Detroit Hydrofest
| Event information | |
|---|---|
| Type | Hydroplane racing event |
| Location | Detroit River, Detroit, Michigan |
| Hydrofest years | 2015–2019 |
| Most recent event | August 24–25, 2019[1][2] |
| First major Detroit race | 1916 |
| Most recent H1 race | 2018 APBA Gold Cup[3] |
| Most recent H1 winner | U-9 Delta RealTrac Andrew Tate[4] |
| Website | Archived website |
The Detroit Hydrofest was an annual hydroplane racing event held from 2015 through 2019 in August on the Detroit River in Detroit, Michigan.[5][2] It continued Detroit's major hydroplane-racing tradition, which dated to 1916.[5] H1 Unlimited last raced at the event in 2018, when Andrew Tate won the APBA Gold Cup in the U-9 Delta RealTrac.[3][4] The most recent Hydrofest, branded as the Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers Hydrofest for sponsorship reasons, was held in 2019 and featured piston-powered boats from the Hydroplane Racing League.[1][2]
History
[edit]The first Gold Cup race held on the Detroit River took place in 1916. The community-owned Miss Detroit had won the Gold Cup in 1915 on Manhasset Bay, New York, and earned the right to defend it the following year on its home waters. The boat was a single-step hydroplane powered by a 250-horsepower Sterling engine and designed by Christopher Columbus Smith, the founder of Chris-Craft.[6][7]
Detroit subsequently hosted major hydroplane races under a series of event names and trophies, including the APBA Gold Cup.
Beginning in 1963, the location of the Gold Cup race was determined by bids from host cities rather than by the yacht club represented by the previous year's winning boat. Between 1982 and 2018, Detroit hosted the Gold Cup 30 times, including annually from 1990 through 2014 and again from 2016 through 2018.[8] From 1990 through 2014, the Detroit River Regatta Association (DRRA) hosted the APBA Gold Cup. When the DRRA announced in 2015 that it could not continue hosting the Gold Cup, the Spirit of Detroit Hydrofest was organized with a multiyear sponsorship from UAW-GM.[5]
The 2018 APBA Gold Cup was the last H1 Unlimited race held in Detroit.[3] In 2019, Detroit promoters elected not to host the Gold Cup, and the organizers of the Madison Regatta won the bid to hold it.[9] Detroit Hydrofest continued that year without H1 Unlimited, featuring Grand Prix and other piston-powered hydroplanes sanctioned by the Hydroplane Racing League.[1] Although organizers announced plans to return in 2025, no Detroit event appeared in H1 Unlimited's 2025 results, and Detroit was not on the series' 2026 schedule.[10][3][11]
Race winners
[edit]| Year | Event | Boat | Driver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1916 | APBA Gold Cup | Miss Minneapolis | Bernard Smith |
| 1917 | APBA Gold Cup | Miss Detroit II | Gar Wood |
| 1918 | APBA Gold Cup | Miss Detroit III | Gar Wood |
| 1919 | APBA Gold Cup | Miss Detroit III | Gar Wood |
| 1920 | APBA Gold Cup | Miss America | Gar Wood |
| 1921 | APBA Gold Cup | Miss America | Gar Wood |
| 1922 | APBA Gold Cup | Packard ChrisCraft | Jesse Vincent |
| 1923 | APBA Gold Cup | Packard ChrisCraft | Caleb Bragg |
| 1924 | APBA Gold Cup | Baby Bootlegger | Caleb Bragg |
| 1926 | Harmsworth Trophy | Miss America V | Gar Wood |
| 1928 | Harmsworth Trophy | Miss America VII | Gar Wood |
| Championship of North America | Rainbow VII | Harry Greening | |
| 1929 | Harmsworth Trophy | Miss America VIII | Gar Wood |
| 1930 | Harmsworth Trophy | Miss America IX | Gar Wood |
| 1933 | APBA Gold Cup | El Lagarto | George Reis |
| Dodge Memorial | Delphine VII | Horace Dodge | |
| 1935 | Detroit Yacht Club Trophy | Hotsy Totsy III | Vic Kliesrath |
| 1937 | APBA Gold Cup | Notre Dame | Clell Perry |
| 1938 | Detroit Yacht Club Trophy | Warnie | James Anderson |
| APBA Gold Cup | Alagi | Theo Rossi | |
| 1939 | Detroit Yacht Club Trophy | Why Worry | Bill Cantrell |
| APBA Gold Cup | My Sin | Zalmon Simmons | |
| 1946 | APBA Gold Cup | Tempo VI | Guy Lombardo |
| 1947 | Detroit Memorial | Miss Peps V | Danny Foster |
| Silver Cup | Notre Dame | Dan Arena | |
| 1948 | Henry Ford Memorial | Tempo VI | Guy Lombardo |
| APBA Gold Cup | Miss Great Lakes | Danny Foster | |
| Silver Cup | Miss Canada III | Harold Wilson | |
| 1949 | APBA Gold Cup | My Sweetie | Bill Cantrell |
| Detroit Memorial | Skip-A-Long | Stanley Dollar | |
| Harmsworth Trophy | Skip-A-Long | Stanley Dollar | |
| Silver Cup | My Sweetie | Bill Cantrell | |
| 1950 | APBA Gold Cup | Slo-mo-shun IV | Ted Jones |
| Detroit Memorial | My Sweetie | Lou Fageol | |
| Harmsworth Trophy | Slo-mo-shun IV | Lou Fageol | |
| Silver Cup | Such Crust | Danny Foster | |
| 1951 | Detroit Memorial | Miss Pepsi | Chuck Thompson |
| Silver Cup | Miss Pepsi | Chuck Thompson | |
| 1952 | Detroit Memorial | Miss Pepsi | Chuck Thompson |
| Silver Cup | Gale II | Danny Foster | |
| 1953 | Henry Ford Memorial | Miss Great Lakes II | Danny Foster |
| Silver Cup | Gale II | Lee Schoenith | |
| 1954 | Detroit Memorial | Gale V | Lee Schoenith |
| Silver Cup | My Sweetie Dora | Jack Bartlow | |
| 1955 | Detroit Memorial | Gale IV | Bill Cantrell |
| Silver Cup | Tempo VII | Danny Foster | |
| 1956 | Silver Cup | Miss U. S. II | Don Wilson |
| APBA Gold Cup | Miss Thriftway | Bill Muncey | |
| 1957 | Detroit Memorial | Such Crust III | Fred Alter |
| Silver Cup | Hawaii Ka’i III | Jack Regas | |
| 1958 | Detroit Memorial | Miss Thriftway | Bill Muncey |
| Silver Cup | Maverick | Bill Stead | |
| 1959 | Detroit Memorial | Miss Supertest III | Bob Hayward |
| Silver Cup | Maverick | Bill Stead | |
| 1960 | Detroit Memorial | Miss Thriftway | Bill Muncey |
| Silver Cup | Nitrogen Too | Ron Musson | |
| 1961 | Detroit Memorial | Gale V | Bill Cantrell |
| Silver Cup | Miss Bardahl | Ron Musson | |
| 1962 | Spirit of Detroit Trophy | Miss Century 21 | Bill Muncey |
| 1963 | APBA Gold Cup | Miss Bardahl | Ron Musson |
| 1964 | APBA Gold Cup | Miss Bardahl | Ron Musson |
| Spirit of Detroit Trophy | Such Crust IV | Walt Kade | |
| 1965 | Spirit of Detroit Trophy | Tahoe Miss | Chuck Thompson |
| 1966 | APBA Gold Cup | Tahoe Miss | Mira Slovak |
| Horace Dodge Memorial | Miss Lapeer | Warner Gardner | |
| 1967 | U.I.M. World's Championship | Miss Chrysler Crew | Bill Sterett |
| 1968 | APBA Gold Cup | Miss Bardahl | Billy Schumacher |
| 1969 | U.I.M. World's Championship | Miss U. S. | Bill Muncey |
| 1970 | Horace Dodge Memorial | MYR Sheet Metal | Bill Muncey |
| 1971 | Horace Dodge Memorial | Miss Budweiser | Dean Chenoweth |
| 1972 | APBA Gold Cup | Atlas Van Lines | Bill Muncey |
| 1973 | Gar Wood Memorial | Miss Budweiser | Dean Chenoweth |
| National Champions Regatta | Miss Budweiser | Dean Chenoweth | |
| 1974 | Gar Wood Memorial | Miss Budweiser | Howie Benns |
| 1975 | Gar Wood Trophy | Miss U. S. | Tom D’Eath |
| 1976 | APBA Gold Cup | Miss U. S. | Tom D’Eath |
| 1977 | Gar Wood Memorial | Atlas Van Lines | Bill Muncey |
| 1978 | Spirit of Detroit Trophy | Atlas Van Lines | Bill Muncey |
| 1979 | Spirit of Detroit Regatta | Atlas Van Lines | Bill Muncey |
| 1980 | Spirit of Detroit Regatta | Miss Budweiser | Dean Chenoweth |
| 1981 | Stroh's Silver Cup | Miss Budweiser | Dean Chenoweth |
| 1982 | APBA Gold Cup | Atlas Van Lines | Chip Hanauer |
| 1983 | Stroh's Thunderfest | Atlas Van Lines | Chip Hanauer |
| 1984 | Stroh's Thunderfest | Miss Budweiser | Jim Kropfeld |
| 1985 | Stroh's Thunderfest | Miller American | Chip Hanauer |
| 1986 | APBA Gold Cup | Miller American | Chip Hanauer |
| 1987 | Budweiser Thunderboat Championship | Mr. Pringles | Scott Pierce |
| 1988 | Spirit of Detroit Regatta | Miller High Life | Chip Hanauer |
| 1989 | Budweiser Spirit of Detroit Race | Miss Circus Circus | Chip Hanauer |
| 1990 | APBA Gold Cup | Miss Budweiser | Tom D’Eath |
| 1991 | APBA Gold Cup | Winston Eagle | Mark Tate |
| 1992 | Budweiser APBA Gold Cup | Miss Budweiser | Chip Hanauer |
| 1993 | Budweiser APBA Gold Cup | Miss Budweiser | Chip Hanauer |
| 1994 | APBA Gold Cup | Smokin’ Joe's | Mark Tate |
| 1995 | APBA Gold Cup | Miss Budweiser | Chip Hanauer |
| 1996 | APBA Gold Cup | PICO American Dream | Dave Villwock |
| 1997 | Chrysler Jeep APBA Gold Cup | Miss Budweiser | Dave Villwock |
| 1998 | Chrysler Jeep APBA Gold Cup | Miss Budweiser | Dave Villwock |
| 1999 | Chrysler Jeep APBA Gold Cup | Miss PICO | Chip Hanauer |
| 2000 | Chrysler Jeep APBA Gold Cup | Miss Budweiser | Dave Villwock |
| 2001 | Chrysler Jeep APBA Gold Cup | Tubby's Grilled Submarines | Mike Hanson |
| 2002 | APBA Gold Cup | Miss Budweiser | Dave Villwock |
| 2003 | Chrysler Jeep APBA Gold Cup | Miss Foxhills Chrysler-Jeep | Mitch Evans |
| 2004 | Chrysler Jeep APBA Gold Cup | Miss D.Y.C. | Nate Brown |
| 2005 | Chrysler Jeep APBA Gold Cup | Miss Al Deeby Dodge | Terry Troxell |
| 2006 | Chrysler Jeep APBA Gold Cup | Miss Beacon Plumbing | Jean Theoret |
| 2007 | Chrysler Jeep APBA Gold Cup | Ellstrom E-Lam Plus | Dave Villwock |
| 2009 | Chrysler Jeep APBA Gold Cup | Ellstrom E-Lam Plus | Dave Villwock |
| 2010 | Jarvis Restoration APBA Gold Cup | Spirit of Qatar | Dave Villwock |
| 2011 | APBA Gold Cup | Spirit of Qatar | Dave Villwock |
| 2012 | DYC presents APBA Gold Cup | Spirit of Qatar | Dave Villwock |
| 2013 | APBA Gold Cup | Spirit of Qatar | Kip Brown |
| 2014 | APBA Gold Cup | Oberto | Jimmy Shane |
| 2015 | Spirit of Detroit Hydrofest | Oberto | Jimmy Shane |
| 2016 | UAW/GM Hydrofest APBA Gold Cup | Graham Trucking | J. Michael Kelly |
| 2017 | President's Cup | Delta RealTrac | Andrew Tate |
| APBA Gold Cup | Miss HomeStreet | Jimmy Shane | |
| 2018 | APBA Gold Cup | Delta RealTrac | Andrew Tate |
| 2019–2026 | No H1 Unlimited event[3][11] | ||
Detroit joined the Unlimited hydroplane circuit in 1946.[13]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 "2019 Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers Hydrofest to be held Aug. 24 & 25 on the Detroit River". WXYZ-TV. Retrieved 2026-08-23.
- 1 2 3 "Seen In Detroit: Detroit Hydrofest". CBS Detroit. 27 August 2019. Retrieved 2026-08-23.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Results Archives". H1 Unlimited. Retrieved 2026-08-23.
- 1 2 "Andrew Tate". H1 Unlimited. Retrieved 2026-08-23.
- 1 2 3 Wilke, Steve (19 July 2016). "100 Years of Thunder". Hour Detroit. Archived from the original on 4 August 2020.
- ↑ "A Brief History of the Gold Cup". APBA Historical Society. Retrieved 2026-08-23.
- ↑ "Smith, Christopher Columbus". Detroit Historical Society. Retrieved 2026-08-23.
- ↑ Paul, Tony. "Detroit River loses Gold Cup for 2019; there will still be a race weekend". The Detroit News. Retrieved 2021-07-17.
- ↑ "Gold Cup Unlimited Hydroplane Race Returns to Ohio River after 39-Year Absence". H1 Unlimited. 7 March 2019. Retrieved 2021-07-17.
- ↑ Hooton, Julie (23 October 2023). "Hydroplane Racing Returns to Detroit in 2025". Miss Madison Unlimited Hydroplane. Retrieved 2026-08-23.
- 1 2 "Race Sites". H1 Unlimited. Retrieved 2026-08-23.
- ↑ 2021 Hydro Record Book and Statistics. Edmonds, WA: Unlimited NewsJournal. 2021. pp. 32–33.
- ↑ "A Brief History of Unlimited Race Sites". APBA Historical Society. 20 March 2025. Retrieved 2026-08-23.