John Walters, Dan Walters join H1 Tech Committee
by Steve Garey
H1 Unlimited is proud to announce that racing legends John Walters and Dan Walters (no relation) have agreed to join the 2015 racing series as tech inspectors, beginning with the APBA Gold Cup July 24-26 in Tri-Cities, Washington.
“I’ve asked John Walters to come onboard as tech inspector for the Gold Cup, and we also asked Dan Walters to serve as a tech inspector for our western races,” said H1 Chairman Steve David. “We are excited to have Dan working alongside John. Steve Peterson will continue in his role monitoring fuel and black box data.
“John and Dan will be consulting with Steve as needed, as well as conducting deeper inspections on board our Unlimited Fleet,” added David. “Prior to TriCities, as time allows, and again before Seattle, they will be bench testing our monitoring equipment to ensure accuracy and fairness across the fleet.”
Both John and Dan have long and quite impressive backgrounds in Unlimited hydroplane racing as crew members, engine technicians, crew chiefs and, in John’s case, as a driver. In fact, John Walters has the distinction of being the first driver to win a race in a turbine-powered boat. That was back in 1982 in Seneca Falls, New York at the wheel of Dave Heerensperger’s Pay ‘n Pak.
John Walters – 1980’s photo
John’s racing background began in the outboard ranks in Seattle at the age of nine. “I graduated to the Limited hydros before I took a job with Ron Jones Marine in California,” John began. “That was in 1974. I was on the project to rebuild Jim McCormick’s U-81 Red Man after Skipp Walther had his fatal crash in Miami.”
He then took a job with McCormick as hull specialist for the U-81 and he and his wife, Arlene, moved to Owensboro, Kentucky.
From then on, John became ensconced in the world of Unlimited hydroplanes, first with Bob Espland on the Miss Vernors’ project in 1976, then building boats with designer Don Kelson back in Seattle, and eventually landing a position as hull specialist with Jim Lucero on Bill Muncey’s Atlas Van Lines. But he still wanted to drive.
“Bill Muncey was great,” John continued. “He let me drive the “blue blaster” Atlas in an exhibition race in Vancouver, Washington in 1979.
When Lucero built the Pay ‘n Pak turbine in 1980, owner Heerensperger selected John as his driver.
“That’s when I won my first and only Unlimited race”, John recalled, with hesitant pride. “I had three serious crashes with the Pak. The last one, in Seattle, ended my driving career.”
He continued with Jim Lucero and new partner Fran Muncey on the turbine Atlas Van Lines, which became the Miller American, where John served as crew chief in 1986 and ’87.
John’s talents were also utilized over the years by Bill Wurster on the Mr. Pringles and LLumar Window Film boats, Bob Fendler and Jerry Rise on the Appian Jeronimo, and Billy and Jane Schumacher’s Miss Beacon Plumbing.
More recently, John’s engine expertise has been tapped by Steve and Sue Webster on their U-22 Webster Racing boat, and Greg O’Farrell’s U-21 Go Fast, Turn Left team.
“When Steve David called and asked me to join the H1 tech inspection committee, I was happily retired,” said John. “I felt it was an honor to be asked, and to give back to the sport that was such a huge part of my life. I thought I’d better put up or shut up, so I agreed.”
Dan Walters
The 57-year-old Dan Walters’ career began in high school in 1976, doing a project on the Olympia Beer hydroplane driven by Billy Schumacher. From then, Danny got a job with Bernie Little’s Miss Budweiser team, and he was hooked on the hydros.
In the early 1980’s, Dan enjoyed full-time status on The Squire Shop, first as a crew member, then as crew chief and team manager.
“I was with Fran Muncey’s Miller High Life/Circus Circus team when we won the Gold Cup in 1988 with Chip Hanauer,” John revealed. “I won another Gold Cup in 1996 as crew chief of Fred Leland’s PICO American Dream, driven by Dave Villwock.”
Danny was also a spotter for both Hanauer and Villwock as they raced to world record-setting performances.
In 1997, Dan took a job at Boeing Aircraft in Seattle, where he worked until being laid off in 2002. In the meantime, he was with Hydro-Prop, the governing body of Unlimited racing, in the role of chief inspector, and followed that with a 10-year stint with Erick Ellstrom’s E-Lam Plus and Spirit of Qatar boats.
“In 2005, I went back to work at Boeing, where I am an NDI mag inspector to this day,” added Dan.
“My goal is impenetrable integrity in every aspect of H1,” said David.
And with the addition John Walters and Dan Walters and their priceless expertise to the tech committee, the Chairman is making moves that will lead to that goal.
John Walters, Dan Walters join H1 Tech Committee
by Steve Garey
H1 Unlimited is proud to announce that racing legends John Walters and Dan Walters (no relation) have agreed to join the 2015 racing series as tech inspectors, beginning with the APBA Gold Cup July 24-26 in Tri-Cities, Washington.
“I’ve asked John Walters to come onboard as tech inspector for the Gold Cup, and we also asked Dan Walters to serve as a tech inspector for our western races,” said H1 Chairman Steve David. “We are excited to have Dan working alongside John. Steve Peterson will continue in his role monitoring fuel and black box data.
“John and Dan will be consulting with Steve as needed, as well as conducting deeper inspections on board our Unlimited Fleet,” added David. “Prior to TriCities, as time allows, and again before Seattle, they will be bench testing our monitoring equipment to ensure accuracy and fairness across the fleet.”
Both John and Dan have long and quite impressive backgrounds in Unlimited hydroplane racing as crew members, engine technicians, crew chiefs and, in John’s case, as a driver. In fact, John Walters has the distinction of being the first driver to win a race in a turbine-powered boat. That was back in 1982 in Seneca Falls, New York at the wheel of Dave Heerensperger’s Pay ‘n Pak.
John Walters – 1980’s photo
John’s racing background began in the outboard ranks in Seattle at the age of nine. “I graduated to the Limited hydros before I took a job with Ron Jones Marine in California,” John began. “That was in 1974. I was on the project to rebuild Jim McCormick’s U-81 Red Man after Skipp Walther had his fatal crash in Miami.”
He then took a job with McCormick as hull specialist for the U-81 and he and his wife, Arlene, moved to Owensboro, Kentucky.
From then on, John became ensconced in the world of Unlimited hydroplanes, first with Bob Espland on the Miss Vernors’ project in 1976, then building boats with designer Don Kelson back in Seattle, and eventually landing a position as hull specialist with Jim Lucero on Bill Muncey’s Atlas Van Lines. But he still wanted to drive.
“Bill Muncey was great,” John continued. “He let me drive the “blue blaster” Atlas in an exhibition race in Vancouver, Washington in 1979.
When Lucero built the Pay ‘n Pak turbine in 1980, owner Heerensperger selected John as his driver.
“That’s when I won my first and only Unlimited race”, John recalled, with hesitant pride. “I had three serious crashes with the Pak. The last one, in Seattle, ended my driving career.”
He continued with Jim Lucero and new partner Fran Muncey on the turbine Atlas Van Lines, which became the Miller American, where John served as crew chief in 1986 and ’87.
John’s talents were also utilized over the years by Bill Wurster on the Mr. Pringles and LLumar Window Film boats, Bob Fendler and Jerry Rise on the Appian Jeronimo, and Billy and Jane Schumacher’s Miss Beacon Plumbing.
More recently, John’s engine expertise has been tapped by Steve and Sue Webster on their U-22 Webster Racing boat, and Greg O’Farrell’s U-21 Go Fast, Turn Left team.
“When Steve David called and asked me to join the H1 tech inspection committee, I was happily retired,” said John. “I felt it was an honor to be asked, and to give back to the sport that was such a huge part of my life. I thought I’d better put up or shut up, so I agreed.”
Dan Walters
The 57-year-old Dan Walters’ career began in high school in 1976, doing a project on the Olympia Beer hydroplane driven by Billy Schumacher. From then, Danny got a job with Bernie Little’s Miss Budweiser team, and he was hooked on the hydros.
In the early 1980’s, Dan enjoyed full-time status on The Squire Shop, first as a crew member, then as crew chief and team manager.
“I was with Fran Muncey’s Miller High Life/Circus Circus team when we won the Gold Cup in 1988 with Chip Hanauer,” John revealed. “I won another Gold Cup in 1996 as crew chief of Fred Leland’s PICO American Dream, driven by Dave Villwock.”
Danny was also a spotter for both Hanauer and Villwock as they raced to world record-setting performances.
In 1997, Dan took a job at Boeing Aircraft in Seattle, where he worked until being laid off in 2002. In the meantime, he was with Hydro-Prop, the governing body of Unlimited racing, in the role of chief inspector, and followed that with a 10-year stint with Erick Ellstrom’s E-Lam Plus and Spirit of Qatar boats.
“In 2005, I went back to work at Boeing, where I am an NDI mag inspector to this day,” added Dan.
“My goal is impenetrable integrity in every aspect of H1,” said David.
And with the addition John Walters and Dan Walters and their priceless expertise to the tech committee, the Chairman is making moves that will lead to that goal.