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Toy Box of Strait Thunder (08-30-08)
CONTACT: Lynne Schlosser, Manager
All About Storage
360-681-6789
(News team – please verify any changes with contact as content has been approved by All About Storage and Strait Thunder) Thank you.
You are invited!
All About Storage, located at 132 South Hooker Road, just 1 block off Highway 101 and just south of the old Costco, has been named the “Official Toy Box of Strait Thunder 2008”. Strait Thunder, sponsored by Victoria Express and now in its sixth year, is the championship race of a year long, national series conducted by the Unlimited Light Hydroplane Racing Association. The Unlimited Lights are a thundering class of automotive-powered hydroplanes 20-26 feet long and 11-12 feet wide. They are gas or alcohol driven with powerful engines and can reach speeds up to 165 miles per hour.
On Friday September 5th, the UL-00 TRAFFICADE RACING TEAM will be visiting All About Storage. It’s driver, Wil Muncey, is currently in 5th place nationally and hopes to finish the season in 4th place with a good showing at Strait Thunder. Muncey will be on hand between 10am and 2pm to sign autographs, hand out copies of the popular Thunder & LIGHTS Magazine and answer all your questions about boat racing. Everyone is asked to please park in the old Costco parking lot.
Lynne Schlosser, Manager of All About Storage, will have goodies and coffee on hand, along with a welcome smile. If you’d like to sit in the cockpit of a real hydroplane, that can be arranged as well. Muncey will walk you thru the starting sequence and explain how the driver begins his race. Bring along your camera! Enter the drawing to win a free Pit Tour Pass, valued at $10. Two lucky winners will have their name drawn at 2PM.
Thirty-Four days and counting. (08-29-08)
October 4th and 5th, Victoria Express Presents the Sixth Annual Strait Thunder.
Boat races of course. Every year for the last six years the Unlimited Light Hydroplane Racing Association has held its national championships and series finale in Port Angeles. And every year, for the last several years, the points spread has been so close that the championship was decided in the final heat. This year is no exception. The points race in Unlimited Lights have shifted throughout the season. At the start of the Gauntlet (five races on back-to-back weekends) in South Dakota last July, 20-year-old Kayleigh Perkins in the UL-72 Miss Boat Electric had the lead. By the end of the Graham Trucking Cup at Seafair in Seattle 3 weeks later, Perkins had slipped to third place. The win at Silverdale WA and the accident involving Paul Becker's UL-14 Miss Critical Logic put Perkins' team back into second place and Perkins herself back atop the Driver standings. In the Team standings there is a dandy competition with the Graham Trucking G.T. holding a slight edge over the Miss Boat Electric and the Miss Critical Logic close behind in third. All three have an excellent chance to secure the title. As always, Port Angeles' Strait Thunder, presented by Victoria Express will be "where Champions are crowned". Only 283 points currently separate the first and second place boats. Up to 1640 points will be available at the October 4th & 5th race on Port Angeles Harbor just off the famed Strait of Juan de Fuca.
In addition to the boat races, there are several related Strait Thunder happenings.
Thursday before the races, Mickeys Casino will host a Strait Thunder sponsor party. Participants will be asked to make a donation of cash or unwrapped toy to the Marine standing at the door collecting on behalf of Toys for Tots. Once again this year, our official charity is Toys for Tots. Many people do realize that this is a year around need, not just a Christmas charity.
Toys collected by Strait Thunder are kept by Marine Corps League, who are the collectors, nationwide for TOYS FOR TOTS. The toys are primarily distributed to children in foster care. The number of those children increases each year, due to "crack and meth" houses. Children are removed for their own safety from these environments. The Port Angeles chapter of Toys for Tots also support tribal children like the Hoh's. Then they assist welfare children, who have some other resources.
The TOYS FOR TOTS program usually starts in Nov, but since STRAIT THUNDER adopted the charity, they can begin earlier. They always hold back some toys for the kids taken out of their homes because of drugs. STRAIT THUNDER has contributed both money and toys for the last three years.
Friday night before race weekend, Unlimited Light racing's capsule training will occur in the Red Lion pool. The public is welcome to attend as the hydroplane drivers undergo their capsule training certification in a mock racing capsule. Afterward, all drivers and crew are invited to Team Nite at Steele's Sports Bar. Drivers will gather at Steele's to sign autographs and talk about their favorite subject with fans - boat racing!
All weekend long a shuttle van will run between Mickeys Casino and Steeles Sports Bar, the Port Angeles Courthouse parking lot and the race site. Shuttle service is free; donation to Toys for Tots is welcome.
Saturday after the racing, the Red Lion hosts its Strait Thunder party with live band in the Red Lion ball room. And on Sunday the racing resumes for the finals, with lots of thunderous activity on the water and plenty to do ashore as well. Coast Guard demonstrations, a rock climbing wall, arts and crafts for the kids and plenty of food and beverage vendors.
Strait Thunder is brought to you by: Victoria Express, the US Marines, the Army National Guard, Washington Marine, Pettit Oil, Steele's Sports Bar, 7 Cedars Casino, the Long House Deli, Red Lion Hotels, All About Storage, ASM Signs, Affordable Cranes & Roofing, First Federal Savings and Loan, Crown Distributing, Mickeys Casino, Eagles Flight Bed & Breakfast, United Rentals, Wilder Toyota, Windemere Real Estate, the US Army Recruiting Office, and other involved community businesses.
For more information contact: Muncey Marketing 360-805-0805
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ULHRA and APBA Press Release
Tukwila WA. Thursday, 8-21-08: A joint announcement by the Unlimited Light Hydroplane Racing Association, Inc. and the American Power Boat Association today confirmed a new relationship. ULHRA has joined with APBA in a move that both sides anticipate will improve hydroplane racing across the USA.
ULHRA, Inc. became its own sanctioning body in 2003 and has produced racing events for 6 years. Now, ULHRA will be an APBA “Special Event Class” and continue to produce its own races. ULHRA President Joe Frauenheim said this new affiliation with APBA has been two years in the making.
“We’ve been talking with APBA officials trying to improve the situation for racers. One of the big benefits of this new arrangement provides the teams that have competed in our Lighter than LIGHTS series eligibility for APBA points. This also affords ULHRA the opportunity to “grow our brand” further to the east by participating at existing APBA events and building new ones. ULHRA will continue growing the racing sites with the Unlimited Lights (UL) and Thunderboats (G) series.”
ULHRA has one event remaining on the 2008 calendar, at Port Angeles WA, October 4th & 5th. Strait Thunder presented by Victoria Express is “where Champions are crowned”. Going into the final race of the season, three teams are locked in competition for the Unlimited Lights season title. Greg & Jerry Hopp in the UL-15 Graham Trucking G.T. – Happy Go Lucky lead Kayleigh Perkins in the UL-72 Vitamin Water and Victoria Express present Miss Boat Electric by 283 points, with Paul Becker in the UL-14 Miss Critical Logic another 140 points back in third. Becker was involved in a spectacular 360 degree blowover at the last race at Silverdale WA. He is recuperating from ankle and back injuries while the team is working on repairs to the hull.
There’s also an excellent battle for 4th place with Michael Flaherty and the UL-11 ROXY Radio 94.5 Power Punch Oil Supplements 479 points in front of Wil Muncey in the UL-00 Trafficade Safety Sales presented by Warning Power.com. It’s the first season of racing for the UL-11 team and 4th place would be a career best for the UL-00.
The APBA News Release follows.
AMERICAN POWER BOAT ASSOCIATION WELCOMES BACK UNLIMITED LIGHTS
Eastpointe, Michigan, August 20, 2008 -
American Power Boat Association President Mark Weber and Unlimited Light Hydroplane Racing Association President Joe Frauenheim have forged an agreement bringing the Unlimited Lights back to APBA for the first time since 2000. The Lights, one of boat racing's premier hydroplane classes, evolved from 7 Liters in the 1940s. These 20-26 foot hydroplanes reach top speeds of 160 MPH and thrill fans with the roar of their big-block 1,000+ HP piston engines.
Many renowned drivers have piloted Unlimited Lights, including Weber himself, who was the ULHRA National Champion in 1995 and 1996.By once again racing with the APBA, Unlimited Lights owners and drivers will be eligible to set official World records, compete in APBA North American and World Championships, and have a chance to enter the APBA Hall of Champions.
ULHRA's Joe Frauenheim said, "This is a big benefit to the racers. This alliance will allow the Inboard hydroplane classes to receive points at all the racing events in our area. Also, the ULHRA will continue
to manage and develop new events across the country, and will include more classes at these events."
In other words, it's a win-win situation for both racing organizations.Weber said, "It's a privilege to have the Lights rejoin us. This is very good news for racing fans. We in APBA look forward to hearing some thunder in 2009."
Learn more about the Unlimited Light Hydroplane Racing Association at www.ulhra.org, and the American Power Boat Association at www.apba- racing.com.
Joe Frauenheim can be reached at joe@impacthydros.com.
ULHRA Public Relations Director Linda Amundsen is at 602-980-3076 •
lamundsen22@msn.com.
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SUZUKI NAMED OFFICIAL OUTBOARD MOTOR OF
UNLIMITED LIGHT HYDROPLANE RACING ASSOCIATION
Contact: Amy Brown / abrown@bearemg.com
Rick Hauser / rhauser@bearemg.com
Phone: (818) 865-6464
New ULHRA Search and Rescue Boat Powered by Suzuki DF150 4-Stroke Outboard
For professional drivers racing on the ragged edge in high-tech, lightweight racing boats capable of ripping across the waves at more than 100 mph, the safety net provided by a top notch Search and Rescue boat and crew is literally a matter of life death. That’s why the Unlimited Light Hydroplane Racing Association (ULHRA) recently made Suzuki its official outboard manufacturer, powering the organization’s new Aksano Catamaran F-18 Search and Rescue boat with a reliable, high-performance Suzuki 150 horsepower 4-stroke.
“This is a great promotional relationship for Suzuki and sends a very positive message about both our outboards and our ongoing commitment to safety on the water,” said Larry Vandiver, Marketing Director for Suzuki Marine. “We’ve always maintained — even when the rest of the industry didn’t believe it — that the terms high-performance and 4-strokes belonged together. Every 4-stroke motor in our line has been engineered to deliver solid, consistent performance that makes 2-strokes a distant memory — along with all the benefits of 4-stroke efficiency and reliability.”
To reach a decision on an outboard partner, the ULHRA spent months researching outboard manufacturers and their product lines. “No other company could draw on Suzuki’s technology and experience designing high-output, lightweight 4-stroke engines, explained Joe Frauenheim, ULHRA President. “While other manufacturers experimented with new and untested technologies, Suzuki remained steadfast in its commitment to 4-stroke power. As a result, Suzuki Marine is in a class by itself when it comes to 4-stroke outboard innovation, performance and reliability.”
The ULHRA’s catamaran hulled Search and Rescue boat needed to be fast, nimble and well balanced, so race organizers selected a single Suzuki DF150 outboard mounted high on the transom. Suzuki’s unique big-block,
in-line four-cylinder design features the largest displacement (2867cc) of any motor in its class, for powerful hole shot and strong acceleration across the powerband.
At the same time, the DF150 also the lightest 4-stroke outboard in the category, making it an ideal match for this high-performance boat and its important on-water duties.
This new Search and Rescue rig made its public debut at the recent Graham Trucking Cup racing event at Seafair. While (thankfully) the boat wasn’t needed to pull anybody out of the water, it did take some VIP “hot laps” around the racecourse on Lake Washington near Seattle.
For more information on Suzuki’s complete line of advanced 4-stroke models from 2.5 to 300 horsepower — contact American Suzuki Motor Corporation at (714) 996-7040 or visit www.suzuki.com.
UL-929 Press Release
UL-929 ‘Xaudaro-Wilmot Racing’ proudly welcomes Nola-B Corporation as an Associate Sponsor.
Nola-B Corporation is an Industrial Services company whose clients include oil/gas producers, refineries and process plants. Based in Texas, with locations in both Odessa and Big Spring, Nola-B’s specializes in vacuum trucks, industrial air movers and high pressure water blasting services. Additionally, Nola-B Corporation fabricates vacuum trucks and trailers for industrial use.
For additional information concerning Nola-B Corporation please contact: Kevin Scribner; (432)425-9768
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LTLs learn nothing is automatic in Silverdale Thunder (08-14-08)
From the Lighter Side...
By Bud McKay
Joseph Perkins sat in his "Perkins Glass" 4-cylinder Lighter-Than-LIGHTS hydroplane at the docks to start the final heat at Silverdale Thunder on Aug. 10. When the flag fell to start the race, he was still sitting in the high-point-leading hull at the docks. The engine just wouldn't turn over.
Kevin Eacret, in the "Baker Equipment" hydroplane, the favored hull in the 8-cylinder LTL series, led the final heat wire-to-wire and thought he won the race. But when he got back to the docks, he learned he was disqualified for cutting through the DMZ - an out of bounds safety area - when he cut the course before the start of the race.
The two favored boats in each class - lost. That's why anything goes on the water in LTL racing.
8-cylinder report
A five-boat 8-cylinder LTL field started the weekend off. With weather conditions only extreme kite enthusiast could love on Saturday, the LTLs were blown off the course and would race three heats on Sunday. Belfair's Steve Clark, in the "Power Punch Oil Supplements Thunderstruck Racing Team" was the winner in the 8-cylinder LTL final heat. While he'd rather win the race on the water without the aid of a penalty, it's all part of racing.
"Oh, yeah, I've been on the other side of calls, so I know what that's like," Clark said. "But it was very fun to have the win at home. This was my first ULHRA win. Kevin's boat is fast and he will have more success I'm sure."
The win is extra sweet for Clark because when he showed up in the pits Friday night, he still had about 12 hours of work to do on his boat to get it ready. And the bad weather was a blessing on Saturday as he and his family crew - Carrie, Jeff and Stephanie Clark - worked on the boat in between downpours to get it ready for Sunday. "We were installing new ignition system which needed replacing," Clark said. "I wanted to double checking every thing else, too. You can never check enough."
Especially since this is only the second time on the water for the "Power Punch" hull after being repaired from a serious accident last summer.
"Any time you put something on the water for the first time little bugs pop up," Clark said. "As we've run the boat those little things are addressed. The boat is getting back to where we had it before the accident and we'll continue to improve it as we run."
Shane Pratt, in the "Road Runner 76 presented by Victoria Express" out of Sequim took second place. It was his first outing since winning the Port Angeles race in September. Bud McKay, the two-time defending high points champion, and current high points leader in the "GEICO of Lakewood Presents the Namron Racing Team, finished third. Earlier in the day, Greg Sheard in the "Nasty Ol' Heffer" threw a rod as he was just crossing the start of the first heat and was out of the race - and the pits a lot earlier than he planned.
"The really bad part about that is, that was my best start ever - I nailed it," he said with a proud smile. "There's nothing you can do. These things happen. It's all part of racing."
And the loss of the engine, while disappointing, didn't damper Sheard's spirits.
"I was having a great time at the event," he said. "It was my first ULHRA race, and it was a lot of fun - until the engine gave out. But we'll be back next year."
Eacret got the chance he needed to move up in the points standings to close the gap with McKay in heat two. McKay spun out in the "GEICO of Lakewood" hull in turn one and couldn't restart the boat to finish. But when Eacret was hit with the DSQ, that all but locked up a third-consecutive high points title for the "GEICO of Lakewood" hull.
"The ULHRA is famous for adding a bonus heat at Port Angeles," McKay said, "So with a fifth-possible heat looming, and I'm all for it, Kevin could mathematically get the title - but he'd have to win all five heats and I'd have to have not score any points. So it's like they like to say about Port Angeles, it's where champions are crowned -- again."
What's the likelihood of McKay not scoring any points in five possible heats?
"Look at the 2005 season, my rookie season - we made every LTL event and didn't score a point all year," McKay said. "Not one. And we had the boat in the water for every start. So I'm not taking anything for granted."
4-cylinder report
On Saturday, wrenches were turning like crazy in Puyallup at the "Team Toothpick" camp. Leslie "Poodle" Warren and Shawn "Big Dog" Warren's team worked through the night to get their hull ready for racing on Sunday. With "Team Toothpick" hull making its way into the pits in the early hours of Sunday morning, four, 4-cylinder LTL teams were on hand for Silverdale Thunder.
Bianca Bononcini, leading off in the "Perkin's Glass," out duelled Austin Eacret in "The Trainer," beating him by .75 mph in the first heat. In the second heat, it was Joseph Perkins behind the wheel of the "Perkins Glass" hull and he flew past the other combatants with ease. "Team Toothpick's" hard work the night before paid off with a solid second place finish. Austin Eacret was hit with a one-minute penalty for improper scoreup and finished third.
But Austin Eacret said that he'll take that penalty because he didn't have time to scoreup as he couldn't get his boat started.
"It's done this before as you saw at Montana," Eacret said. "In my mind I was thinking, 'Great here we go again' because in Montana the starter was just messing with me the entire weekend. But as I was getting frustrated still sitting in the cockpit, I decided to check the wires on the starter switch, and at this time there was only about two minutes left until the start."
Eacret said that the starter wire actually came off the switch. He connected the wires and made it out onto the course just in time for start. When he came in, he took the starter completely apart and went through every component of it.
"We checked to see if it would fire and boom! -- it started the little 'Trainer' like it was brand new. So we coupled it (connecting the engine to the propeller shaft) and fueled it and got it in to the water for the final."
And out on the course for the final heat with the "Perkins" boat floating helplessly in the pits, Eacret kept "Poodle" Warren in his mirrors and won his second consecutive Silverdale race. "Team Toothpick" finished second and the "Lil' Miss Boat Electric," with Austin's cousin, Phillip driving, finished its only heat of the day in third.
"The 'Perkins' boat was running great like always earlier, and I was very surprised to see it still on the dock when I came back," Eacret said. "Team Toothpick' and Poodle were running very good, too. I was very glad to see them come out. Then the good ole 'Lil Miss Boat Electric,' - that boat has a bug in it that we just cant find. But were getting closer and closer. I hope, by the next race, well have it."
The next race for the LTL series will be in Port Angeles Oct. 4-5.
While Austin picked up a little ground on the "Perkins" boat in the high points chase, he'll need a five-heat sweep in Port Angeles and hope the "Perkin's" boat floats around the pits to have a shot.
"Of course, we take the boat out of the water and put it back on the trailer - and it fires right up," Perkins said. "It's just one of those things."
NOTE: For the first time since handing out the award for the "Mechanix Glove Grace under Pressure" reward, the coveted gloves went to a LTL team at Silverdale Thunder. "The Trainer" and its dynamic duo of owner Paul Eacret and driver Austin Eacret won the award for best mechanical performance under pressure for the race.
Perkins wins, Hopp 2nd, Becker flips.
 Kayleigh Perkins made a triumphant return to the site of her first Unlimited Lights victory, and picked up her 4th career win in the process. Leading wire to wire, the UL-72 Miss Boat Electric presented by Vitamin Water and Victoria Express dominated the Roger Newton Memorial in defeating Greg Hopp by 2 roostertail lengths. Mike Sadlon in the UL-89 Lake Trash Apparel and Lake Trash.com finished in third, while Michael Flaherty in the UL-11 ROXY Radio 94.5 – Power Punch Oil Supplements failed to finish and Wil Muncey in the UL-00 Trafficade presented by Warning Power.com was unable to start.
 For Perkins it was a perfect 3 heat winning day for the maximum 1200 points while Greg Hopp scored 700 along with Becker as those three are battling for the UL Title; a race that again this year will go down to the final event of the season, Strait Thunder (October 4th & 5th) at Port Angeles WA
 Mike Sadlon finished in third in a memorable and emotional career best for the former offshore racer. The Lake Trash.com sponsored UL-89 will now be driven back to their Florida homeport near Vero Beach
Paul Becker in the UL-14 Miss Critical Logic was leading going into lap 2 and as he approached turn #1 with Kayleigh Perkins to his inside and Greg Hopp to his right.
Becker’s boat caught a wind gust and blew over at close to 150 mph, landing right side up. Becker immediately radioed to his crew that he was alright but a medical exam subsequently revealed a fractured ankle and vertebrae.
John Lynch
“Voice” of ULHRA Racing.
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5, 4, 3……the count is on hold.
Mother Nature was the winner on Saturday (8-9) at the annual Silverdale Thunder Regatta. An extremely high wind stilled all racing action by ULHRA teams. A few tours of the 1 ¼ mile course were made by the vintage Jersey Skiffs but that’s all. Chief Referee Rick Sandstrom called it a day shortly after 3:00pm when wind and rain continued to plague the race site, and the realization was made that even if the wind were to dissipate, by the time boats could be on the water the tide on Dyes Inlet would be too low to allow for racing.
Now the schedule has been compacted to a single day, Sunday (8-10). The tides will allow on the water activity starting at 11:00am Pacific Time till 4:30pm or possibly a bit later. ULHRA intends to run all heats scheduled for Saturday and Sunday in this 5 ½ hour window, weather permitting.
The Gauntlet winds up today (8-10) as the fifth race in 5 consecutive weeks. Ten Unlimited Lights teams are on hand, along with the G-17 Schucks Auto Supply-Venture Bank driven by Dustin Echols, plus 5 teams from the 8 cylinder Lighter than LIGHTS class, and 3 teams from the 4 cylinder Lighter than LIGHTS class.
The Unlimited Lights field of 10 includes…………
UL-00 Trafficade Safety Sales presented by Warning Power.com Wil Muncey
UL- 3 TheSuperZone.com. Chris Grant
UL- 11 ROXY Radio 94.5 - Power Punch Oil Supplements Michael Flaherty
UL- 13 Hendrickson Irrigation Design J.Craig Fletcher
UL-14 Miss Critical Logic Paul Becker
UL-15 Graham Trucking G.T. Happy Go Lucky – Pump Tech Greg & Jerry Hopp
UL-40 Queen City Yacht Club presents King & Bunny’s Appliances Kelly Stocklin
UL-72 Vitamin Water & Victoria Express present Miss Boat Electric Kayleigh Perkins
UL-89 Lake Trash Apparel and Lake Trash.com Mike Sadlon
UL-929 CK. Worldwide presents Nola B Vince Xaudaro
“The Gauntlet” has proven quite popular with race fans. Starting in South Dakota then moving northwest into Montana and three races in Washington State has proven to be just as challenging for the teams as originally predicted. Still the ULHRA teams, never before having been asked to perform such an aggressive schedule, have delivered outstanding racing. In 4 weeks there have been 4 different winners; Kayleigh Perkins in South Dakota followed by first time UL winner J.Craig Fletcher in Montana, Greg Hopp in Tri Cities WA, and last week another first time UL winner, Paul Becker in Seattle. Now with a compacted one day race schedule at the end of “The Gauntlet”, just about any outcome today can be expected.
Live coverage of today’s racing can be seen on this website, provided by ULHRA Video. Check the home page for details and a link to the web cast.
John Lynch
“Voice” of ULHRA Racing
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Phoenix Rotorcraft joins hydroplane racing (08-09-08)
Phoenix Rotorcraft is fast becoming the premier helicopter services provider & flight academy in the Pacific Northwest. We are based in Arlington, WA & operate a fleet of small & versatile American made Robinson R22 & R44 helicopters. We are a relatively new company; however, we are a team of pilots & other aviation professionals that posses a wealth of aviation experience & knowledge. All of our pilots & certified flight instructors are from the local region & understand the joys & challenges associated with flying & operating safely in the Pacific Northwest. We provide truly excellent personalized helicopter flight training, as well as, commercial helicopter services. We specialize in aerial tours & aerial surveys, scenic tours & providing an aerial platform for photography. Give us a call now, so that we may be of service to you, or to assist you to realize your dream to fly helicopters.
Our contact info is as follows: Phoenix Rotorcraft, Inc.
18530 59th Drive NE, Bldg. 2
Arlington, WA 98223
Phone: (360) 435-6434
Toll Free: (877) 435-6434
Fax: (877) 339-0371
info@phoenixrotorcraft.com
www.phoenixrotorcraft.com
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From the Lighter Side...
(08-09-08)
A
little salt and a lot of
‘thunder’ LTL style
By Bud McKay
While the Unlimited Lights are
coming to the end of a tiresome,
five-consecutive-weeks of racing
over three states dubbed “the
Gauntlet,” the 4-cylinder and
8-cylinder Lighter-Than-LIGHTS
racers are refreshed and
thirsting to add a little salt
to the menu at this weekend at
“Silverdale Thunder.”
It looks like a 10-boat field
for the LTL series – seven in
the 8-cylinders and three in the
4-cylinders. The LTL series is
an affordable, entry-level
series into the Unlimited Lights
Hydroplane Racing Association.
The 8-cylinder report —
In the 8-cylinder series, a new
boat and a new driver to the
series is making his LTL debut –
Greg Sheard in the “Nasty Ol’
Heifer.” Sheard planned to make
his LTL debut last year, but a
horrific accident at the first
race of the season in 2007
forced the “Nasty Ol’ Heifer” to
park in the barn for repairs all
last year.
On the fence for the field is
Craig Bonnar from East Wenatchee
in his “E-25 Straitthunder.com.”
This is one of the fastest boats
around in the class. After a
recent race, Ron Jones Jr.,
recommended making changes to
the sponsons to help keep the
boat in the water more going
into the turns. On Thursday
night, Bonnar was thrashing on
the boat and trying to make it
in time for Silverdale.
For the first time since his
Port Angeles win last September,
Shane Pratt is back on the water
with the “Victoria Express
presents Maximm Power Sports and
Adly Moto” hydroplane. Pratt
made his first-ever ride in a
hydroplane in Silverdale last
year in the roughest water the
LTLs will ever see. But it was
at the next race, and in ideal
water, Pratt showed what he
could do and ran away with the
final heat win in just his
second race in a hydroplane.
That was in Port Angeles and the
hometown kid took no prisoners.
Happy to just run a heat of
racing in Montana three weeks
ago was Steve Clark in his
“Power Punch Oil Supplements
Thunderstruck Racing Team” hull.
The Montana race was the first
race for Clark since an accident
in July took him out of action
for the rest of the 2007 and
most of the 2008 season. A new
sponson was finally put on about
a week before the Montana race,
and Clark thrashed on the boat
to get it ready to go – with the
help of Brandon Payne, voted
most valuable crew chief at last
year’s Silverdale race. What
Clark and Payne couldn’t get
ready in Washington, Clark tried
to work on in Montana. He made
four starts, but only finished
one heat – the final. If he gets
the bugs worked out, look for
the most experienced driver in
the series to have a say in the
outcome.
An exciting development happened
Thursday night. Rob Lisk, in the
“Tons O’ Fun,” who’s not been on
the race course since 2006,
looks to be racing at
“Silverdale Thunder” this
weekend. The “Tons O’ Fun” name
has a deep, rich history in
Pacific Northwest inboard
hydroplane racing with Rob’s
father, Val. Val passed away
from cancer in 2005. Rob Lisk, a
multi-Region 10 high points
champion in the 5-Litre
hydroplanes, is all class on the
course and in the pits — and the
LTLs are honored to have him
back in the cockpit for
“Silverdale Thunder.”
Last year, Kevin Eacret debuted
his new hull — the “Baker
Equipment” — in Silverdale. And
not a bad debut as he won the
race. However in just the second
time in the boat, the boat blew
over and suffered significant
damage to keep it out of the
running until three weeks ago.
Eacret, the backup driver for
Kip Brown in Bob Baker’s “Baker
Equipment” UL, was unhurt in the
crash. In fact, he came back and
drove the 4-cylinder hydroplane
in the very next heat — Eacret
went on to win the 4-cylinder
LTL high points title last year.
Over in Montana, Eacret was
perfect winning all four heats
of racing. But he did some
serious damage around the strut
area of the boat. Eacret vowed
to bring the boat to the race
site to finish the last of the
repairs if need be, but he was
confident he’d be ready to take
the green flag in heat one.
Coming into this weekend’s race,
the “GEICO of Lakewood Presents
the Namron Racing Team,” has a
pretty solid lead in the high
points for the 8-cylinder stock
class. However Bud McKay's lead
is anything but untouchable as
Eacret could take the high
points title away from the
two-time high points champion.
The maximum number of points
Eacret can win over the next two
races 3,200 points that would
give him 4,800. In order for
McKay to win a third-consecutive
high points title, he’d have to
score 1,301 points over the next
two races to ensure he stays
ahead of Eacret in the standings
– which is basically finishing
no lower than fourth the
remaining 8 heats of racing.
Either way the points work out
between the two, Jeff Bernard’s
2003 single-season LTL points
record of 4,569 points is on the
radar screen. Bernard now drives
the Formula Boats unlimited
hydroplane.
If all seven 8-cylinder boats
make it out for “Silverdale
Thunder,” it will be the largest
turnout of LTLs in one class on
a salt water racecourse. And it
could have very easily have been
nine boats this year. Todd
Bohnet, a regular LTL pilot in
his “Miss Behavin’” had more
damage to his boat after the
Port Angeles race last year than
he thought. Being that he’s a
farmer in eastern Washington,
Bohnet just couldn’t afford to
take time away from his farming
chores to make the repairs to
his hull for the 2008 season.
Another LTL regular, Chris
Dreewes, has a brand new hull
that he was sure was going to be
ready for the 2008 season. But
Dreewes, the crew chief for his
stepfather Wil Muncey’s UL
boats, has spent every available
moment repairing the engines of
Wil and Debi Muncey’s ULs after
every race so far this season.
The 4-cylinder report —
It’s a three-way battle for the
high points crown in the
4-cylinder LTL series. “Perkins
Glass” hull driven by Joseph
Perkins has a sizeable lead
going into the last two races of
the season sitting with 3,200
points. That’s 1,948 points
better than the “The Trainer,”
driven by Austin Eacret and
2,050 points better than the
“Lil’ Miss Boat Electric” driven
by Phillip Eacret. All three
boats are competing head-to-head
at “Silverdale Thunder.”
So far this season, Perkins is
perfect winning all of the final
heats he’s competing in. Over in
Montana, Perkins and teammate
Bianca Bononcini tagged-team the
driving duties and swept all
four 4-cylinder LTL heats. Both
Perkins and Bononcini are
rookies. And both have quite the
family heritage behind them.
Perkins is the cousin to
unlimited driver Brian Perkins
and UL driver Kayleigh Perkins.
Bononcini is the daughter of
Phil Bononcini — considered to
be one of the top UL drivers of
all time.
In Montana, Austin Eacret ran
his “The Trainer” faster than
he’s ever gone. And he’s got
some tricks up his sleeve on
reeling in the “Perkins Glass”
boat.
Cousin Phillip Eacret is just
hoping the fortunes of the “Lil’
Miss Boat Electric” change for
once. The hull has been to every
LTL race, including Phoenix, but
it’s been one bad thing after
another for the defending
4-cylinder LTL hull this season.
After Montana’s less than
satisfying performance, Phillip
predicted the team would cease
trying to repair things and just
go out and purchase new parts.
In order to clinch the title,
“Perkins Glass” needs to score
1,253 points over the next two
races to keep the Eacrets off
the trophy stand for the high
points title. If the “Perkins
Glass” boat pulls off a repeat
showing like they did in Montana
three weeks ago – winning all
four heats, they will capture
the title outright at
“Silverdale Thunder.”
But since the last two races of
the season for the LTLs are both
on salt water, interesting
things will happen for the
8-cylinders and the 4-cylinder
LTLs. There are no guarantees.
New Sponsor for the UL-929
Xaudaro-Wilmot Racing Team
(08-07-08)
The
UL-929 Xaudaro-Wilmot Racing
Team is proud to announce CK
Worldwide as an associate
sponsor for our race team.
CK
Worldwide which began in 1967 is
a world leader in tig
torch technology. CK Worldwide
manufactures a full range of
high performance tig torches and
accessories. They hold many
patents including the gas saver
line of tig consumables and Flex
Loc Tig Torches. Manufactured in
the USA and headquartered in
Auburn WA. You can find them on
the web @
www.ckworldwide.com
.
|
Belfair hydroplane
thunders for 'Cell Phones for Soldiers' (08-07-08)
BELFAIR, Wash. - Bud McKay completed the ceremonial tossing of the first cell
phone for the kickoff of this season's "Cell Phone for Soldiers" drive by
throwing in the phone he had in his pocket when he flipped his hydroplane in
Phoenix at the first race in April.
"At least that phone went out in style," said McKay, who is the driver of the
two-time defending 8-cylinder Lighter-Than-LIGHTS high points champion "GEICO of
Lakewood Presents the Namron Racing Team" hydroplane competing this weekend at
"Silverdale Thunder." "It seemed like a good idea at the time to carry it with
me in case the boat broke down on the course - I could call the crew and let
them know what was going on. But, I guess you can say I took one for the cause."
In this case, the "cause" is for the deployed military members overseas and
their families. "Cell Phones for Soldiers," collects used and outdated cell
phones and recycles them to earn prepaid calling cards donated to deployed
military members and their families.
At this weekend's "Silverdale Thunder," a collection bin will be in the pit area
around the GEICO of Lakewood hydroplane. McKay will collect cell phones at the
Silverdale, Spanaway and Port Angeles races and turn them into Belfair's Sand
Hill Elementary School in October. The school is an official collection area for
the program.
McKay hopes fans coming to the racecourse at Silverdale's Waterfront Park Aug.
9-10 will bring their old, unused cell phones to the race and drop off them off
in the pits.
"Just one phone turned in means an hour's worth of a calling card for a family
of a deployed member of our military," McKay said, a retired Air Force Reserve
master sergeant. "One phone can really make a difference."
Graham Trucking Cup at
Seafair, Seattle
Photos Courtesy of Tom Maggard of Gold Cup Video
Attention Silverdale/Dyes Inlet Boaters!
Hydroplane racing returns to Silverdale August 8, 9, and 10. A no-wake zone protects the entire north end of Dyes Inlet, and access to the Silverdaleboat launch and Pier will be restricted.
The Silverdale pier will be closed for tie-ups from noon Friday August 8th through the evening hours of Sunday, August 10, and additionally, the Silverdale boat launch parking lot, ramp, and dock will be closed fromFriday noon through the weekend.
During the entire weekend, The Silverdale Pier will be heavily congested with moored patrol, support and ULHRA member boats, and access will be iffy at best should any boater choose to try to make even a momentary landing there during non-racing hours.
The good news is that you can enjoy a great opportunity to anchor your boat anywhere 500' feet east of the buoy line marking the east edge of the racecourse and south of a line 500' south of the outer buoys of the south turn -no log boom, and no fees!
Boaters should be aware that access to areas west and north these lines will be closed during the hours of hydro racing (9AM-6PM, Saturday and Sunday),and boats anchored or present within this area will be required to relocate to spots beyond the indicated distance from the course.
In Memoriam: Sad News from Five Star Racing
Five Star Racing regrets to announce the death of Tom Eckenberg’s mother, and Five Star Racing’s Co-owner, Helen Eckenberg. She passed away shortly after noon at her home in Everett WA on Wednesday August 6, 2008. She had had a short and courageous battle with pancreatic cancer, but finally succumbed at the age of 81 years young.
She shared the team’s passion for hydroplane racing, and was Five Star Racing’s greatest fan. She always gave us plenty of inspiration and encouragement when we needed it, her snappy wisdom and colorful personality was a joy and blessing to us all.
She will be truly missed.
Fred Eckenberg
Five Star Racing
Media Relations
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GEICO of Lakewood hydroplane hopes to seal 3rd straight title in Silverdale
BELFAIR, Wash. – Don’t be surprised if you see Bud McKay with a calculator in his hands after every heat in the pits at the “Silverdale Thunder” hydroplane race this weekend. The Belfair, Wash., driver of the two-time defending 8-cylinder Lighter-Than-LIGHTS high points champion “GEICO of Lakewood Presents the Namron Racing Team” hydroplane could clinch his third-consecutive high points title this weekend.
“Sure it’s possible to win the high points this weekend, but it’s also possible for me to lose it all if I do something stupid,” McKay said, a 1978 North Mason High School graduate. “But I’m going to go for it – I have to. Silverdale is my home course. I’ll have my hands full as we’re expecting six boats in the field this weekend – that’s the largest turnout in Silverdale in our class since we started racing here.”
It’s also the largest turn out of boats this season for the 8-cylinder LTL class. Last year’s Silverdale winner, Kevin Eacret, of Mukeltio in the “Baker Equipment” hydroplane is fresh off his win in Polson, Mont., three weeks ago. However, Eacret’s boat suffered damage in Montana, but he’s expected to make Silverdale.
“We’ve had a lot of busted up boats this season,” McKay said, who is also the class representative for the series. “And the economy is tough on us ‘little guys’ with very limited budgets. I’m so blessed because of my sponsorships with GEICO of Lakewood, TranquilityHomeCare.com and McDonough and Sons Inc., have allowed me to compete in the entire series this year – including the first-ever out-of-state races for the LTL series.”
The saying goes good things come in threes. Coming into “Silverdale Thunder,” The GEICO of Lakewood hull has two wins this season (Phoenix and Richland) and has two, consecutive high points titles.
“If the stars are aligned and the planets are in position,” McKay said, “sure it’s possible that we can win the ‘Silverdale Thunder,’ and get the points to get our third high points title in a row, and win our third race of the season. Three good things just sounds better than two.”
But if anyone knows there are no automatics, it’s McKay.
“I went to start up the boat Monday night preparing for Tuesday’s display at the Kitsap Bluejackets game, and the boat wouldn’t fire at all,” he said. “And last year going into Port Angeles, all I had to do was finish all of the heats and I would win the high points title no matter what anyone else did. But in the first heat, I forgot to hook up the waterline to the engine and the engine overheated before I completed my first warmup lap. And, not to mention I flipped the boat in Phoenix at the first race of 2008.
“So no, it’s far from an automatic thing to win the high points title at home, in Silverdale, or at Port Angeles.”
The GEICO Of Lakewood Presents the Namron Race Team donates all prize and apperance money to cancer support programs. They also campaign for the "Cell Phones for Soliders" program turning unwanted cell phones into pre-paid calling cards for deployed military members and their families.
Racing for "Silverdale Thunder" begins at around 12:30 p.m. both days, depending on the tides. Admission to the race is free and features the Unlimited Light hydroplanes. The Lighter-Than-LIGHTS is an affordable, entry-level style of inboard hydroplane racing under the Unlimited Light Hydroplane Racing Association. Fourteen LTL drivers have graduated to drive the larger UL boats over the last five years.
McKay hopes to be the next graduate to the UL field.
“We’re working on sponsorship possibilities now that might make this work out for next year or for 2010 so we can run with the ‘big guys,’ said McKay, who is 6-foot-5, and close to 300 pounds. “But if that doesn’t work out, it’s not so bad being the biggest, ‘little guy’ on the water.”
-- Mike Jarvis, (E-10) from Auburn, Wash., fills in for Belfair's Bud McKay in the "GEICO of Lakewood Presents the Namron Racing Team" at Polson, Mont., in July against Steve Clark, also from Belfair, running the (E-222) "Power Punch Oil Thunderstruck" hydroplane. (Photo Courtesy of ULHRA.ORG)
-- The heat before his flip in Phoenix, Belfair's Bud McKay in the "GEICO of Lakewood Presents the Namron Racing Team" waves to the fans in the grandstands after winning a heat. (Photo by Tim Crowley)
Points race jumbled 4 races into The Gauntlet.
What began with the 2nd victory of the year for Kayleigh Perkins in the UL-72 Miss Boat Electric, and the lead in the Unlimited Lights Championship Race, has substantially turned. In the Standings posted on this website, Hopp Racing’s UL-15 Graham Trucking G.T. – Happy Go Lucky – Pump Tech has assumed the points race lead, Paul Becker’s UL-14 Miss Critical Logic is now in second, and Ms. Perkins’ team has slipped to third.
The Gauntlet was appropriately named. Not only has it been a rugged 4 weeks of exciting Racing, ULHRA Style, attrition has been a major player……as expected. Perkins’ ran into two consecutive weekends (Polson & Tri Cities) of engine problems which dropped her out of the points lead. Becker’s team ran into some hull issues in Tri Cities which they successfully overcame and through the first 3 races finished in 3rd, 3rd & 2nd. Then last weekend Becker, as they say in horse racing, “broke his maiden” and won the biggest race on the ULHRA circuit; The Graham Trucking Cup for Unlimited Lights at Seafair. That stretch of consistency and success propelled Becker into 2nd place in the team points race, 1,263 points behind Hopp. Also, for the first time in his career Becker leads the Driver’s Championship Points Race, by 330 points ahead of Perkins. Greg Hopp is currently in third as he and Jerry Hopp have both raced the UL-15 this season.
The Gauntlet has been good for Darren Bartel’s UL-11 Elkhead Brewing Co, ROXY 94.5, Power Punch Oil Supplements team. Two consecutive Final Heat appearances by the Michael Flaherty driven team has moved the UL-11 into 4th place in the standings, in front of the UL-8 Numerica Credit Union which has scored Final Heat berths over the last 3 races driven by Kip Brown, Terry Troxell and in Seattle, Ryan Mallow. Both teams moved ahead of the Wil Muncey driven UL-00 Trafficade Safety Sales presented by Warning Power.com which has had engine problems for 3 consecutive races with two separate hydroplanes. However, the race for 4th place in the standings is very deep. Six teams are separated by less than 900 points and over 2400 points available over the final two races of the season, more changes in the standings can be expected.
This weekend, August 9th & 10th, The Gauntlet comes to a close on Dyess Inlet with Silverdale Thunder. This marathon has been exactly that; a marathon, and there’s one weekend left. This is the week for teams to heed the inspirational message of their favorite mentor or coach. This is the week to “dig down deep”………not just at the race but this week in preparation. The teams are all staffed by volunteers who have “real jobs” and must pull time from family and friends after work in order to prepare to race. Those teams that can rally for the cause this week can make a move up the points ladder at Silverdale. Those that cannot……..well it could be a costly weekend in more ways than one. Certainly it’ll be entertaining for the thousands of fans that attend this weekend’s annual Silverdale Thunder, just across Puget Sound from Seattle.
John Lynch
P.R. Director and “Voice” of ULHRA Racing
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The UL-11 Mechanix Glove Grace Under Pressure
 We knew that this year would be a challenge with operating a hydroplane fresh out of a three year rebuild. Operating with a new team and new ownership, growing pains have struck us at just about every race, and with five races on back-to-back weekends, keeping on top of repairs is a constant challenge. One week we had to repair the inner floor where the propeller shaft comes through the boat. The next week our fuel tank developed a crack and needed to be re-welded. The next week we got a hole in the bottom of the boat. My team stayed up until 2:30 in the morning re-skinning the "Afterplane" with aluminum. Not an easy task to accomplish on site with the boat perpendicular to the trailer and everything they were working on was just four feet off the ground and over their heads. They completed the work and we placed Fourth at that event. At the following week’s race we noticed at the last minute that the bearing that supports the propeller shaft had failed. The team once again went into action, replacing the bearing in about 30 minutes. We went on to win that heat of racing!
 So far this year amongst crew members we have suffered a broken wrist, a nearly amputated index finger, and I personally have crushed one finger nail, and ripped off another. We need to get a grip on our injuries and with these new Mechanix gloves we'll be getting a better grip on everything.
Thanks Mechanix for sponsoring the
"Grace Under Pressure" Award, and thanks for the gloves!!
Darren Bartels
Owner, UL-11 Miss Executif 3
Unlimited Light Hydroplane
Photos Courtesy of Mark Sharley
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No longer the bridesmaid. Paul Becker’s a winner!
Combining a brilliant start and a strong run in lane #2, Paul Becker of Bellevue WA in the UL-14 Miss Critical Logic picked up his first career Unlimited Lights victory “at home” in the Graham Trucking Cup at Seafair in Seattle. Becker led wire to wire in besting Greg Hopp in the UL-15 Graham Trucking G.T. and Kayleigh Perkins in the UL-72 Miss Boat Electric, presented by Vitamin Water and Victoria Express. Hopp, forced to start in lane 5 as a supercharged entry in a 7 boat Final found himself in 3rd place out of turn #1. Steadily he began to reel in Perkins who stayed just over a roostertail length behind Becker. On lap 3 Becker moved to lane one, forcing Perkins to cross over his wake and that was the break that Hopp needed to get close enough to challenge, and ultimately take second place on the final straightaway.
Becker’s victory was a very popular one for the retired airline pilot and former US Navy flier. He gave all the credit to his young crew including son Chris and friends. They began as Becker’s crew while attending Newport High School in Bellevue and continue to crew now that they are all in college. For Becker it removed the “first runnerup” or “bridesmaid” tag that he’s been saddled with for coming so close, so many times. To start this season he finished in second place in 9 consecutive heats. He was third in points beginning this weekend but now has moved into second place behind the Hopp Racing team with two races to go; Silverdale WA next weekend, August 9th & 10th, and Port Angeles WA October 4th & 5th.
Fourth place went to Ryan Mallow in the UL-8 Numerica Credit Union presented by Block Head Machine and 4 Seasons Cleaners. In fifth was Vince “X-Man” Xaudaro in the UL-929 Xaudaro-Wilmot Racing Team and in sixth was Michael Flaherty in the UL-11 Elkhead Brewing Company-ROXY Radio 94.5-Power Punch Oil Supplements. The Darren Bartels owned team from Buckley WA received the Mechanix Wear "Grace Under Pressure" Award for their performance and perseverance in the face of challenging situations. Last week at Tri Cities the team reached their first Final in nearly a year of racing. At Seafair they qualified for the Final by winning and finishing in second in their two preliminary heats and reached the Final without having to go through the B-Main. The 7th boat in the field, J.Craig Fletcher’s UL-13 Hendrickson Irrigation Design failed to finish due to flywheel failure which damaged the hull, and the 8th qualifier for the Graham Trucking Cup Final, Wil Muncey and the UL-00 Trafficade, presented by Warning Power.com had to withdraw with a broken engine valve prior to the start.
Earlier in the afternoon Kayleigh Perkins won the B-Main handily as she beat Ryan Mallow, and Wil Muncey. Both “Smokin Joe” Souza in the UL-39 ARMY STRONG presented by NAPA Auto Parts and Dave Warren in the G-17 My Town Motors presented by Sweet Spot Café failed to finish. Warren’s boat broke a propeller blade and wildly bent the short shaft into a “J” shape. For Souza, the prop shaft sheared at the strut, leading owner Bob Scribner from Odessa TX to quip “This Texan has now contributed to the State of Washington. That’s my propeller at the bottom of this lake.”
As is often the case at Seattle, attrition played a role. Starting with the Seafair mandated 14 ULHRA boat limit which, by the way, could’ve easily been 20 ULHRA teams if the pit space were available, by the time the Final began there were no ready-to-race alternates to take the 8th slot in the Final. This being the 4th race in 4 weeks also contributed to the attrition rate. Fortunately, ULHRA Safety and Rescue crew members were kept inactive as there were no race course incidents in the Graham Trucking Cup. However due to the attrition rate, a lot of work by a lot of teams will have to be done in a short span of time. At least most of these ULHRA teams are based in western Washington State so they’ll be able to work in their own shops till they transport to Silverdale WA next weekend, along with the fleet of Lighter than LIGHTS teams for the annual Silverdale Thunder Regatta. Live coverage on this website will be available both Saturday and Sunday. (8-9 & 8-10)
John Lynch
P.R. Director and “Voice” of ULHRA Racing
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Five are in the Final. Three more from the B-Main
After one of the stranger first days of Racing, ULHRA Style, 5 teams have qualified for the Graham Trucking Cup Final on Sunday (8-3) afternoon and 3 more will advance after the B-Main in Sunday afternoon. What was strange, or maybe we should say, unusual or unpredictable, was how those five teams came to qualify for the Final at Seafair in Seattle.
Paul Becker in the Miss Critical Logic UL-14 and Jerry & Greg Hopp in the UL-15 Graham Trucking G.T. are not surprises for qualifying for the Final but how they got there was anything but routine.
First, in Heat 1B, Paul Becker had the field covered and was racing for the final turn when inexplicably he missed the Unlimited Lights turn #2 and went around the Unlimited course turn two instead. At Seattle with the two series, there are separate turn 2’s for the mile & 2/3’s UL course and the 2 mile turbine course. Becker received an automatic 1 minute penalty for driving off of the UL course. Also inexplicably, Jerry Hopp followed Becker around the Unlimited turn and received a 1 minute penalty. The end result was Al Carstensen in the UL-6 Maaco of Bremerton presented by Gresham Well Drilling was the heat winner. Becker’s penalty stood but later Hopp’s penalty was recalled as he was less than a roostertail length behind Becker and could not see the turn, so as Hopp was deemed forced off the course by Becker, no penalty was imposed. He would up in second place. But it didn’t end there. Ryan Mallow in the UL-8 Numerica Credit Union presented by Block Head Machine and 4 Seasons Cleaners also went around the Unlimited turn. Mallow was credited with 6th place in the heat and Becker was fifth. It appeared at that time that Becker had lost a chance at getting a seeded position in the Final and was destined for the B-Main.
In Heat 1A on lap one Kayleigh Perkins in the UL-72 Miss Boat Electric, presented by Vitamin Water was leading when she went around the Unlimited turn and received a one lap penalty. She later went dead in the water in turn #1 and did not finish. For the second consecutive week the UL teams have started their heats from the Unlimited turn 2 but this weekend in Seattle it appears to have been a greater challenge for the teams, possibly because of the shorter turbine course, and possibly due to visibility of the turn two exit pin. In the second heat section the double buoy was changed to a triple buoy configuration. Michael Flaherty in the Elkhead Brewing Co - ROXY Radio 94.5 – Power Punch Oil Supplements took first place and put himself in a great position to advance to the Final. Second place went to Mike Webster, filling in for Mike Sadlon in the UL-89 Lake Trash Apparel – Lake Trash.com. Third went to Wil Muncey in the UL-00 Trafficade presented by Warning Power.com.
Now we head to the second heat section late on Saturday. In Heat 2A Greg Hopp passed Paul Becker on the backstretch and went on to a close victory which secured his place in the Sunday Final with 700 points. Becker’s second place finish gave him 427 points through two heats and it didn’t look promising. In Heat 2B, both Vince Xaudaro in the UL-929 and Al Carstensen in the UL-6, made an improper score-up and each received a one minute penalty. A third place finish in the heat would have easily secured a Final Heat berth for Carstensen but now the penalty made things very dicey. Same story with Xaudaro. J. Craig Fletcher, who had failed to finish his first heat drove to victory in Heat 2B but with only 400 points it appeared doubtful for a Final Heat berth. Things looked excellent for Mike Webster till his boat went dead in the water, the victim of a failed engine coupler. No points, and no Final Heat berth for Webster. For Michael Flaherty a second place finish locked up his berth in the Final.
Hopp and Flaherty both were seeded into the Final on the basis of 700 points. Next in line was Carstensen with 527, followed by Becker with 427 and Fletcher with 400. However the BCS UL-6 team later determined they’d sustained un-repairable equipment damage and the 6 hull was withdrawn for the weekend. That’s moved the UL-929 of Vince Xaudaro into the Final Heat, avoiding a run in the B-Main.
Two other teams besides Carstensen were forced to withdraw. Thunder Valley Racing lost two engines and the UL-40 King & Bunny’s was pulled from the race, along with the G-17 Venture Bank presented by Schucks Auto Supply.
Now, with 3 teams out and 5 teams advancing to the Final, that leaves six teams eligible for the B-Main including
UL-00 Wil Muncey
UL- 8 Ryan Mallow
UL-39 Joe Souza
UL-72 Kayleigh Perkins
UL-89 Mike Webster and
G-329 David Warren.
Warren will be required to start 10 seconds behind the clock. The No Excuses Racing Team has not withdrawn but they could be listed as questionable from Sunday. The top 3 teams from the B-Main will advance to an 8 boat Graham Trucking Cup for Unlimited Lights, Final Heat.
John Lynch
P.R. Director and “Voice” of ULHRA Racing.
|
Blustery day keeps UL teams from qualifying.
Several teams tested, but Chief Referee Rick Sandstrom determined that windy conditions on Lake Washington in Seattle were too severe for a round of qualifying at the Graham Trucking Cup for Unlimited Lights at Seafair.
Ryan Mallow in the UL-8 Numerica Credit Union, Block Head Machine, 4 Seasons Cleaners was on the water a couple of times, acclimating himself to the tandem wing hull. Mallow, the regular driver for the UL-19 Five Star Racing Team of Tom Eckenberg is filling in this weekend for Kip Brown in the UL-8 while Brown is driving a turbine hydroplane for his uncle, Nate Brown, this weekend. Last weekend’s substitute, Terry Troxel, drove to a third place finish at Tri Cities but Troxel, according to Team Owner Bob Baker, has another assignment and is unavailable this weekend.
Kelly Stocklin, fresh from a first & second place finish in two heats at Tri Cities last weekend after a 5 year layoff, also took to the course a pair of times in the UL-40 King & Bunny’s Appliances. Also out for a couple of runs was Mike Webster, filling in this weekend for Mike Sadlon in the UL-89 Lake Trash Apparel – Laketrash.com. Single runs were made by Wil Muncey in the UL-00 Trafficade presented by Warning Power.com, David Warren in the G-329 My Town Motors, presented by Sweet Spot Café and Kayleigh Perkins in the UL-72 Miss Boat Electric, presented by Vitamin Water. Perkins and the 72 team are trying to come back from two consecutive races with severe engine damage which have dropped Perkins out of the points lead and nearly into third place, just ahead of Paul Becker in the UL-14 Miss Critical Logic who also made a single run. Michael Flaherty in the UL-11 ROXY Radio 94.5 – Power Punch Oil Supplements, Greg Hopp in the UL-15 Graham Trucking G.T.-Happy Go Lucky-Pump Tech, and Vince “X-Man” Xaudaro in the UL-929 Xaudaro-Wilmot Racing Team were on the course for several laps. None of the teams were able to turn significant speeds due to the conditions.
One more session awaits the ULHRA teams tomorrow morning at 8:30am Pacific Daylight Time then at noon Heats 1A and 1B will be conducted. Live coverage of ULHRA at the Graham Trucking Cup is available here. Check the home page for the link to the webcast.
John Lynch
P.R. Director and “Voice” of ULHRA Racing.
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Click here for updates from July 2008
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