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1958-60 Nitrogen

1958-60 Nitrogen

Owner/Driver: Ken Olson


Yearly Boat Points Finishes

2024: 2946 points, 16th of 27 boats

2023: Did not participate

2022: Did not participate

2021: 1363 points, 11th of 21 boats


Unlimited Hydroplane Info

Hull #5879

U-79


As written by John Woodward in 2016:


Our first hull is the 1958 U-79 Nitrogen, owned by industrialist Samuel F. DuPont and designed and built by Les Staudacher. Her first race was the 1958 Governor’s cup in Madison, Indiana. Fours unlimited were entered in the show with our first throwback, the U-2 Miss U.S. (2), the U-40 Miss Bardahl (2) and the U-54 WildRoot Charlie. She performed well in her first two heats placing 3rd and 2nd. Driver Bob Hayward out dueled Don Wilson as the Nitrogen beat the Miss U.S. to the finish line to win the final heat. However the Miss U.S. had earned more points by winning both her preliminary heats so the cup was awarded to the Miss U.S. but the Nitrogen became an instant threat. 1959 saw a much improved Nitrogen run most of the circuit with two different drivers behind the wheel, Don Dunnington doing the majority of the driving with Norm Evans filling in. The Allison powered Nitrogen finished a respectable 4th overall at seasons end. In 1960, Dupont would add a second hull to his fleet, our other throwback hull the 1960 U-79.2 Nitrogen Too, also designed and built by Staudacher. She was a tick longer but 900lbs lighter than the first Nitrogen. Both hulls would have exceptional seasons with Norn Evans mainly in the Nitrogen and the youthful Ron Musson driving the new Nitrogen Too. Musson would start and end the season in the Hawaii Kia III but would bring it all together at the 1960 Silver Cup, taking the Nitrogen Too to victory over the eventual national champion Miss Thriftway. At the end of the 1960 season, owner Samuel F. DuPont would retire from the sport but he was very fond of the city of Madison so he decided to donate the Nitrogen hull to the city thus becoming the first of many community owned Miss Madison’s. After running only one season, the Nitrogen Too was put into storage to await her future call. Meanwhile the new U-6 Miss Madison (1) would have two fairly decent back to back seasons while winning the Seafair Trophy in her first year (‘61) with Marion Cooper in the driver’s seat but in 1963, the Madison (1) would be completely destroyed while testing the hull for the Gold Cup in Detroit. Her stand in driver Morlan Visel, owner and driver of the U-30 Hurricane VI was seriously injured in the crash. He was never able to recover from his injuries which led to his death some years later. The Nitrogen Too would come out of storage to become the new Miss Madison (2) one of the most popular hulls in hydroplane history. Her nine year history would be a roller coaster ride for the community sponsored hull as she would win the 1965 season opener in Guntersville, AL. and then would fall into a slump and not finish any better than 10th place in high points for the next three years. The Madison (2) did not appear in Seattle for a three year period (1967-69) so my first memory of this hull came in 1970 as pilot Jim McCormick would be cut off going into the first turn of the first heat by Bill Muncey in the U-70 Myr Sheet Metal. That single move would begin my decade long personal disenchantment with Muncey’s hard racing antics. McCormick finished 3rd in the final heat behind the Notre Dame and the Burien Lady, ending up 4th overall in total points. In 1971 the Miss Madison (2) came to Seattle for her final time riding high after her amazing back to back victories at the Gold Cup in Madison and the Atomic Cup in the Tri-Cities which would be the defining moments of this hulls nine year career. Unfortunately my last memory of this famous hull would be during heat 2A when she limped home to a distant 3rd place finish at the barely above plaining speed of 70mph. However McCormick turned it around by landing on the podium in the U-6’s final two career races. After the ’71 season the Miss Madison (2) was retired to make room for the new pickle forked ’72 Miss Madison (3). These two hulls, the Nitrogen-Miss Madison (1) and the Nitrogen Too-Miss Madison (2) would be the foundation for the longest lasting sponsorship in unlimited hydroplane history as the city of Madison enters their 56th year of competition in the 66th annual regatta on the mighty Ohio River.

1958-60 Nitrogen

Photo from the 1960 Seafair magazine

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