The Indiana Governor's Cup (more commonly known as the Madison Regatta) is an H1 Unlimited hydroplane boat race held annually on Independence Day weekend on the Ohio River in Madison, Indiana. Madison has hosted the Madison Regatta annually since 1951, although the race was also contested in the 1930s. The race inspired a Hollywood motion picture released in 2005, titled Madison which starred actor Jim Caviezel. The Regatta was part of the APBA Gold Cup in 1979, 1980. 2019, & will be contested in 2021.
History
Informal racing took place in Madison, Indiana, as early as 1911, but the first major race did not occur until 1929. That was when the now-defunct Mississippi Valley Power Boat Association conducted a race for the 725 Cubic Inch Class, which evolved into the Unlimited Class after World War II. The MVPBA conducted the Webb Trophy at Madison in 1930. The Webb Trophy was the MVPBA equivalent of the APBA Gold Cup—their top award.
The 725s raced at Madison throughout the 1930s until the disastrous Ohio River flood of 1937 and World War II brought down the curtain for a while.
The current series of regattas in Madison began in 1949. This was a "wildcat" race, administered by the Ohio Valley Motor Boat Racing Association of Cincinnati. The largest class present was the 225 Cubic Inch Class.
The first Unlimited race took place in 1950. The Unlimited races at Madison from 1950 to 1953 were one-heat multi-class free-for-all affairs. They didn't count for National High Points.
The first High Points Unlimited race at Madison occurred in 1954. This came about largely through the efforts of Madison Courier columnist Phil Cole. (A High Points Unlimited race must be scheduled for a minimum of two heats with at least four boats making a legal start.)
Madison had an uninterrupted string of High Points Unlimited races every year from 1954 through 2012. The 2013 races were canceled because of flooding on the Ohio that covered the pit area, although the land-based events associated with the regatta went on as scheduled.
Madison hosted the APBA Gold Cup in 1971, 1979–1980, 2019, and 2021. Madison hosted the U.I.M. World's Championship in 1972 and 2004.
The Madison committee is the longest continuously active Unlimited committee in the country. Madison Regatta, Inc. (formerly the Madison Boat Club) has hosted the Unlimiteds every year since 1950 (except in 2013 and 2015 because of river conditions). Seattle did not start until 1951. Detroit has been on the circuit since 1946, but with four different committees.
List of Madison Regatta winners Source: YearEventDriverBoat1951Indiana Governor's CupMarion CooperHornet1952Indiana Governor's CupBurnett BartleyWildcatter1953Indiana Governor's CupBurnett BartleyWildcatter1954Indiana Governor's CupBill CantrellGale IV1955Indiana Governor's CupDanny FosterTempo VII1956Indiana Governor's CupFred AlterMiss US I1957Indiana Governor's CupJack RegasHawaii Kai III1958Indiana Governor's CupDon WilsonMiss US I1959Indiana Governor's CupRon MussonHawaii Kai III1960Indiana Governor's CupBill MunceyMiss Thriftway1961Indiana Governor's CupBill MunceyMiss Century 211962Indiana Governor's CupBill MunceyMiss Century 211963Indiana Governor's CupBill BrowMiss Exide1964Indiana Governor's CupChuck ThompsonTahoe Miss1965Indiana Governor's CupChuck ThompsonTahoe Miss1966Indiana Governor's CupMira SlovakTahoe Miss1967Indiana Governor's CupBilly SchumacherMiss Bardahl1968Indiana Governor's CupBilly SchumacherMiss Bardahl1969Indiana Governor's CupDean ChenowethMyr's Special1970Indiana Governor's CupDean ChenowethMiss Budweiser1971APBA Gold CupJim McCormickMiss Madison1972U.I.M. World's ChampionshipBill MunceyAtlas Van Lines1973Indiana Governor's CupMickey RemundPay 'n Pak1974Indiana Governor's CupGeorge HenleyPay 'n Pak1975Indiana Governor's CupGeorge HenleyPay n'Pak1976Indiana Governor's CupBill MunceyAtlas Van Lines1977Indiana Governor's CupEric GodfreyMiss Budweiser1978Indiana Governor's CupBill MunceyAtlas Van Lines1979APBA Gold CupBill MunceyAtlas Van Lines1980APBA Gold CupDean ChenowethMiss Budweiser1981Indiana Governor's CupDean ChenowethMiss Budweiser1982Indiana Governor's CupTom D'EathThe Squire Shop1983Indiana Governor's CupJim KropfeldMiss Budweiser1984Indiana Governor's CupChip HanauerAtlas Van Lines1985Indiana Governor's CupSteve ReynoldsMiss 7-Eleven1986Indiana Governor's CupChip HanauerMiller American1987Indiana Governor's CupJim KropfieldMiss Budweiser1988Indiana Governor's CupScott PierceMr. Pringle's1989Indiana Governor's CupJim KropfieldMiss Budweiser1990Indiana Governor's CupChip HanauerMiss Circus Circus1991Indiana Governor's CupMark EvansAmerican Spirit1992Budweiser Indiana Governor's CupChip HanauerMiss Budweiser1993Indiana Governor's CupChip HanauerMiss Budweiser1994Budweiser Indiana Governor's CupChip HanauerMiss Budweiser1995Budweiser Indiana Governor's CupMark TateSmokin' Joe's1996Budweiser Indiana Governor's CupMark TateSmokin' Joe's1997Budweiser Indiana Governor's CupDave VillwockMiss Budweiser1998Budweiser Indiana Governor's CupDave VillwockMiss Budweiser1999Jasper Indiana Governor's CupChip HanauerMiss Pico2000Indiana Governor's CupDave VillwockMiss Budweiser2001Beltano Casino Madison RegattaSteve DavidOh Boy! Oberto2002Budweiser Madison RegattaNate BrownMiss Elam Plus2003Budweiser Madison RegattaDave VillwockMiss Budweiser2004U.I.M. World's ChampionshipDave VillwockMiss Budweiser2005Budweiser Madison RegattaJ.W. MyersMiss Elam Plus2006Madison RegattaDave VillwockMiss Elam Plus2007Indiana Governor's CupDave VillwockMiss Elam Plus2008Indiana Governor's CupJeff BernardFormulaboats.com2009Indiana Governor's CupDave VillwockMiss Elam Plus2010Indiana Governor's CupSteve DavidOh Boy! Oberto/Miss Madison2011Indiana Governor's CupSteve DavidOh Boy! Oberto/Miss Madison2012Lucas Oil Indiana Governor's Cup Dave Villwock Spirit of Qatar2013No race; canceled due to high water2014Indiana Governor's CupJ. Michael KellyU-5 Graham Trucking2015Indiana Governor's CupJ. Michael Kelly 1U-5 Graham Trucking2016MainSource Bank Madison RegattaJimmy ShaneHomestreet Bank2017Indiana Governor's CupAndrew TateDelta Realtrac2018Madison RegattaJimmy ShaneMiss Homestreet2019APBA Gold CupJimmy ShaneMiss Homestreet2020APBA Gold Cup No season2021APBA Gold CupJimmy ShaneMiss Homestreet2022Madison RegattaJimmy ShaneMiss Homestreet2023Madison RegattaJ. Michael KellyMiss Beacon Electric2024Madison RegattaAndrew TateMiss Goodman Real Estate 1 The 2015 race was declared a non-championship round because of high water and debris on the Ohio River where six of the 11 boats withdrew. The five boats participated even without points.
References
External links Madison Regatta H1 Unlimited