1974 Seattle Gold Cup Heat 1C

The Miss Budweiser and the Miss Pay 'n Pak get into a real barn burner.

[@fourfortyroadrunner6701]

For those of you youngsters stuck watching the Kirby vacuum cleaners, THESE were the REAL race boats

[@nwtraveler5266]

Greatest race I ever watched. You can have the turbines and 150+ mph but this was true hydro racing.

[@jojocoombs]

Nothing will ever take the place of the thunder boats, the Rolls Merlin and Allison's were the best and this was racing at its best thanks for sharing brings back a lot of memories.

[@craigrogers2882]

The Epitome of Hydro racing ... remember that day well ... Thank You

[@PAKiller1]

That Pay N Pak my favorite hydro of all time

[@craigpennington1251]

Outstanding boat racing. I do miss the roar of those Allisons. There's nothing like it. Great video.

[@stevenandrews1012]

This heat made me a hydro fan for life....Back when snarling V12s ruled and they ran 6 lap heats! The Pak is still my all time fave... Todays turbines running 3 laps..blink and it's over... No comparison...

[@Spacecomber]

Lived in Madison, Indiana for a few years, back in the piston engine days, and became a fan. Thanks for sharing this video.

[@johnlogan1745]

Hydroplanes were the 1st Major league sport in Seattle & the state. I have been a hydrofile from the beginning. On day while helping my Dad paint this house on Lake Washington I heard this lound rooring sound & there came Slo mo 4 with Stan Sayres out for his fun ride for the day. John

[@fourfortyroadrunner]

Nothing in the world, sometimes not even sex, is as good as the sound of a Rolls or Allison.

[@jjeffrey6945]

My Dad lived on Silver Lake with George Henley and his mom and dad. I water skied with His kids. Those were the days many years ago. Also attended the races on Lake Washington in 1976 by boat that was some crazy times out on the water with all the other looney spectators. Some serious partying and drinking and all out fun.😎

[@eaglepestcontrolak]

I used to love the sound of those motors . So much fun to see them race

[@davidgregory6291]

I've watched hydroplane racing since 1951, and this was the best dueling heat ever! I was a Bud fan back then but have since switched and am forever Pak!! This particular model Pay N' Pak is my favorite hull of all time. I was at this race and I will never forget. Today's boats don't compare - no noise and corporate sponsorship have allowed only a given few to take it to the limit. Budweiser may have saved the sport with its money, but it also destroyed it by winning all the time. And when they didn't win, they'd whine. Especially Bernie LIttle and Dave Vilwock. I remember the years when there were a dozen races, all over the U.S., and nearly twenty boats attending.

[@shuichiboy]

You and I followed a similar trajectory with my having been a Bud fan at first too. I started going to Madison in 1981. I was a Bud fan then, mostly due to the engine. I'm rather sensitive to high-pitched noises and the Merlins had a raspy tone to them that really hit my ears the wrong way. I much preferred the low, throaty growl of the Griffon. The turbines, being quieter, don't bother me at all, so when the last Bud Griffon was put out to pasture, my allegiance switched to the Miller.

[@PAKiller1]

The Pay N Pak was my favorite boat of all time too.. 2 summers ago I went to see it at the hydro museum in Kent Washington.. looking beautiful.. I went to every race in Detroit from 1970 till 2018. I am afraid hydro racing might be done at this point.. hope I am wrong

[@1965WHYTE]

KILLER!! One of the best heats in unlimited hydroplane racing.

[@jojocoombs]

What a great race, I've followed the hydro's since 53

[@MrHualienese]

The BEST boat race I ever saw in person! It was spectacular!

[@user-hu2pp4vc7t]

Hell yeah

[@jackgold735]

Remember the race quite well. Was 17 yrs old at the time. God, where has the time gone? Now - I haven't been to a Seafair race in decades.

[@madcapper6]

This heat is considered by many to be the greatest in the history of the unlimiteds.

[@curbozerboomer1773]

Please...old-timers like me can remember quite a few others that were even more exciting, because you might have three or four hot boats, competing in one heat!

[@bobd9999]

19 years old, in the back yard with my family watching on a black and white TV and all of us screaming at the TV for our favs. What an awesome memory this is for me!

[@jackdasef7367]

Damn, I loved the thunderboats! I grew up in Detroit, where every teenage kid could tell you who drove which boat and why their particular hero was going to take it away from the 'bad guys' from the west coast and win the gold cup. It was never the same when the turbine boats took over.

[@fredlougee2807]

They banned turbine engines in race cars in the mid-1960s after someone way ahead of their time tried to race one at Indy. They should have banned them in hydroplanes as well because they made the boats too fast for driver safety. Bill Muncey and Dean Cheanowith died within a year of one another because the boat speeds were outpacing the innovations to keep the drivers alive in the increasing chances of a blowover

[@jackdasef7367]

@@fredlougee2807 I remember it well. Chrysler built a turbine car prototype in 1963/64 and tested them (they built 55 of them) extensively through the '60s. Andy Granatelli and his STP team fielded the first Indy turbine car in 1967 powered by a Canadian aircraft engine. It led most of the race, but didn't finish. Lotus entered another turbine car in 1968. After Indy put limits on the turbine air intake size, which effectively limited the top speed to below what the conventional engines could produce, no other turbine cars were ever entered in the race. The supposed rationale for allowing turbine engines in the hydros (they were classified as 'unlimited' after all) was that they were running out of the WWII vintage Rolls-Royce and Merlin airplane engines that powered the boats.

[@fredlougee2807]

@@jackdasef7367 I shudder to imagine what speed the cars could have achieved if they had not placed an arbitrary limit on intake size. There would have been something not unlike the situation seen in NASCAR with restrictor plates, all the cars racing in a tight bunch, if they had allowed turbines which could go faster than piston engines but placed a similar limitation. Also, I think I can see them running out of Allison and Merlin engines. I remember one race on Lake Washington sometime around 1980, the TV camera over the pits showed a look down at one of the boats, the guy had a pair of Chevy V-8s in tandem. When he put it in the water it could barely get up on a plane.

[@jackdasef7367]

@@fredlougee2807 With the hydros, they could tinker with the course layouts to accommodate the greater speed of the turbine boats; not an option for Indy or the NASCAR tracks. I've heard some interesting stories about the guerrilla warfare between the hydroplane folks and the people restoring WWII warbirds when both groups were competing for the same engines.

[@solmar1013]

ONE of the Greatest Races ever! Thanks for posting! Great Memories!!!!!!

[@curbozerboomer1773]

And to think...this was just a TWO boat race!...Imagine what it was like, ten years earlier, when SIX boats would go roaring into the South turn! I will never forget that spectacle.

[@Smacks41]

Loved those days of the piston engine hydros. I was at this particular race, cheering for the Pak.

[@tostentwo]

I met George Henley awhile ago. He was a quiet and patient guy with a gentle nature. I could see how he could sit back and wait for someone else to make a small mistake and then sneak by. He was also known for being able to get more out of equipment and not wreck stuff in the process. His house was cluttered with pictures of the Pay n Pak boat and trophies, etc. It wasn't a shrine, just stuff he'd accumulated and had lying around. I knew nothing of his racing and not much more about hydroplane racing when I met him. I was just picking up a fishing boat that a friend had left at his place south of Seattle. I'd sure have a lot more to talk about after seeing this. Live and learn.

[@williambishop8099]

I met George and he was a true gentleman and a hell of a driver! What a duel!

[@Mullay2]

I was a junior in college home for the summer watching this race on television. I will never forget it and it was almost 40 years ago. These were still largely wooden boats, definitely iron men, and both strapped to V-12 Rolls Royce Merlins running way beyond their design limits. The new boats are definitely much safer and faster. But man this was definitely the era of the Thunderboats!

[@mannonmission1]

my big brother took me to the "time trials" on Lake Washington when I was 10 years old... we went all week and he kept telling me that I was too young to go to the race... then on race day he brought me anyway :)... I immediately became a Miss Bardahl fan.. in those days they tested and qualified all week... Rolls Royce and Allison engines shaking the ground.... man was that fun!

[@Tomsheehy519]

Drove the Red Man at the 74 Gold Cup at Sand Point. A Ron Jones hull that never really got a fair shake in the engine department and then developed a sort of curse. Earlier that year Skip Walther had been killed in the boat when apparently the boat hit a Manatee and tore the rudder off. At the time I was driving the Miss Valvoline/Cotts Beverage also a conventional Ron Jones, the original Notre Dame on the course. The Red Man was owned by Jim McCormick of Miss Madison fame. Jim had been hurt in the boat a couple of days earlier and flew Skip in to replace him. The boat was originally owned and built by George/Jeff and Salt Walther for Salt to drive.

[@206BenJammin]

+Thomas Sheehy - glad to see you're still around! Now, can you do anything about the governing body driving the boats into oblivion?

[@krametorgsite]

I still have a replica of your boat from when I was kid that was made out of balsa wood. :)

[@scottwins2]

My little 145 was a Ron Jones hull, it took me to the Nationals in 1986 Thanks Mr Sheehy for the story

[@DaJester]

Outstand Video of a great race! Tks for posting. Love the old boats.

[@gregsalo950]

Wow! Great racing in Seattle.

[@ericthomsen9644]

When I was a kid you worshiped Husky football and hydroplanes. There was nothing else. NBA came in late to the game, as did the NFL. I remember this race and it was a hell of a contest. Wonderful to watch again.

[@jamesgeorge4874]

Piston aero engines in a hydro make the best sounds, and the best racing.

[@bornces]

Both boats were built for Dave H. to be Pay N' Pak's and the older hull was sold to Budweiser. Wow what a race.

[@brianlancaster7496]

I remember being a little boy riding my bicycle with my homemade hydroplane in the back of my bike Those were wonderful times

[@dennismlns]

I was there too, I remember when the ran on Capital Lake in my hometown of Olympia, I spent my summers at my grandmother's house, at East Bay and Glass, and would walk to the lake and watch all day.

[@rodneycaupp5962]

LISTEN... the audio on this video was kickin. What an experience even getting to watch, and listen to this at all. Same out come, in Dayton Ohio around that time , but BUDWEISER was on Pay n Pack's ass every lap, 50 feet from the shore line... Nitrous ON... Did I mention , " Killer Video " ? WARNING : Boat Racing is the most beautiful art form in racing.

[@daschamp]

Thanks for this. I know it's 6 yo video, but just hearing those Rolls and Allison engines, i can smell the exhaust just sitting here!

[@Tripleggg1959]

I remember watching these races at Grandma's. Ray McMackin was a great sports journalist.

[@DeanMk1]

The most legendary of all UL hydro races was the '74 Gold Cup. This was the first year for the new course at Sand Point. It had longer straightaways and shorter, but tighter, corners. This is why the Miss Bud catches up on the back straight. She never cornered as well as The Pride of Pay'n'Pak. The final heat (not this one) was another match-up between Bud and Pak. They set a new record for speed on each of the 5 laps in that heat, for a 2.5 mile course. First time anyone had gone over 120 mph during a heat.

[@madcapper6]

I see the museum in Kent restored the 'Pak to its original glory. Man, it looks like its showroom now. Fine job those fellas are doing restoring those vintage boats. What about the old Bud featured in the vid, do you have any idea if it's still around and if it's been restored like the Pak?

[@DeanMk1]

@@madcapper6 Looks like its been in Seattle for a number of years now. Here's the article - thunderboats.ning.com/page/1973-u12-miss-budweiser

[@PAKiller1]

I’ve seen it in Kent Washington.. it’s beautiful.. I saw it about 5 years ago when it was in a warehouse still having the Miss Madison paint scheme

[@206BenJammin]

Fast, loud & Dangerous. Those were the days!

[@leonardhardward631]

U ,

[@DavidJEyre]

fantastic video! this was before the days of home vcrs so I am amazed at the quality of the video. I saw the previous race at Pasco when Pay n Pak won the World Championship race.

[@turner593]

thanks for the upload , fabulous stuff Piston power forever, I remember whe I was a kid i live in Victoria bc and I remember on race days while they were in Seattle I used to see if i could hear them racing Bill Muncey days, nothing against Turbines they have there place but when I see them in Unlimited hydros and offshore Cats I definitely turn my nose up at them .

[@fourfortyroadrunner]

Really really REALLY really GREAT STUFF!!

[@BonerMaroner]

Love those Merlin's and Alison's

[@TheLakingc]

We were there. Very exciting. No shade, though! Loved those races!

[@davidgregory6291]

Yeah, I was there, too. On the hill overlooking Sand Point. I recall the Miss U.S. burning to the waterline and the U-95 sinking. Thought it was a bad idea to have the races here but in the end, the memories were awesome!!! Go, Pack!!!!!!!

[@suefox2819]

LOVED THE HYDRO WENT DOWN IN THE PITS WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER WITH MY FRIEND AND HER DAD HE WAS PART OF THE PIT CREW CAN'T REMEMBER WHO I WATCH EVERY YEAR

[@rogerhazamy4876]

Those races are awesome I wish you can take take me back to 1966 and 67 when the Miss Us the U2

[@parithrush7921]

Tahoe Miss - Gale's Roostertail - Atlas Van Lines

[@scottwins2]

WHEN THEY TOOK THE ROAR OUT IT WASN'T AS FUN.

[@jaekib]

Great to see that again. This is the best unlimited video I've seen so far in the group on youtube. Might you revisit the quality now that youtube allows better videos. Would love to see a high resolution version now. Thanks for this one though! H

[@paulkurtz58]

Answer to the trivia question. The reason why the Miss Budweiser backed off in the last lap was not due to power failure but because Howie Benns' foot slipped from the throttle!

[@loutcb]

appreciate all the vids. I grew up in Owensboro. I have access to super 8 film from the 70's will try to get converted 1 day. keep'em comin!

[@PAKiller1]

I went to a gold cup race in Owensboro in the late 70’s

[@gregorythacher9861]

wow, LOVE it!

[@R.B_B]

That's a real race

[@lytless]

To quote Howie: Coming off the "FIRST" turn of the last lap the right side of the seat broke away and my foot came off the peddle ,that is why we slowed temporarily, by the time i could yank myself back up George was on his WAY!! We had nitros left but it was too late. Maybe this will clear up everyones doubts.

[@GarthWatkins-th3jt]

Thanks for your post.

[@zibbyzubb]

This was such a fun race at such a crappy location. So glad they were only there for that one year.

[@dahger7]

I was 9. I remember this. 'nuff said.

[@timford3599]

Tell me if you think that the racing with turbine engine powered Unlimited Hydroplanes is better than the action we see here in the true "Thunder Boat" era. I don't think it's even close. Allison vs Rolls Royce Griffon and Merlin piston engine "War Bird" powered boats were the greatest IMO.

[@michaelparker9907]

"""WHOW"""WHAT A RACE,BEST SIDE,BY BY CLOSEST RACE EVER######

[@mounttahoma100]

Classic boat race. Pak vs. Bud.

[@mounttahoma100]

I was 9 years old at the time and living in my hometown of Tacoma. I was already a big hydro fan.

[@rpm324]

Those were the days of thunder. The funny part is the Budweiser was the old pay n pak until the built the new "winged wonder" boat and man was it fast.

[@madcapper6]

Always thought this race was in '75, not '74 so I never could find any clips of it. Pure sauce.

[@DeanMk1]

The '75 final heat was a parade. By the last lap only the Pak and the Miss Madison were running. Everyone else had broke down or were limping. The Pak has such a large lead I think its last lap was under 100 mph. The old engines were giving everyone fits. It was obvious they needed replacing by something newer, but there was nothing else available...until the gas turbines were given another chance. Now the thunder is gone and they all sound like giant hair dryers.

[@madcapper6]

That's why I was a huge fan of the Griffon Bud throughout its competitive years. Kinda held the torch for the thunderboats until the very last, through the '84 season. Even then it was becoming clear that the turbines were the future of racing as the turbine Atlas was clearly a faster boat and the only way the Bud could beat it was if it broke down or was otherwise compromised mechanically. Gotta give props to the '82 Atlas too, which made for some memorable races between it and the Griffon Bud.

[@yeldarbq5166]

this used to be a big deal when I was a kid. I didn't even hear about it this year.

[@Tomsheehy519]

Itsa shame Ben when egos outstrip the attraction. Bernie, Lee, Buddy and George all had big but well controlled egos. They knew why the fannies were in the seats. Then the sport was the sum. Now the parts equal greater than the sum.

[@206BenJammin]

+Thomas Sheehy - So here is a rant I posted recently commenting on the utterly ridiculous and unreadable format that H1 provides for results on their website... For one, there is no "back" button so you have to close the window, go back to that race and choose another heat. Then there isn't enough zoom to read lap times and some heats never had the data entered... It is a disgrace. H1 is killing the sport. If a potential race (or national) sponsor visited the website, they would laugh in their face and tell them NO SUPPORT HERE! If a National TV media outlet was considering broadcasting and visited the website, they would laugh in their face and tell them NO THANKS! There's a reason our beloved boats are almost dead. The sport is being run by a bunch of in-fighting IDIOTS with zero marketing savvy and closed minds. The sport offers nothing to a potential boat, race or national sponsor. Dwindling crowds and no media support offer no exposure to any crowd or group of people which is why we have fewer races and the soon to happen end of the line. It's not rocket science. Look at NASCAR. Follow that model. I could take a $200k annual budget and within two years have a ten-race season, national title sponsor, race site sponsors, healthy national boat sponsors, live pay-per-view streaming, real time results and national TV exposure. BOOM! But H1 isn’t listening so you can start playing taps now…

[@davidgregory6291]

I agree with sxrick - Pak was definately the best looking boat ever!

[@ssimon64]

Piston boats ftw!

[@DonMartin-oj7et]

Saw the race, long distance from a friends deck party. Sandpoint location proved to be unpopular, but don't remember why.

[@starzanhorse4758]

My father was exec at Pay n Pak these years. I was 10. I have extensive collection of Pak stuff. I would share

[@loutcb]

incredible

[@alexanderreimer387]

As in air racing, these boats have boost pressures that , if sustained , would destroy the engine in a hiccup!!! Thats why they go as “ slow” as possible but not blow the engine…thats why you see a burst of power to just stay ahead of your opponent…!!!

[@scottwins2]

Ray McMackin apparently is the Sports director of King TV in Seattle Washinton, he has been there for 12 years.

[@scottwins2]

Another problem, Turbines are not unlimited, actually they are baby turbines. Unlimiteds as we know them have vanished to the scrap heep of history. At least we have 2.5 liters, 5 liters, and 7 liters and a few bigger ones. Bring back Miss Chrysler Crew!

[@terryharding7476]

That's real racin!

[@shuichiboy]

@scottwins2 I hear that a lot. :P I reckon I understand why most people feel that way, but for me, with my ridiculously over-sensitive hearing (I can hear dog whistles), I'm just peachy keen with turbines and Allisons. :)

[@user-eo8eq4mo6v]

I was there 0:49

[@dennismlns]

That was all of the race, but a couple dozen other heats are missing.

[@cbfsoar15]

she wins it

[@user-eo8eq4mo6v]

I was there 1:20

[@Chuck59ish]

They always put on great shows, gas turbines suck big time.

[@MajTom-wd2yt]

Back when they did 'Thunder' instead of whining.😂

[@tvincentk]

Trivia Question.... Did the Pay -n- Pak use any nitros during this race?

[@scottwins2]

I suspect the bud ran out...

[@paulkurtz58]

Trivia question: Why did the Miss Budweiser back off in the final lap? The answer will be tomorrow. Go ahead and answer this if you can!!

[@lambmax]

Howie's foot slipped off the go pedal?

[@scottwins2]

@shuichiboy In this race it appears Budwieser ran out of Nitrous.

[@mubran]

Sand Point?.....quick, over to The Scoop!

[@McKoosa]

Ray McMackin hasn't been sports director at KING TV or anywhere else for 35 years.....

[@McKoosa]

Great Stuff....OMG!....Do you have the Miss U.S. Burning/U-95 sinking heat(s)?...was THIS heat a rerun of that one?...1974 was a while back wasn't it?...I actually for got about the SIX laps...that was due to it being the Gold Cup?......Where is Ray McMackin nowadays I wonder?

[@DeanMk1]

The U-95 was the original gas turbine boat. It sank in '73. The Miss US burned to the waterline in '76. Saw both races.

[@CanYouFoush]

DeanMk1 No, the U-95 sank at this race. I believe the Miss U.S. also burned at this one but I’m not 100% sure on that

[@McKoosa]

@@CanYouFoush YOU are Correct. Sir!

[@nordicpride9708]

WelcomeToTheMatrix Yes! It was run over by bill muncey who made an illegal lane change in a race before this one in Seattle. The result was the U-95 bounced, hopped, and rode like garbage. This caused it to jump out of the water and overspeed the turbine which threw a T wheel. Literally cut the boat in half. After that, and with the death of Jim Clapp, his wife at the time decided to stop the program. The U-95 was the first turbine powered hydroplane to win a heat, and it was against this version of the Pay N Pak if I’m not mistaken. Also was the first hydroplane with boat to shore communications. Pretty cool stuff indeed

[@curbozerboomer1773]

I stopped my interest, when the Thunderboats were switching over to the quiet jet engines. The sheer sound and the fury of those excellent WW2 fighter plane engines, always added to the excitement. By the end of the 1970s, the T-boats were history.

[@BomBoo-rn8gj]

Then, 6 laps of real racing. Now 3 laps of hoping we have a 'race' at all. Bill is lapping in his grave.

[@RoyceLerwick]

What year did U95 the first and prophetic jet boat blow a t joint and sink to the bottom of Greenlake? And somebody else burned to the waterline.

[@RoyceLerwick]

Oh yeah. This year.

[@scottwins2]

Where all jet boats belong

[@nordicpride9708]

Royce Lerwick It’s a turbine not a jet. There is a difference....

[@gene1351]

That Bud boat was a Pay n Pak wasn't it.. The Pay n Pak boat was Atlas Van Lines then Miss Madison..??

[@shuichiboy]

Not sure if the Bud boat was a Pay n Pak. You are right about the Pay n Pak boat being Atlas and Madison, though. She'll always be Miss Madison to me. :)

[@loutcb]

ok, wheres the rest of the race???

[@mddlclsswrkr8134]

wow that was great racing THUNDER BOATS now not so much how can they even call it unlimited or do they I watch seafair races out of habit not much excitement

[@buzzaki]

One would never know that there were six boats in the final.

[@scottwins2]

Never saw another and I was looking

[@mounttahoma100]

This was heat 1C not the final.

[@davidgregory6291]

I recall Howie Benns whining about his foot "slipping" off the gas pedal. He claimed there was oil on the pedal. I think the boy just lost his nerve. Bernie did, also, for he fired Benz right after this race.

[@shuichiboy]

Sorry, this is all I have. :(

[@patcalnan5623]

Sure didn’t sound like Ray.

[@davidgregory6291]

Benz claiming his seat malfunctioned reminds me a bit of Dave Vilwock - always an excuse when he loses.