1959 Detroit Memorial - Miss Supertest III Wins 5-Heat Event for Power Boats

Detroit, July 4 [1959] (AP) – Canada’s Miss Supertest III captured the Detroit Memorial Regatta for unlimited power boats today though she jumped the gun in the fifth and final heat.

The Harmsworth Trophy challenger, owned by James G. Thompson of London, Ont., led five of the six boats across the starting line before the gun. This left Jack Regas and the Seattle-owned Miss Bardahl as the only boat with an official start.

But Miss Bardahl’s huge Rolls Royce engine quit as it was buried under a wall of water from the other racers and she was through for the day.

It happened after Regas, last year’s Gold Cup winner, had pushed Miss Bardahl up with the pack. He was washed out as he dueled with Bill Stead of Reno, Nev., in Maverick, and Jon Sunnigton [sic, Don Dunnington -LF] of Washington in Nitrogen.

Miss Supertest III won the first elimination heat on the wind-whipped Detroit River at an average speed of 99.392 m.p.h.

Miss Bardahl captured the second elimination heat with the help of a record-setting 114.8 m.p.h. lap. Bill Cantrell was second in the Detroit-based Gale V and Maverick was third. Miss Bardahl’s time was 99.221 m.p.h.

Regas also took the fourth elimination heat, beating Miss Supertest by a quarter of a mile with the fastest heat speed of the day, 101.161 m.p.h. The topped Miss Detroit’s mark of 100.641 in the third heat.

A twenty-mile wind took a toll of the twelve starters. Miss U.S. I, owned by George Simon of Detroit, sank in the first heat when her supercharger broke loose and tore a hole in the bottom of the $30,000 racer.

Miss Buffalo, a syndicate-owned boat making her debut, caught fire after her supercharger blew up in a rough qualifying run.

Miss Detroit finished second in the final standing, based on points earned in three of the five heats. Maverick was third and Miss Bardahl fourth.

Other finishers in order were: Nitrogen and Fascination, owned by Bob Gilliam of Seattle, tied for fifth; Miss Thriftway, seventh; Gale V, eighth; Gale VI, ninth. Three other entries failed to score.

Final Standings
1	CA-3	Miss Supertest III
2	U-99	Miss Detroit (3)
3	U-00	Maverick (2)
4	U-40	Miss Bardahl (2)
5	U-79	Nitrogen
6	U-88	Fascination (1)
7	U-60	Miss Thriftway (3)
8	U-55	Gale V (3)
9	U-56	Gale VI (2)
Did not finish	U-81	Yeller Jacket
Did not finish	U-2	Miss U.S. I (2)
Did not compete	U-70	Such Crust III (2)
Did not qualify	U-188	Miss Buffalo