Jimmie Johnson to drive Bill Muncey's 'Blue Blaster' Seven-time NASCAR champion's lifelong dream unlocks a 40-year mystery

Ruth’s career included the NHRA Top Fuel World Championship in 1973

From Hydroplane & Raceboat Museum

Seattle -- Hall of Fame driver Jimmie Johnson usually travels at 250-300 feet per second, but the seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion from El Cajon, Calif., will fulfill a childhood dream and complete a 46-year journey of just 14 feet when he enters the cockpit of the fabled Atlas Van Lines “Blue Blaster” of Unlimited hydroplane legend Bill Muncey at the Seafair Weekend Festival, August 1.

Johnson’s journey began in San Diego in September 1979, while celebrating his fourth birthday at the Unlimited hydroplane races on Mission Bay. His favorite boat, the two-time national champion and three-time Gold Cup-winning Blue Blaster, owned by the legendary hometown driver Bill Muncey, broke down mid-race near the Fiesta Island beach.

Twists and Turns
Following Muncey’s death aboard the Blue Blaster two years later at the 1981 UIM World Championships in Acapulco, the boat was cosmetically, but not operationally, restored and presented to the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum in Washington D.C. as an early example of a marine surface effects vehicle. 
His widow, Fran, continued the Atlas Van Lines team with a new boat and driver, Chip Hanauer.  They would combine to win the APBA Gold Cup for the next seven consecutive (1982-88) years.  
Today, all four — Johnson, Hanauer and Bill and Fran Muncey — are inductees in the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (MSHFA) in Daytona Beach.

The Restoration
When the Blue Blaster rotated out of the Smithsonian collection, it headed to the Hydroplane & Raceboat Museum in suburban Seattle, where museum director David Williams and their amazing volunteer crew, led by the late Don Mock, undertook a fully operational restoration.
When the stunning restoration was complete, the Muncey family returned to Lake Washington to rechristen the boat with Hanauer driving.

The 40-year Mystery is Solved
A few years later, Hanauer, Williams, and Mock learned from a Johnson crewmember that the driver was an unlimited hydroplane fan. He provided Johnson’s contacts.
When Hanauer reached out and described the opportunity to possibly drive the Blue Blaster, Johnson got very excited.
Johnson explained that growing up in San Diego, his birthday was the week of the big boat races. The Blue Blaster was his favorite boat! 
His dad, Gary, would take him to the pits early in the week and they would watch the races from the beach on Fiesta Island.
Jimmie recalled that one year (1979), the Blue Blaster had broken down in the race and was drifting near the beach. Fans were wading out to the boat. His dad, Gary, carried Jimmie out and, with a nod from Bill Muncey, sat his son on the deck of the boat.
When Hanauer described the call, Mock recalled a photo from that San Diego race with Muncey on the bow and a little kid in a yellow hat near the back. He quickly located the photo. Bingo! For 40 years, no one knew that little kid was Jimmie Johnson!
Johnson was unaware of the photo, but at the Museum’s request had his mom confirm that indeed that was young Jimmie on the boat.  

The Invitation
As part of Johnson’s 2024 induction into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America, the Muncey family and Hanauer told the story of the little boy in the photo and extended a formal invitation on behalf of the Hydroplane Museum for Jimmie to drive the Blue Blaster.
Earlier this year, Johnson cleared his calendar to accept the invitation, and plans are now in place for him to drive the Blue Blaster on Seattle’s Lake Washington on Friday, August 1st as part of the Seafair Festival. On that morning, almost 46 years to the day from when he sat on its rear deck, he’ll travel the roughly 14 feet to its cockpit.

Williams and the Hydroplane Museum team will join the Muncey family, and MSHFA president George Levy to welcome Johnson. Hanauer, a Seattle native and 11-time winner of the APBA Gold Cup and seven-time series champion will serve as Johnson’s Blue Blaster driving coach.
Johnson, Hanauer Meet & Greet Opportunity
The Hydroplane and Raceboat Museum will be hosting a vip meet and greet / museum fundraiser for 20 people to spend two hours with Johnson and Hanauer at the Seattle Four Seasons hotel on July 31st. For information visit www.thunderboats.maestroweb.com.

Johnson, Hanauer Meet & Greet Opportunity The Hydroplane and Raceboat Museum will be hosting a vip meet and greet / museum fundraiser for 20 people to spend two hours with Johnson and Hanauer at the Seattle Four Seasons hotel on July 31st. For information visit www.thunderboats.maestroweb.com.,/p>

Zach Riehl captures 34th Montana 200

RONAN, Montana — Young Zach Riehl added another notable win to his resume by capturing the 34th running of the Montana 200 at Mission Valley Super Oval, July 13.
Riehl, just 17, captured the lead on lap 114 and finished 2.58 seconds ahead of Alex Lessor to claim the $10,000 first place money. Riehl’s brother, Andrew was third, 5.5 seconds off the lead.
There were only two race leaders as Bryce Bezanson led laps 1 to 113 before he broke a wheel and finished 12th.
Riehl, from Corbett, Oregon, earlier won the Apple Cup in April at Tri City Raceway in West Richland. The brothers’ father, Brandon, was a notable late model racer from the past in the NASCAR Northwest Tour and other series.
Defending MT 200 champ Jason Jefferson was fifth and 1994 winner, Cory Wolfe 11th.
Many notable super late model teams will now head to Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Wash. next Saturday for the Summer Showdown 200.

Shane van Gisbergen triumphs at Sonoma for third 'Cup' win of 2025

By Reid Spencer/NASCAR Wire Service

SONOMA, Calif. (July 13, 2025) — Shane van Gisbergen proved on Sunday that it’s impossible to keep a road course superstar down for more than a brief interlude.

After finishing second to Connor Zilisch in Saturday’s Xfinity Series race, van Gisbergen was back on top on a pleasant Sunday afternoon in wine country, winning the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway.
As has become his custom of late, the New Zealander reached a trio of milestones, winning his third straight road/street course race from the pole position to equal Jeff Gordon’s feat from 1998 and 1999.

The victory was van Gisbergen’s third of the season in his first trip around the 1.99-mile, 12-turn circuit in a NASCAR Cup Series car. SVG won for the fourth time in 34 starts, becoming the quickest to four wins since Parnelli Jones won at Riverside in 1967 in his 31st Cup start.

His 97 laps led are the most by a Sonoma winner, eclipsing Jeff Gordon’s high-water mark of 92 set in 2004.
“We had an amazing car,” van Gisbergen said. “Chase Briscoe, what a great racer and gave me respect. Jumped the last (restart) a little bit, and it was pretty tense, but amazing. So stoked for Red Bull, Trackhouse, Chevy. I believe we had a really fun weekend here, some great races, and I hope everyone enjoyed that.”

The winner of 81 Australian Supercars races on the way to three championships in the series, van Gisbergen already is being touted as perhaps the best road course racer in NASCAR history.
Chase Elliott, Michael McDowell and Christopher Bell completed the top five, all finishing the full 110 laps.