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1952 Gold Cup Remembered

By Fred Farley - Unlimited Hydroplane Historian

The twin-Allison-powered step hydroplane MISS PEPSI was really on a roll in 1952. She won the majority of the races she entered--but not the Gold Cup.

After posting the first-ever Gold Cup heat of over 100 miles per hour (at 101.024) in Heat One, the PEPSI and driver Chuck Thompson blew a gearbox in Heat Two and had to withdraw.

Stan Dollar and SLO-MO-SHUN IV then went on to take the checkered flag for owner Stan Sayres and the Seattle Yacht Club.

Dollar, a recent addition to the Sayres team in place of Ted Jones, had piloted SKIP-A-LONG in the 1949 Gold Cup and HURRICANE IV in the 1951 Gold Cup.

The chances for a repeat Seattle triumph appeared remote in 1952 after Heat One. SLO-MO-SHUN IV lost a propeller at the end of lap four, while MISS PEPSI and defending champion SLO-MO-SHUN V were battling for the lead.

At the end of the lap five, the two rivals were virtually dead even. Never before had two boats averaged over 100 miles per hour for five laps. As SLO-MO V crossed the line at the start of lap six, her overheated engine block cracked from insufficient cooling water, leaving MISS PEPSI to go on for the win. Far behind the PEPSI came HURRICANE IV at 86.318 and SUCH CRUST IV at 85.731.

Although all hope for retaining the Gold Cup in Seattle for another year seemed lost, the Sayres team nevertheless concentrated all of their efforts into reviving SLO-MO-SHUN IV. They sent Stan Dollar out for Heat Two equipped with SLO-MO-SHUN V's propeller.

Dollar and Thompson dueled closely throughout the first lap with neither driver holding an advantage, until MISS PEPSI’s gearbox failed. This left SLO-MO-SHUN IV to finish the 30 miles alone at an unhurried 75.491.

The most frightening mishap of the day occurred when SUCH CRUST IV exploded and burned to the water line during Heat Two. A course patrolman pulled an unconscious Bill Cantrell off of the flaming hulk in time to save his life.

Only two boats remained to start Heat Three: SLO-MO-SHUN IV with 400 points and HURRICANE IV with 300. (The HURRICANE and driver Morlan Visel had been seven minutes late in leaving the Mount Baker Pits for Heat Two at a time when the grace period for commencing a heat was five minutes after the official start.)

The partisan Seattle crowd cheered with the news that MISS PEPSI would not appear in Heat Three. The announcement was tempered, however, with the admonition that should neither Dollar nor Visel score points, Thompson with 400 markers would win the Gold Cup for the Detroit Yacht Club on the basis of having turned the fastest heat of the contest (in Heat One).

For three laps, Dollar maintained a conservative edge over Visel, who then dropped out when HURRICANE IV twisted her propeller shaft. For the seven remaining laps, SLO-MO-SHUN IV minced around the 3-mile course before a silent spectator throng. It was not unknown for a 25-cent nut to cause a 30,000-dollar boat to go dead in the water. But this was to be Stan Dollar Day on Lake Washington. SLO-MO IV received the checkered flag for a 30-mile average of 84.356 as the crowd erupted with applause.

The victorious Seattle Yacht Club would host the Gold Cup again in 1953 and the winning driver became but the fourth competitor in history to capture both of power boat racing's crown jewels: the Harmsworth Trophy (in 1949 with SKIP-A-LONG) and the APBA Gold Cup. (The three previous double champions were Fred Burnham, Gar Wood, and Lou Fageol.)

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