News from March, 2004... Lighter than LIGHTS Hydroplane Series... Rapid growth in just 1 season! It began without a name. It began without fanfare. It began with a modest goal, but already that's been exceeded. It's the Unlimited Lights new series called Lighter than LIGHTS Hydroplanes, and it's quickly attracting attention all its own.
Scheduled at 4 race venues in 2004, the Lighter than LIGHTS Hydroplane Series features 4 cylinder stock hydroplanes and 8 cylinder stock hydroplanes, and has the potential of adding other categories.. These racing craft always provide entertaining competition, and in ULHRA events these teams are able to compete with signficantly less "out of pocket" money than they were accustomed. In fact, at ULHRA events in 2003, the Lighter than LIGHTS teams not only were refunded their entry fees, they were awarded series prize money at the end of the season by ULHRA, Inc. As a result, entries are expected to greatly increase in 2004 for the Lighter than LIGHTS events. In fact, part time Canadian UL driver Patrick Haworth from Valleyfield has announced his intention to bring his Canadian champion 8 cylinder stock hydroplane out west to compete in some of the LTL events. With victories in his only two Unlimited Light Final Heats, (Tri Cities WA ion 2002 and Valleyfield, Quebec in 2003) one would hope that the talented, and well spoken (French & English) Haworth will get a full time racing opportunity in an Unlimited Light, soon. In 2003 the "class" of the 4 cylinder stock hydroplanes were two "young guns"; Jeff Bernard of Tacoma WA and Brian Perkins of Seattle. Bernard was the top victor in both the 4 cylinder and 8 cylinder categories, trading wins with Perkins in the 4 cylinder category in a slew of exciting "deck to deck" duels. Bernard captured the LTL championship in both categories in 2003 and is returning for more in 2004. He comes with a racing pedigree; his uncles Mark & Mike Weber, and his step father Terry Troxel have all driven in Unlimited Lights competition. In fact, all three, at different times, drove for one of the original UL team owners, the now retired Bob Larimore of Springfield OH. Briian Perkins impressed in his LTL debut so much that he earned an opportunity to drive in UL competition in Pat Roach's UL136 in San Diego CA and Port Angeles WA. Perkins fit right in. Despite taking over the smallest boat in the UL fleet, and one that had not been in UL competition in 3 seasons, he picked up his first UL heat victory in the season ending event in Port Angeles. New for the Lighter than LIGHTS Hydroplane Series this season; the teams will be featured in the new ULHRA Series Program Book, Thunder & LIGHTS, which will be available in May and all season long at ULHRA events and appearances, and through this website. In addition, you'll be able to watch every Lighter than LIGHTS Final Heat in 2004 as they are posted in the Video section of this website, along with all heats of Unlimited Light competition; produced by Gold Cup Video. For teams wanting to compete in the Lighter than LIGHTS series in 2004, contact ULHRA Vice President and General Manager, Pat Malara. Phone number and email are available in the Contact Us section of this website. John Lynch ULHRA names Chief Referee David Cossette began racing in 1975 in Spokane WA. By 1980 he had relocated to the Seattle WA area. He's been a member of various powerboat racing clubs and held a variety of official positions, including Commodore of the Seattle Outboard Association, Stock Outboard Commissioner and Inboard Commissioner. He says about his race driving days that you could call him "your typical racer who had fun racing, along with enjoying friendships along the way". A particular highlight came on Lake Lawrence in Yelm WA, one of the country's fastest race courses where numerous records have been set over the years. In 1987, Cossette was driving a "borrowed boat, with a borrowed engine and a borrowed propeller" and set a 1 2/3 mile course record for A Stock Hydroplane; a record that stood for over 8 years. Cossette began his career as a race referee in 1980 and has worked everything from stock, modified and Pro outboards, to all inboard classes including Unlimiteds, and as Chief Referee he continues his association with the Unlimited Lights. He has conducted select races in the past that included the Unlimited Lights. Now, Cossette will be in charge of all officiating for the 7 ULHRA events in 2004. Four of those events will also feature Lighter than LIGHTS series for 4 cylinder and 8 cylinder stock hydroplanes. His first assignment will be to oversee the upcoming "Spring Training" open testing session for Unlimited Lights and Lighter than LIGHTS teams which will occur in May. The season opener for the ULHRA will be June 4-6 in Kennewick WA on the Columbia River, followed by Issaquah WA on Lake Sammamish, June 11-13. The Unlimited Lights then travel to the famed Regates De Valleyfield in the Canadian province of Quebec, near Montreal, July 2-4. The Unlimited Lights return to the northwest for the Seafair race in Seattle WA. August 6-8. The Unlimited Lights will be reunited with the Lighter than LIGHTS at Speedfest in Olympia WA on Black Lake, August 14-15. In September the Unlimited Lights travel to Mission Bay in San Diego CA, September 17-19, and two weeks later conclude the 2004 campaign along with the Lighter than LIGHTS at the 2nd annual Strait Thunder in Port Angeles WA, October 2nd & 3rd. John Lynch UL10 Frazee Paint, Parker Paint, Grand Central Casino. They've been here from the beginning
First, led by Milton and driven by son Charley, and now managed by both and driven by others, the UL10 team of Milton & Charley Wiggins dates back to the beginning of Unlimited Light Hydroplane Racing. They are the series' longest continuously active team......and they remain today what they have always been; one of Unlimited hydroplane racing's very best.
With Charley deciding to exit the cockpit, the team had two choices to make. Fix the UL10 and sell, or fix the UL10 and return to racing. Not only did they return to racing, they returned just as strong....as if they'd never been away. For those familiar with the Wiggins' family and their extensive racing history, that they returned as strong as ever was no surprise. Charley led the team's rebuilding efforts on their Jones UL10 and selected Detroit's Cal Phipps as his replacement behind the wheel. Phipps, who's equally adept in the hydroplane "paint booth" as he is behind the wheel, took second place in the only two appearances for the UL10 team in 2002; Detroit and San Diego. In 2003, the team doubled its racing commitment and the UL10 Frazee Paint, Parker Paint, Grand Central Casino entry picked up victories in Valleyfield with Canadian Patrick Haworth behind the wheel, and in Seattle where Cal Phipps broke through for the victory in as fine a heat of racing as you're likely to see. In fact you can see the Seattle Seafair Final, and all of the Unlimited Lights heats from the 2003 series, right here. Just click on VIDEOS to the left side of the ULHRA home page, and enjoy. Cal Phipps sure did. It was his first ever UL victory. Don't expect it to be his, or Wiggins Racing's, last. One thing that Milton Wiggins had said was a challenge for his team in getting to more races was a driver for the team's hauler. That position has been filled. Milton & Charley have too much business to take care of to spend a week in a hauler to get to a west coast race. But with the new help and some additional sponsorship, maybe the UL10 can be a fixture at most, if not all of the UL events in 2004. UL fans and competitors alike know one thing. When the UL10 Wiggins Racing Team is in town, the first place trophy could be heading southeast with hydroplane racing's version of "The Alabama Gang". John Lynch Click here for updates from February, 2004
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In 2003 the Unlimited Light Hydorplane Racing Association, Inc. became it's own official "sanctioning body" with each ULHRA event insured by the renowned K&K Insurance Agency. But with sanctioning authority came additional responsibility, to the race fans and race promoters on the ULHRA circuit. That responsibility was to "grow the show". That growth, in addition to the increase in the Unlimited Lights entries, came with the formation of the Lighter than LIGHTS series. 
Veteran northwest race official and former race driver David Cossette has been named Chief Referee for the Unlimited Light Hydroplane Racing Association, Inc. Cossette's appointment is another key element in the continuing growth of ULHRA, Inc. and the Unlimited Lights series.
The ULHRA series, which is the fastest growing hydroplane series in North America, does present a dilemma for Wiggins Racing. They are based in Alabama, while the bulk of UL events currently are in the west. The only eastern race presently scheduled for 2004 is at Valleyfield, which being in the Canadian province of Quebec is not exactly a Sunday afternoon drive from their home
in Gadsden. Still, despite the demands and responsibility of their family business interests, the Wiggins do find the time to race, and race extremely well. 
When Charley Wiggins drove, from 1995-2000, the team amassed 8 victories in UL competition, including their best season, 1999, when Charley drove to 4 victories in 10 starts. It was in 1999 that Wiggins Racing acquired the current UL10 from original owner, Kim Gregory. This hull was the first all Unlimited Light Hydroplane designed and built by Ron Jones Sr. and is very similar to the UL72 that Phil Bononcini has driven to 3 team titles and 4 driver titles. Charley Wiggins and the UL10 won the Unlimited Lights event in Madison, Indiana in 2000 and the team was expected to contend for the Unlimited Lights season title that year. Unfortunately fate played a cruel hand in the form of a devastating crash the following weekend on the rugged Detroit River. That accident kept the team from racing for the better part of 2 seasons, and led to Charley Wiggins retiring from race driving. 