The Lilac Lady Remembered
By Fred Farley – Unlimited Hydroplane Historian
An early example of a community-owned boat, MISS SPOKANE raced from 1958 to 1961. Handled by drivers Dallas Sartz, Norm Evans, Chuck Hickling, and Rex Manchester, the “Lilac Lady” was a hull duplicate of SHANTY I and MISS WAHOO, designed by Ted Jones.
In spite of a poverty budget, MISS SPOKANE took third-place honors in her first two races: the 1958 Lake Chelan Apple Cup and the 1958 Coeur d’Alene Diamond Cup with Sartz driving.
She was seconds away from victory in the 1960 Seattle Seafair Regatta with Manchester at the wheel. But the Final Heat was unfortunately halted because of an accident to another boat. “The Queen of the Inland Empire” was outdistanced in the re-run by Bill Muncey and MISS THRIFTWAY and had to settle for second.
MISS SPOKANE always had financial problems. In Manchester’s words, “The crew supports the boat and the wives support the crew.”
The “Lilac Lady” made her last appearance as MISS SPOKANE when she flipped upside down during the 1961 Gold Cup on Pyramid Lake. Inactive in 1962, she returned to action in 1963 and 1964 as MISS EAGLE ELECTRIC and, from 1965 to 1967, ran as MISS LAPEER.
With Manchester driving, the boat finished third in the 1960 Reno Regatta, second in the 1961 Diamond Cup, and third in the 1963 Harrah’s Tahoe Regatta.
Some of her best performances were as MISS LAPEER with Warner Gardner at the wheel. She finished second in the 1966 Madison Regatta and the 1967 Seattle Gold Cup and third in the 1966 Diamond Cup and the 1967 Tampa Suncoast Cup.
While warming up for one of the heats of the 1965 Seattle Gold Cup with Evans in the cockpit, the boat collided with Roy Duby in MISS U.S. 5 and sustained major hull damage.
Her one victory was the 1966 Sacramento Cup on Lake Folsom with Gardner. MISS LAPEER outscored second-place Jim Ranger in MY GYPSY and third-place Bill Sterett in MISS CHRYSLER CREW.
MISS LAPEER averaged 96.855 for the 45-mile distance at Sacramento and turned the fastest 2.5-mile lap of the race at 105.634.
Coincidentally, this was the last victory by a Ted Jones-designed boat in the APBA Unlimited Class.
