Miss Thriftway is reborn

On September 29, 1957, a crowd of 50,000 attending the Governor's Cup on the Ohio River near Madison, Indiana, the two-year-old Miss Thriftway hydroplane was destroyed. In front of she reached 160 miles per hour, leaped 10 feet and disintegrated. Luckily, legendary driver, Bill Muncey, escaped with only bruises.

Half a century later, some former Ballard residents now on Vashon Island started Vashon Unlimiteds LLC, and built a replica of the 4500 pound, 28.5 foot vintage two-seater. Boasting a nosiy12-cylinder World War Two aircraft engine, Miss Thriftway is a charming wooden creation, a wolf in sheep's clothing with her speedy clip and gentle name.

O.K. So she only gets half a mile per gallon, and eats high-priced high-octane fuel, over five bucks a gallon.

"We're still green because Miss Thriftway is not in the water cruising around all the time like other boats, so we don't burn that much fuel," said crew chief Steve Payne with mild sarcasm. His mother still lives in Ballard and attends the races.

Miss Thriftway did have the opportunity to burn a few gallons of fuel April 17 when a crane lifted her out off the trailer and set her gently onto Lake Washington at Stan Sayre's Pits. Just before the crane showed, Miss Thriftway's Ballard-based friendly rival, the vintage Miss Bardahl, a.k.a. "The Green Dragon" showed up for a test run too.

Peter Orton drove Miss Thriftway and reached just over 110 miles per hour. "It felt a lot faster than that," he told the timekeeper.

Miss Thriftway publicist and crew member, Stuart Jones, said he looks forward to cruising down Market Street on Miss Thriftway with the rest of his crew in the May 17 Norwegian Constitution Day Parade, followed by a summer of racing.