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May 2005.
Ah springtime. The time when a young man's thoughts turn to........hydroplane racing?!. Well, why not? After a long winter of working in the shop, it's time to learn whether the offseason improvements, really are an improvement.
Spring Training is the Unlimited Light Hydroplane Racing Association's open test session for Unlimited Lights and the new Thunderboats ACCS series. It's an all day affair on the Hapo Community Thunder Cup course on the Columbia River at the Tri Cities of Kennewick, Pasco & Richland, WA. Spring Training is sanctioned by ULHRA, Inc and hosted by the Tri Cities Water Follies Association which produces the annual race July 29 - 31.
With just a few days to go till spring training, many teams are "thrashing" to complete off season work. The UL-40 Red Dot Corporation entry of Thunder Valley Racing, driven by Harold Mills, has had both sponsons rebuilt, and a new front spar installed. Mills is excited about the changes for this hull, following the team's best ever ULHRA season in 2004. The concern for Thunder Valley, as it is for several teams, is can they get the work done in time for Spring Training. Sadly, it appears they will miss spring training by a few days, but be completely ready for their own event....the season opening 9th Annual Tastin & Racin Festival featuring the Baker Equipment Cup for Unlimited Lights. Thunder Valley racing launched this event 8 years ago and it's become a premier event in the Pacific Northwest.
Another team in a similar situation is the 2 time defending champion UL-1 Mike's Hard Lemonade-Happy Go Lucky of Hopp Racing. Not only has a new composite bottom been installed, along with major hardware upgrades, team CO- owner-driver "Grandpa" Jerry Hopp had twin knee replacement surgery just a few weeks ago and he is slowly rounding into shape. If the team is able to test at Spring Training, Greg Hopp will drive. As Jerry pointed out, all they have to do is fit & install a new starboard side deck, re-install the upgraded driver's seat and cockpit side windows, paint, and several other chores and "if no one sleeps, we can get it all done!" The team has done major upgrades to the plumbing, hardware and electrical systems on the winningest hull in Unlimited Lights history.
UL-929 Xaudaro Racing and owner-driver Vince Xaudaro is another team fighting the clock. A substantial lengthening and widening of the hull effort is nearly complete, but it may come down to the wire for Spring Training. However, to quote the X-Man, "the UL-929 will be at Spring Training come hell or high water!"
Meanwhile in southern California, the Freedom Racing Team and their UL-5 Sycuan Resort & Casino entry, driven by Kevin Aylesworth is concluding another major upgrade. The hull has been widened to improve cornering. Aylesworth has committed the team to Spring Training in Washington State, noting that driving 2,000 miles round trip for Spring Training is actually cheaper than trying to arrange for a test session in his hometown of San Diego.
One team isn't undergoing major offseason hull work. But they will be seeking all of the testing time they can get at Spring Training. The 3 time ULHRA champion (2000-2002) UL-72 of Impact Racing and co-owners Phil Bononcini and Joe Frauenheim, has been transformed differently. The hull is the same, while the team is different. The UL-51 Miss Boat Electric team, managed by John Flaherty and driven by his son, ULHRA 2004 Rookie of the Year Michael Flaherty found themselves "all geared up with nothing to race". The UL-51 hull they campaigned in 2004 had been sold. But now the Miss Boat Electric Team has been assigned to the UL-72 hull, still one of the best in the UL fleet and a 3 time ULHRA champion.
So, what happened to the UL-51 hull, and the UL-72 team? In a letter......"G".
First, the UL-51 hull was purchased in the offseason by former UL-929 crew chief David Warren. It's been lengthened this offseason to compete in the new Thunderboats ACCS class as the G-329 Baker Equipment Co. entry. Warren and his new G-boat are expected for Spring Training.
For the UL-72 team, get ready for a new number, and a new everything else. They bring back a historic name and number to hydroplane racing, on a brand new, state of the art Dale Van Wierengen ACCS hull. It's the G-13 Tempo and it will make its debut at Spring Training. This 28 foot, 3500 lb boat is the first designed and built Thunderboats ACCS entry. It's so new, they may have to dry the paint in the wind on the drive from their homeport of Issaquah WA to the Tri Cities. Team co-owner Joe Frauenheim says if they have to, they'll run in primer gray paint, but they will be at Spring Training. 2004 Unlimited Lights Driving Champion George Woods will pilot the new Tempo. Bring your cameras!
The G fleet will also include the Ted's Red Apple Market G-17 entry of Rick & Shawn Bridgeman. This should be a very interesting team to watch. They upgraded their hull in 2004 with the idea of transferring to the ACCS series this season. The boat came in heavier than they wanted for UL competition last year and performed below expectations. However, it could be an ideal combination in the new ACCS series. Rick Bridgeman continues as team driver.
It's possible that a 4th G team may be at Spring Training. Mike Eacrett's G-24, a never raced hull originally built for Grand Prix competition, has been completely transformed by crew chief Ron Brown. All Eacrett will say is, everyone will see something unique when they hit the water. The hull's shape is a closely guarded secret. He added they hope to be at Spring Training but it'll be a last minute decision.
Back on the UL side of things, another brand new hull is being worked feverishly in order to be at Spring Training. Owner Tom Eckenberg of the UL-19 Five Stars team, driven by Tri Cities' Steve Hook, says "if we can get it done, we'll be there". The team absolutely wants to be part of Spring Training. The effort to create the new UL-19 has taken a year and a half........yet there are always more things to do when crafting a new boat. Having a fulltime crew to do those things is a great idea, but not yet part of the financial reality of Unlimited Lights competition. You can expect the talented UL-19 team on the Unlimited Lights circuit, but Spring Training is certainly a question mark.
Other teams that are expected for Spring Training include the UL-14 Miss Software Prototype, owned and driven by airline pilot Paul Becker. The oldest boat in the fleet, built originally as a 7 Liter hydroplane in 1974 by Ron Jones Sr, the UL-14 sports brand new power this year. A 511 cu.in. Ed Trihey naturally aspirated Chevy based engine will give the craft a new lease on life. Last year, the team lengthened the hull by 18 inches. With new power, and better cornering, Becker expects to be more of a challenger in 2005.
The UL-18 Jackie's Purple Thunder of Joe Turner is also expected. The team had its most successful season in 2004 and look to build upon that success in 2005. A team best 5th place finish at Olympia highlighted their 2004 campaign.
The team that holds the ULHRA qualifying lap speed record, the UL-9 American Eagle of Paul Droullard also expects to be on hand. After setting the record at 122.324 mph in San Diego last year, the "Eagle" broke two propellers and its engine. Hull damage also occurred as a result, and the off-season has been spent on major repairs.
It appears that about 13 boats will be on hand between the UL and G series. No admission is charged and the best viewing is in Columbia Park on the Kennewick side of the river. Testing will take place from 10am till 6pm on Saturday, May 14th.
DON'T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU HEAR.
Have you heard this one? That Unlimited Lights will be allowed to "step up" to the G-Boat class? Let's settle this one right here. NO! Not going to happen, period.
UL and ACCS (the "G" class) are two distinct, separate series. Teams will not be running the same boat in both series.. The rules are different and ULHRA Inc. mandated from the beginning that there would be no intermingling of boats in both classes, to keep each series separate and easily identifiable. In order to compete in both series, a team would have to have two boats; one fitting each of the rules packages. Unlimited Lights can be no longer than 26 feet. Thunderboats ACCS boats must be at least 25 feet long and no more than 28 feet. But the real difference is in weight. UL's with supercharged engines can weigh as little as 2,700 lbs. ACCS boats run a larger engine and must weigh at least 3,500 lbs. Put another way, to even qualify to run as a "G-Boat", the majority of the UL fleet would have spend a lot of time at the hydro buffet table in order to gain up to 800 lbs. In retail terminology, that's a 77% mark-up. In mathematics terms, that's roughly a 30 percent weight gain. Put another way, its an unrealistic weight gain for the bulk of the UL fleet.
CHAMPION HULLS.........where are they now?
Did you know that only 3 boats have ever won the Unlimited Lights season championship, dating back to the days of when the Unlimited Lights were the support series. In the first two years, Bob Larimore campaigned his Pegasus Racing Team's UL-23 to championships in 1995 and 1996. That boat is now owned by Canadian Ron Doumont and his Escapius Maximus UL-117 team. It will be on the display circuit in western Canada.
The other two boats you know well. UL-1, which as Alamo Rent A Car UL-16 driven by Bo Schide, won the championship in 1997, 1998 and 1999. The boat was purchased by Hopp Racing, and returned to its championship ways in 2003 & 2004. In between, Phil Bononcini drove the UL-72, known then as the Budweiser - Pocket Mechanic, to consecutive championships in 2000, 2001 & 2002. In 2003, Phil won the driver's title and then retired from race driving. In 2004, George Woods won the driver's title while the UL-72 Graham Trucking - Security Race Products - Victoria Express finished second in the team standings. Split titles have occurred the past two years because father & son, Jerry & Greg Hopp share the driving duties on the UL-1 Mike's Hard Lemonade - Happy Go Lucky.
THUNDER & LIGHTS MAGAZINE. YEAR #2
The 2005 edition of Thunder & LIGHTS magazine makes its debut at Spring Training, and will be on newsstands, soon. This year's 80 page publication has a great many features, and includes the work of no less than 3 dozen photographers. There's also a 4 page media guide included with records and results that date back to the first year of the Unlimited Lights series, 1995. All three of our series, the Unlimited Lights, the new G-Boats, and our limited inboard series in Washington State known as the Lighter than LIGHTS are all featured.
If the magazine is not available in your area, you can mail a check or money order for $4.95 per copy (U.S.funds) or $6.95 per copy (Canadian funds) to
Unlimited Light Hydroplane
Racing Association 12065 44th Place, South Tukwila, WA 98178
Thunder & LIGHTS will be distributed at all ULHRA race sites.
John Lynch
"Voice" of ULHRA, Inc.
The Lynch Line is a monthly feature of www.ulhra.org
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