1951 Gold Cup Race

For anyone who grew up in the 50s, you will immediately be refreshingly transported to a simpler, more innocent time upon watching the following video.  A time where the video was poor, the graphics prehistoric, and the voiceovers were campy.  Ahh, my kind of time.

After posting yesterday about what I now can call a “Floating Ferrari” in Classic Ferrari-Powered Boat Racing to Auction, I just had to go searching for some classic racing footage. Here is a great piece that is billed as only a portion of the 1951 Gold Cup Unlimited Hydroplane Race held in Seattle, Washington.  Seafair should be proud.

In spite of that footage being over 60 years old, it still raises the pulse rate just a touch. (Of course it may have been related to the bathing beauties at 2:54 into the video!) Just as today’s technology pushes the boundaries of what we currently know, those racing pioneers were doing their own pushing – in their own time and in their own way.

A lot of fun to see the Seattle skyline as it was at the time and I don’t care who you are… Those boats, 60 years ago, ancient in design by today’s standards, were fast AND exciting!

Enjoy