# Detroit Hydrofest

The Detroit Hydrofest (branded as the Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers Detroit Hydrofest for sponsorship reasons) is a H1 Unlimited hydroplane boat race held in August on the Detroit River in Detroit, Michigan.

## History

The first race held on the Detroit River was the Gold Cup, in 1916. The community-owned Miss Detroit won the Gold Cup in 1915 on Manhasset Bay, outside of New York City, and earned the right to defend it the following year on home waters. Miss Detroit was a single-step hydroplane, equipped with a 250-horsepower Sterling engine. The designer was the distinguished Christopher Columbus Smith of Chriscraft fame.
The race was run annually after being part of the Gold Cup, and later became known as the APBA Challenge Cup then APBA Gold Cup.
Starting in 1963, the Gold Cup race location was determined by the city with the highest financial bid, rather than by the yacht club of the winning boat. Since 1980, Detroit has hosted the Gold Cup race 30 times, including every year from 1990 through 2014, and from 2016 through 2018. From 1990 to 2014 the Detroit River Regatta Association (DRRA) hosted the APBA Gold Cup. When the DRRA announced in 2015 that it couldn't continue hosting the Gold Cup, the Spirit of Detroit Hydrofest was formed and obtained a multi-year sponsorship from UAW-GM. In 2019, promoters in Detroit elected not to host the Gold Cup and the leaders of the Madison Regatta won the bid for the right to hold the Gold Cup.

## Past winners

Detroit Unlimited Hydroplane (Gold Cup Class)* Race Winners :
| 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 |
| 1928 | 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 |
| 1933 | 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 |
| 1938 | APBA Gold Cup | Alagi | Theo Rossi |
| 1939 | Detroit Yacht Club Trophy | Why Worry | Bill Cantrell |
| 1939 | APBA Gold Cup | My Sin | Zalmon Simmons |
| 1946 | APBA Gold Cup | Tempo VI | Guy Lombardo |
| 1947 | Detroit Memorial | Miss Peps V | Danny Foster |
| 1947 | Silver Cup | Notre Dame | Dan Arena |
| 1948 | Henry Ford Memorial | Tempo VI | Guy Lombardo |
| 1948 | APBA Gold Cup | Miss Great Lakes | Danny Foster |
| 1948 | Silver Cup | Miss Canada III | Harold Wilson |
| 1949 | APBA Gold Cup | My Sweetie | Bill Cantrell |
| 1949 | Detroit Memorial | Skip-A-Long | Stanley Dollar |
| 1949 | Harmsworth Trophy | Skip-A-Long | Stanley Dollar |
| 1949 | Silver Cup | My Sweetie | Bill Cantrell |
| 1950 | APBA Gold Cup | Slo-mo-shun IV | Ted Jones |
| 1950 | Detroit Memorial | My Sweetie | Lou Fageol |
| 1950 | Harmsworth Trophy | Slo-mo-shun IV | Lou Fageol |
| 1950 | Silver Cup | Such Crust | Danny Foster |
| 1951 | Detroit Memorial | Miss Pepsi | Chuck Thompson |
| 1951 | Silver Cup | Miss Pepsi | Chuck Thompson |
| 1952 | Detroit Memorial | Miss Pepsi | Chuck Thompson |
| 1952 | Silver Cup | Gale II | Danny Foster |
| 1953 | Henry Ford Memorial | Miss Great Lakes II | Danny Foster |
| 1953 | Silver Cup | Gale II | Lee Schoenith |
| 1954 | Detroit Memorial | Gale V | Lee Schoenith |
| 1954 | Silver Cup | My Sweetie Dora | Jack Bartlow |
| 1955 | Detroit Memorial | Gale IV | Bill Cantrell |
| 1955 | Silver Cup | Tempo VII | Danny Foster |
| 1956 | Silver Cup | Miss U. S. II | Don Wilson |
| 1956 | APBA Gold Cup | Miss Thriftway | Bill Muncey |
| 1957 | Detroit Memorial | Such Crust III | Fred Alter |
| 1957 | Silver Cup | Hawaii Ka’i III | Jack Regas |
| 1958 | Detroit Memorial | Miss Thriftway | Bill Muncey |
| 1958 | Silver Cup | Maverick | Bill Stead |
| 1959 | Detroit Memorial | Miss Supertest III | Bob Hayward |
| 1959 | Silver Cup | Maverick | Bill Stead |
| 1960 | Detroit Memorial | Miss Thriftway | Bill Muncey |
| 1960 | Silver Cup | Nitrogen Too | Ron Musson |
| 1961 | Detroit Memorial | Gale V | Bill Cantrell |
| 1961 | 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 |
| 1964 | 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 |
| 1966 | 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 |
| 1973 | 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 |
| 2017 | APBA Gold Cup | Miss HomeStreet | Jimmy Shane |
| 2018 | APBA Gold Cup | Delta Realtrac | Andrew Tate. |
| 2019 | No unlimited hydroplane event | No unlimited hydroplane event | No unlimited hydroplane event |
| 2020 | Event canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic | Event canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic | Event canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic |
Note: * - The APBA unlimited hydroplane class began in 1946.