Five Championships in Six Years!
 That's quite a legacy for Hopp Racing out of Snohomish, Washington. For a team that struggled in the early days of Unlimited Light Hydroplane Racing they have developed into the preeminent team in the sport. Patriarch and co-driver Jerry Hopp and his son Greg and their experienced crew have been a "marked" team for several years in ULHRA, and still they find a way to come out on top. In 2008 it was close as during the season the UL-72 Miss Boat Electric driven by Kayleigh Perkins and the UL-14 Miss Critical Logic driven by Paul Becker both held the points lead. In the end, however, it was championship #5 for Hopp Racing with the Graham Trucking G.T. - Happy Go Lucky - Pump Tech.
 Jerry Hopp started his racing career in 1969. His first race was in an outboard hydroplane. The class? A-Stock. One of his opponents that day on Cottage Lake in Washington State was a youngster destined for big things in hydroplane racing. You've probably heard of Chip Hanauer. As it turned out, Jerry Hopp also was destined for quite a career, and though he did earn a National High Point Championship in 145 cubic inch hydroplanes in 1983, and while Hanauer
 went on to be the second winningest driver in Unlimited Hydroplanes, it was here in ULHRA that the senior Hopp has become the winningest team owner, and ranks 5th all time as a driver with 7 Unlimited Light victories. Greg Hopp leads the field for most career wins with 20, including three race victories in 2008. Of course, Jerry will tell you that if it wasn't for his prior knee problems which were surgically corrected a few years ago he'd probably have more race wins as a driver, but Greg always managed to get to the cockpit first!
 The Hopp team began their Unlimited Lights' career in 1995 with what today is the oldest boat in the UL fleet, the venerable and still competitive UL-98 Miss Atomic Screen Printing. Gradually their program would improve through  the years. There was one very memorable heat race involving Greg Hopp and the retired Phil Bononcini in the UL-72 at Renton WA where Greg edged Phil by less than a boat length. That showed the team was growing in capability. Later, prior to the 2001 season the team acquired the then winningest boat in Unlimited Lights, the former Alamo Rent a Car that Bo Schide had driven to 12 victories between 1997 & 1999. Today that Jamie Auld built hull remains the winningest boat in UL history, now with 35 individual trophies and 8 National Championships.
An extra highlight for the team in 2008 was establishing two new Kilo speed records, in Unlimited Light and Grand Prix with the Auld hull, set in October at Devils Lake near Lincoln City, OR.
 Saturday night, January 31st at 7 Cedars Casino in Sequim WA, Jerry and Greg Hopp and their talented crew will accept the 2008 ULHRA Unlimited Light Hydroplane National Championship Trophy. They will be joined on stage by Kayleigh Perkins who earned her second consecutive Driver's Championship in 2008 along with NACCS G-Class champion Dustin Echols in the G-17 Venture Bank-Schucks Auto Supply, plus 3 time LTL 8 cylinder champion Bud McKay in the Geico of Lakewood, and first time LTL 4 cylinder champions, rookie drivers Joseph Perkins and Bianca Bononcini in the Perkins Glass.
John Lynch
"Voice" of ULHRA Racing
POWER PUNCH TO CONTINUE WITH ULHRA
Hundreds of fans clustered around the Hot Pit area chant down to the boats waiting quietly on the water. “Five, four, three, two, one - go! “, announces the firing of the five-minute gun and the command that the course is open for competition. Small block and big block powered boats alike explode into a collective tidal wave of sound as they roar out onto the track. Immediately there are polished crankshafts spinning in their cases, connecting rods whirling under their pistons and searing combustion chambers blasting out thousands of horsepower. Propellers cavitate, gain traction and hurl their hulls onto the water compressing the driver back into the seat. Often before the boats have even achieved a planning attitude, the drivers are playing a psychological game of cat-and-mouse jockeying for position to the disadvantage of their adversaries. Exciting? Yes! Good for your engine? Definitely not!
While there are new sponsors joining the ranks of the Unlimited Light Hydroplane Racing Association (ULHRA), there are older ones that not only stay the course but literally prosper. Fluctuations in the market can be a blessing to some businesses. The need to take better care of an automobile or other gas-powered equipment can compel the owner to invest in ways to extend that equipment’s life. POWER PUNCH Oil Additives has been doing exactly that for three generations.
 Pete Morey, CEO of POWER PUNCH is one of the longest standing ULHRA Contingency Awards Program (CAP) sponsors. Not only has POWER PUNCH been a cash contributor to CAP since its inception, it has also been the primary sponsor of several ULHRA racing teams. In a down economy, their sales go up. “Sales projections are ahead of where we expected them to be", said Morey. "As an example, instead of buying a new car, customers are getting further use out of their existing one and adding POWER PUNCH to do it."
When asked why he uses hydroplane racing to promote his oil additive products, Morey said, “Marine motorsports is especially hard on equipment. It clearly demonstrates a need to minimize abuse and wear. Many Crew Chief's on the ULHRA national circuit wouldn't dream of an oil change without it. The buying public recognizes that need and appreciates the endorsement."
2009 sees POWER PUNCH return to the cowlings of ULHRA hydroplanes as a CAP sponsor. As the ULHRA expands its national circuit, Pete Morey will continue to be enhancing the public’s awareness of his brand and the promotional support of his dealers and distributors.
Contact: Muncey Marketing
Telephone: 360-805-0805
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 G-329 Team Gets a Charge! (01-23-09)
Press Release:
The G-329 Team would like to announce that OPTIMA Batteries is a new sponsor for the upcoming 2009 season. OPTIMA will be the “The Ultimate Power Source” for the G-329 Hydroplane in 2009. OPTIMA is like no other battery in the world. The unique Spiral-Cell design offers the most advanced technology and provides a strong clean power source that far surpasses any of today’s filled lead-acid batteries. With OPTIMA Batteries you can count on more running time, faster recharge and up to twice the life of a traditional battery. Visit www.optimabatteries.com for more information.  In 2008 Owner & Driver David Warren along with the G-329 Team finished 3rd in the overall point standings for the North American Challenge Cup Series. The G-329 started off the 2008 season with a victory at Firebird Int'l Raceway in Chandler, Arizona. In 2009 watch for the 1st annual Thunderboat Invitational with a minimum $50,000 prize fund over 4 races (race sites to be annouced). This will be a new element in growth for the Thunderboat (G) class for 2009. The season starts April 25th & 26th in Chandler, Arizona at Firebird Int'l Raceway & ends in September in Port Angeles, WA. visit www.roostertailracing.com for more info on the G-329.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Muncey Marketing
Telephone: 360-805-0805
Email: WMuncey83@AOL.com
MINOX OFFERS ULHRA PHOTO FINISH AWARD
German Camera Company to Support Hydroplane Racing
And the Voice exclaims, "Side by side and so close they look like one boat" into the microphone. The crowd of spectators leans heavily against the fence to catch a view as the contenders power slide around the last corner and hurtle deck to deck past the last exit buoy. Bounding from sponson to sponson the two hydroplanes remain inches apart from each other as the fans strain on tip toe to get a better view. The weight of the crowd actually bends fence stanchions as the official waves the heralded checkered flag to christen the winner. Thunder resonating from thousands of horsepower blends with the cheers from the fans as the first boat soars over the finish line.
 Who won? Who cares? A close contest is what competition is all about. Minox cameras (pronounced MEE-NOCKS) is a camera company joining the Unlimited Light Hydroplane Racing Association in continuing the encouragement of just that type of marine motorsports. Parity on the race course has become a hallmark of the ULHRA and a constant source of pride amongst the individual teams and fans. Sponsors like Minox want to help the fans capture that quality of contest with excellent equipment. In addition to that, Minox has created a brand new award that will actually reward drivers for racing that way.
Most racing fans are acquainted with the “photo finish " which implies that a contest was so close at the finish line that it took the careful scrutiny of a photograph by officials to determine the winner. At every regatta on the ULHRA 2009 national circuit, Minox will award a model 8022WP camera to the driver who wins the .jpg) closest finish in first place. The MINOX DC 8022 WP opens new horizons for digital photography with MINOX. With its sturdy, watertight, metal body this compact digital camera fights off dust, water, sand and salt and has been specially designed for work in a rough environment. The new MINOX is therefore an absolute highlight for extreme sports and outdoor activities. Its slim and ergonomic design makes it the perfect companion for outdoor activities. Eight megapixels guarantee a superb image resolution, rendering every detail in pin-sharp definition. With this feature 360 panorama shots can be captured with ease on the SD card. An electronic image stabilizer additionally reduces camera shake, even when hands start to wobble. The high performance of the 2.5 inch color monitor is shown off to its best advantage when shooting underwater images. The autofocus lens with 3x optical, interior zoom and the macro function provide great flexibility when framing the subject, both in and out of water.
The “Minox Photo Finish Award " will be presented at each race after the determination is reached by a small panel of officials appointed to the task. All participating classes of hydroplanes and all heats of racing at ULHRA-sanctioned events qualify for consideration.
Minox has also stepped up to become the first camera manufacturer to participate in the ULHRA’s Contingency Awards Program (CAP). This program equally rewards the top six participating teams in the final heat of all regattas on the ULHRA circuit. In that program, each qualifying owner will receive a credit toward purchase that can be redeemed through West Coast Cameras (WCC) either on location or through their website. Richard Oesterling of WCC states, "Hydroplane racing is a fantastic sport for amateur photographers. At West Coast Cameras we have equipment that will enable even the inexperienced photographer opportunities to get magazine-quality photographs. We also have a great selection of very high quality Minox binoculars for those who love to just watch the sport but would like to have the brightest and sharpest possible view of the action"
Many of the season’s best photographs are published annually in the ULHRA official magazine – Thunder & ‘LIGHTS. The 2009 edition of Thunder & ‘LIGHTS magazine will be unveiled April 25 in Chandler, Arizona at the season opener at Firebird International Raceways. Throughout the year, the magazine is distributed at race sites and newsstands across the country.
At WestCoastCameras.com you will find a complete selection of high quality digital cameras, spotting scopes and binoculars from Minox and Leica available to order online. By phone Richard Oesterling is available at 360-255-1048 to take orders and to answer customers’ questions regarding which camera or binoculars are best for their needs. With the new world of Minox Digiscoping, better photography of hydroplane race boats is now available to everyone who enjoys the sport.
For more information about the Unlimited Light Hydroplane Racing Association or Thunder & ‘LIGHTS Magazine, please visit www.ulhra.org or contact Linda Amundsen, ULHRA PR Director at lamundsen22@msn.com. For more information on Minox go to www.minox.com
ULHRA 2008 Season DVDs are now on sale! 01-08-09
Unlimited Lights 5 disc boxed set includes all the heats from all 8 races, interviews, Wyatts Watch award, Mechanix Grace Under Pressure awards and awards footage from the four race champions. Bonus: Any boxed set purchased before or at the Banquet will have the Banquet Highlight video included. Orders taken after February 1st will not have the Banquet Highlight video on it.
Cost = $35.00
A.C.C.S. Thunderboat two disc set includes all the heats from the 5 races. (The combined heats at Seafair by the G-boats and the ULs are not included since they are on the UL season set) Also awards footage for the three champions. Cost = $15.00
Lighter Than Lights – Final Heats from Richland, Polson, Silverdale and Port Angeles. Since no final was run at Phoenix there is a montage of footage by the boats that participated. Cost = $10.00
Banquet Highlight Video – Cost = $5.00
How to order:
If you will be attending the 2008 ULHRA Banquet you may order by E-mail and pay for and pick up your copies there – no shipping and handling charges will apply.
However, if you would like them shipped to you – please send a check or money order to the address below and add $4.00 S/H for orders up to $100.00 worth of product. Any orders exceeding $100.00 will have to be weighted for S/H costs. Orders outside the US will need to be assessed before S/H charges can be determined.
The first orders will be shipped out on January 30th.
Remember to place your order for the Unlimited Lights Set before February 1st to secure your copy with the Bonus Highlight Video.
First send your order requests or questions to:
goldcupvideo@charter.net
Then send your money to:
Gold Cup Video
PO Box 2055
White City, OR 97503
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‘Thunder and ‘LIGHTS’ needs your photographs 01-08-09
Photographers, it’s that time of year, again. ‘Thunder and ‘LIGHTS’, the official publication of the Unlimited Lights Hydroplane Racing Association needs your photographs. For the first time, the publication is being compiled by the professional publishing firm; ‘Rudow Specialty Publishing’, however, photos will still be collected by Mark Sharley. Select your ten-to-twenty best images for submission on disk; email Mark at mcsharley@wamail.net for mailing instructions. Mark points out that action-shots, while everyone’s favorite subject matter, are what is needed least in the publishing of the magazine. Of far more use are images of crew-members, fans, crowds…, all the scenes that evoke the experience of a “day at the races”. Send us a few great action-shots, but concentrate more on the “other stuff”.
The ‘Thunder and ‘LIGHTS’ team has been able to improve the publication with each consecutive year, and the addition of ‘Rudow Specialty Publishing’ will undoubtedly mark a quantum leap in that trend. Your photos are necessary in achievement of that goal. Deadline is the end of January, but sooner is better. The staff at ‘Thunder and ‘LIGHTS’ thanks all of you in advance.
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You are Cordially Invited to Join the ULHRA for the
2008 Season Awards Banquet
Located at the
7 Cedars Casino
Saturday January 31st, 2009
270756 Highway 101
Sequim, WA 98382
(360) 683.7777
7cedarscasino.com
Please Join Us for an Exciting Night of Awards Announcements, Dining and Entertainment.
Itinerary:
Sign In and 2009 Membership Registration: 5:00pm
DJ/Band 5:00pm
Cocktails and Mingle (No Host Bar): 5:15pm
John Lynch Introduction: 5:30pm
ULHRA/Gold Cup Video 2008 Highlights Video: 6:00pm
Buffet Style Dinner: 6:30pm
Awards Announcements: 7:30pm
Entertainment & Casino: 10:00pm
Buffet Dinner Menu:
Prime Rib & Seafood
Cod with Shrimp Stuffing & White Wine Sauce
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Classic Caesar Salad
Pasta with Light Vinaigrette Dressing
Vegetable of the Day
Hot Rolls with Butter
Cream Cheese cake
Chocolate Mousse
Pre-registration $33.00 per Person
Reservations and Payment must be received by January 20th, 2009
January 21st through day of Banquet $38.00 per person
Send check/credit card information to:
ULHRA Banquet
375 East Sunset Way
Issaquah, WA 98027
Fax: 425.557.8634
For Payment Form
For Additional Information Please Contact
David Warren Melissa Davidson
206.947.9984 Or 425.923.5832
duicasper@msn.com mel.davidson@comcast.net
New Year, New Product, Old Sponsor
On the ULHRA circuit in 2007 it appeared that the WarningPower.com racing team had a mission. Every heat that they went out they were ordained to break their headers. Crew Chief Chris Dreewes said, " By every third heat we knew something on the headers had broken. It was a standard maintenance item." On the big water courses such as San Diego and Seattle, their unusually lighter and shorter hull ricocheted off the pendulous swells and bumps in the twelve hundred foot corners at speeds in excess of 145 mph. The shocks and slams reverberating up through the hull stressed every weld and flange. It got to the point where a back up set of headers were standard racing equipment commonly installed by the crew during the heat of competition toward the end of the regatta. Often there was only time to swap one side. "It was not uncommon to see us out there on the course with a mismatched set of headers causing one side of the engine to breathe differently than the other." Dreewes went on "It looked pretty ragged."
This high maintenance situation contributed to the WarningPower.com team which was presented by Trafficade this last season, earning the "Burnt Piston Award" at the annual ULHRA banquet. During the winter, they contacted Nick Filipiddes at American Racing Headers in Amityville, New York. American had earned a healthy reputation for building high performance stainless headers on NHRA Pro Stock cars but had yet to seriously break into the circle boat arena. Carefully cradling their battered and bruised pair of headers into a shipping container, the team shipped them to Nick as a template. "I had a very healthy respect for the amount of stress and strain that hydroplane teams place on their equipment." Nick said, "So I was careful to allow for extra strength to be incorporated when we tooled up." This also created an opportunity for American Racing Headers to share some of their horsepower creating secrets. After several days of tooling and development, the first pure hydroplane small block headers were created by American.
Pickwick, Tennessee photo by Paul Kemiel
Recognizing a need for greater performance in a big block, compelled Driver/Crew Chief Smokin' Joe Souza to contact Nick at about the same time. Team owner Bob Scribner was determined to extract every ounce of horsepower out of his big block to help his recently acquired hull around the race course. Sponsored in part by Rouly ( pronounced roolie ) Heat Exchangers, his Texas based team would be competing for the first time on the ULHRA circuit. "We knew that we had a strong powerplant program going into the season", said Joe "That also meant that we would be pushing our hull up to new speeds and stresses."
" A broken header during competition can bruise an otherwise healthy engine," Scribner said "We spent top dollar on our engine program. The last place you want to cut corners is on your headers."
It was the 2008 season that American Racing Headers chose to step up and formally develop brand awareness through marine motorsports. The growing popularity of boat racing ULHRA style enables a sponsor to promote themselves to the general motorsport enthusiast and the general public in new markets through new or interesting ways. The Contingency Awards Program of the ULHRA enabled American to gain a visual presence on many of the hulls on the circuit.
In an effort to carry on their mandate, the WarningPower.com team continued into the 2008 season to try and break their headers. Whether they were slamming into corners or plunging off of the Genesee cut at Seafair they maintained a competitive effort that drove them from an eighth place finish in national standings in 2007 to a fifth place in 2008, but failed miserably to break their headers again. Not a crack, chip or flange failure. Notable faster speeds could also be attributed, in part to superior header design. The Rouly racing team also enjoyed reliable performance from their headers.
The 2009 season will see Nick and American Racing Headers return to the ULHRA's Contingency Award Program. In addition to that, American Racing Headers will be advertising in the ULHRA's season program publication entitled "Thunder and LIGHTS". "Hydroplane racing clearly demands superior products. They either stand up to the strain or break." Said Nick, "It does a great job of demonstrating quality."
Wil Muncey
ULHRA Director of Marketing
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