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For the second
consecutive season, Hopp Racing's UL-1 Mike's Hard Lemonade - Happy Go Lucky
has won the ULHRA championship for Unlimited Light Hydroplanes. Co-driven
by co-owners Jerry & Greg Hopp, the Snohomish WA home ported team won 4
times in 8 outings in 2004. Greg Hopp drove to victory at Evansville IN,
Olympia WA and Port Angeles WA, while "Grandpa Jerry" Hopp won at Seafair in
Seattle. Jerry Hopp also won at Seattle in 2002, which was his first ever
victory in Unlimited Light and Unlimited competition, dating back to the
early 80's.
The driving
championship for the 5th year in a row went to the driver of the Impact
Racing UL-72 Graham Trucking, Security Race Products, Victoria Express.
George Woods Jr. took over the controls from 4 time champion Phil Bononcini
this year, and it was another successful season. Woods won 3 times in 2004,
including the season opener Tastin n Racin at Issaquah, WA, plus Tri Cities
WA and San Diego CA where Woods became the first driver to win in Unlimited
Lights and Unlimited competition at the same venue. Woods won San Diego's
Bill Muncey Cup for Unlimited Hydroplanes back in 1988.
The other
race victor in 2004 was first time winner, Kevin Aylesworth in the UL-5
Baker Equipment Co.- Sycuan Casino & Resort. Aylesworth took top honors at
the prestigious Molson Regates De Valleyfield, near Montreal Quebec, Canada.
Aylesworth's Freedom Racing team finished the year with two near victories.
At both San Diego and Port Angeles WA, the UL-5 led starting the final lap.
In San Diego, George Woods was able to edge past. In Port Angeles,
Aylesworth dominated the race till a supercharger belt problem in the final
turn left the boat with no acceleration, and at the wire Greg Hopp came from
well back to snare the victory.
Major
improvements were shown by a couple of teams. Career bests both in driver
and team standings were secured by owner-driver Vince Xaudaro in the
UL-929. While winless in 2004, Xaudaro nonetheless rode consistency to
second in the Driver's ranks and 3rd overall in Team Standings. After a
disappointing DNS beginning to the season in Issaquah, Xaudaro ran off 3
consecutive second place finishes, plus 2 thirds and a fourth. Meanwhile,
after a 2003 of seemingly no end of troubles, the UL-40 Thunder Valley
Racing Team and driver Harold Mills raced the Red Dot Corp. salutes the U.S.
Marines to 6th in both standings, despite missing one race. Over the course
of the season, Mills and Thunder Valley finished all but two heats and
qualified for all 7 Final Heats
of races they entered.
It was also an
excellent first season for rookie Michael Flaherty in the UL-51 Miss Boat
Electric. Consistency was this team's forte' and Flaherty drove to a 5th
place finish in both standings; just 107 points out of fourth
place. Flaherty picked up his first career heat victory at the season
finale Strait Thunder in Port Angeles WA.
John Lynch
"Voice" of the
Unlimited Lights
Click here for updates from September, 2004
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