Hanauer Motors To Gold Cup Win

It started as a joke. All Chip Hanauer needed to do was win 10 straight races to overtake Bill Muncey and become the American Powerboat Association’s winningest unlimited hydroplane driver.

Some joke. The way Hanauer and the Miss Budweiser boat are dominating things so far this season, he might win 10 straight without a fight.

He won his second straight race of the season Sunday, completely outclassing the six-boat winnertake-all final heat at the $200,000 Gold Cup before 400,000 spectators on the Detroit River. Miss Bud has now won seven straight heats and has a perfect 2,000 points this season.

Despite mechanical problems that had crew members scrambling right up to race time, Miss Budweiser led from start to finish and beat second-place PicoAmerican Dream driven by Dave Villwock by half a lap. Miss Bud’s average speed over the 2.5 mile course was 149.160 mph. Pico’s speed averaged 140.616.

The Wellness Plan driven by Mark Evans was third (138.083) and defending Gold Cup winner Smokin’ Joes driven by Mark Tate was fourth (134.136).

“I get mad when people say it was easy,” said Hanauer, who is barely able to speak in the wake of recent vocal chord surgery. “This was anything but comfortable.”

On Saturday, Miss Bud crew members worked until 10 p.m. repairing the bottom of the boat and the drive shaft. Then, 25 minutes before the race, they had to replace the gear box and the engine.

It was Hanauer’s 10th Gold Cup triumph and his 55th career win, seven back of Muncey’s 62. Muncey’s widow Fran and son Edward were on hand to witness Hanauer’s feat Sunday.