| Event information | |
|---|---|
| Type | H1 Unlimited hydroplane boat race |
| Race area | rotating sites |
| Dates | variable, in July or early August |
| First race | 1904 |
| Website | H1 Unlimited Hydroplane Racing Series |
The APBA Gold Cup (originally known simply as the Gold Cup, a speedboat race) is an American hydroplane boat race, named for the American Power Boat Association. It is now run as part of the H1 Unlimited season. [1] First run in 1904, it is the oldest trophy in motorsports. [2]
Starting in 1904, the Gold Cup consist of three heats, and starting in 1918 the heat distance was 30 statute miles. [3] In 1963 the number of heats was increased to four, but the total distance was reduced to 60 statute miles. [4] In 1976, the Unlimited Racing Commission adopted a winner-take-all format for all its races including the APBA Gold Cup. [5] In 1981 the total number of heats was reduced to three with the total distance being reduced to 45 statute miles. [6] Since 1983 the Gold Cup has been competed at various total distances ranging from 36 statute miles to 52.5 statute miles. [7]
The drivers with the most Gold Cup victories are Chip Hanauer, and Dave Villwock with 11 victories. Bill Muncey is second with eight. [8]
| Year | Driver | Boat | Race Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1904 | Carl C. Riotte | Standard | New York |
| 1904 | Willis Sharpe Kilmer | Vingt et Un II | New York |
| 1905 | Jonathan Wainwright | Chip | Chippewa Bay, NY |
| 1906 | Jonathan Wainwright (2) | Chip II | Chippewa Bay, NY |
| 1907 | Jonathan Wainwright (3) | Chip II | Chippewa Bay, NY |
| 1908 | E.J. Schroeder | Dixie II | Chippewa Bay, NY |
| 1909 | E.J. Schroeder (2) | Dixie II | Alexandria Bay, NY |
| 1910 | Frederick K. Burnham | Dixie III | Alexandria Bay, NY |
| 1911 | J.H. Hayden | MIT II | Alexandria Bay, NY |
| 1912 | A. Graham Miles | P.D.Q. II | Alexandria Bay, NY |
| 1913 | Casimir S. Mankowski | Ankle Deep | Alexandria Bay, NY |
| 1914 | Robert Edgren & Jim Blackton, Jr | Baby Speeddemon II | Lake George, NY |
| 1915 | Jack Beebe and John "Freckles" Milot | Miss Detroit | New York |
| 1916 | Bernard Smith | Miss Minneapolis | Detroit, MI |
| 1917 | Gar Wood | Miss Detroit II | Detroit, MI |
| 1918 | Gar Wood (2) | Miss Detroit III | Detroit, MI |
| 1919 | Gar Wood (3) | Miss Detroit III | Detroit, MI |
| 1920 | Gar Wood (4) | Miss Detroit IV | Detroit, MI |
| 1921 | Gar Wood (5) | Miss America | Detroit, MI |
| 1922 | Jesse G. Vincent | Packard Chriscraft | Detroit, MI |
| 1923 | Caleb Bragg | Packard Chriscraft | Detroit, MI |
| 1924 | Caleb Bragg (2) | Baby Bootlegger | Detroit, MI |
| 1925 | Caleb Bragg (3) | Baby Bootlegger | Port Washington, NY |
| 1926 | George H. Townsend | Greenwich Folley | Port Washington, NY |
| 1927 | George H. Townsend (2) | Greenwich Folley | New York |
| 1928 | N/A | No Contest | N/A |
| 1929 | Richard. F. Hoyt | I M P II | Red Bank, NJ |
| 1930 | Victor William Kliesrath | Hotsy Totsy | Red Bank, NJ |
| 1931 | Victor William Kliesrath (2) | Hotsy Totsy | Montauk, NY |
| 1932 | Bill Horn | Delphine IV | Montauk, NY |
| 1933 | George Reis | El Lagarto | Detroit, MI |
| 1934 | George Reis (2) | El Lagarto | Lake George, NY |
| 1935 | George Reis (3) | El Lagarto | Lake George, NY |
| 1936 | Kaye Don | Impshi | Lake George, NY |
| 1937 | Clell Perry | Notre Dame | Detroit, MI |
| 1938 | Theo Rossi | Alagi | Detroit, MI |
| 1939 | Zalmon Guy Simmons, Jr. | G-13 My Sin | Detroit, MI |
| 1940 | Sidney Allen | G-4 Hotsy Totsy III | Northport, NY |
| 1941 | Zalmon Guy Simmons, Jr. (2) | G-13 My Sin | Red Bank, NJ |
| 1942 | N/A | No Contests- World War II | N/A |
| 1943 | N/A | No Contests- World War II | N/A |
| 1944 | N/A | No Contests- World War II | N/A |
| 1945 | N/A | No Contests- World War II | N/A |
| 1946 | Guy Lombardo | G-13 Tempo VI | Detroit, MI |
| 1947 | Danny Foster | G-99 Miss Peps V | Jamaica Bay, NY |
| 1948 | Danny Foster (2) | G-4 Miss Great Lakes | Detroit, MI |
| 1949 | Bill Cantrell | U-3 My Sweetie | Detroit, MI |
| 1950 | Ted Jones | U-27 Slo-Mo-Shun IV | Detroit, MI |
| 1951 | Lou Fageol | U-37 Slo-Mo Shun V | Seattle, WA |
| 1952 | Stan Dollar | U-27 Slo-Mo-Shun IV | Seattle, WA |
| 1953 | Joe Taggart | U-27 Slo-Mo-Shun IV | Seattle, WA |
| 1954 | Lou Fageol (2) | U-37 Slo-Mo-Shun V | Seattle, WA |
| 1955 | Lee Schoenith | U-55 Gale V | Seattle, WA |
| 1956 | Bill Muncey | U-60 Miss Thriftway | Detroit, MI |
| 1957 | Bill Muncey (2) | U-60 Miss Thriftway | Seattle, WA |
| 1958 | Jack Regas | U-8 Hawaii Kai III | Seattle, WA |
| 1959 | Bill Stead | U-00 Maverick | Seattle, WA |
| 1960 | N.A. (Note 1) | No Contest- High Winds | Las Vegas, NV |
| 1961 | Bill Muncey (3) | U-60 Miss Century 21 Thriftway Stores | Reno, NV |
| 1962 | Bill Muncey (4) | U-60 Miss Century 21 Thriftway Stores | Seattle, WA |
| 1963 | Ron Musson | U-40 Miss Bardahl | Detroit, MI |
| 1964 | Ron Musson (2) | U-40 Miss Bardahl | Detroit, MI |
| 1965 | Ron Musson (3) | U-40 Miss Bardahl | Seattle, WA |
| 1966 | Miro Slovak | U-11 Tahoe Miss | Detroit, MI |
| 1967 | Bill Schumacher | U-40 Miss Bardahl | Seattle, WA |
| 1968 | Bill Schumacher (2) | U-1 Miss Bardahl | Detroit, MI |
| 1969 | Bill Sterret | U-12 Miss Budweiser | San Diego, CA |
| 1970 | Dean Chenoweth | U-12 Miss Budweiser | San Diego, CA |
| 1971 | Jim McCormick | U-6 Miss Madison | Madison, IN |
| 1972 | Bill Muncey (5) | U-71 Atlas Van Lines | Detroit, MI |
| 1973 | Dean Chenoweth (2) | U-12 Miss Budweiser | Tri-Cities, WA |
| 1974 | George Henley | U-1 Pay'n Pak | Seattle, WA |
| 1975 | George Henley (2) | U-1 Pay'n Pak | Tri-Cities, WA |
| 1976 | Tom D'Eath | U-2 Miss U.S. | Detroit, MI |
| 1977 | Bill Muncey (6) | U-1 Atlas Van Lines | Tri-Cities, WA |
| 1978 | Bill Muncey (7) | U-00 Atlas Van Lines | Owensboro, KY |
| 1979 | Bill Muncey (8) | U-1 Atlas Van Lines | Madison, IN |
| 1980 | Dean Chenoweth (3) | U-12 Miss Budweiser | Madison, IN |
| 1981 | Dean Chenoweth (4) | U-1 Miss Budweiser | Seattle, WA |
| 1982 | Chip Hanauer | U-00 Atlas Van Lines | Detroit, MI |
| 1983 | Chip Hanauer (2) | U-1 Atlas Van Lines | Evansville, IN |
| 1984 | Chip Hanauer (3) | U-1 Atlas Van Lines | Tri-Cities, WA |
| 1985 | Chip Hanauer (4) | U-00 Miller American | Seattle, WA |
| 1986 | Chip Hanauer (5) | U-1 Miller American | Detroit, MI |
| 1987 | Chip Hanauer (6) | U-00 Miller American | San Diego, CA |
| 1988 | Chip Hanauer (7) | U-00 Circus Circus | Evansville, IN |
| 1989 | Tom D'Eath (2) | U-1 Miss Budweiser | San Diego, CA |
| 1990 | Tom D'Eath (3) | U-1 Miss Budweiser | Detroit, MI |
| 1991 | Mark Tate | U-10 Winston Eagle | Detroit, MI |
| 1992 | Chip Hanauer (8) | U-1 Miss Budweiser | Detroit, MI |
| 1993 | Chip Hanauer (9) | U-1 Miss Budweiser | Detroit, MI |
| 1994 | Mark Tate (2) | U-10 Smokin' Joe's | Detroit, MI |
| 1995 | Chip Hanauer (10) | U-1 Miss Budweiser | Detroit, MI |
| 1996 | Dave Villwock | U-100 Pico American Dream | Detroit, MI |
| 1997 | Dave Villwock (2) | U-12 Miss Budweiser | Detroit, MI |
| 1998 | Dave Villwock (3) | U-1 Miss Budweiser | Detroit, MI |
| 1999 | Chip Hanauer (11) | U-100 Miss Pico | Detroit, MI |
| 2000 | Dave Villwock (4) | U-1 Miss Budweiser | Detroit, MI |
| 2001 | Michael Hanson | U-9 Jones Racing (Tubby's Subs) | Detroit, MI |
| 2002 | Dave Villwock (5) | U-1 Miss Budweiser | Detroit, MI |
| 2003 | Mitch Evans | U-3 Miss Fox Hills | Detroit, MI |
| 2004 | Nate Brown | U-10 Miss DYC | Detroit, MI |
| 2005 | Terry Troxell | U-13 Miss Al Deeby Dodge | Detroit, MI |
| 2006 | Jean Theoret | U-37 Miss Beacon Plumbing | Detroit, MI |
| 2007 | Dave Villwock (6) | U-16 Miss E-Lam Plus | Detroit, MI |
| 2008 | Jeff Bernard (Round winner only) | U-5 FormulaBoats.com(Note 2) | Detroit, MI |
| 2009 | Dave Villwock (7) | U-16 Miss E-Lam Plus | Detroit, MI |
| 2010 | Dave Villwock (8) | U-96 Spirit of Qatar | Detroit, MI |
| 2011 | Dave Villwock (9) | U-96 Spirit of Qatar | Detroit, MI |
| 2012 | Dave Villwock (10) | U-1 Spirit of Qatar | Detroit, MI |
| 2013 | Kip Brown | U-1 Spirit of Qatar | Detroit, MI |
| 2014 | Jimmy Shane | U-6 Oberto Beef Jerky | Detroit, MI |
| 2015 | Jimmy Shane (2) | U-1 Oberto Beef Jerky | Tri-Cities, WA |
| 2016 | J. Michael Kelly | U-5 Graham Trucking | Detroit, MI |
| 2017 | Jimmy Shane (3) | U-1 Miss Homestreet Bank | Detroit, MI |
| 2018 | Andrew Tate | U-9 Jones Racing | Detroit, MI |
| 2019 | Jimmy Shane (4) | U-6 Miss Homestreet Bank | Madison, IN |
| 2020 | N/A | No season (pandemic) | Madison, IN |
| 2021 | Jimmy Shane (5) [9] | U-1 Goodman Real Estate Presents Miss Homestreet | Madison, IN |
| 2022 | Corey Peabody | U-9 Strong Racing Lynx Healthcare | Guntersville, AL |
| 2023 | J. Michael Kelly (2) | U-8 Strong Racing | Seattle, WA |
| 2024 | Corey Peabody | U-9 Strong Racing Beacon Plumbing | San Diego, CA |
| 2025 | Dave Villwock (11) | U-27 BWR Racing Apollo Plumbing | Tri-Cities, WA |
Source: [10]
Notes:
1960: Heat 1A completed. Second half of first heat was abandoned when Gale V crashed in Heat 1B. By rule, two heats were required to be completed for an official meeting for series championship purposes. Round abandoned and cancelled by APBA because of high winds.
2008: Heats 1A, 1B, 2A, and 2B completed. Round abandoned after crash in Heat 3A and high winds, declared No Contest by APBA. American Boat Racing Association (now H1 Unlimited) declared the round official, counting all heat races and qualifying results for eries championship purposes since nine boats started the first heat race. With two fully completed heats, U-5 FormulaBoats.com (Jeff Bernard, driver) declared round winner with 850 points (fifth in qualifying, first in heat 1B, and first in heat 2B) for National Boat Championship purposes. [11] [12]