2006 Gold Cup!
GOLD CUP FINAL ...
Final Heat Audio
1st ... U37 (Jean Theoret) 142.441
2nd ... U3 (Jimmy King) 139.370
3rd ... U6 (Steven David) 126.188
4th ... U1 (Nate Brown) 120.282
5th ... U2 (Ken Muscatel) 114.212
6th ... U7 (Mike Allen) 125.057 (lap penalty)
Awards Audio
Canadian 1st non-American to win hydro Gold Cup since 1938 ... By Eric Sharp ... Detroit Free Press ... DETROIT - It was 38 years ago that a young boat driver named Billy Schumacher won the Gold Cup unlimited hydroplane race on the Detroit River. Sunday a beaming boat owner Schumacher watched driver Jean Theoret pilot Miss Beacon Plumbing to victory in the 2006 Chrysler Jeep Gold Cup, becoming the third non-American to win. "I believe in miracles, and I believe in this team," Theoret said, shrugging off suggestions that Miss Beacon's mechanics had somehow found new speed before he won the fourth qualifying heat and the Gold Cup final. "We'd been hurt so much in the heats before, I guess the confidence goes away. And when the confidence goes away, you start to make mistakes, and you don't drive as well," he said. Theoret, the 2005 rookie of the year from Maple Grove, Quebec, won at an average speed of 142.441 mph. Jimmy King of Memphis, Mich., finished second in Miss Chrysler Jeep, the only piston-powered boat in the 11-hydro fleet. Steve David of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., was third in Oh Boy! Oberto. Theoret was the next-to-lowest points accumulator in qualifying for the five-boat final at 4:05 p.m. He got penalties in all three of his qualifying heats, the four infractions ranging from destroying turn buoys to jumping the starting gun. He was the first non-American to win since Italy's Count Theo Rossi won with Alagi in 1938. England's Kaye Don took the trophy in 1936 in Impshi. Guy Lombardo, the leader of the famed Royal Canadian big band of the 1940s, won with Tempo VI in 1946, but while he was born in Canada, he had become a naturalized U.S. citizen. "I thought I had jumped the start and was going to be penalized again, but I guess I didn't," said Theoret, who ran most of the race minus the big engine cowling and rear stabilizer wing, which were blown off in the second lap. "I was coming down the back straight, and I saw this cowling in the water. I thought, `Hey, that's mine. It's red and yellow.' But the boat just drove beautifully." That won hearty congratulations from runner-up King, who said, "I know whenever I've driven without a wing, it was really ugly. My hat's off to those guys. They put it together, and as disappointed as I am, I think they deserved it." Schumacher, who drove Miss Bardahl to victory on the Detroit River in 1968 and Seattle the previous year, said, "I think Jean did a fantastic job of driving. He earned this race. No one had seen this boat run the way we knew it could until today. I won two as a driver, and I have to say I was far more nervous as an owner." Asked what he brought to the team, Schumacher said, "If you ask my wife, I think she'll say a heck of a lot of money. But I think I have a little expertise in it, and when I see something I don't like, I can tell them." David, the national champion driver last season, gave the other drivers a lesson Sunday in how to win heats with a slightly slower boat. He took his opening heat in Oh Boy! Oberto despite blowing a seal on the gearbox that had Oh Boy! trailing a thick plume of blue smoke like a 1963 Chevy with worn piston rings. FormulaBoats.com, driven by Mike Weber, this year's points leader going into the Gold Cup, had a disastrous weekend. He was over early at the start in one heat Sunday and had to run an extra penalty lap. David, who had started close behind in second place, shot by in Oh Boy! when Weber backed off to conserve the equipment in a heat he couldn't win, and David was never threatened by any of the other three boats in the heat. In his second heat, David was squeezed out to an inauspicious start in Lane 3 with Weber in Lane 2 and Ken Muscatel in Lane 1. But Muscatel's Michigan Mortgage Consultants lost power and nearly shut down coming around the Roostertail turn seconds before the start. Weber once again found himself approaching the line too early and had to back off the throttle, while Oh Boy! Oberto hit the line at full speed and full throttle, and was able to stay slightly ahead through the first turn and along the back straight at 200 mph. Then Weber hit some rough water as the two boats came through the Roostertail turn at about 140 mph and hopped into the air through the huge rooster tail of white water thrown up by David's boat. Jet turbines don't like breathing in water, and by the time Weber got restarted and under way, David was a mile ahead and streaking toward victory for the second time that day. The event finished without the usual boat flips and serious crashes. The worst incident came in the Gold Cup final when Weber's teammate, Mike Allen in FormulaBoats.com II, had a minor collision with Theoret in the final. Allen also collided with Nate Brown's Elam when Allen was doing an extra lap for that earlier penalty.
HEAT 4B ...
1st ... U37 (Jean Theoret) 148.903
2nd ... U3 (Jimmy King) 144.935
3rd ... U7 (Mike Allen) 130.730
DNS ... U100 (Greg Hopp)
HEAT 4A ...
4A Audio
1st ... U6 (Steven David) 141.144
2nd ... U1 (Nate Brown) 128.837
3rd ... U2.25 (Ken Muscatel) 121.755
4th ... U21 (Kevin Aylesworth) 114.795
5th ... U5 (Mike Weber) 104.655
HEAT 3B ...
1st ... U6 (Steven David) 137.848
2nd ... U1 (Nate Brown) 128.185
3rd ... U2.25 (Ken Muscatel) 115.237
4th ... U21 (Kevin Aylesworth) 111.391
5th ... U5* (Mike Weber) 129.146
*Lap Penalty
HEAT 3A ...
3A Audio
1st ... U7 (Mike Allen) 150.846
2nd ... U3 (Jimmy King) 147.868
3rd ... U37* (Jean Theoret) 129.139
DNF ... U100 (Greg Hopp)
DNF ... U10 (JW Myers)
* Lap Penalty
HEAT 2B ...
2B Audio
1st ... U3 (Jimmy King)148.838
2nd ... U7 (Mike Allen) 138.780
3rd ... U100 (Greg Hopp) 137.563
4th ... U6 (Steven David) 134.190
5th ... U1 (Nate Brown) 124.519
HEAT 2A ...
1st ... U10 (JW Myers) 136.183
2nd ... U2.25 (David Williams) 116.374
3rd ... U21 (Kevin Aylesworth) 108.513
4th ... U37* (Jean Theoret) 124.240
5th ... U5 (Mike Weber) 111.446
* Lap Penalty (Gun Jump)
HEAT 1B ...
1B Audio
1st ... U5 (Mike Weber) 147.129
2nd ... U7 (Mike Allen) 146.106
3rd ... U6 (Steven David) 136.628
4th ... U1 (Nate Brown) 127.852
5th ... U37* (Jean Theoret) 128.961
*Lap Penalty
HEAT 1A ...
1st ... U2.25 (Ken Muscatel) 128.994
2nd ... U21 (Kevin Aylesworth) 105.460
DNF ... U100 (Greg Hopp)
DNF ... U3 (Jimmy King)
DNS ... U10 (JW Myers)
Venerable roar on the river
QUALIFYING ...
U3 Miss Chrysler Jeep - Jimmy King (159.332)
U37 Beacon Plumbing - Jean Theoret (159.009)
U7 Dick Scott Automotive Group presents Miss DYC - Mike Allen (157.680)
U6 Oh Boy! Oberto - Steve David (153.809)
U5 DYC Presents FormulaBoats.com - Mike Weber (153.634)
U10 Miss Emcor - JW Myers (150.476)
U100 Little Will - Greg Hopp (149.715)
U2.25 Michigan Mortgage Consultants - Ken Muscatel (141.462)
U21 Miss Simpatico - Kevin Aylesworth (139.671)
U1 Miss ELAM Plus* - Nate Brown (Did Not Run)
U13 - J M Kelly (Did Not Run)
*took commissioners option to run in race.
Sam Cole interview
(NEW)MAJOR ABRA ANNOUNCEMENTS
HYDROS.US
| Year | Boat | Driver | Avg. MPH |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1904 | Standard (June) | Carl Riotte* | 23.160 |
| 1904 | Vingt-Et-Un II (Sept.) | W. Sharpe Kilmer* | 24.900 |
| 1905 | Chip I | J.M. Wainwright* | 15.000 |
| 1906 | Chip II | J.M. Wainwright* | 25.000 |
| 1907 | Chip II | J.M. Wainwright* | 23.903 |
| 1908 | Dixie II | E.J. Schroeder* | 29.938 |
| 1909 | Dixie II | E.J. Schroeder* | 29.590 |
| 1910 | Dixie III | F.K. Burnham* | 32.473 |
| 1911 | MIT II | J.H. Hayden* | 37.000 |
| 1912 | P.D.Q. II | A.G. Miles* | 39.462 |
| 1913 | Ankle Deep | C.S. Mankowski* | 42.779 |
| 1914 | Baby Speed Demon II | Jim Blackton & Bob Edgren | 48.458 |
| 1915 | Miss Detroit | Johnny Milot & Jack Beebe | 37.656 |
| 1916 | Miss Minneapolis | Bernard Smith | 48.860 |
| 1917 | Miss Detroit II | Gar Wood* | 54.410 |
| 1918 | Miss Detroit II | Gar Wood | 51.619 |
| 1919 | Miss Detroit III | Gar Wood* | 42.748 |
| 1920 | Miss America I | Gar Wood* | 62.022 |
| 1921 | Miss America I | Gar Wood* | 52.825 |
| 1922 | Packard Chriscraft | J.G. Vincent* | 40.253 |
| 1923 | Packard Chriscraft | Caleb Bragg | 43.867 |
| 1924 | Baby Bootlegger | Caleb Bragg* | 45.302 |
| 1925 | Baby Bootlegger | Caleb Bragg* | 47.240 |
| 1926 | Greenwich Folly | George Townsend* | 47.984 |
| 1927 | Greenwich Folly | George Townsend* | 47.662 |
| 1928 | Not held | ||
| 1929 | Imp | Richard Hoyt* | 48.662 |
| 1930 | Hotsy Totsy | Vic Kliesrath* | 52.673 |
| 1931 | Hotsy Totsy | Vic Kliesrath* | 53.602 |
| 1932 | Delphine IV | Bill Horn | 57.775 |
| 1933 | El Lagarto | George Reis* | 56.260 |
| 1934 | El Lagarto | George Reis* | 55.000 |
| 1935 | El Lagarto | George Reis* | 55.056 |
| 1936 | Impshi | Kaye Don | 45.735 |
| 1937 | Notre Dame | Clell Perry | 63.675 |
| 1938 | Alagi | Theo Rossi* | 64.340 |
| 1939 | My Sin | Z.G. Simmons Jr.* | 66.133 |
| 1940 | Hotsy Totsy III | Sidney Allen* | 48.295 |
| 1941 | My Sin | Z.G. Simmons Jr.* | 52.509 |
| 1942-45 Not held | |||
| 1946 | Tempo VI | Guy Lombardo* | 68.132 |
| 1947 | Miss Peps V | Danny Foster | 57.000 |
| 1948 | Miss Great Lakes | Danny Foster | 46.845 |
| 1949 | My Sweetie | Bill Cantrell | 73.612 |
| 1950 | Slo-Mo-Shun IV | Ted Jones | 78.216 |
| 1951 | Slo-Mo-Shun V | Lou Fageol | 90.871 |
| 1952 | Slo-Mo-Shun IV | Stan Dollar | 79.923 |
| 1953 | Slo-Mo-Shun IV | Joe Taggart & Lou Fageol | 99.108 |
| 1954 | Slo-Mo-Shun V | Lou Fageol | 92.613 |
| 1955 | Gale V | Lee Schoenith | 99.552 |
| 1956 | Miss Thirftway | Bill Muncey | 96.552 |
| 1957 | Miss Thriftway | Bill Muncey | 101.787 |
| 1958 | Hawaii Kai III | Jack Regas | 103.000 |
| 1959 | Maverick | Bill Stead | 104.481 |
| 1960 | Not held | ||
| 1961 | Miss Century 21 | Bill Muncey | 99.678 |
| 1962 | Miss Century 21 | Bill Muncey | 100.710 |
| 1963 | Miss Bardahl | Ron Musson | 105.124 |
| 1964 | Miss Bardahl | Ron Musson | 103.433 |
| 1965 | Miss Bardahl | Ron Musson | 103.132 |
| 1966 | Tahoe Miss | Mira Slovak | 93.019 |
| 1967 | Miss Bardahl | Bill Shumacher | 101.484 |
| 1968 | Miss Bardahl | Bill Shumacher | 108.173 |
| 1969 | Miss Budweiser | Bill Sterett | 98.504 |
| 1970 | Miss Budweiser | Dean Chenoweth | 99.562 |
| 1971 | Miss Madison | Jim McCormick | 98.043 |
| 1972 | Atlas Van Lines | Bill Muncey | 104.277 |
| 1973 | Miss Budweiser | Dean Chenoweth | 99.043 |
| 1974 | Pay 'n Pak | George Henley | 104.428 |
| 1975 | Pay 'n Pak | George Henley | 108.921 |
| 1976 | Miss U.S. | Tom D'Eath | 100.412 |
| 1977 | Atlas Van Lines | Bill Muncey* | 111.822 |
| 1978 | Atlas Van Lines | Bill Muncey* | 100.412 |
| 1979 | Atlas Van Lines | Bill Muncey* | 100.765 |
| 1980 | Miss Budweiser | Dean Chenoweth | 106.932 |
| 1981 | Miss Budweiser | Dean Chenoweth | 116.387 |
| 1982 | Atlas Van Lines | Chip Hanauer | 120.050 |
| 1983 | Atlas Van Lines | Chip Hanauer | 118.507 |
| 1984 | Atlas Van Lines | Chip Hanauer | 130.175 |
| 1985 | Miller American | Chip Hanauer | 120.643 |
| 1986 | Miller American | Chip Hanauer | 116.523 |
| 1987 | Miller American | Chip Hanauer | 127.620 |
| 1988 | Miss Circus Circus | Chip Hanauer & J. Prevost | 123.756 |
| 1989 | Miss Budweiser | Tom D'Eath | 131.209 |
| 1990 | Miss Budweiser | Tom D'Eath | 143.176 |
| 1991 | Winston Eagle | Mark Tate | 137.771 |
| 1992 | Miss Budweiser | Chip Hanauer | 136.282 |
| 1993 | Miss Budweiser | Chip Hanauer | 141.296 |
| 1994 | Smokin' Joe's | Mark Tate | 145.532 |
| 1995 | Miss Budweiser | Chip Hanauer | 149.160 |
| 1996 | Pico/American Dream | Dave Villwock | 149.328 |
| 1997 | Miss Budweiser | Dave Villwock | 129.366 |
| 1998 | Miss Budweiser | Dave Villwock | 140.704 |
| 1999 | Miss Pico | Chip Hanauer | 152.591 |
| 2000 | Miss Budweiser | Dave Villwock | 139.416 |
| 2001 | Miss Tubby's Subs | Mike Hanson | 140.022 |
| 2002 | Miss Budweiser | Dave Villwock | 143.112 |
| 2003 | U-3 Fox Hills CJeep | Mitch Evans | 144.152 |
| 2004 | U-10 Miss DYC | Nate Brown | 141.195 |
| 2005 | U-13 Al Deeby Dodge | Terry Troxell | 142.448 |
Note that (*) indicates driver was also owner of the winning boat