TRI-CITIES, Wash.-The American Power Boat Association Gold Cup stopped by the NonStop Local studio in Kennewick on Oct. 15.
First run on the Hudson River in New York in 1904, the prestigious Gold Cup is the oldest trophy in the history of motorsports, predating the Indianapolis 500 by seven years.
The Gold Cup has been hoisted by racing legends such as Bill Muncey, Chip Hanauer and Dave Villwock.
A Tri-Cities based team won the Gold Cup in San Diego in September as Corey Peabody drove the U-9 Beacon Plumbing to victory.
Peabody and the Gold Cup will be at the Desert Food Mart at 10806 Kennedy Road in Benton City at 11 a.m. for fans to drop by and see the trophy and meet the driver.
Darrell and Vanessa Strong became boat owners in 2020 and currently run the U-1 Beacon Electric and the U-9 Beacon Plumbing as part of the Strong Racing Team.
The Tri-Cities does have a historic connection to the Gold Cup, as the race has been run as part of Water Follies on several occasions.
Dean Chenoweth piloted the Miss Budweiser to victory in the 1973 Gold Cup, the first time it was held in the Tri-Cities.
In 1975 George Henley drove the Pay’n Pak to the checkered flag in the Gold Cup race in Tri-Cities and in 1977 the legendary Bill Muncey claimed the Gold Cup on the Columbia in the famed “Blue Blaster” Atlas Van Lines.
Chip Hanauer drove the Atlas Van lines to a Gold Cup victory in the Tri-Cities in 1984.
The Gold Cup returned to the Tri-Cities in 2015 and Jimmy Shane drove Oh! Boy Oberto to victory.
