Hanauer Sets World Hydroplane Record

After Mark Tate recorded the first 170-m.p.h. lap in unlimited hydroplane racing two years ago, Unlimited Racing Commission rules makers came up with a fuel-restrictor program designed to reduce speeds and, more importantly, reduce expenses caused by blown engines.

Crew chiefs reported losses of 400 to 700 horsepower in boats restricted to 4.7 gallons of jet fuel a minute pouring through their turbine engines.

After Friday’s opening day runs in the 29th Bayfair Bill Muncey Cup, they might have to go back to the drawing board.

Chip Hanauer, in Miss Budweiser, obliterated Tate’s world record and his own course record with a 2.5-mile lap at 171.155 m.p.h. over the Mission Bay saltwater course. The seven-time national champion also had two other runs faster than Tate’s 170.087 record, set at the 1993 Gold Cup race in Detroit.

Hanauer’s course record, also set in 1993, was 169.988.

“The difference is in the aerodynamics,” Hanauer said. “It’s like ground effects in cars. The boat sits on the water on a more level plane, hugging the water. It’s the same as in cars. If you have enough down force, it feels like you’re glued to the track.”

Hanauer left unlimiteds in 1991 to try his hand at automobile racing. He drove a Toyota MR-2 in the Firestone Firehawk season, but returned to hydroplanes when Toyota dropped out of the series.

“There isn’t any banking on the water, so the effect in the boat is even greater,” Hanauer said. “Learning to drive this boat has been a painful process. Even though we won the first two races this year, the boat was not much fun to drive. Today, it was more comfortable.”

Hanauer, who has won four times on Mission Bay but not since joining Bernie Little’s Miss Budweiser team in 1992, estimated he was running 195 m.p.h. on the straightaway and 145 through the corners.

Defending champion Dave Villwock, driving PICO, was second fastest at 168.048. Tate, who had expected to make a serious challenge on his old record, ran a disappointing 165.746 for third place.

Two more qualifying sessions today will set the 11-boat field for Sunday’s final heats.