1954 Silver Cup
Silver Cup Brings Such Crusts Back
The Such Crusts, the two red-hulled speedsters formerly raced by Jack Schafer, will be entered in Monday's Silver Cup regatta.
Fred L. Van Lennep, president of the Wolverine Raceway, has agreed to underwrite the cost of the two hydroplanes in the Labor Day unlimited class event.
Veteran Race Drivers Danny Foster and Roy Duby have agreed to organize crews to prepare the boats. Foster and Duby will do the driving. Foster will drive Such Crust V and Duby the lap recordholder, Such Crust III.
For the race, however, the boats will be renamed by the racing group Pace-A-Long and Trot-Along. The boats are being readied at Kean's Boat Yard.
The Thompson family, of Sarnia, has announced It will enter Its new Rolls-Royce Marlin Canadian challenger, thus raising the number of entries to 12.
Other Detroit entries include Joe Schoenith's Gale IV and V, George Simon's Miss U.S., Horace Dodge's My Sweetie Dora and My Sweetie John Francis, Bud Saile’s Miss Cadillac, Marv Henrich's Wha Hoppen Too and Chuck Thompson's Short Circuit.
--- September 1, 1954
Turfman Leases Such Crust Boats
Detroit, Sept. 1 (UP) — Fred Van Lennep, president of the Wolverine Harness Raceway, announced today he has leased Jack Schafer’s two powerboats for next Monday’s Silver Cup race on the Detroit River.
Schafer’s boats, Such Crust IV and V, have been rechristened the Trot-a-Long and Pace-Along for the event.
Van Lennep said he was seeking the services of veteran drivers Dan Arena and Danny Foster.
Schafer placed a “For Sale" sign on the boats earlier this year but could find no takers.
--- September 1, 1954
Stanley Sayres
Stanley Sayres, Seattle auto dealer whose Slo-Mo-Shuns have made Gold Cup racing history, apparently won’t be bringing either boat, IV or V, east for the two major unlimited hydro events remaining on the 1954 calendar—the Silver Cup race Labor Day in Detroit and the President’s Cup classic here September 18-19.
First word that the unpredictable Mr. Sayres had decided Slo-Mo-Shun V would not defend the cup here (the first time it hasn’t been defended, incidentally) came when someone sent General Chairman Horace Walker press clippings from Seattle that. Sayres was putting up the two craft for 1954.
Next development was an announcement from Detroit Yacht Club that the seven Detroit unlimiteds that traveled to the West Coast last month in a vain attempt to bring the Gold Cup East would be racing for the Silver Cup without the Sayres fleet.
Meanwhile, Walker, who less than a month ago had assurances from Sayres he would send last year’s Presidents Cup winner back again is awaiting official word from Sayres. Walker may have some announcement at the final regatta luncheon at Hains Point Inn September 13.
--- September 3, 1954
Eighth Speedboat Qualifies
Detroit, Sept. 4 (AP) — Only one boat — Such Crust V, now racing under the name of Trot-Along—qualified today for Monday’s Silver Cup classic on the Detroit River.
Roy Duby’s Such Crust V passed the required 85 m.p.h. test to join seven other craft in Monday’s race.
Three other boats failed to qualify today but will be given one last chance at daybreak Monday morning. They are John Francis, My Sweetie and My Sweetie, both owned by Horace Dodge, and the Canadian craft, Miss Supertest II.
John Francis, My Sweetie barely missed making the grade, with a clocking of 84.985. The best Miss Supertest II could do was 82.073.
As of now, the Silver Cup eligibles are Gales IV and V, Miss U.S., Miss Cadillac, Short Circuit, Dora My Sweetie, Wha Hoppen Too and Such Crust V.
Meanwhile, the Silver Cup Regatta got off to a start with competition for boats in lower classification.
George Smith of Mt. Holly, N.J., won the 136-cubic inch class in his Jersey Devil. Bob Schroeder of Buffalo, won out in the 225 class in his My Ambition. B.C. Bartley, Sr., of Pittsburgh, guided his Gangway to victory in the seven-liter class.
--- September 5, 1954