TBT – There has been a lot of recent talk and rumors about automotive power making a return to the sport of unlimited hydroplane racing but the question remains if any new auto powered unlimited can ever measure up to the 1966-67 U-77 Miss Chrysler Crew. This beautifully designed Henry Lauterbach hull was built as a duplicate but larger version of the National champion 7-litre limited hydro Miss Crazy Thing, owned and driven by Bill Sterett. Since the 1948 Miss Grosse Point, there had not been very many attempt’s if any at auto power in unlimited racing after the mighty WW II V-12s came into power so the skeptics were out in full when the Chrysler Crew debuted at the 1966 SunCoast Cup in Tampa, FL. but they were all silenced at her 2nd race, the 1966 Presidents Cup in Washington DC. Despite being the worst day in unlimited hydroplane history, (Black Sunday) the one bright spot came in heat 1A when the twin 426 Hemi powered Chrysler Crew out-dueled the eventual ’66 national champ Tahoe Miss and the runner up My Gypsy. Unfortunately as the season progressed, the C-Crew experienced an overabundance of mechanical failures and could not consistently finish heats but when she was on, she dominated the field and ended the season strong with the 3rd place finish in Sacramento. The 1967 season started in disappointing fashion as the Chrysler Crew came stumbling out of the starting blocks with two DNF’s in Tampa but Sterett would turn it all around in Detroit at the 1967 UIM World Championships and would put his hull into the history books with 3 decisive heat victories including the final to claim the first title for an auto-motive powered unlimited. After another strong showing in the Tri-Cities, Sterett was injured after he crashed his 7 litre in Guntersville, Alabama and the great Mira Slovak was called upon to finish out the driving responsibilities for remainder of the season. The crafty Slovak would find the winners circle, capturing the Seafair trophy in Seattle. This would be the very race where my hydroplane passion as an 8 year old Seattle native would take root. However, the following day at the accident marred APBA Gold Cup the C-Crew would again have engine troubles and finish dead last. But even with all the successes and disappointments in the ’67 season, the Chrysler Crew would finish 2nd in the high point standings proving that auto-motive power was truly relevant in the sport. Sadly, all good things would come to an end and after a DNF in the final heat at San Diego, the hull was abruptly retired from racing as the Chrysler Corporation would change direction and the racing funds would dry up. Sterett would go on to accept the ride in Bernie Little’s new ’68 Karelsen built Miss Budweiser so the Chrysler Crew was stored away. In her short two year history, the twin Chrysler Hemi powered hull built an impressive resume finishing first ten times, 2nd eleven times and 3rd seven times. That’s 28 podium finishes in 19 events. The hull would sit out the ’68 season but would return in 1969 as the Allison powered U-77 Miss Owensboro for her two final years of competition with 5 different drivers gracing her cockpit. The Miss O had a rough ’69 season but managed to improve the following year to finish 4th over-all after running the full 1970 circuit. Now this is the part which makes every vintage hydro fan cry. After the ’70 season was over, the hull was sold to George Walther who only wanted the U-77 number designation for his new pickle forked Country Boy which meant the once mighty Chrysler Crew would be abandoned and placed outside next to the Walther’s Marina in Dayton Ohio, a victim to the elements where the hull slowly rotted and fell apart, eventually being cut up and hauled away to a landfill in 1988, a sad ending for such a historical boat. So the question still remains to this day, will we ever see auto-power in unlimited racing like we did 47 years ago? Many attempts have come and gone since then with limited success. Could twin auto power even stand a chance against today’s turbine? These and many other questions have yet to be answered but stay tuned race fans, 2015 is just around the corner.
Posted on: Thu, 06 Nov 2014 03:34:00 +0000