we were fast, setting qualifying, course, and world records. But we still had some handling issues in rough water. So in the final, Chip (Hanauer) took one turn, and Dean the other. They spent a good portion of the five minute period almost off plane circling to churn up the water."

"In Dean's defense", continued Walters, "something weird was going on in the engine for me that heat. There were times the engine would decelerate, and lack throttle response. It got worse in this turn, and at this point the engine went to ground idle, and it would not accelerate. At that time it is hard to steer.  Had this not happened, I would have drifted out with Dean and maintained the boat speed."

"We will never know if I would have been able to beat him off the pin to the finish line," continued Walters. "But that was my plan and thinking when we entered that last turn. And for the record, the p-3 line fitting on the fuel control broke. That was what was going on earlier in the heat and it failed here. "

"The move by Dean was not surprising to me," added Walters. "He would do that occasionally. It was especially effective in Detroit with the wall there."

Memories of double flip remain with Pak camp

By Glenn Nelson
Reprinted from The Seattle Times, July 26, 1981

PASCO — One year ago today was meant to be the culmination of a revolutionary experiment. The turbine-powered Pay 'n Pak was to compete in its first unlimited race.

Even before race day, the Pak had created a splash here on the Columbia River. Radio stations interrupted regularly-scheduled programming for reports on sightings of the new boat on the highway. When the Pay 'n Pak finally pulled into the pits during qualifying week for the Columbia Cup, people cheered and clapped. When the craft finally hit the waters for a test run, drivers and crewmen on other boats halted activity to watch.

But on that ill-fated Sunday, the day of the regatta, John Walters, the Pak's rookie driver, took the boat for one last test run. Walters was traveling about 160 miles an hour on the front straightaway what the boat's rear stabilizer failed and the Pak went airborne. The double flip was one of the most spectacular ever in the sport. Walters suffered a fractured left hip socket and sprained his left shoulder, elbow, and knee. He was hospitalized for about two weeks.

But the Pak is back. The boat, its crew and driver have returned to the scene of that horrible nightmare — all in one piece and primed to continue the grand experiment.

John Walters takes the Pay 'n Pak onto the Columbia River yesterday in preparation for today's
Columbia Cup. Walters survived a bad accident on the day of this race a year ago.

Back too are the troubling memories. After completing his first qualifying run, at 126.923 m.p.h., Walters admitted that flashbacks to last year's accident had occurred.

"Leading up to racing her, I thought about the flip," said the 27-year-old Renton resident. "On the beach, waiting for my first time out, I thought about it again. When I reached the starting line, I had some flashbacks. But during the course of the run, my mind was occupied enough. I didn't have time to wander off and think about the accident. Plus, the ride was stable enough that I had no insecure feelings."

Rib contusions suffered as Walters was tossed against the driver's seat when the Pak hit two swells in the Ohio River during a  preliminary heat in Evansville two weeks ago, added to the discomfort.

"I had some trouble on the turns," Walters said. "It did hurt trying to make the corners. It wasn't a constant pain. It shouldn't affect me in the race."

Experimentation with the turbine engines from Vietnam-era helicopters began but failed with the U-95 in 1973. The use of turbine engines is considered revolutionary because they are about one-third the weight of the Allison and Rolls-Royce engines used in most hydros today.

The Pak hull was built extra light so the boat's total racing weight is 5,200 pounds — 1,000 to 1,500 pounds lighter than most boats on the circuit.

Considered even more important than its weight is the engine's longer life expectancy and low maintenance. Though the use of turbines commands a larger startup cost than other power-plants, the cost of maintaining a set of them over a season will be considerably lower.

Jim Lucero Pak crew chief and designer, spend the off-season pouring over videotapes of the flip with Walters in an effort to determine the cause of the accident and methods to prevent its recurrence. What the Pak team discovered was that the head created by the engine's hot startup process caused the machinery to flex and deform. The pressure began loading up in the stabilizers and the wing folded up. Now, the engine is never started without the placement of a thermal blanket on the wing.

"I'll be the first to admit that our testing regimen was considerably slowed because of what happened," Walters said. "We were extremely cautious in our testing. Instead of increasing speeds by 5-10 mile an hour increments, we increased by 2-5.

"But I think we're benefiting by it. It took a little longer to get the kind of results we wanted. But we also got more time on the equipment and I got more time in the boat."

Lucero, for one, has put the past behind him.

"We are not consumed by the accident," he said. "We've come into a new season looking forward to new things. We have to get to the business of winning races."

This amounts to a hometown race for the Pak with hundreds of the chain's employees and longtime Pak fans on the shore. With such a winning tradition (three national championships in earlier boats), there are high expectations for the Pak here.

Those expectations were heightened by Walter's 2-mile world qualifying record set at Evansville.

"The record is kind of a compromise situation," said Walters. "It did raise expectations for us. But the fact that I went out and did it hopefully helps other drivers believe I'm qualified enough to handle the equipment. The very best thing that came from the record is that it boosted team morale considerably. We had put a lot of work into this boat, but we were thrashing about, suffering setback after setback. Not that anyone lost any confidence in the project but it gave us a chance to savor a moment of glory for a change."

A good showing in today's race will at least establish some consistency in the seemingly snake-bitten Pak program this year. The season began auspiciously enough for the team with a second-place finish in the circuit's opener in Miami. But the engine was doused with water in the first heat in the next race in Detroit and the Pak couldn't muster the points to make the final. In Madison, the next week, the Pak suffered the same kind of mishap in the final and Walters was forced to shut down in a preliminary heat due to an abnormally high reading on his exhaust-temperature gauge. Then where was the sponson damage and Walter's resulting injury in Evansville.

Pak drops fortune in props in river

July 21, 1974, Kennewick, Wash., (AP) — Dave Heerensperger, owner of the Pay 'n Pak unlimited hydroplane, has seen $3,000 worth of his propellers sink to the bottom of the Columbia River this week.

But, with Heerensperger and the rest of the Pak's racing team here for today's World Championship Regatta, it isn't the money but the principle of the thing that bothers them.

The Pay 'n Pak, like most other unlimited hydros on the circuit, use props — also called "wheels" that are hand-forged in Italy and cost about $1,500 each. The Pak lost two in the first two days of qualifying for today's regatta.

"We're not breaking them," Heerensperger said. "They're just coming off."

Pay "N Pak driver George Henley said, "we've had no problem all season until this week."

The problem, Heerensperger and crew chief Jim Lucero decided, must be in the propeller shaft rather than the prop itself. So, they decided late Friday to switch to a different kind of shaft — a kind Heerensperger feels is potentially weaker and more likely to lead to a break in the prop were it connects with the shaft.

But, "we can't take the chance it will happen again," Heerensperger said as he discussed the disappearing propellers.

Chenoweth, Bud win first Tri-Cities Gold Cup

Takes advantage when Pay ’n Pak breaks down with lead in the final.

Reprinted from Tri-City Herald, July19, 2015

July 22, 1973: The first Gold Cup race on the Columbia.

Dean Chenoweth picked up his second career Gold Cup victory, driving the Miss Budweiser to some record times.

The Bud set marks for a 15-mile heat race (111.386 mph) and for a 60-mile average (105.354 mph) as the Gold Cup was held on the Columbia River for the first time.

But it had to be the Pride of Pay ’n Pak and driver Mickey Remund as the oddsmaker’s favorite going into the final heat.

Remund had driven the Pak to first-place finishes in all three of his heats, giving the team a field-best 1,200 points entering the final.

Chenoweth and Bud, meanwhile, along with Bill Muncey and the Atlas Van Lines, each had 1,100 points after three heats, winning twice and placing second once.

In the final, Remund had the lead early and was dominating before the propeller broke on the Pak.

That left the battle for first between Chenoweth and Muncey, who were dueling hard for the lead.

But Chenoweth had the lead the entire way on Muncey, although the latter was always within a roostertail.

“I knew that if we pushed hard, somebody would have to break,” Chenoweth told the Herald after the race. “So I stuffed my foot into it and went as fast as I could.”

It was heartbreak for the Pak team, which lost the national high-points lead and headed to Seattle trailing the Bud by 100 points.

“I don’t know what happened,” Remund said after the race. “Everything from the gear box to the prop is destroyed. The damage is almost the same as we had in Detroit.”

Part of the prop flew off and gouged a hole in his boat.

Things would get better for Remund and the Pak, as the team eventually regained the national high-points lead and won the season championship.

About time for Atomic Cup luck, says race winner

By Bill Purcell
Reprinted from Tri-City Herald, July 24, 1972

When it was suggested to Bill Muncey on Sunday afternoon that luck as much as speed decided 1972's Atomic Cup, he had a jovial retort.

"Well, it's about time Bill Muncey had a little luck on the Columbia. I've been trying to win this race for a long time, and I'm real happy we put it all together here."

For the 44-year-old hydroplane jockey with 32 regatta championships to his credit, the $4,500 he pocketed for first place in the Tri-Cities was only part of his winning story. His Atomic Cup victory, the first in seven tries, guaranteed Muncey of the unlimited hydroplane national point championship.

Although Muncey established three Atomic Cup and two world speed records before an estimated 50,000 fans, it is unlikely he would have won the race without Lady Luck interfering.

In the sixth and final lap of the championship heat, Muncey and his Atlas Van Lines were embarrassingly behind by some 13 seconds to favored Billy Sterett Jr. in the Pride of Pay 'n Pak. But, with the heat and the race nearly in the record books, Bob Gilliam was thrown from his hand-me-down boat, Pizza Pete, and the heat had to be restarted.

Forty-five minutes' worth of engine-changing and second-guessing later, Atlas and Pay 'n Pak resumed the fight. But no sooner had the two boats hit the starting line than Pay 'n Pak stopped dead in the water as a result of what the crew later diagnosed as a frozen supercharger.

Crew chief Jim Lucero, driver Billy Sterett Jr., and owner
Dave Heerensperger of the Pride of Pay 'n Pak racing team.

So, while the Pay 'n Pak floated helplessly downstream in the final heat of a race it had virtually won earlier in the afternoon, Muncey coasted around the 2 1/2-mile course for his fifth victory in six races on the unlimited circuit this year.

Muncey said later that it was not until his second lap that he knew "we were on our way to the bank."

"Going through the corner of the first lap of the rerun, I didn't know he (Sterett) was down. I was wondering to myself on the first backstretch where his boat was, but I said to myself, "I've got a good lead and I'll keep on pushing.'"

In a unprecedented tribute to the racing fans, many of whom, Muncey admitted, weren't exactly rooting for him, the San Diego native toured the course one last time in a victory lap, clapping his hands with glee as he passed the official barge.

Sterett and Pay 'n Pak owner Dave Heerensperger, Kent, were appropriately glum-faced after the race. It was Billy Sterett Sr., however, who offered the most appropriate analysis. He said to Gilliam after the Pizza Pete driver had been safely brought back to shore, "If that happens again, please fly through the air for at least 30 seconds more."

Gilliam was scratched up a bit, but that's all. He finished fifth, behind Muncey, Terry Sterett in Miss Budweiser, Billy Sterett in Pay 'n Pak and defending Atomic Cup champion Jim McCormick in Miss Timex.

Muncey set new records for fastest lap, 115.979 m.p.h. fastest heat, 110.655, and race average, 107.417. The first two records are world as well as Atomic Cup standards.

Atlas and Pay 'n Pak won their respective heats so handily earlier in the afternoon that it was not until their long-awaited confrontation that the sun-drenched throng had much to get excited about.

In the "first" championship heat, Pay 'n Pak beat Atlas to the first buoy, Sterett outmaneuvered Muncey at the upstream turn and led by two seconds at the end of lap one. By the end of lap two, Sterett's lead was 11 seconds, and the issue was apparently decided.

But when Gilliam was tossed out of his boat four laps later, Muncey had his chance.

"It wasn't his (Sterett's) fault and it wasn't mine," said Muncey. "It's a shame this had to happen, but things like this have happened to me many, many, many times in this strange world of unlimited racing."

Experience Apparently Unnecessary

July 29, 1977, KENNEWICK, Wash. (AP) -  Ron Armstrong of Lakewood. Calif., who has never won an unlimited hydroplane race, will pilot Pay 'n Pak. the winningest hydro in the sport. The 36-year-old Armstrong was named Wednesday by Dave Heerensperger of the Pak camp after conferring with Bill Muncey. who actually owns the boat, and crew chief Jim Lucero.

Ron Armstrong in the Pay 'n Pak. Photo by Bill Osborne.

"I think Ron will do us a real good job." Heerensperger said. "He's very well thought of by the limited racing people. You know, nobody had heard much of Mickey Remund or George Henley before they drove the Pak. and he's got about the same kind of background. "And he never did have the top equipment when he was driving an unlimited."

The hull has 21 career victories. 16 as the Pak and five as Atlas Van Lines. It accounted for four straight national titles in 1973 through 1976.

Armstrong is a nationally prominent five and seven-litre driver. He was pitched out of the cockpit of the Seattle-based Value-Mart in his first race in Miami in 1974 and was involved in the unusual seven-boat final heat only six boats are legal on the course of the 1974 Tri-Cities races.

Armstrong drove the Valu-Mart in 1974 and his best performance was a third in the World Championship race at Tri-Cities.

Pak Breaks; Bud Wins Gold Cup

Reprinted from Pay 'n Pak Racing News, Volume V, Issue 2

The sun streaked, wind dappled Gold Cup course at the Tri-Cities on the Columbia was the elation of victory and the frustration of defeat for the Pride of Pay 'n Pak.

In front of over 80,000 sun burned spectators Mickey Remund, who had qualified the Pride of Pay 'n Pak at 124.310 mph on Thursday, drove her to three straight heat victories Sunday and to a great 7 second lead in lap 2 of the final Gold Cup heat, but then it happened.

As the Pak, apparently hitting something or breaking a prop, tore a hole in the bottom of the boat.

Dean Chenoweth in the Budweiser (last year's Pride of Pay 'n Pak) drove on by and to final victory. But not until he had held off 2 screaming challenges by veteran Bill Muncey in last year's champion boat, Atlas Van Lines.

After setting the qualifying record (earlier in the week) the Pak and Mickey Remund set a new Gold Cup lap and heat record in easily winning heat 1A. Budweiser can back to beat that record in heat 3A in a head-to-head duel with Atlas Van Lines. Budweiser bested the record by only 24/1000th of a mph (110.929 over 110.909).

In a torrid final heat Pay 'n Pak broke the one lap record on a 2½ mile Gold Cup course with a streaking 119.691 and the "white machine" was on its way to a new heat record when she faltered in a shower of spray went dead in the water.

At the start of the final Gold Cup heat (with a perfect 3 for 3 record and 1200 points) the Pak had a slim lead in lane 2 as the thunderboats hit the line with Budweiser just to the outside and Pizza Pete in the No. 1 inside lane.

Remund came out of the first turn in front and by the second turn had built up a six or seven second lead. In the process he smashed the Gold Cup single lap record (119.691 mph).

By then Budweiser was second, Atlas Van Lines third and Pizza Pete and Notre Dame battling for 4th.

Dean Chenoweth in the Bud leaped in front as Remund and the Pak went dead in the water and never lost the lead. Muncey and the Atlas made a real challenge midway in the heat and closed within three seconds on the third lap but finally pulled off.

The eventual victory boosted Budweiser into the national points leading by a very slim 100 points. The see-saw battle for points lead saw Pak over Bud by 200 points coming into the Gold Cup.

The outcome recalled the Pasco Atomic Cup race of 1972 when the Pride of Pay 'n Pak had apparently had it all won and just as she crossed the finish line Bob Gilliam was tossed out of Pizza Pete and the final heat had to be rerun. In the rerun... (well in the lead) the Pak blew an engine and had to be towed back to the pits.

Mickey Remund - Good Sportsman!

When the Pride of Pay 'n Pak went dead in the water in the second lap of the final heat of the Gold Cup Sunday and Mickey Remund realized his boat was sinking he had the perfect right to jump in the water, stop the race and force a rerun.

But, accessing the damage properly, he stayed aboard and frantically waved off the rescue boats allowing the race to finish.

As the final checkered flag was flashed for Budweiser the Pak's "wing" was already under water. It was close!

Was it worth the risk? Mickey thought so, as he put it on KORD radio, "I believe we'd stay up long enough to finish the race, I would hate to be the one to stop the race 'cause something even worse could have happened in the rerun."

The fact that Mickey had a hole in his boat that couldn't have been fixed for a restart and the fact that he didn't sink entirely before the course closed and help got to him doesn't take too much away from Mick. When you're responsible for such a valuable piece of property any such decision has to be hard to make. As Mickey put it, "If it looked like we'd lose the boat I'd have been wet in a second and I knew the referee and judges were watching closely and had the flair guns in their hands."

"After all we want to get 'em at Seafair."

Stabilizer may not help Pay 'n Pak

PASCO, Wash., July 21, 1973 (AP) - Mickey Remund, driver of the baddest boat on the unlimited hydroplane circuit, says he's not sure the Pay 'n Pak's unique stabilizer has contributed to its success this year.

The eight-foot-long wing-like bar is mounted over the tail of the Seattle based Pay 'n Pak, current national point leader, in an attempt to provide a smoother ride for the hard-charging boat that reaches speeds of 160 miles an hour in the straight-aways.

Remund and the Pak - a new boat this year - are the favorites for Sunday's Gold Cup Regatta on the Columbia River.

"It's a good conversation piece," Remund said in an interview Friday. "It may not be helping us at all. We don't know. We think it is.

"When the season's over, we hope to take the stabilizer off and try the boat without it, just to see what happens."

Remund made clear that he thinks the boat runs smoother because of the stabilizer. It's just that he's not sure if it runs faster.

The Pak leads the list of 10 thunderboats that qualified for Sunday's race as of Friday night. Remund, of Palm Desert, Calif., averaged 124.310 m.p.h. for two qualifying laps this week - a new Gold Cup and course record.

The next closest qualifier is the Atlas Van Lines of Detroit, driven by Bill Muncey, at 116.863 for two laps.

The other eight qualifiers as of Friday night were Pizza Pete of Seattle; Miss Budweiser of Lakeland, Fla.; Lincoln Thrift of Phoenix, Ariz.; Miss Madison of Madison, Ind.; Shakey's Special of Seattle; Valu Mart U16 of Seattle; Notre Dame of Seattle, and Mr. Fabricator of Carrollton, Ohio.

Three other boats were in the pits Friday but failed to qualify. They will get another chance Saturday. They are Miss U.S. of Detroit, the Valu Mart U21, and Murphy's Marina of Seattle.

Two other boats, both named Red Man in honor of the chewing tobacco that sponsors them, are reportedly en route to the Gold Cup site. Their appearance would bring the field to 15, the largest Gold Cup fleet since 1967, long time hydro enthusiasts say.

This Wasn't in the Manual

STUNNED SPECTATORS gape at the astonishing sight of an unlimited hydroplane stern-over-bow through the air above the Columbia River Sunday. The radically new Pay 'n Pak was seriously damaged and rookie driver John Walters was hospitalized. Walters is upset about the speculation that rookie mistakes caused the accident. (Tri-City Herald, July 28, 1980)

Crash Memories Vivid To Walters 10 Years Later

By Paul Delaney
Reprinted from the Spokane Chronicle, July 26, 1990

As a youngster growing up on Spokane's South Hill, John Walters dreamed of becoming an unlimited hydroplane driver like legends of the sport such as Bill Muncey, Rex Manchester, Billy Schumacher, and Mira Slovak.

Unlike many of his Lincoln Heights Elementary classmates Walters was perhaps one of the few that was eventually able to realize his true childhood dream.

Rocketed - almost literally - on to the unlimited racing scene 10 years ago this weekend, Walters took one of the most talked about, famous, and harrowing rides in unlimited hydroplane racing history - and lived to tell about it.

John Walters in 1980.

Walters was at the helm of the turbine-powered Pay 'N Pak during a race day test run on the Columbia River course. Moments after passing the start-finish line, the boat unexpectedly launched itself into the warm spring morning sky. Then, after almost three full flips, and what seemed like an eternity, the white and orange boat slammed into the cold dark water.

And that's how John Walters first made a name for himself in hydroplane racing. He'd later gain the type of notoriety he long for, plus a spot in the sport's history books, by being the first driver to win a race in a turbine-powered boat at Syracuse in 1982. But a few weeks later in Seattle, Walters' driving career - and nearly his life - would come to an end in a three-boat accident that should have never happened.

With all that behind him, Walters returns once again to Tri-Cities for this weekend's Columbia Cup. This time his feet are firmly planted on the ground as a crew member of the Mr. Pringles Hydro. "They call me the hull specialist," Walters says of his job. "It's basically (being) in charge of the maintenance that goes on with the boat."

Walters has been long removed from the cockpit - by doctor's orders - but is still a vital player in the sport of his dreams. And memories of 10 years ago are a clear as the day they happened.

"I remember everything about that one," Walters said. "I still occasionally wake up in the middle of the night, upside down and backwards at 170 mph wondering where that blue bridge went."

His boat "was really working well," in fact, maybe too well, Walters recalls of that July 26th morning. "The boat would accelerate so quickly that you could get going real fast, even quicker than you realize."

Since Walters had had little time in the boat, he was trying to see how quick it took to from the exit buoy to the starting line. Unlimited hydros race both themselves and a clock at the start of a race, so refining starting line strategy is very important.

A few minutes before the test run, the rescue boats cut across the course to take up their posts and left behind a small wake. Walters said, "I felt the boat rattle over the wake a little bit and it picked up the nose and kind of hung there for a long time." There wasn't any feeling of panic, however, and it actually felt like the boat was settling back down.

A second or so later "it felt like someone kicked a jackstand out from under the rear of the boat and dropped the back end of the boat real hard, "Walters said.

What was unknown at the time, but later revealed in videotape, was the fact that the horizontal stabilizer has begun to fail, kinking in the center as the boat sped down the back straightaway. Instead of keeping the boat's read end riding at the right angle, it allowed the stern to suddenly drop.

"The back end did indeed drop, which let the front end get a little higher." Walters said. "It just continued to rotate and took off like an airplane."

"You know I was awake, conscious, alert and knowing what was going on and knew the thing had gone over backwards," Walters recalls. "Then I saw the water and the bridge come back around and realized, shoot, I'm a long ways in the air."

The boat, which measured just under 30 feet, did nearly three revolutions so it reached an estimated 75 feed in the air. "The last thing I remember (before impact) was that the boat was upside down. It seemed like it was going to take forever for the thing to actually hit the water."

He started to think "Geez, maybe this is the end."

Walters rode with the boat until the tip of the right sponson hit the water and threw him clear. "I couldn't have gotten out if I wanted to," Walters said. "Because of the direction of rotation there's a positive G-force that wants to crush you into the seat.

"Boom, and it hit and the next thing I remember was feeling like I was frozen," Walters said. Coming from the cockpit at 130 degrees to the cold Columbia at 70 degrees would tend to do that.

After hitting the water, Walters called on his experience as a limited hydro driver and began to "check around and make sure I had all the parts and everything was still functional and moving."

The tally of Walters' body damage came to a broken hip, broken ribs and a shoulder separation, and "a severely bruised ego."

"Frankly, because of my accident, because of Steve Reynolds' accident and Jimmy Kropfeld's accident, the boats are as good as they are today," Walters said. Radical changes to hydroplane design, like the mandatory enclosed cockpit, have saved perhaps a half dozen or more lives in the last few years.

"The way boats are designed today I would have come back a little wet, frustrated and fine other than that," Walters said.

'I remember seeing the water twice and sky once'

By Bob Evancho
Reprinted from Tri-City Herald, July 28, 1980

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's Pay 'N Pak!

These photos show the Pay 'n Pak as it was making its spectacular 2 ½ revolution spill while warming up for Sunday's Columbia Cup. No spectators were injured and driver John Walters (see story below) survived to tell what it was like.

It lasted just a few short seconds. But the memory will undoubtedly linger for a ling time in John Walters mind.

The 27-year-old rookie driver was to make his competitive debut as an unlimited hydroplane pilot in the turbine-powered Pay ' N Pak at the Columbia Cup hydro races Sunday.

But his first race didn't come about when the Pak was wrecked in a spectacular end-over-end crash during a high-speed test run around 10:40 a.m.

Walters, a native of Renton, suffered a fractured left hip socket and a sprain of the left knee, elbow and shoulder.

He was very fortunate.

"I have lots of bruises; I'm stiff and sore everywhere," Walters said from his hospital bed in Kennewick. "I've got a lot of pain in my lower back and legs."

Although doctors at first thought he may require surgery to repair his broken hip. Walters said they decided against it as of Sunday evening.

Walters recalls the crash, witnessed by thousands along the banks of the Columbia, clearly. His account:

"I was running what would have been my last lap at around 160 mph," he said. "I felt the nose come up a little and I let up on the throttle just to slow the boat down. All the corrections I made just didn't seem to get the job done. It just sort of hung there for the longest time.

"I remember being upside down and see the water twice and the sky once. I as kind of picked out of the boat when it actually hit the water. I was very much aware of what was going on, " Walters went on.

"As the boat was flying I tried to bury myself in the cockpit as much as possible and I remember there was a lot of pressure actually holding me in the seat.

"It hit the water upside down and backwards and the end 2 1/2 times, It came down hard on one sponson and that's when I fell out.

"The next thing I remember," he continued, "was being in the water with pieces of the boat all around me."

Walters said he never lost consciousness after the crash. "I just moved my hands and legs to make sure I was still in one piece," he said. "I knew I hurt my back, but I didn't know how bad."

Walters, with his wife Arlene by my side, said the rescue boats rushed to his aid quickly. "It seemed like the first boat got there about 50 seconds after the crash," he stated. "I was really impressed by how fast they got out there...and really thankful."

Was Walters going faster than he had planned when the boat flipped?

"No," he replied. "I had going 145 yesterday and the main problem was with the wind screen. The wind was twisting my head around and I had trouble breathing. After we adjusted the wind screen it went pretty smoothly. I felt very comfortable with the speed I was going at the time.

Were there any other reasons for the mishap?

"I don't know for sure," he said. "More than anything it's just that we didn't have a whole lot of time in the boat and we didn't have time to learn the boat's warning signals.

"Most boats, after you've worked on them for a while, can pretty much tell you what you can do and what you can't do. Maybe if I had been with it longer I would have picked something up before the accident happened that would have warned me."

Was the new project being pushed too hard?

"Possibly," he said. "That's a really hard question to answer. I felt comfortable going that fast. It really didn't give me any warning that it was going to happen.

"I wanted to run as hard as we could and do it safely. I don't think I was driving over my head. It's all a part of boat racing."

Does he still want to race?

Yea," was his answer. "On the initial impact I had thoughts of 'Wow, what am I doing this to myself for,' but when Jim and Dave (crew chief Jim Lucero and owner Dave Heerensperger) came up to see me and started talking about what changes we'd make on the boat. I found myself getting more and more involved. I'm really anxious to get back into it."

But it will take a while for Walters's battered body to heal and the damage to the boat will require extensive work.

And Walters will have plenty of time to ponder his future.