Will Pak's cornering be enough?

Weisfield's sets course record

Special to The Courier-Journal

DAYTON, Ohio — Can Weisfield's handle the tight comers on the Eastwood Park Lake course? And can it handle the Pay 'n Pak?

Those are the two biggest questions to be answered today when the city stages its second annual Hydroglobe Regatta for unlimited hydroplanes.

The Weisfield's hydro, driven by Billy Schumacher, leads the national championship standings after five races with 4,763 points to second-place Lincoln Thrift's 4,201.

But it was the Pay 'n Pak, with George Henley at the controls, that prevailed at last Saturday's Madison Regatta — and many think the snug Eastwood Park Lake course suits the Pak much better than Weisfield's.

The Pak, on the other hand, corners tighter than any other boat in the fleet, so it has to be ranked as the favorite on the two-mile Eastwood Park Lake course. (All other courses on the circuit measure 2 1/2 miles and thus have wider turns.)

Too, the Dayton layout proved to the Pak's liking last year when Henley piloted the hydro to a perfect winning score of 1,200 points.

However, Weisfield's set a new course record 109.091 miles per hour in yesterday's qualifying, bettering the Pak's 107.463 of last year. Pay 'n Pak qualified at 107.784 as did Lincoln Thrift. Other qualifiers:

Miss U.S 104.348; Miss Budweiser 104.348; Miss Madison 98.765; Atlas Van Lines 97.495; Miss Vernor's 95.491; Miss Boot Head 93.385; U-95 90.000.

Bowing Out a Winner

By Bill Knight, Boating Editor, The Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Reprinted from Pipe Yard Gazette, January/February 1976

In 1964, Dave Heerensperger got out of unlimited hydroplane racing, vowing he’d be back.

The other day, the owner of the Pay ‘n Pak camp winner of the last three national championships, sold his boats and equipment and retired again, suggesting the challenges of the sport - at least for him - was gone.

Timing was critical on both occasions.

When he departed the first time, Heerensperger lacked the resources to campaign a competitive boat. “I couldn’t play their game,” he explained later.

More recently, it was a matter of bowing out while he was still at the pinnacle in a sport the Pak racing team has dominated to the point of his losing enthusiasm fo fit.

“I’ve had a lot of fun but the challenge is not there anymore,” he said candidly. “Besides, where to we go from here? What more can we do? We’ve won three straight national championships. After we got our act together last season we took everyone on head on and trounced ‘em.”

A couple of other factors played a part in the decision, which caught most of the boat racing world by surprise.

— Added responsibilities, demanding more of his time, in the management of his growing empire of building supplies, auto and sporting goods stores.

— Growing concern over the possibility of a backlash against the Pak camp because it has won so much in recent years. It’s the same undercurrent which prompts many to cheer against a big winner, regardless of the endeavor. Maybe it’s because more people identify psychologically with undergoes than champions. Heerensperger has been wary of this since the Pak hit the top and, in face, has often voiced concern over the lack of opposition.

— Billy Muncey’s offer - with the support of five-year financial backing by Atlas Van Lines - to buy all of Heerensperger’s boats, engines, props, gearboxes and the like.

Sport in Decline?

What Heerensperger didn’t say - he’s not the type to take a blast at the sport which has treated him well - is something that which could be even more critical in his decision. With the emergence of major league sports in the Seattle area, boat racing could decline to the point where the exposure it will get via press and TV won’t justify the rising cost of putting an unlimited on the circuit.

Highly regarded in the sport, Heerensperger’s departure is hardly a good omen. An innovative type, he will best be remembered for leading the sport into a new era of low profile, picklefork hulls which were faster and safer. The Pak hydro which finished its third season last year is the winningest hull in the sport’s history - 16 wins in 30 races.

He pioneered the use of honeycomb aluminum in hydros and the “wing” tail section and the rest of the fleet followed his example. Not all of this experiments worked. The “outrigger” was a dismal failure. His twin-automotive engine cab over was a flop at first. But Heerensperger didn’t flinch at trying new ideas and his innovations paid off.

Jim Lucero, the Pak crew chief Heerensperger credits with much of the team’s success, converted the twin-Chrysler hydro into Rolls power and rebuild the bottom and it became the hottest boat on the circuit.

Winningest Hydro

But the next Pak, new in ‘73, was even better and Heerensperger rates the boat - his 6th hull in 10 seasons - as his greatest contribution to the sport. The hull smashed records all across the country and won more races than any single boat, more than any of the legendary Slo-Mo’s, Thriftways, Gales, Tempo’s, or Bardahls. Before the next season, build Ron Jones was flooded with orders to duplicate the ‘73 Pak.

It brought  Heerensperger his first national championship and his first Gold Cup.

Yet Heerensperger’s most emotional achievement goes back to 1968 when he was still campaigning the Eagle Electric out of Spokane.

“We went to Guntersville, Ala., in the first race of this season with Colonel Gardner driving and we won the Dixie Cup” he recalls. “When we came back to Spokane there was a crowd of 500 to 1,000 people at the airport to greet us and the Shadle Park High School band was playing. I’ll never forget that one.”

Heerensperger will devote more time to the business now and he’s in the process of building a new home. He plans to attend the hydro races in Tri-Cities and Seattle as a spectator. “I won’t be upset and nervous and as ugly to live with,” he chucked.

He said the Pak will continue to sponsor a softball team with is “a pitcher and one or two players away from a national championship.”

But Dave Heerensperger is bowing out of boat racing as a winner and the sport is the loser.

Pak Wins 3rd Straight National Championship In Exciting Season

Reprinted from Pipe Yard Gazette, September/October 1975

It was a hectic season and as you’ll see by our point’s chart elsewhere in this issue. Pay ‘n Pak won by a mere 649 points when last year we won by a more comfortable 1,764 points.

George Henley, who came out of retirement after two races this year were lost, had to go down to the last race to win it all. However, George should be awarded the come-back of all times and broke a record by winning 12 races in less than 2 years and making it a record 16 races for one hull.

Pay ‘n Pak won the third straight title only by winning the last race, ironically the Weisfield’s Trophy Race, on Mission Bay in San Diego on Sunday, September 21, 1975.

May we quote from the San Diego Los Angeles and Seattle papers: From the Seattle Times, the lead line - “Billy Schumacher ran out of ‘Laughing Gas’ yesterday and George Henley and the Pay ‘n Pak crew ‘giggled’ all the way home.” The reference to laughing gas is the nitrous oxide that Schumacher had to use up all year just to run with the Pak.

Henley scored come-from-behind victories in all three heats on Mission Bay to win the Weisfield’s Cup Trophy and the National Championship.

Weisfield’s U-74 came into the race 249 points ahead. There were only two ways Pay ‘n Pak could win. (1) To draw Weisfield’s in every heat and finish first so the best Weisfield’s could do would be second. Then the Pak would pick up 1,200 points and Weisfield’s not more than 900. If that happened the Pak could have one with 51 points. (2) Weisfield’s would have go break in at least one heat while the Pak won at least 2 heats.

A little of both happened. George drew Weisfield’s for heat 1B and hung on Shumacher’s hip for the entire heat then passed the lead boat in the very final turn of the heat to take Weisfield’s in Heat 1B. “The nitrous tank just flat went dry”, Schumacher said about the lead change when the Pak shot forward as Weisfield’s ran out of power. The heat set a course record average speed of 116.099 miles per hour.

George Henley then did the same thing to Lincoln Thrift in Heat 2B and Miss Budweiser in the final heat.

Schumacher dropped out of Heat 2A, losing his spot in the final and losing the National Championship possibility when his boat lost its oil pressure. As he shut the engine down, it blew a rod.

The Pak now joins legendary Bardahl and Budweiser as the hydro racing world’s only three-time national Champion. Can we make it four-in-a-row?

Unlimited Hydroplane - National Points Standings - End of Season

Position	Boat	1975	Last Year
1st	Pay ‘n Pak	8,864	1st - 11,527
2nd	Weisfield’s	8,213	7th - 3,087
3rd	Lincoln Thrift	8,103	Not in Top 10
4th	Miss Budweiser	6,677	2nd - 9,763
5th	Madison/Hamms	5,203	4th - 3,865
6th	Miss U.S.	4,795	9th - 1,694
7th	Atlas Van Lines	4,017	3rd - 6,030
8th	Miss Vernon’s	3,384	Not in 1974
9th	Vans P-X	972	Not in 1974
10th	Miss Valvoline	844	Not in 1974

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.

Where are they now?

By Gary Laws
Reprinted from Facebook.

(1980) U-25 Pay 'n Pak

This is the first unlimited hydroplane to win a race powered by a turbine engine, but most fans already know that. A very popular and noteworthy hull in hydroplane history......it has not been seen in public since 1988.

The Pay 'n Pak in 1981.

The hull last raced in 1988 as the U-66 Sutphen Spirit, driven by Mike Hanson. Its career ended upon a nasty crash landing upside down and destroyed the cockpit, cowlings, and stabilizers. Although the damage wasn't considered career ending, it was never repaired and has been in "retirement" in Dave Bartush's warehouse (in Detroit) ever since.

The U-66 Sutphen Spirit

Of all the hulls currently waiting to be restored, this and the U-95 have to be near the top of that list for countless reasons. Perhaps one day it will happen, time will tell.

The 1980 Pay 'n Pak hull in it's current form.

On a side note, I tried to buy the trailer for The Squire Shop project prior to getting the one from Ed Cooper, but any sale would have included the boat as well. But....it was for the best, as they shouldn't be separated anyway in my opinion.

1973 Pay 'N Pak

By Ken Muscatel, Pacific Northwest Chapter, ACBS

It remains one of the most popular unlimited hydroplanes ever built. To this day, the deck-to-deck duels between “The Pak” and “The Bud” remain legendary. Dave Heerensberger’s Pay ’n Pak was as revolutionary in its design and construction techniques as it was popular for the futuristic wing on the back and big orange letters painted across the deck. Designer Ron Jones insisted the boat utilize a horizontal wing at the transom to assist in the craft’s high-speed stability.

1973 Pay 'n Pak

The cockpit was situated higher than those of contemporary unlimiteds, offering the driver exceptional visibility. The Pay ’n Pak also set itself apart as the first unlimited to be constructed using honeycomb aluminum—a strong, lightweight material developed for use in the aircraft industry. The result was a hull lighter, stronger and faster. At times, it seemed virtually untouchable.

1973 UIM World Championship

Between 1973 and 1976 the hull won four consecutive National Championships under the Pay 'n Pak and Atlas Van Lines names. Drivers Mickey Remund, ‘Smilin’ George Henley, and Bill Muncey found the winners circle 21 times, dominating during one of the most competitive eras in hydroplane racing. Facing worthy opponents like Miss Budweiser, Weisfield's, Miss. U.S., and Lincoln Thrift the boat usually lost only when suffering some kind of mechanical issue. So good was the boat ride that upon his first time in the hull, Bill Muncey chided previous driver George Henley for not winning more races with it. Ron Snyder achieved its 22nd and final victory for the Miss Madison team in 1983 as the Miss Rich Plan.

2017 Tri-Cities, WA

After retiring from competition halfway through the 1988 season, the hull was stored indoors until acquired by Ken Muscatel in 2012. The Hydroplane & Raceboat Museum undertook a thorough, three year restoration back to its Pay ’n Pak configuration, making its public debut in 2017.