Historic 100th running of the APBA Gold Cup

Photo by Robert Peters

The APBA Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the APBA Gold Cup is among the most prestigious of motorsport trophies, in part because it is the oldest active trophy in all of motorsports; the trophy was first awarded in 1904.

Hydroplane racing became a tradition in Detroit when designer Christopher Columbus Smith (of the Chris Craft boat company) built a Detroit-based boat that would crack the 60 miles-per-hour speed barrier, capturing the Gold Cup in 1915.

As the speeds grew so did the crowds, and hydroplane racing became a major Detroit event. Through the decades Detroit builders, drivers, fans and sponsors have proven themselves to be among the best.

The historic 100th running of the Gold Cup takes place this weekend along Detroit’s riverfront, July 10-12, 2009. If 3,000 horsepower racing at speeds up to 200 mph isn’t fast enough for you, the US Navy will demonstrate its impressive FA-18 Hornet.

A complete list of events is located here, so join the crowd and be a part of Detroit history.

Related Links:

Official Detroit APBA Gold Cup Homepage