Part 2 - The Thriftway Years 1955-57. Nearly winning his first race, the Gold Cup in Seattle, Muncey settles into his new life in the Pacific Northwest driving the new Miss Thriftway, for owner Willard Rhodes.

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.

"Not only is this the best documentary about Bill Muncey that I've ever seen, it is the best documentary about the sport of unlimited racing I've ever seen!" -Chip Hanauer

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.


Back in 2001, when it was decided to produce a documentary film about the life and racing career of the greatest driver of all time, Museum Director David Williams, video producer Don Mock, and the Museum Board of Directors realized that the eyewitnesses to his life story were fast approaching their golden years. There was no time to waste in gathering first hand testimony. So they cast a wide net and got right to work, spending many hours collecting interviews from every corner of Bill’s colorful life. And what stories they heard! Today, as this film is re-released, many of the legends who are interviewed here are gone, making their words and memories all the more poignant.