Part 3 - The Thriftway Years - 1958-60. The new Miss Thriftway for 1958 had high expectations for Muncey and the team. But by the end of the year, they were already building a new boat for the '59 season. In 1960, with a mile straightaway record in their pocket, the impressive 3rd Miss Thriftway and Muncey were on their way to becoming the class of the unlimited field.
Freed from any narrative or point of view, the Bill Muncey Story is the real and timeless story of the greatest hydro driver of all time - as told by the people who actually lived it with him. Interviews with Keith Jackson, Dave Seefeldt, Chip Hanauer, Fran Muncey, Fred Radke, Jim Harvey, Gina Fumes, Wil Muncey, Jim Lucero, Billy Schumacher and David Williams. Each episode is also packed with rare footage and photos from the Hydroplane and Raceboat Museums vast archive.
The Bill Muncey Story not only documents his legendary racing career from the early 1950's to his tragic death in 1981. But also includes some of the best historic racing footage ever seen. You'll follow Muncey from his early years in Detroit, then the move to Seattle in 1955 to drive the Miss Thriftway.
His success through the '50's and into the early '60's driving the Thriftway hulls made him the sports new super-star. The mid-sixties, found Muncey driving several slower boats getting the most out of them. But by the early '70's he was back on top driving the famous Atlas Van Lines boats. Muncey also became the sports premier spokes-person appearing in interviews and broadcasting.
In 1976 Muncey became an owner buying the entire Pay'n Pak team which included an unfinished cabover hull. After a successful '76 season in the proven "winged wonder," Muncey gambled on crew chief Jim Lucero's new space-age hull and simply dominated the sport for the rest of the decade.
But as the 1980's unfolded, Muncey found himself the underdog having to count on his depth of experience and determination to keep pace with the new powerful Miss Budweiser. Although the story of Bill Muncey ends tragically in Mexico in 1981, his legacy has continued to this day. Bill Muncey continues to be the most famous name in unlimited hydroplane racing and his three decades of accomplishments are unequaled.
6 дек 2023
