Graham Trucking Cup for
Unlimited Lights at Seafair
Paul Becker won his third Graham Trucking Cup in
four years on Lake Washington in
Seattle on Sunday (Aug 7th
). He was challenged by Kevin Eacret
who briefly led Becker
on the backstretch of lap number one and
wound up second by a little more than a roostertail
length.
Becker, driving his UL-1 Wolford Demolition and Recycling Unlimited
Light had a perfect
weekend with three victories for a total of 1200
points. Becker won the restart of the Final,
necessitated by a
spectacular flip involving the UL-72 Foster Care and driver Kayleigh
Perkins-Mallory. Ms Mallory extricated herself from the cockpit with
assistance of the Rescue
Team and escaped serious injury.
Eacret, driving the UL-11 ROXY Radio 94.5/Power
Punch Performance Lubricants/K&N
Engineering had a trying weekend
and was only able to get into the Final due to the misfortune
of
others. He made the most of the opportunity as the supercharged powered
hydroplane really
challenged the race winner.
Third place went to Rod Bourke in the UL-5 Miss
Aberdeen, a position Bourke also finished in 2010.
Fourth place, in
his most successful race weekend in his short UL career went to Dan
McCulloch
in the UL-77 MPH Auto & Marine / Graham Real Ventures.com.
Fifth place was earned by Chris
Grant in the Jack Nut Apparel /
Wired Energy Drink and Vince Xaudaro in the UL-929 Hyundai of
Everett was unable to restart the Final.
This was the third race in the 2011 Wolford
Demolition and Recycling Unlimited Light
Hydroplane Racing Series.
John Lynch
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Graham Trucking Cup-Seafair |
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Seattle, WA |
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TOTAL
POINTS AND STANDINGS |
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Saturday |
Sunday |
Total |
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Boat # |
Driver |
Team |
Points |
Points |
Points |
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UL 1 |
Paul Becker |
Sidepro Presents Wolford Demolition &
Recycling |
800 |
400 |
1200 |
|
UL 5 |
Rod
Bourke |
Miss
Aberdeen/City of Aberdeen |
600 |
225 |
825 |
|
UL 72 |
Kayleigh
Perkins |
Foster
Care – Change a Lifetime |
800 |
0 |
800 |
|
UL 929 |
Vince
Xaudaro |
Hyundai
of Everett |
600 |
0 |
600 |
|
UL 3 |
Chris
Grant |
Jack Nut
Apparel/Wired Energy Drink |
352 |
127 |
479 |
|
UL 56 |
Bill
Strain |
Problem
Child Racing |
394 |
0 |
394 |
|
UL 77 |
Dan
McCulloch |
MPH Auto
& Marine/Graham Real Ventures.com |
225 |
169 |
394 |
|
UL 11 |
Kevin
Eacret |
Power
Punch Racing/94 Five Roxy/K&N Engineering |
0 |
300 |
300 |
|
UL 20 |
Bob Smets |
Smetco.com Pallet Handling Equipment |
225 |
0 |
225 |
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UL 00 |
Wil
Muncey |
Evergereen Moving Systems |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
UL 9 |
Joe Souza |
Army
Strong |
0 |
0 |
0 |
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Heat 1A |
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Points |
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UL 1 |
Paul Becker |
Sidepro Presents Wolford Demolition &
Recycling |
400 |
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UL 5 |
Rod
Bourke |
Miss
Aberdeen/City of Aberdeen |
300 |
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UL 77 |
Dan
McCulloch |
MPH Auto
& Marine/Graham Real Ventures.com |
225 |
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UL 56 |
Bill
Strain |
Problem
Child Racing |
169 |
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UL 3 |
Chris
Grant |
Jack Nut
Apparel/Wired Energy Drink |
127 |
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UL 00 |
Wil
Muncey |
Evergereen Moving Systems |
DNF |
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Heat 1B |
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UL 72 |
Kayleigh
Perkins |
Foster
Care – Change a Lifetime |
400 |
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UL 929 |
Vince
Xaudaro |
Hyundai
of Everett |
300 |
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UL 20 |
Bob Smets |
Smetco.com Pallet Handling Equipment |
225 |
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UL 9 |
Joe Souza |
Army
Strong |
DNS |
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UL 11 |
Kevin
Eacret |
Power
Punch Racing/94 Five Roxy/K&N Engineering |
DNS |
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Heat 2A |
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UL 72 |
Kayleigh
Perkins |
Foster
Care – Change a Lifetime |
400 |
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UL 929 |
Vince
Xaudaro |
Hyundai
of Everett |
300 |
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|
UL 3 |
Chris
Grant |
Jack Nut
Apparel/Wired Energy Drink |
225 |
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UL 9 |
Joe Souza |
Army
Strong |
DNS |
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|
UL 11 |
Kevin
Eacret |
Power
Punch Racing/94 Five Roxy/K&N Engineering |
DNS |
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UL 77 |
Dan
McCulloch |
MPH Auto
& Marine/Graham Real Ventures.com |
DNS |
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Heat 2B |
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UL 1 |
Paul Becker |
Sidepro Presents Wolford Demolition &
Recycling |
400 |
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UL 5 |
Rod
Bourke |
Miss
Aberdeen/City of Aberdeen |
300 |
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|
UL 56 |
Bill
Strain |
Problem
Child Racing |
225 |
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|
UL 00 |
Wil
Muncey |
Evergereen Moving Systems |
DNF |
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UL 20 |
Bob Smets |
Smetco.com Pallet Handling Equipment |
DNS |
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Final |
|
Unlimited Lights |
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UL 1 |
Paul Becker |
Sidepro Presents Wolford Demolition &
Recycling |
400 |
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UL 11 |
Kevin
Eacret |
Power
Punch Racing/94 Five Roxy/K&N Engineering |
300 |
|
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|
UL 5 |
Rod
Bourke |
Miss
Aberdeen/City of Aberdeen |
225 |
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UL 77 |
Dan
McCulloch |
MPH Auto
& Marine/Graham Real Ventures.com |
169 |
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UL 3 |
Chris
Grant |
Jack Nut
Apparel/Wired Energy Drink |
127 |
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Graham Trucking Cup-Seafair |
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|
Seattle, WA |
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TOTAL
POINTS AND STANDINGS |
|
|
|
|
Saturday |
|
Boat # |
Driver |
Team |
Points |
|
UL 1 |
Paul Becker |
Sidepro Presents Wolford Demolition &
Recycling |
800 |
|
UL 72 |
Kayleigh
Perkins |
Foster
Care – Change a Lifetime |
800 |
|
UL 5 |
Rod
Bourke |
Miss
Aberdeen/City of Aberdeen |
600 |
|
UL 929 |
Vince
Xaudaro |
Hyundai
of Everett |
600 |
|
UL 56 |
Bill
Strain |
Problem
Child Racing |
394 |
|
UL 3 |
Chris
Grant |
Jack Nut
Apparel/Wired Energy Drink |
352 |
|
UL 20 |
Bob Smets |
Smetco.com Pallet Handling Equipment |
225 |
|
UL 77 |
Dan
McCulloch |
MPH Auto
& Marine/Graham Real Ventures.com |
225 |
|
UL 00 |
Wil
Muncey |
Evergereen Moving Systems |
0 |
|
UL 9 |
Joe Souza |
Army
Strong |
0 |
|
UL 11 |
Kevin
Eacret |
Power
Punch Racing/94 Five Roxy/K&N Engineering |
0 |
| |
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Heat 1A |
|
|
Points |
|
UL 1 |
Paul Becker |
Sidepro Presents Wolford Demolition &
Recycling |
400 |
|
UL 5 |
Rod
Bourke |
Miss
Aberdeen/City of Aberdeen |
300 |
|
UL 77 |
Dan
McCulloch |
MPH Auto
& Marine/Graham Real Ventures.com |
225 |
|
UL 56 |
Bill
Strain |
Problem
Child Racing |
169 |
|
UL 3 |
Chris
Grant |
Jack Nut
Apparel/Wired Energy Drink |
127 |
|
UL 00 |
Wil
Muncey |
Evergereen Moving Systems |
DNS |
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|
Heat 1B |
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|
UL 72 |
Kayleigh
Perkins |
Foster
Care – Change a Lifetime |
400 |
|
UL 929 |
Vince
Xaudaro |
Hyundai
of Everett |
300 |
|
UL 20 |
Bob Smets |
Smetco.com Pallet Handling Equipment |
225 |
|
UL 9 |
Joe Souza |
Army
Strong |
DNS |
|
UL 11 |
Kevin
Eacret |
Power
Punch Racing/94 Five Roxy/K&N Engineering |
DNS |
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|
|
Heat 2A |
|
|
|
|
UL 72 |
Kayleigh
Perkins |
Foster
Care – Change a Lifetime |
400 |
|
UL 929 |
Vince
Xaudaro |
Hyundai
of Everett |
300 |
|
UL 3 |
Chris
Grant |
Jack Nut
Apparel/Wired Energy Drink |
225 |
|
UL 9 |
Joe Souza |
Army
Strong |
DNS |
|
UL 11 |
Kevin
Eacret |
Power
Punch Racing/94 Five Roxy/K&N Engineering |
DNS |
|
UL 77 |
Dan
McCulloch |
MPH Auto
& Marine/Graham Real Ventures.com |
DNS |
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Heat 2B |
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|
|
UL 1 |
Paul Becker |
Sidepro Presents Wolford Demolition &
Recycling |
400 |
|
UL 5 |
Rod
Bourke |
Miss
Aberdeen/City of Aberdeen |
300 |
|
UL 56 |
Bill
Strain |
Problem
Child Racing |
225 |
|
UL 00 |
Wil
Muncey |
Evergereen Moving Systems |
DNS |
|
UL 20 |
Bob Smets |
Smetco.com Pallet Handling Equipment |
DNS |
|
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GRAHAM TRUCKING CUP PREVIEW #2
Saturday, August 6th,
two preliminary rounds of heat racing will be conducted on
Lake Washington in
Seattle. The annual Graham Trucking Cup for Unlimited Lights
at
Seafair has attracted eleven teams.
The first two testing
sessions found several teams turning laps within 5 mph of each
other, pointing toward a competitive field. The fastest lap was turned
by Kayleigh Perkins
Mallory in the UL-72 Foster Care-Change a
Lifetime. Right behind were Kevin Eacret in the
UL-11 Miss Roxy 94.5
/ Power Punch Performance Lubricants / K&N Engineering, and
Paul
Becker in the UL-1 Wolford Demolition & Recycling. The Wolford Co, based
in Woodinville
WA not only signed on to sponsor the UL-1, they also
stepped up to become the new UL
series sponsor. Also in the hunt
were Vince Xaudaro in the UL-929 Hyundai of Everett and
Bob Smets in
the UL-20 Smetco.com. Pallet Handling Equipment.
Other teams with
successful test runs included the UL-57 Problem Child Racing driven by
“Wild Bill” Strain and the UL-5 Miss Aberdeen driven by Rod Bourke,
and the UL-77 MPH
Auto and Marine driven by Dan McCulloch. Wil
Muncey and the UL-00 Evergreen Moving
Systems made a brief
appearance on the water with no time taken. They were working Friday
night to correct a bearing issue in their prop shaft log. The UL-9 Army
Strong of “Smokin Joe
” Souza stayed on the trailer testing a brand
new engine. Both Muncey and Souza expect to
be ready for the final
test session, Saturday morning at 8:30am Pacific Time.
One team
chose to stay in the pits and prepare for Heat 1A. Chris Grant in the
UL-3 Jacknut
Apparel / Wired Energy Drink has created a new paint
scheme to go along with their new
sponsorships.
The draw for heat 1A includes:
Wil Muncey,
Evergreen Moving Systems UL-00
Paul
Becker, Wolford Demolition and Recycling UL-1
Chris
Grant, Jacknut Apparel / Wired Energy Drink UL-3
Rod Bourke,
Miss Aberdeen UL-5
Bill
Strain, Problem Child Racing UL-56
Dan
McCulloch, MPH Auto and Marine UL-77
The draw for Heat 1B
includes:Joe Souza, Army Strong
UL-9Kevin Eacret, Roxy
94.5 /
Power Punch / K&N Eng. UL-11Bob
Smets, Smetco.com UL-20Kayleigh
Perkins
Mallory, Foster Care UL-72Vince
Xaudaro, Hyundai of Everett UL-929.
Heats 1A and 1B will be
contested shortly after 11:00am on Saturday morning with Heats
2A
and 2B to be drawn after the first round and conducted on Saturday
afternoon. Four
teams, by points, will automatically transfer to the
Final on Sunday afternoon at 4:15pm.
The rest of the teams will
compete in the B-Main at 2:45pm on Sunday for two, three, or
four
more slots in the Final. The number of teams transferring out of the
B-Main will be
determined by Chief Referee, Rick Sandstrom.
John Lynch
SeaFair Weekend
Graham Trucking Cup Preview #1
This weekend, August 5th - 7th, the Graham
Trucking Cup for Unlimited Lights at Seafair
has a fleet of eleven teams
vying for top honors. They are led by the defending champion,
Paul Becker in the UL-14
Wolford Demolition and Recycling. Becker won last year's race
by just a boat length in a
thrilling duel with the UL-72 Foster Care driven by Kayleigh Perkins
Mallory. Becker went on
capture his first UL Series Championship.
Ms. Mallory returns to square off for the title in
the repaired "red boat" that drew headlines
and video coverage around
the world when leaking fuel exploded during Spring Training in April.
The talented crew has
completely repaired the 72 and it's ready for action.
2011 is the 30th anniversary of the last Seafair
race for the legendary Bill Muncey. Driving
his
UL-00 Atlas Van Lines, Muncey and the famed
"Blue Blaster" amassed more wins than
any driver and hull
combination in history. His son, Wil Muncey, returns to Seafair in the
Evergreen Moving Systems
UL-00. EMS is an Atlas Van Lines agent with offices in Everett
and Seattle WA. Muncey will
be driving the UL-00 in a paint scheme reminiscent of the
"Blue Blaster".
Two teams
with supercharged horsepower will be on hand. The UL-11 Miss ROXY
94.5/Power
Punch Performance
Lubricants/K&N
Engineering has made some impressive runs this year.
2010 Rookie of the Year
Kevin Eacret returns behind the wheel in this one time Grand Prix
record holding craft.
The other
supercharged team is the US Army UL-9 driven by "Smokin
Joe" Souza. A dark
horse? Definitely. This
craft was very impressive at Spring Training till the engine failed. If
those
woes are solved this can be
an interesting craft to watch.
One cannot ignore the "All
Black, All the Time" UL-929 Hyundai of Everett driven by Vince
"X-Man"
Xaudaro. Niggling electrical issues plagued the team in their last
outing but if they've
been solved, this looks like
a real championship contender.
At this time a year ago, Bob
Smets and his UL-20
Smetco.com Pallet Handling Equipment
led the UL points race.
Unfortunately things went a bit downhill after that, ending in a damaged
hull at the season finale.
The damage has been repaired and this will be Smets' first outing of
the season.
Third place last year went
to the smallest hull in the fleet. Rod Bourke and his UL-5 Miss
Aberdeen-City of Aberdeen
had a strong 2010 season, finishing third in each race entered.
No less an authority than
Chip
Hanauer proclaimed Bourke did the best
driving of all at the
Graham Trucking Cup in 2010.
Rounding out the field will be Chris Grant in the
UL-3 Jack Nut Apparel-Wired Energy Drink,
"Wild Bill" Strain in the
UL-56 Problem Child Racing and Dan McCulloch from Grand Coulee
in the UL-77 MPH Auto and
Marine.
Unlimited Lights are automotive powered
hydroplanes ranging from twenty feet in length to
twenty six feet in length
and have seven engine "options" in small blocks, big blocks, naturally
aspirated or with restricted
superchargers. They race in three lap - five mile heats on the 1 2/3's
mile Ted Jones race course
at Lake Washington in Seattle. Two testing sessions will be held
on Friday, plus two rounds
of preliminary heats on Saturday. Sunday the
B-Main (last chance
qualifier) and Final will be
held.
John Lynch
