July 27, 1980: John Walters flips out/Muncey gets final TC win in Atlas.
Reprinted from the Tri-City Herald
Barely anyone remembers who won the 1980 Columbia Cup.
That’s because of what happened to John Walters in the Pay ‘N Pak on a test run early Sunday morning before racing even began.
Walters had a packed house watching. And that’s maybe why everyone remembers Walters flipping the boat in one of the most spectacular blowovers ever.
On the test run, Walters had the shiny new turbine boat up to 170 mph along the frontstretch next to Columbia Park.
Suddenly, the front of the boat lifted up, doing 2 1/2 somersaults before landing right-side up, shattering the boat across the river.
“I remember thinking, ‘I can save this,’ ” Walters told the Herald back in 2004. “But then the boat kept climbing and climbing. It was like someone kicked out a jack from underneath me. Then I saw the blue bridge disappear, then I saw the horizon and then the boat’s shadow on the river. Just like my famous quote — sky water, sky water. It seemed like it took forever.
“I don’t remember hitting the water or coming out of the boat,” Walters continued. “But I do remember the water was cold, and I knew that I was supposed to raise my hands above my head if I was OK. When I did that, I remember a huge roar from the fans. I was hurting, but that made me feel great.”
Walters suffered a fractured left hip socket and a sprain of the left knee, elbow and shoulder.
Pak owner Dave Heerensperger, whose team had returned after a four-year hiatus, said the team was done for the year. But it would be back the following season, he said.
As for the actual race, Dean Chenoweth had won 20 straight heats in the Miss Budweiser in the team’s second Griffon Rolls engine boat, dominating the circuit by winning the first five races of the season and holding an insurmountable lead of 7,200 points in the national high-points standings, to the 3,875 of No. 2 in the standings, Bill Muncey and his Atlas Van Lines.
Between Chenoweth and Muncey, the two drivers broke the world speed record on the water over the three qualifying days (yes, back then, they qualified Thursday through Saturday). Chenoweth’s speed of 138.248 mph on Friday held up.
The race also introduced the first woman crew chief, Carol Lee, for the U-15 Miss Burien Hobby Center. It was also the first time race officials were up in a helicopter to keep an eye on the action.
On race day, Muncey had perhaps his best performance on the Columbia River — and scariest. At one point in the final, his boat became airborne. But he was able to get it back onto the water.
He held off Chenoweth, who suffered mechanical problems and a minor leak in the oil system, to win the final heat and snap Bud’s 20-heat win streak.
But in that final heat, Muncey’s average speed of 128.571 mph was a world record.
“I remember (Muncey) was really flying high,” said historian Fred Farley. “He even admitted afterward ‘I took too many chances out there.’”
It was Muncey’s final victory on the river.
In 1981, he died in a racing accident in Acapulco, Mexico.
Saturday, July 11, 2015
Heerensperger’s Eagle Electric earns third Atomic Cup win
July 21, 1968: Eagle Electric/Dave Heerensperger win.
Reprinted from the Tri-City Herald
Dave Heerensperger brought unlimited hydroplane fans the Pay ‘N Pak during its glory years of the 1970s.
But before Pay ‘N Pak, there was Eagle Electric. And during the third running of the Atomic Cup, Heerensperger’s driver, Col. Warner Gardner, drove the Miss Eagle Electric to victory, knocking off Miss Bardahl.
Eagle Electric owner Heerensperger — who someday would lead the wave of turbine expansion — picked up his first victory on the Columbia River.
There were some interesting notes that week.
Water Follies officials warned people to stay out of Columbia Park between 1 a.m. and 7 a.m. on race day Sunday. Any unauthorized cars would be towed at the owner’s expense. And for God’s sake, don’t throwing anything into the water when the boats are racing.
The Atlas Van Lines was the first boat out on the water ... on Tuesday. Back then, the boats could hit the water early in the week, and qualifying ran Thursday through Saturday.
Gardner was out on the course at midweek when he noticed two dead cows were floating down the river. Another one was found the next day.
Race officials named the consolation race — the second-fastest five — the Mira Slovak Trophy race for Sunday in honor of the driver of Harrah’s Club, who missed the race because he was recovering at home from a plane crash. ... It was the third one he had been involved in to that point.
And Bill Muncey, who was driving the Miss U.S., didn’t make the race because he hit a houseboat on the Ohio River during the Indiana Governor’s Cup in Madison, Ind.
Gardner had driven the Eagle Electric, based out of Spokane, to a win in the Dixie Cup in Guntersville, Ala., earlier in the season.
And on this day in the Tri-Cities, he outran the 12-boat field and swept all of his races toward the victory, marking the third straight time in the three years of the race that the winner had done so.
Gardner overtook Miss Budweiser driver Bill Sterett at the end of the first lap and was never threatened again. Race favorite Billy Schumacher in the Miss Bardahl, the defending Atomic Cup champion, broke down in the final and was never a factor.
“I was with them at the start,” Schumacher said. “but Warner and Bill had too much speed for me. I froze a cylinder in a new engine and just couldn’t run with them.”
Race officials estimated 60,000 people watched the race. The formula? They counted 13,569 cars going through the admission gates and estimated an average of 4 people in each vehicle.
Reprinted from the Tri-City Herald
Dave Heerensperger brought unlimited hydroplane fans the Pay ‘N Pak during its glory years of the 1970s.
But before Pay ‘N Pak, there was Eagle Electric. And during the third running of the Atomic Cup, Heerensperger’s driver, Col. Warner Gardner, drove the Miss Eagle Electric to victory, knocking off Miss Bardahl.
Eagle Electric owner Heerensperger — who someday would lead the wave of turbine expansion — picked up his first victory on the Columbia River.
There were some interesting notes that week.
Water Follies officials warned people to stay out of Columbia Park between 1 a.m. and 7 a.m. on race day Sunday. Any unauthorized cars would be towed at the owner’s expense. And for God’s sake, don’t throwing anything into the water when the boats are racing.
The Atlas Van Lines was the first boat out on the water ... on Tuesday. Back then, the boats could hit the water early in the week, and qualifying ran Thursday through Saturday.
Gardner was out on the course at midweek when he noticed two dead cows were floating down the river. Another one was found the next day.
Race officials named the consolation race — the second-fastest five — the Mira Slovak Trophy race for Sunday in honor of the driver of Harrah’s Club, who missed the race because he was recovering at home from a plane crash. ... It was the third one he had been involved in to that point.
And Bill Muncey, who was driving the Miss U.S., didn’t make the race because he hit a houseboat on the Ohio River during the Indiana Governor’s Cup in Madison, Ind.
Gardner had driven the Eagle Electric, based out of Spokane, to a win in the Dixie Cup in Guntersville, Ala., earlier in the season.
And on this day in the Tri-Cities, he outran the 12-boat field and swept all of his races toward the victory, marking the third straight time in the three years of the race that the winner had done so.
Gardner overtook Miss Budweiser driver Bill Sterett at the end of the first lap and was never threatened again. Race favorite Billy Schumacher in the Miss Bardahl, the defending Atomic Cup champion, broke down in the final and was never a factor.
“I was with them at the start,” Schumacher said. “but Warner and Bill had too much speed for me. I froze a cylinder in a new engine and just couldn’t run with them.”
Race officials estimated 60,000 people watched the race. The formula? They counted 13,569 cars going through the admission gates and estimated an average of 4 people in each vehicle.
Henley, Pak coast to 1975 Gold Cup win
Reprinted from the Tri-City Herald, July 27, 1975
George Henley came out of retirement three races into the season to drive the Pay ‘N Pak again.
He caught a great deal from Pak owner Dave Heerensperger, which including a portion of the winning purse.
It was working so far, as Henley had won the last two races leading into the Tri-Cities.
Meanwhile, besides Henley and the Pak — which was the defending Gold Cup champ — the other favorite had to be Weisfield’s and driver Billy Schumacher.
They had also won two races headed into the Tri-Cities.
This was the Tri-Cities’ second Gold Cup race.
It was determined by the race committee that the minimum qualifying speed would by 95 mph.
Schumacher was the fastest qualifier at 122.630 mph.
He also came in as the national high-points leader, with a 1,062-point lead over second-place Lincoln Thrift.
Henley and Pay ‘N Pak were third at 4,439.
It was an interesting race day.
The Budweiser almost sank to the bottom of the river.
Henley himself lost his racing suits when someone stole them.
Someone found one of them under a truck the next day.
In the final, Tom D’Eath in the Miss U.S. won.
However, the Gold Cup winner that year was determined by the team with the most points over the whole weekend.
That belonged to Henley with 1,425 points.
In fact, he had the Gold Cup so well in hand that he coasted to a third-place finish in the final, knowing the Gold Cup was his.
By the time the weekend was over, Pay ’N Pak was in the national high-points lead.
While Schumacher ended up being the national champion driver, thanks to Henley missing those first three races, Pay ’N Pak was the national champion boat.
George Henley came out of retirement three races into the season to drive the Pay ‘N Pak again.
He caught a great deal from Pak owner Dave Heerensperger, which including a portion of the winning purse.
It was working so far, as Henley had won the last two races leading into the Tri-Cities.
Meanwhile, besides Henley and the Pak — which was the defending Gold Cup champ — the other favorite had to be Weisfield’s and driver Billy Schumacher.
They had also won two races headed into the Tri-Cities.
This was the Tri-Cities’ second Gold Cup race.
It was determined by the race committee that the minimum qualifying speed would by 95 mph.
Schumacher was the fastest qualifier at 122.630 mph.
He also came in as the national high-points leader, with a 1,062-point lead over second-place Lincoln Thrift.
Henley and Pay ‘N Pak were third at 4,439.
It was an interesting race day.
The Budweiser almost sank to the bottom of the river.
Henley himself lost his racing suits when someone stole them.
Someone found one of them under a truck the next day.
In the final, Tom D’Eath in the Miss U.S. won.
However, the Gold Cup winner that year was determined by the team with the most points over the whole weekend.
That belonged to Henley with 1,425 points.
In fact, he had the Gold Cup so well in hand that he coasted to a third-place finish in the final, knowing the Gold Cup was his.
By the time the weekend was over, Pay ’N Pak was in the national high-points lead.
While Schumacher ended up being the national champion driver, thanks to Henley missing those first three races, Pay ’N Pak was the national champion boat.
Tuesday, April 28, 2015
It’s OK with George
By Hec Hancock
Reprinted from the Tri-City Herald, February 6, 1976.
Some things are very predictable.
You know, stuff like the sun coming up every morning, higher taxes, prices increasing and George Henley, the smiling unlimited hydroplane driver from Eatonville, nodding a cheery assent to a question and saying, “That’s great.”
It shouldn’t, therefore, come as any great surprise that Henley was in hearty agreement with Dave Heerensperger’s decision to sell the three-time national champion unlimited hydroplane Pay ‘N Pak to Bill Muncey.
“It’s sure alright with me,” Henley told Heerensperger when informed of the sale to Muncey, “I think it’s a great time to step out.”
His only reservation, he said later when he learned of the large amount of money involved - reportedly in high six figures - was that he hadn’t held out for a portion of it.
“I probably could have if I had thought about it. I was under contract to drive this year,” he explained.
Even so, Henley sounded relieved.
The thought of starting preparations in about another month for the upcoming season, he admitted, had been causing him a few butterflies in his stomach.
For one thing, Heerensperger was having a new boat built. “It’s going to be a real beauty. They’re using honeycombed aluminum and it’s going to be very light,” he added.
However, he didn’t relish the prospect of breaking in a new boat saying, “I don’t like being a test pilot.”
Behind the placid outward demeanor Henley revealed there were inward tensions.
“You’re going too fast,” he says of the speeds attained by the thunderboats, “and I’m concerned about thing breaking. Like our stabilizer last here here in the Gold Cup race.”
Henley explained that you haven’t much time to think of such matters during a race but said he dwelt on them considerably afterwards.
After coming out of retirement following the first three races of last season he had an even more enjoyable year than in 1974 when he drove the Pak to its second national title and on the driver’s championship in the process.
“I thought I had experienced everything but that wasn’t the case,” he said.
For one thing he silenced critics who wrote off his success in 1974 to luck.
And he enjoyed the head-to-head duels he had with Billy Schumacher in the Weisfield’s.
“We really went at it for three heats at Madison. We were doing things we shouldn’t have been. I’d look out and Bill would be there, just a few feet away. I just kept wishing that he’d let up,” he said.
It never entered his mind that he could have broken off himself.
That was the turning point in the Pak’s uphill climb to win its third championship.
The Pak jumped from third place in the national point standings to first place following the Gold Cup race in the Tri-Cities.
Henley lost the lead when he beached the Pak on an island in the small lake used for a course at Phoenix and had to win the final race of the year at San Diego to earn the championship.
Now with Muncey, with the backing of Atlas Van Lines, having purchased the Pay ‘N Pak boats, engines, and machine shop, Henley appears to have retired for keeps.
There have been published reports that Muncey would like Henley to drive the old Pak, the one that has won three championships.
Henley says he hasn’t heard from Muncey but makes it clear he’s not interested in driving would would be the No. 2 boat.
“Besides,” he adds, “Muncey will probably sell it. Tom Kaufman who has Mr. Fabricator is looking for a boat and would probably jump at the chance to by the Pak.”
But if he isn’t going to be racing he’s still enthusiastic about the change in the racing format adopted by the American Power Boat Association.
Since he suggested it, he should be.
Under the new plan there will be no changes to the heat system, but the winner of the final heat takes home all the marbles.
It will eliminate situations such as occurred at the Gold Cup where Henley and the Pak, needed only a second place finish to clinch the victory, took it easy to be sure of finishing.
“I told people when they complained that I would have preferred going all out in the final heat but under the rules couldn’t afford to. Besides I had a bonus riding on the Gold Cup,” he said.
The advantage of the new plan over the unlamented fan plan, according to Henley, is the fact it brings together the three fastest boats.
“Under the fan plan some of your fastest boats can be eliminated. It’s possible that the biggest point winner might not be the actual winner but that is just more incentive for going all out all the way through,” he explained.
But if Henley isn’t racing, it doesn’t mean he won’t be around boats or on the water.
As a representative of Jetcraft Inc., a distributor of jet propelled boats, he’s been in the Tri-Cities all week for the boat show at Columbia Center.
“This is where my future is,” he said with his familiar grin. “I’m on the water a great deal of the time and I really enjoy what I’m doing. If Dave wanted to sell, that’s sure alright with me.”
At least he doesn’t have to dwell upon what could happen if the wrong thing breaks when you’re roaring along at 170 miles per hour.
Reprinted from the Tri-City Herald, February 6, 1976.
Some things are very predictable.
You know, stuff like the sun coming up every morning, higher taxes, prices increasing and George Henley, the smiling unlimited hydroplane driver from Eatonville, nodding a cheery assent to a question and saying, “That’s great.”
It shouldn’t, therefore, come as any great surprise that Henley was in hearty agreement with Dave Heerensperger’s decision to sell the three-time national champion unlimited hydroplane Pay ‘N Pak to Bill Muncey.
“It’s sure alright with me,” Henley told Heerensperger when informed of the sale to Muncey, “I think it’s a great time to step out.”
His only reservation, he said later when he learned of the large amount of money involved - reportedly in high six figures - was that he hadn’t held out for a portion of it.
“I probably could have if I had thought about it. I was under contract to drive this year,” he explained.
Even so, Henley sounded relieved.
The thought of starting preparations in about another month for the upcoming season, he admitted, had been causing him a few butterflies in his stomach.
For one thing, Heerensperger was having a new boat built. “It’s going to be a real beauty. They’re using honeycombed aluminum and it’s going to be very light,” he added.
However, he didn’t relish the prospect of breaking in a new boat saying, “I don’t like being a test pilot.”
Behind the placid outward demeanor Henley revealed there were inward tensions.
“You’re going too fast,” he says of the speeds attained by the thunderboats, “and I’m concerned about thing breaking. Like our stabilizer last here here in the Gold Cup race.”
Henley explained that you haven’t much time to think of such matters during a race but said he dwelt on them considerably afterwards.
After coming out of retirement following the first three races of last season he had an even more enjoyable year than in 1974 when he drove the Pak to its second national title and on the driver’s championship in the process.
“I thought I had experienced everything but that wasn’t the case,” he said.
For one thing he silenced critics who wrote off his success in 1974 to luck.
And he enjoyed the head-to-head duels he had with Billy Schumacher in the Weisfield’s.
“We really went at it for three heats at Madison. We were doing things we shouldn’t have been. I’d look out and Bill would be there, just a few feet away. I just kept wishing that he’d let up,” he said.
It never entered his mind that he could have broken off himself.
That was the turning point in the Pak’s uphill climb to win its third championship.
The Pak jumped from third place in the national point standings to first place following the Gold Cup race in the Tri-Cities.
Henley lost the lead when he beached the Pak on an island in the small lake used for a course at Phoenix and had to win the final race of the year at San Diego to earn the championship.
Now with Muncey, with the backing of Atlas Van Lines, having purchased the Pay ‘N Pak boats, engines, and machine shop, Henley appears to have retired for keeps.
There have been published reports that Muncey would like Henley to drive the old Pak, the one that has won three championships.
Henley says he hasn’t heard from Muncey but makes it clear he’s not interested in driving would would be the No. 2 boat.
“Besides,” he adds, “Muncey will probably sell it. Tom Kaufman who has Mr. Fabricator is looking for a boat and would probably jump at the chance to by the Pak.”
But if he isn’t going to be racing he’s still enthusiastic about the change in the racing format adopted by the American Power Boat Association.
Since he suggested it, he should be.
Under the new plan there will be no changes to the heat system, but the winner of the final heat takes home all the marbles.
It will eliminate situations such as occurred at the Gold Cup where Henley and the Pak, needed only a second place finish to clinch the victory, took it easy to be sure of finishing.
“I told people when they complained that I would have preferred going all out in the final heat but under the rules couldn’t afford to. Besides I had a bonus riding on the Gold Cup,” he said.
The advantage of the new plan over the unlamented fan plan, according to Henley, is the fact it brings together the three fastest boats.
“Under the fan plan some of your fastest boats can be eliminated. It’s possible that the biggest point winner might not be the actual winner but that is just more incentive for going all out all the way through,” he explained.
But if Henley isn’t racing, it doesn’t mean he won’t be around boats or on the water.
As a representative of Jetcraft Inc., a distributor of jet propelled boats, he’s been in the Tri-Cities all week for the boat show at Columbia Center.
“This is where my future is,” he said with his familiar grin. “I’m on the water a great deal of the time and I really enjoy what I’m doing. If Dave wanted to sell, that’s sure alright with me.”
At least he doesn’t have to dwell upon what could happen if the wrong thing breaks when you’re roaring along at 170 miles per hour.
Friday, January 23, 2015
Mickey's Water Wing
A couple of great Champion Spark Plug magazine advertisements that feature Mickey Remund and the the "Winged Wonder" Pay 'N Pak.
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
Pay 'n Pak Sweeps to World Championship Victory
Reprinted from Pay 'N Pak Racing News, August 1974
Over 80,000 hydro maniacs were treated to the greatest thunderboat racing in history on the sun-streaked, breeze-dappled course on the Columbia River at Tri-Cities, Washington, on Sunday, July 21, 1974.
After three days of total frustration the big boats ran like a script on Sunday with the Pay 'N Pak (mentioned as a 3rd place boat by Charles Lyford of the U-95 camp) winning it wire to wire as though anyone could catch the George Henley piloted rocket the way she was running.
Seven boats were in the flying start (reminiscent of the old six boat starts) when Bill Muncey, the alternate, joined the start as Valu-Mart had gone dead in the water. Little did Bill know that rookie Ron Armstrong had restarted the Valu-Mart before the one minute gun.
In the screaming first turn there were at least four boats and it was hairy. Pak, U-95 on her hip, Valu-Mart, Budweiser, and Atlas in there somewhere. In a 320 ton spray of roostertail something happened, the Pak came out leading by two boat lengths, the U-95 seemed to settle in the water and then the Valu-Mart, Bud and Atlas screamed after the Pak.
The action in that turn evoked a protest from Pamela Clapp, owner of the U-95, but race officials contended nothing illegal happened. However, from there on the second fastest qualifier (118 to the Pak's 119+) and the boat that set the fastest head time of the day (113.469 mph) was never really in it.
U-95 finally restarted and apparently running on one turbine managed a bad fourth. (The same place the U-95 crew had predicted for the Pak.)
The U-95 and the Pak went into the final championship flight in a dead heat with 700 points apiece. The Pay 'N Pak widened her National Points lead over (still second) Budweiser from 6 points to 837 points and the U-95 moved up within 813 points below the Bud.
The seven boat start was (as one reporter put it) fouled up. About six minutes before the final starting gun, flames spewed from the engine of the Valu-Mart and she headed into the infield - obviously out of the action. This spurred Bill Muncey in the Atlas Van Lines into life.
Apparently Ron Armstrong revived the Valu-Mart shortly before the one minute gun, but by now Bill was pass him and naturally couldn't see behind him. Bill must have been surprised when Ron zipped past him at the start. Muncey as fined $250.00 for not pulling off the course. What would you have done?
Over 80,000 hydro maniacs were treated to the greatest thunderboat racing in history on the sun-streaked, breeze-dappled course on the Columbia River at Tri-Cities, Washington, on Sunday, July 21, 1974.
After three days of total frustration the big boats ran like a script on Sunday with the Pay 'N Pak (mentioned as a 3rd place boat by Charles Lyford of the U-95 camp) winning it wire to wire as though anyone could catch the George Henley piloted rocket the way she was running.
Seven boats were in the flying start (reminiscent of the old six boat starts) when Bill Muncey, the alternate, joined the start as Valu-Mart had gone dead in the water. Little did Bill know that rookie Ron Armstrong had restarted the Valu-Mart before the one minute gun.
In the screaming first turn there were at least four boats and it was hairy. Pak, U-95 on her hip, Valu-Mart, Budweiser, and Atlas in there somewhere. In a 320 ton spray of roostertail something happened, the Pak came out leading by two boat lengths, the U-95 seemed to settle in the water and then the Valu-Mart, Bud and Atlas screamed after the Pak.
The action in that turn evoked a protest from Pamela Clapp, owner of the U-95, but race officials contended nothing illegal happened. However, from there on the second fastest qualifier (118 to the Pak's 119+) and the boat that set the fastest head time of the day (113.469 mph) was never really in it.
U-95 finally restarted and apparently running on one turbine managed a bad fourth. (The same place the U-95 crew had predicted for the Pak.)
The U-95 and the Pak went into the final championship flight in a dead heat with 700 points apiece. The Pay 'N Pak widened her National Points lead over (still second) Budweiser from 6 points to 837 points and the U-95 moved up within 813 points below the Bud.
The seven boat start was (as one reporter put it) fouled up. About six minutes before the final starting gun, flames spewed from the engine of the Valu-Mart and she headed into the infield - obviously out of the action. This spurred Bill Muncey in the Atlas Van Lines into life.
Apparently Ron Armstrong revived the Valu-Mart shortly before the one minute gun, but by now Bill was pass him and naturally couldn't see behind him. Bill must have been surprised when Ron zipped past him at the start. Muncey as fined $250.00 for not pulling off the course. What would you have done?
Saturday, November 29, 2014
Turbines May Alter Hydroplane Racing
By Joanne A. Fishman
Reprinted from The New York Times, January 29, 1984
Unlimited hydroplane racing took a strong new tack last week with the announcement of plans for two turbine- powered craft for the 1984 national circuit. The use of turbine engines in the boats, both being built by major teams, is a departure from the traditional means of propulsion, the Rolls- Royce aircraft engines.
Some believe turbine engines, which had met with only marginal success in unlimited competition since first being used a couple of years ago, will now become the primary power source.
With these two new craft, one from Atlas Van Lines and the other from the Miller Brewing Company, which is making its debut as an unlimited sponsor, there are expected to be eight highly competitive teams on hand when the 10-race circuit opens June 10 in Miami. A race in Seneca, N.Y., is scheduled for June 17.
In recent years, the Atlas Van Lines and Miss Budweiser teams have dominated the sport, which usually has 12 to 15 teams. But this dominance is expected to be challenged with an influx of new, better designed and faster craft. Almost Airborne
The unlimiteds, 28 feet long, are the fastest boats afloat, capable of reaching speeds of more than 200 miles an hour. They become almost airborne, riding on the tips of two sponsons, and the propeller. Delicate and innovative, these craft combine principles of aerodynamics and hydrogen dynamics. And, having no neutral gear, they idle at about 40 or 50 m.p.h.
Three of the four new boats on this year's circuit, including the new Atlas Van Lines and Miller's Lite Beer, have been designed and built by Jim Lucero of Seattle. The fourth boat is the new Miss Budweiser being built by Ron Jones.
Lucero was the first to use turbines in Pay 'N Pak a couple of years ago. From that experience, he said, he learned that ''the engines never let us down. Whenever he had motor problems, it was through our own mistakes.''
The advantage of the turbine engine is that it provides greater horsepower for its weight than does a piston engine. And for unlimited racing, one doesn't need "a stable full of engines, hopefully," Lucero said. Normally each unlimited team has 10 engines that it constantly rebuilds, using them at the rate of one a race. But often they only last for one heat. Atlas Van Lines, on the other hand, will have four turbine engines on hand this year. More Efficient Motion
The turbine engine is the more efficient engine because it has a rotating type of motion, whereas the piston engine must first convert linear motion into rotating motion, Lucero explained. The turbine also has constant combustion, but in a typical four- stroke engine, such as that in a car or a more conventional boat, only one stroke produces power and the other three are users of power. With the turbine, all motion produces power.
The Miller Lite boat will be driven by Tom D'Eath and campaigned by the R. B. Taylor racing team. The craft has a General Electric T-64 turbine engine capable of producing more than 4,000 horsepower.
Atlas Van Lines, driven by Chip Hanauer, the defending national champion, is powered by an Avco- Lycoming turbine that generates more than 3,000 horsepower.
Last year, using the small block, 1,650-cubic-inch Rolls-Royce Merlin engines, Atlas Van Lines set the fastest lap recorded on a two mile oval - 133.7 m.p.h. At 5,000 pounds race- ready, the new boat weighs 10 percent less than last year's boat. Lucero estimates this should add 5 m.p.h. on the race course.
With the trend toward lighter and faster boats, builders are also trying to make them safer. Lucero, for instance, took a cue from the aerospace industry and incorporated an aerodynamic trim device on the new Atlas Van Lines to help prevent it from becoming airborne and flipping over. The device is similar to the spoilers on an airplane wing, which affect the plane's lift.
Reprinted from The New York Times, January 29, 1984
Unlimited hydroplane racing took a strong new tack last week with the announcement of plans for two turbine- powered craft for the 1984 national circuit. The use of turbine engines in the boats, both being built by major teams, is a departure from the traditional means of propulsion, the Rolls- Royce aircraft engines.
Some believe turbine engines, which had met with only marginal success in unlimited competition since first being used a couple of years ago, will now become the primary power source.
 |
| Lycoming T-55 L-7 turbine engine. |
With these two new craft, one from Atlas Van Lines and the other from the Miller Brewing Company, which is making its debut as an unlimited sponsor, there are expected to be eight highly competitive teams on hand when the 10-race circuit opens June 10 in Miami. A race in Seneca, N.Y., is scheduled for June 17.
In recent years, the Atlas Van Lines and Miss Budweiser teams have dominated the sport, which usually has 12 to 15 teams. But this dominance is expected to be challenged with an influx of new, better designed and faster craft. Almost Airborne
The unlimiteds, 28 feet long, are the fastest boats afloat, capable of reaching speeds of more than 200 miles an hour. They become almost airborne, riding on the tips of two sponsons, and the propeller. Delicate and innovative, these craft combine principles of aerodynamics and hydrogen dynamics. And, having no neutral gear, they idle at about 40 or 50 m.p.h.
Three of the four new boats on this year's circuit, including the new Atlas Van Lines and Miller's Lite Beer, have been designed and built by Jim Lucero of Seattle. The fourth boat is the new Miss Budweiser being built by Ron Jones.
Lucero was the first to use turbines in Pay 'N Pak a couple of years ago. From that experience, he said, he learned that ''the engines never let us down. Whenever he had motor problems, it was through our own mistakes.''
The advantage of the turbine engine is that it provides greater horsepower for its weight than does a piston engine. And for unlimited racing, one doesn't need "a stable full of engines, hopefully," Lucero said. Normally each unlimited team has 10 engines that it constantly rebuilds, using them at the rate of one a race. But often they only last for one heat. Atlas Van Lines, on the other hand, will have four turbine engines on hand this year. More Efficient Motion
The turbine engine is the more efficient engine because it has a rotating type of motion, whereas the piston engine must first convert linear motion into rotating motion, Lucero explained. The turbine also has constant combustion, but in a typical four- stroke engine, such as that in a car or a more conventional boat, only one stroke produces power and the other three are users of power. With the turbine, all motion produces power.
The Miller Lite boat will be driven by Tom D'Eath and campaigned by the R. B. Taylor racing team. The craft has a General Electric T-64 turbine engine capable of producing more than 4,000 horsepower.
Atlas Van Lines, driven by Chip Hanauer, the defending national champion, is powered by an Avco- Lycoming turbine that generates more than 3,000 horsepower.
Last year, using the small block, 1,650-cubic-inch Rolls-Royce Merlin engines, Atlas Van Lines set the fastest lap recorded on a two mile oval - 133.7 m.p.h. At 5,000 pounds race- ready, the new boat weighs 10 percent less than last year's boat. Lucero estimates this should add 5 m.p.h. on the race course.
With the trend toward lighter and faster boats, builders are also trying to make them safer. Lucero, for instance, took a cue from the aerospace industry and incorporated an aerodynamic trim device on the new Atlas Van Lines to help prevent it from becoming airborne and flipping over. The device is similar to the spoilers on an airplane wing, which affect the plane's lift.
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