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This Lauterbach inboard hydroplane was originally
built in 1971 as the famous Maryland Miss J-777 for Don Dunnington
from Silver Springs, Maryland. |
Don was a very colorful personality and won
many races in his illustrious career.
On August 14, 1971 he set the APBA 7-litre
World 5-Mile competition speed record of 82.192 mph at the 32nd National
Sweepstakes Regatta in Red Bank, New Jersey. |
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The following summer in 1972, Don and Maryland
Miss won the APBA 7-litre Div. II National High Point Championship. |
Don Dunnington and Maryland Miss
Miami Marine Stadium - 1971
New Martinsville, West Virginia.
(Driver unknown)
Maryland Miss J-777
Happy Hooker J-717
Driven by Don Lustombo
The Mink GP-500
(all 4 of these pics)
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Jerry Hawley - driver |
Racing History
|
|
Owners |
Drivers |
| 1971-72 |
Maryland Miss J-777 |
Don Dunnington |
Don Dunnigton |
| 1973 |
Rudy's Comet II J-777 |
Rudy Gurley & Norm Lauterbach |
Hank Lauterbach |
| 1973 |
Candy Man J-777 |
Rudy Gurley & Norm Lauterbach |
Larry Lauterbach |
| 1973-74 |
Hooker Too J-717 |
Warren Wilhelm |
Don Lustumbo |
| 1975-76 |
Happy Hooker Too J-717 |
Warren Wilhelm |
Don Lustombo, Larry Lauterbach, Andy Miller |
| 1978 |
The Mink GP-500 |
Joe Less |
Jerry Hawley, Paul Reid, Joe Gimbrone |
| 1980-85 |
The Irishman J/GP-317 |
Steve Kuhr |
Steve Kuhr |
| 1988-91 |
Tradition CJ/GNH-88 |
Pierre Villeneuve |
Pierre Villeneuve |
major accomplishments:
1972 Maryland Miss J-777 - Driver Don Dunnigton - APBA National
High Points Champion 7-Ltr. Div. II
1973 Rudy's Comet II - Driver Larry Lauterbach - APBA Nationals
1st place Dayton Hydro Bowl (DSQ illegal carb)
1974 Hooker Too J-717 - Driver Don Lustombo - APBA National
Point Champion 7 Ltr. Div. II 22races 8,750 pts.
1975 Happy Hooker Too J-5 - Driver Larry Lauterbach - 1st APBA
Summer Nationals Decatur, IL.
Speed Record:
1971 Maryland Miss J-777 Don Dunnigton set APBA World Competition
Speed Record 82.192 mph Red Bank, NJ |
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I purchased Tradition GNH-88 from
Owner /Driver Pierre Villeneuve from Quebec City. He campaigned it from
1988 to 1991. After seeing a For Sale ad and then talking with Paul Reid
at the 1997 Valleyfield Regatta we traveled to Quebec and after a spirited
discussion in French/English the deal was made. Pierre V. and Pierre DuPont
did a super job rebuilding one of their old race motors and throughout
the winter of 1997 got the vintage hydroplane race ready. A few years later,
a broken rod beached us and we since have rebuilt the motor with a Modified
1971 Chevy 427 Tall Deck 427 ci/625 hp with Ross pistons, Oliver billet
rods, Crane roller cam, roller rockers, stud gridle, Vertex mag., L-88
corvette aluminum heads ported by Sagretti, Edelbrock "Torquer II" manifold
with 600 c.f.m. Holley 4 bbl carb. |
After researching the hydroplanes previous
racing history and colorful owners background, I decided to restore the
hull as Steve Kuhr's Irishman GP-317.
The Irishman GP-317 today
©2000-2004 Bill Fisk |
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