Episode 186: Budweiser Indiana Governor's Cup Race Audio

Lets travel back in time and revisit the radio broadcast of the 1987 Budweiser Indiana Governor’s Cup in Madison.  Follow the weekend broadcast as it swings from qualifying optimism to delays, crashes, and a storm-driven finish. 

A BIG thank you to Laurie Marlow for preserving and digitalizing the race broadcast so we can enjoy it today.

Transcript

Host Setup And Archive Broadcast

SPEAKER_00 1:27

So it's going to be a great right now. A lot of stuff. We don't have that or anymore, thankfully. All right, that's enough of me yapping.

Standings And Boats In Field

SPEAKER_00 6:32

So let's get in and listen to the race broadcast, the audio broadcast of the 1987 Budweiser Indiana Governor's Cup.

SPEAKER_15 6:41

The beginning of a colorful 4th of July weekend, and we are in Madison, Indiana for the running of the Budweiser Indiana Governor's Cup unlimited hydroplane race. Hello, everybody. I'm Paul Lamy with the Hard Row Hotline report on this Friday, the 3rd of July. Let's bring things up to date by reviewing the high point standings as they are now following the Miami and Evansville race. These are the total points earned. The Miss Budweiser was 2,300 points. Risley Audio Video, 1619 points. Pepsi America's Choice was 1,432 points. The whole set Miss Madison, 1,377 points. Cellular One, 1,000 points. Miller American at 700 points. Mr. Pringles at 674 points. And Door Racing at 564 points. We have a field of nine boats here in the Pips and Madison for Sunday's race. And here is the rundown of those boats and their drivers. First, we have in here the Mythbuddhiser, Jim Cropfell driving, the Cellular One driven by Steve Reynolds, Mr. Pringles driven by Scott Pierce, Miller American driven by Chip Hanauer, Ridley Audio Video, Todd Yawling at the helm, the Hall Fetch Mr. Madison, Ron Schneider, Ed Cooper's boat, U-15, Mitch Evans driving, the U-7, Joe Racing with Jerry Hoff at the helm, and the Eliminator with Mike Bancroft, the Eliminator being the only automotive boat in the field. A reminder that last weekend, Evansville Race Budweiser, Thunder on the Ohio can be seen Sunday on ESPN at 6 p.m. Eastern Time. We ask you to check your local television listings for your local area.

SPEAKER_04 8:18

It's race number three of 1987 for unlimited hydroplanes at Madison, Indiana on the Ohio River for the second straight week. Last week, a little farther south in Evansville on the same river. This is the Budweiser Indiana Governors Cup. Lots of action on this third race. And we have a very special guest. Also an owner of several hydro halls, a man who established the Unlimited Racing Commission as its first commissioner. Today he's the chief referee in charge. His name is Lee Shane. We'll be talking with Lee after this timeout.

Lee Shaney On Turbines Safety

SPEAKER_04 8:52

Good noise. This speech back here on Miami. I don't just say Miami. Here at Madison, Indiana. Of course, the third race we started all in Miami a few weeks ago, and we're in the Ohio River again. Well, Lee Shane is with us, Lee. Looking over the Miami situation, uh more excitement, of course, that took place on the Ohio River last week at Evansville, Indiana. Where is this sport going with all the turbines?

SPEAKER_03 9:16

Well, I don't know, Jim. The turbines seem to be the most exciting thing that's happened to Unlimited Race in a long time. I think each year you're going to see more and more turbines. And of course, very little start in the enclosed capsule design for the driver is a mandatory thing for AV8. I think that's one of the biggest safety things we've come up with in a long time. I'm happy to be back in Madison. I was down here in 1951. I started here. I'll be done.

SPEAKER_04 9:39

You know, this is the well, this is the first season that you're going to be doing all nine of the unlimited races. Uh, why are you taking on such a workload as chief referee?

SPEAKER_03 9:47

Uh, I didn't think it on camp the owners forced it on me. They asked me at the November meeting, the annual meeting, if I would come to all the races. Uh, last year I made seven, but this year I'll have two more Syracuse and Madison. How long have you been in this sport, Lee? Well, 51. I came down to Madison actually in 1950. We started running the Gale boat at the time, and I drove in the 1950 Silver Cup race. And you won the 1955 Gold Cup in Seattle.

SPEAKER_04 10:13

55 Gold Cup in Seattle, that's right, Jim. Well, we're looking forward to working with you again in 87, Lee. Thank you very much. Okay, Jim. Lee Davis Chief Referee has been our guest. Now, we'll be back in just a moment after this from your local sponsor.

Qualifying Updates And River Conditions

SPEAKER_04 10:26

Back here on the Ohio River in Madison, Indiana. Let's check now with up to minute qualifying speed. Here's John Collin.

SPEAKER_09 10:34

Thanks very much, Jim. Right now we have three boats qualified on this first day of testing and qualifying in Madison, and the Budweiser Indiana Governor's Cup. The Miss Budweiser with Jim Cropfeld went out first, qualifying at 126.95 miles per hour. And the Miller American went out with Jim Hanauer out of Seattle at 129.75. And then a very solid performance. There is the audio video, Todd Yarling out of nearby Hanover, Indiana, qualifying at just over 120 miles per hour. Other boats coming up, the singular one with Steve Reynolds, Mr. Pringles, the U7, the holted Miss Madison with Ron Snyder, and Boer Racing with Jerry Hop. So we should have eight, maybe even nine boats that will be qualified and ready to race on Sunday here in Madison, Indiana for the Indiana Governor's Cup.

SPEAKER_04 11:19

Jim? Well, thank you very much, Don, and that'll wrap up this program. Don't forget, more of the same tomorrow. On the station, and our Sunday coverage continues on the Unlimited Radio Network. From Madison, Indiana, this is Jim Hendrick Reporting.

SPEAKER_14 11:33

Hello, ladies and gentlemen, this is Steve Reynolds from Madison, Indiana. The third stop of the Thunder Boat series. Five boats so far have qualified on this very first day of qualifying. And this Budweiser was the first boat out this morning and ran a 126. He has recently gone out and re-qualified at 131.8, for the fastest qualifier. Followed by 301 at 131. The Middle American with Chip Hanner at 129.7. The Ridge Leaf Express with Chad Yarling at 120. Mr. Pringles at 116.611, driven by Scott Beer. We have two other meters here to qualify. So far, the weather conditions have been very hot, very humid, where the river is a little bit low, which creates the swell, but the qualifying has been very good so far. My guess today is Todd Yaling, driver of the Ridge Leaf Express. We went out this morning and ran beautifully, I might add. Todd, what seems to be the difference? Why is your boat running so much better this year than it has been in the past?

SPEAKER_11 12:31

Well, basically, we've uh made a lot more power this year with our uh fuel injected alcohol per recharged algae. And we've done some boat work, uh rudder work, and work, uh propeller work. We decided to become our fifth year boat racing. We're gonna go out there and uh be just like when won our fifth year, so we're going boat racing here.

SPEAKER_14 12:53

Well, now your fuel injection system.

SPEAKER_11 12:55

You're getting a lot of help from uh Hilburn uh fuel injection out in California. So I decided they probably knew more about it than I did, and uh he set it up for me, and so far everything's working beautifully. Okay, your boat is really handling great this morning. It's been well feeling good to uh to do well in front of the home craft. Yeah, yeah. Last year Madison's always been a change race for us, everything's

Team Tweaks And Hull Setup Talk

SPEAKER_11 13:18

great. Uh last year we weren't even qualified Sunday morning, and I that makes for a long weekend. We don't want to do that anymore. We were really happy to go out there and uh and blow off a 120, and we really weren't even trying that hard. Well, we're all very, very proud of you.

SPEAKER_14 13:32

Again, uh, this is Hydro Hotline, brought to you by uh the Unlimited Racing Commission.

SPEAKER_04 13:37

It is a hot, humid day here in Madison, Indiana, on the Ohio River, where nine hydroplanes are in the fifth for the third race of 1987 for the Thunder Boat. I'm Jim Hendrick. We'll be joined by the chief of the Cellular One team, Jim Lassero, will have all the qualifying seats for you on the station. But first, let's take this timeout. Here at Madison, Indiana, it's the Budweiser Indiana Covenants Cup. I'm Jim Hendrick and Jim Lassero, the chief of the Cellular One team. And Jim Lucero, welcome to our microphone. I am noticing that race by race, lap by lap, or eat by eat, you're tweaking that boat in a little bit finer.

SPEAKER_08 14:13

Where are you going with it? Well, hopefully we can uh get the new cellular one dialed in at the Madison, Indiana race here. Of course, we got we got the Miami late. Uh we just barely got into the show. We only got a few laps on the boat. So, really, that in my opinion, the first race we actually were at was last week in Evansville, Indiana. Uh, I felt that Steve did an excellent job considering the little time he had in the race boat. We've been able to make pretty good progress. We had a good race in Evansville, and uh we're trying to build on that here at Madison. You know, when I when I watch you, you you built the familiar American team and you tweaked the boat in. You're not an engine, man, but you do pretty good with the hull. Uh anymore, the boats are so sophisticated that you really have to be able to work on all aspects of them. There isn't just any one aspect that makes a boat a winner or a loser. And uh when when a team gets down, you have to look at all areas. Uh it's the boats are are so fast, so sophisticated that if you can't get the hull itself to work properly, you're not going to turn the kinds of uh speed that the Miller and the Budweiser and the seller wanna turn. What do you think as an expert in this field? What do you think of that Budweiser? I'm really impressed. I I think that the uh Budweiser team really deserves an awful lot of credit uh for them to come out with a brand new race boat and run that impressively. I I'm I'm really uh impressed by them and and uh pleased with them, especially considering the the accident they had right at the start of the season. Everybody thought they could have gotten them down and and they didn't let that happen. Uh they came bounced right back and won the first two events and and come here and uh and bump the uh the lap record. Uh not only I guess they only bumped it by a mile an hour, but it's but it's it's more impressive than that because they bumped it with a much smaller motor.

SPEAKER_04 15:46

Well, you heard it from Jim Lozero, who was an expert in his field, and he's won more races than I think than any other crew chief that I know of, and he we thank him for coming to the mic. Thank you, Jim. Thank you. We'll be back with the qualifying time and check the action for your so far here in Madison, Indiana, after this, from your local sponsor. Back here, the top qualifier, Miss Bud Razor with Jim Cropfeld at 141 mile an hour. That's the course record for this particular course. Tell you the one with Steve Reynolds at 131.3, Miller America with Jim Hannah checked at 129.7, Mr. Pringles German, Scott Pierce at 121. Christy Gallett, 120.3. And the core racing with Jerry Hop driving at 120.6. From Madison, Indiana, this is Jim Hendrick. Go on. Hello, everybody. This is Jim Hendrick. Speaking to you from Madison, Indiana, the site of the Budweiser, Indiana Governor's Cup 1987. The third race on the circuit. It passes qualifiers, a man who the other day just set a course record for a two and a half-mile over here in Madison on the Ohio River. His name is Jim Cropfeld. He's won the first two races of the year. We'll be talking to Jim in just a moment. But first, let's take timeout for this work. Here in Madison, Indiana, race number three of 1987. Budweiser Thunder on the Ohio was last week. Budweiser on the same Ohio River, Indiana Governor's Cup this week. And this is the way they're going to draw for East 1A. That's the whole set in this Madison with Ron Schneider. Mr. Pringles with Scott Pears, and the cylinder one, Steve Reynolds, and man beside me is Jim Croft building this Budweiser. 141 course record. Jim, you got any more in that boat of the Budweiser?

SPEAKER_07 17:33

Well, there's always a little more. I I never go out and completely push it. Um basically when we broke the record, we were just trying a new propeller combination and we tried some new air dams, and it just happened

Cropfeld’s Record And New Heat Format

SPEAKER_07 17:44

that we broke the record.

SPEAKER_04 17:45

How is it that every time, the last uh uh first three races of the year, with four turbines, three hit at one eight, and one turbine runs out there all by himself in the B section?

SPEAKER_07 17:56

I don't know, it always seems like Chip's getting a good break out there, but uh he's had some bad luck in the saltwater, Miami, and uh he had a little bad luck in Evansville, but it looks like he's really running great now, so I think the uh chase is on.

SPEAKER_04 18:06

Yeah, he's 138 mile an hour coming in last night just before the fifth closed to qualify as second half qualifier, and that's only a blink of an eye between 138 and 141.

SPEAKER_07 18:16

That's only about a second and a half, and you know, we can make that up in a in a current real quick, and a second and a half is not very much of a lead at all. Do you have shoot speed on him or does he have it on you? I don't think I have the shoot speed. I never ran over 167 when I broke the record, but uh the boat turns are phenomenal and it's the acceleration's just fantastic.

SPEAKER_04 18:32

Well, thank you, Jim. Good luck, and I know you want to get down to your boat because it's gonna be race time pretty soon. Thank you. Great, thank you. Jim Coppell. Now in eat one B, it'll be the Miller American with Chip Hanauer, the Thor U7 Racing T with Jerry Hopp, the Rislies with Todd Golly, and Miss Pepsi, driven by Mitch Evans. That's the way to line up. There are eight boats that have qualified. It'll be four and four, and we have a different type of format for this race. I'll explain that after this from your local sponsor. Back here on the Ohio River in Madison, Indiana, my name is Jim Hendrick, and of course we'll have reports throughout the day on this radio station in our half-hour program later on with the starting gun to check a flag, description play by play of the final heat. Repeating 1A will be the whole set, Miss Madison, Miss Budweiser, Mr. Pringles, and 701. Heat 1B will be Miller American, the U7th Lord Racing Team, Reslies, and Miss Pepsi. That's the way they'll go. Now, we are going to have a shortened heat section. They usually run five laps in each 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B. Today, they're only going to run three laps in each section and add a section. So we'll have 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, and then the final. That means there's an extra 400 points up for Gramps and National High Point Standing. This is Jim Hendrick, or later. So on Cloudy Skies and a Threat of Rain Remail here in Madison, Indiana for race number three of the 1987 Thunder Boat Circuit. Hello, everybody, I'm Jim Hendrick, and this is Budweiser, Indiana Governor's Cup on the two and a half mile over on the Ohio River. Today's event, well, it's been chaos. One of the most unusual days I've spent in my 25 years of broadcasting boat racing. A Coast Guard commanded boat, broke loose prior to the testing today, and we've been in a two-hour delay with no action as I report to you. Lee Shadow, who has been very upset for trying to keep a calm head on, Chief Revere, will explain it in just a moment. First, let's take timeout for this word. Back here on the Ohio River in Madison, Indiana. Lee Shadow, Chief Revere. Lee, I cannot believe that all this time we've been sitting on the bank of the Ohio River because a Coast Guard, Lieutenant Junior JG, didn't think that we should start the race about him being on the course.

SPEAKER_03 20:41

But Jim, you've said it all. I've been around a long time. I think I never counted, but this is somewhere around my 400th race. I've never seen anything like it. The boat broke loose. He was four or five hundred yards off our race course. I said, okay, let's go running. And the other Coast Guard gentleman standing by me here said, Oh no, you can't run. And we couldn't figure out why. Well, the

Coast Guard Delay Stalls Race Day

SPEAKER_03 21:01

junior grade boy had to get back to see the race. Well, let me ask you a question. Does that boat that broke loose have any safety faction in your race? Absolutely nothing. We got 90,000 irritated people standing here wanting to see a boat race that this man held up. I just don't believe it.

SPEAKER_04 21:16

So he just wanted to get back on course. Now, couldn't he have waited for the first boat? He won anyone given an hour to race and come back on course?

SPEAKER_03 21:22

Oh, there's a million different things he could have done. He just did nothing. He wouldn't cooperate. In fact, he wouldn't even talk to any of us on the radio to give us an explanation why.

SPEAKER_04 21:30

Well, at least the world knows now, don't they?

SPEAKER_03 21:32

They sure do.

SPEAKER_04 21:33

I ranked your congressman straightened off the Coast Guard. Okay, thank you very much, we should at least get referee. Well, we do get under uh under uh way. Of course, we have a lot of action coming your way. This is the way they'll draw. Heat 1A will be the whole sentence master with Ron Snyder, Miss Budweiser with Jim Cropbell, Mr. Prinkles with Scott Pierce, the seven in the one with Steve Reynolds, Eat 1B will be the Miller American with Chip Hanover, the U7 Floor Racing Team with Jerry Hopp, the Risby Express driven by Ty. Yelling and Ms. Pepsi with Mitch Evans. I'll be back with the final word after this from your local sponsor. Back here on the Ohio River in Madison, Indiana. Bud Rice, the Indiana governor's job about to get underway. That's put up some big delay. We do have a threat of rain, but they say it may hold up. The weather is too down considerably as percent, of course, behind the clouds. That's one race of the 91,000 fans sitting here on the bank of the Ohio River, irritated by a delay by the United States Coast Guide Commander for this race. Uh leading that out there breaking in the sun. We are looking for, of course, a delayed half-hour program, so we'll advise all network stations to check on our 1-900 out of line, and you'll be kept abreast of when we will go with that half-hour show and also with our five-minute program. From Madison, Indiana, this is Jim Hendrick 340.2. Steve Reynolds finished second is Celia. One third to Scott Pierce in Mr. Pringles, fourth to Ron Snyder, whole set in Miss Madison. Heat 1B, Chip Hanauer. Miller American, winner, average speed 120.9. Second place to Jerry Hopp with the Thor U7. Third to Mitch Evans in Miss Pepsi. Todd Allen failed to finish in the Risley Express. 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A, and 3B in a different type of format. And we've just had an accident in 3A, just about two or three minutes ago, in 3A, Cellular One, driven by Steve Reynolds, leading the pack down the back chute, took off in flying colors, lifted over and blew over, end over end. Parts of the sponsor came off, the tail came off. The preliminary word that we're getting right now is that the driver seems to be uh as best as can be expected. It looks like he's going to be okay. We'll get official words later on in this program for you. But they remember the cellular one does have an F-16 canopy. He does have a five-point harness. He's strapped in. He's probably taking a joke, and we'll get the first official word we can for you in just a moment. Today's action was delayed two hours because of

Heats Results Then A Violent Blowover

SPEAKER_04 24:03

a Lieutenant Junior Grade of the United States Coast Guard, who would not permit the start of action because his command boat had mechanical problems and could not get into position. Once the action started, heat 1A was won by Jim Croft and Miss Budweiser, average speed of 129.2. Steve Reynolds finished second in Silvia 1. Third to Scott Pearson, Mr. Pringles, and fourth to Ron Snyder in the whole set, Miss Madison. Heat 1B, wire to wire for Chip Hanauer. The Miller American, average of 120.9, second place to Jerry Hopp in the Thor U7, third to Mitch Evans in Miss Pepsi, while Todd Yelling failed to finish in the Risley Express. Heat 2A saw the Budweiser go on to a second straight victory after a two and a half laps side-by-side battle with Ron Snyder and the whole set Miss Madison. And uh second place was the Miss Madison. Mitch Evans and Miss Pepsi third, while Jerry Hopp took fourth in the Thor U7. 2B was won by Steve Reynolds and Cellular 1, average of 121 miles an hour. Second place to Todd Yarling in the Risley Express. Third place taken by Scott Pierce and Mr. Pringles, while the Miller American lost to Skid Finn on lap number two and with steering problems, went off the course and did not finish. Let's call in Paul Lamey right now. Paul, what's the official word on the cellular one, who just minutes ago flipped and heat 3A down of the back shoot while leaving?

SPEAKER_16 25:15

Well, as I understand it from this point of view, uh Jim Eric Stato, the uh chief diver for the URC, uh, was able to pull him out of the cockpit of the boat. They put him in the stretcher, and they are at this moment uh bringing him into the medical area. The last report that I heard was that he was breathing, and so that's a good sign when they cut his uh life vest and all of those things away from him.

SPEAKER_04 25:34

Okay, so we did not get an idea of whether he was conscious. He did uh fly, and he was out in front by about 500 feet over the butt roster, down the back shoot, and the start of lap 3A on the back shoot, lap number one, and all of a sudden just went up in the air, took off like an airplane, went end over end, blew it over, and you can see parts of the right spots come off, the tail came off, the engine smashed into down into the boat, but the canopy section, the uh which is an F-16 cockpit that protects him, didn't seem to be that damaged at the time for my binoculars, and he is in a five-point harness. We're after get official word. We'll be back after this from your local sponsor. This is Jim Hendrick back here on the Ohio River. We just got an update. Uh, Paul Lammy, I understand we just got a medical report on the two-way radio, and what was that?

SPEAKER_16 26:16

Well, they're checking his uh his uh symptoms right now. He has uh right now a heart rate of 70, and so uh they're working on him and uh they're they're staying real close to him right now.

SPEAKER_04 26:28

I understand his blood pressure was okay also. That's right. Blood pressure is good, and the vital stance can be good at this time with Steve Reynolds as they're working on him after flipping the cellular one on the back lap, the back shoot of lap number one of E3A, when he blew it over. He has the canopy, five-point harness. We'll have to bring you up to date. The boat, of course, is uh just really smashed up. I can see part of the sponsors floating down here towards the right right now. I want to advise all radio stations on our network that now you have must call the hotline, the 1-900 number, and stay abreast because we will have a delay in the final heat due to this accident. That's it. Latest, stay tuned to the hotline, stay tuned to your local station. We'll update you immediately, we'll update you immediately on the station you're listening to now. Stations check in every five or ten minutes, and we'll give you a short report on the condition of Steve Reynolds, which at this time seems to be uh pretty good. Pretty good, as what we're getting for indications on that flipover of the cellular one. This is Jim Hendrick, so long for Madison, Indiana.

SPEAKER_02 27:25

Indiana is Thunderboats 1987. Today, the fastest race boats in the world, the Unlimited Hydros, compete in the Budweiser, Indiana Governor's Capricotta. All the action is brought to you by Budweiser. Speech with age for that clean, crisp taste. Hydro fan, this one's for you. By Popeye's famous fried chicken. You're gonna love that chicken from Popeye's, by Mercury outwards, with Mercury the Race Never Stops, by the Colorado Hotel, Hotel, and Casino in Loughlin, Nevada, a circus, circus city fried.

SPEAKER_10 28:02

And brought to you locally in your area by Flight Professional Cleaners serving all the Tri-Cities, by Taco Lane on the corner of Clearwater and Highway 395, by Hawes Westernware, 830 Columbia Center Boulevard for classic Western fashions, and for all the summer fun activities.

SPEAKER_04 28:24

Well, thank you very much, Hank, and hello everybody. What started out to be a cloudy day with light periodic rain turned into a 91 degree sunny day, and then back to a threatening storm right now as we sit here on the banks of the Ohio River with the Coast Guard saying that perhaps 65 mile-an-hour winds will be coming up, and that has set us into a disarray. Don De Boyer will be with me as always. We'll be hearing from Lee Shannis. We'll also be hearing from Dr. Richard Swanson on the condition of one driver by the name of Steve Reynolds. Steve Reynolds, of course, flipped over in the cellular one, has been taken to an Indianapolis hospital. His final signs are stable, but we'll have to get an update on his condition. There was to be 3A, 3B, but they canceled that section in favor of going right to the

Medical Reports And Safety Crew Response

SPEAKER_04 29:07

final. But I don't know if it's how we're going to get that in with the way the weather conditions are. We'll be hearing from the drivers, the officials, keep you up to date on what's happened here. But first, let's take timeout for this word.2. Steve Reynolds was second in the cellular one. Scott Pierce, third in Mr. Pringles, Ron Snyder, fourth in the whole set, Miss Madison. The winner, Jim Croftfeld, was ready to go after a long delay, and he describes the action coming down to turn number one.

SPEAKER_07 29:38

Well, I just had to go out there and go with it. Steve's got the inside on the backstretch warming up, and uh I pulled in lane too, and we just came down. I nailed it as far as I could, and uh Moore was on radio telling me that he was keeping up and leaving the lane in turn one, which I did, and I checked. I held it as tight as I could with enough room for him, hoping that the rough order counter would slow him down. And I I guess it did a little bit.

SPEAKER_04 29:58

I kind of stayed ahead with most of the race, but 8-1B was a wire-to-wire victory for Chip Hanauer, the Miller American average speed of 120.9 mile an hour. Even in winning, Chip does not feel his boat is in top competitive condition.

SPEAKER_05 30:10

Well, we knew when we qualified yesterday that although it was a fast speed, that the boat was real erratic, and there was really no way we could do that speed in the race. But the change we know that needs to be done can be done until we get the boat upside down, and we won't be able to do that until Monday and Tuesday for Detroit.

SPEAKER_04 30:26

Second place to Jerry Hopp and the Thor U7, third to Mitch Evans and Miss Pepsi, while Todd Garling did not finish in the Risley video. Heat 2A was won by Miss Budweiser after a two-lap duel with Franz Snyder and the whole set Miss Madison, who finished second. Mitch Evans finished third in Miss Pepsi, while Jerry Hopp took fourth in the Thor U7. Heat 2B was won by Steve Reynolds and the Seller won in an average of 121 mile an hour. Second went to Todd Yolling and the Risley Express. Third to Scott Pierce and Mr. Pringles, while Chip Hannah lost the skid fin and did not finish when he had steering problems developed on lap number two. Now we had a start of Heat 3A, and down out of corner number two, and coming down the back shoot and leading the way by 400 feet was the driver Steve Reynolds and Cellular One. And halfway down that back chute, he all of a sudden started to fly the boat end over end, but it landed right side up. Spots was broken out, the tail was broken off, the canopy did remain intact. We have a latest update on the condition of Steve Reynolds from our APBA doctor, Dr. Swingson.

SPEAKER_17 31:29

Steve was unconscious when we took him from the capsule. He remains unconscious. His vital signs were stable. It was obvious that he had a fractured left forearm and he had a laceration of his leg. The rest of his injuries are not clear at the present time. All right, thank you very much, Doctor.

SPEAKER_04 31:47

But he was unconscious. I understand he's on the way by helicopter to Indianapolis. We're taking him by Methodist Hospital helicopter to their trauma center. And if we get any further word before we go off the air, but his vital sides are stable. The boat, of course, has been suffering a lot of damage. Lee Shaniff, our chief referee, with a lot of things going on during the day. We'll be stepping to our microphones in just a moment after this from your local sponsor. This is Jim Hendrick, along with Don Poyer, back here on the banks of the Ohio River in uh Madison, Indiana. Now stepping up forward is Lee Shaniff, our chief referee. And Lee, we had a two-hour delay to start this event today because a Coast Guard, Lieutenant J.

SPEAKER_03 32:28

G, wanted to have his boat position to see the race, or am I wrong? Jim, I think you're practically right. What happened was we had uh the Miller American breakdown, and while they were trying to tow him in, the tow rope broke, hit this big uh showboat or whatever it is that the Coast Guard's using, it went adrift downriver. He was a good half mile, maybe a half mile, off course. He wouldn't let us run. He held us up two hours, and we didn't get underwater till two o'clock. Well, let me ask you a question. Did that Coast Guard boat have any official function other than these the Coast Guard in a way of safety to your drivers? Absolutely none, Jim. The Coast Guard's uh uh connection with the races, as far as I know, is nothing but to protect the cruisers and so forth that come to watch the race, to keep them back off the race course. We have all our own safety patrol medical, as you know, Jim. Fire everything. In fact, it was shown here today we had this accident and they did an excellent job.

SPEAKER_04 33:22

All right. From your local sponsor, Indiana, the Ohio River, Jim Hendrick, Doc Floyer, and with me, of course, is the Chief Referee, Lee Shanneth Lee. Now, I've I've I guess the latest word it's official, it's coming down now, and you've been talking on your two-way radio while we're on that commercial freight. I understand we have impending thunderstorms with winds up to 65 miles an hour, and I hear that you're not going to run a final heat.

SPEAKER_03 33:48

Once again, Jim, the Coast Guard just informed me they're expecting winds up to 60 miles an hour, thunderstorms, the sky's getting black. They have canceled the race. We would have probably gone ahead and started it, and I would stop it if it actually started to rain or blow. That means that two-hour delay the Coast Guard gave us to the top of the day, she just got our final heat. That's right, Jim. Had we started at noon, we'd have been done a long time ago. But right now, we would our start would be at about a minute, and I would be running the start right now. It is black, it might get worse, but it only takes us seven, eight minutes to run a heat, Jim. We'd have had the final in on that for it hit.

SPEAKER_04 34:21

Okay, well, Lee, now we're going on to Detroit, which is your hometown. You've raced many times in the Gale 5 as the driver, the Gale 6, the Gale 7,

Storm Threat Forces Final Cancellation

SPEAKER_04 34:28

etc. I don't know. I I've seen a lot of confusion in my time. Uh, but as I as I look, I think that the safety crews here today did a fine job with Steve Reynolds flipped over in the cellular.

SPEAKER_03 34:38

Excellent job, Jim. They were there. We had watches on them. The way the accident happened, Budweiser was right in back of it, saw it happen, and so was uh U-22. The Miller had already broke down and gone off the course. I was watching the Miller. As I turned my head, I saw the cellular go over. I immediately got the red flags out, the red flares out, stopped the race, got on the radio, told all the patrol boats to head over there. Someone had a watch, and I think I heard someone say it was like 90 seconds by the time he flipped that the patrol boats were there, and within two minutes on top of them working.

SPEAKER_04 35:10

Well, that means then that you're going to take the 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, and the way they finished the points up to that point will describe and predict your winner.

SPEAKER_03 35:20

Yes, we have a winner. The Budweiser is the winner. Ironically, Sellinger is second. Uh Rod Snyder and Miss Manison third. Uh Jerry Hopp and the Thor is fourth. And the uh Pringles is fifth. That's the order of finish, Jim.

SPEAKER_04 35:33

Speaking of the winning driver, he's just walked up, and we'll be talking to him in just a moment after this. Timeout for this word from your local sponsor. Uh River, now that the high winds are expected, and we can see that there's a big rain coming down the valley now, and we're probably going to get wet. Let's call in the winning driver by way of point, Miss Budweiser driver, Jim Profile. And Jim, let me say before, congratulations, it is a tainted victory, you know, but you did one wheel of a job when you saw that cellular go over in front of you. Tell me what you saw on the back shoot of lap number one of Heat 3A.

SPEAKER_07 36:06

Well, Steve and I uh came out of the turn, uh, he was had about three or four boat lengths on me. He out of accelerated going up the back back stretch, and we reached probably 165, 170 mile an hour, and he had about 200 feet on me, and and uh I saw the boat start to lift and I hit the radio and told Lauren uh Steve's going over, and uh by then he was up in the air, and uh as the boat reached its uh peak, it it uh turned sideways and started to fall over in front of me. And I was afraid I was gonna run right into the side of him when he came down, and I veered to the infield and uh kind of close between a couple patrol boats and Steve and made it through safely though. But uh I was afraid that he landed upside

Points Winner Interview And Wind Theory

SPEAKER_07 36:45

down, and uh as I circled around, Lauren on the radio told me that it was right side up and he saw the cockpit all intact, so I felt a little better there.

SPEAKER_04 36:53

Okay, now when it comes to that, you've been in the same position only in testing before the start of the season. You ended upside down. That canopy again saved somebody.

SPEAKER_07 37:02

It truly did. Uh we can only thank uh you know Bernie Little and Budweiser team for starting the enclosed cockpit back three years ago with the with the Griffin Power at Budweiser, and and it it developed along to where it became what it is today, and uh it really has saved our sport a lot.

SPEAKER_04 37:17

Well, I'll tell you this when you come right down to it, we've got the fellows from WRX making more noise on this on the network than I can shake a stick at. Good. I don't care if it's raining, I gotta stand out here. You guys can stand out here. All right. Hi, Jim Crowfeld, you win three in a row. You're pretty leg up on the points race. What do you see for Detroit?

SPEAKER_07 37:36

Well, it looks like the show's gonna be off a little bit. Um hopefully the miller will be back uh together with their skip problems that they've had and uh have their engine and everything back up to their peak power, and and uh hopefully we can uh go up there and break a few records and have a good time.

SPEAKER_04 37:52

One final question before we let you go. The storm is coming in right now, and I can't even see the valley down there. We're really gonna get wet and you're gonna have to run for it. But let me ask you this, Jim Cropell. That was very sudden. Did it give him any notice when it flips over like that?

SPEAKER_07 38:04

And if not, what would cause that? Uh I'm not sure uh if it gave him any notice. I really couldn't see too much except the the the uh rooster tail and just the uh the edge of the boat is back of the sponsor. But I think if you look across the river, there's a valley over there. That's about where Steve went over, and I think uh the air comes over that hill, it's blowing out of the south over that hill and right down into that valley, and it makes a little pressure pocket over there. I'm sure that wind must have county.

SPEAKER_04 38:27

Well, let's go and wish you best of luck for the rest of the year. Great, thank you. All right, Jim Carfell, the winning driver by way of points, as Lee Shannon said, they have canceled the final and it reverts back to the point system. We'll be talking to Commissioner Don Jones in just a moment. After this, from your local sponsor. It's gonna blow out of here. I'll tell you right now, we're gonna close this program off early. So, stations, you can make up the spots later if you will. But let's get a final word from Don Jones. Don, I don't like the idea that we got uh Dwayne two hours for no reason at all, and we have to run into there.

SPEAKER_06 39:00

Well, we've had a little bit of problem here all three days. Uh they've used some pair metal buoys that uh were not river-wise ready to go, uh upside down, uh lightweights on the buoys. Uh it uh we've just had all sorts of difficulties. Uh we tried everything we could to get the speed off, and uh I think the fans did get a uh good race for them. However, uh it looks like the odds were against us this weekend. All right, so the final voter finished, thank you.

SPEAKER_04 39:28

It's Miss Budweiser first, Dell the one second, Holsep, Miss Madison third, you seven, Jerry Hopkins fourth place, Bunny, Miss Betsy gets fifth. And that's the way it wraps up. The storm is coming in. We're not going to be able to talk to you. Our roof just blew off. Make up spots later. Till next week. On behalf of our entire crew from Detroit, Michigan, this is Jim Hendrick. So long.

SPEAKER_02 39:54

Today's Budweiser Indiana Governor's Contragata has been brought to you by Popeye's Famous Fried Chicken. You're gonna love that chicken from Popeyes. By Mercury on Board, with Mercury the Race Never Stops, by the Colorado Bell Hotel and Casino in Loughlin, Nevada, a circus circus enterprise. By Budweiser, Beachwood Aid for the clean crisp tape. Hydro fans, this was for you.

SPEAKER_10 40:17

And brought to you locally in your area by quite professional cleaners serving all the Tri-Cities, by Taco Lane on the corner of Clearwater and Highway 395, by Haas Westernware, 830 Columbia Center Boulevard for classic Western fashions, and for all the summer fun activities, ride Ben Franklin Transit.

SPEAKER_02 40:36

The spirit of Detroit Regatta in Detroit, Michigan. This is Hank O'Neill, and this is the Unlimited Radio Network.

SPEAKER_01 40:44

Amen. Indianapolis, Reynolds would hurt was hurt when his hydroplane became airborne, overturned, and crashed upside down on the Ohio River during the Madison Regatta Today. Hospital spokesman David Richards says Reynolds was unconscious when he was taken from the capsule of his wrecked boat and transported to a Madison hospital. He was then airlifted by helicopter to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis. Richards says Reynolds was taken to the neurocritical unit. He has a diffused head injury. Dr. Richard Swanson of the Unlimited Racing Commission's medical staff says Reynolds was breathing and his vinyl signs were stable before he left Madison. He says Reynolds also had a broken arm. Jim Crockfeld in the Miss Budweiser, which won its two preliminary heats, has been declared the winner. Based on points, Reynolds finished second overall. Crockfeld says hydroplane accidents do not normally happen, but drivers always know it is a possibility.

Commissioner Wrap Up And Wire Report

SPEAKER_13 42:10

Boat went over. Reynolds has yet to regain consciousness. Jim Cropfeld, who was following in second place, and who's had the same thing happen to him earlier in this uh year back in the spring, uh, explains exactly what uh he saw.

SPEAKER_07 42:24

Steve and I uh came out of the turn, uh he was hit about three or four boat lengths on me, and he got a cylinder going up the back back stretch, and we reached probably 165, 170 mile an hour, and he hit about 200 feet on me, and and uh I saw the boat start to lift and I hit the radio and told Lauren uh Steve's going over. And uh by then he was up in the air, and uh as the boat reached its uh peak, it it uh turned sideways and started to fall over in front of me. And I was afraid I was gonna run right into the side of him when he came down, and I've veered to the infield and uh kind of closed between a couple patrol boats and Steve and made it through safely though. But uh I was afraid that he landed upside down, and uh as I serpent around, Lauren on the radio told me that he was right side up and he saw the cockpit all intact, so I felt a little better there.

SPEAKER_13 43:13

Uh similar accidents mentioned happened to Cropfeld earlier uh this year. Asked if that kind of accident gives any warning.

SPEAKER_07 43:19

He said, But I'm not sure uh if it gave him any notice. I really couldn't see too much except the the the uh rooster tail and just the uh the edge of the boat is back as its sponsor. But I think over if you look across the river, there's a valley over there, and that's about where Steve went over. And I think uh the air comes over that hill, blowing out of the south, over that hill and right down into that valley, and it makes a little pressure pocket over there. I'm sure that wind must have caught him.

SPEAKER_13 43:43

Cropfeld was declared the winner. The race was uh final was canceled because of an impending storm. The next stop for the unlimiteds is next week in uh Detroit on uh Sunday.

SPEAKER_00 44:01

Once again, we have to go to the house.