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San Diego 2003 Unlimited Lights Championship
Our archived Sunday play-by-play coverage Unlimited Lights Championship Penalties helped to decide this race prior to and at the start of the Light's Championship. The UL-72 Budweiser/Pocket Mechanic, the UL-110 Miss CompAir and the UL-23 Index Home Systems/Jose Cuervo were assessed one lap penalties for passing the score up buoy before the one minute gun. The UL-38 Security Race Products was assessed a one lap penalty for jumping the gun at the start. That left the race to the UL-136 Sanders Racing Team, the UL-21 Miss Peps/Red Dot and the UL-15 Wizards Casinos presents Graham Trucking. It was the UL-136 Sanders Racing Team taking the win this afternoon. Your order of finish: Sunday, 1:36 PM update... Unlimited Lights Heat 2B Two side-by-side duels marked this heat. It was a battle between the UL-110 Miss CompAir and the UL-38 Security Race Products for first. At the same time, the UL-21 Miss Pepsi/Red Dot and the UL-15 Wizards Casino presents Graham Trucking battled for third. The UL-110 won the battle for first and the UL-21 won the battle for third. Your order of finish: Sunday, 1:15 PM update... Unlimited Lights Heat 2A It was a two boat duel as the UL-72 and the UL-136 ran a close race from wire to wire. The UL-72 Budweiser/Pocket Mechanic inched out a win over the UL-136 Sander Racing Team at the end. Deck-to-deck and side-by-side all the way. The UL-23 Index Homes Systems/Jose Cuervo and the UL-49 Lake Pateros Motor Inn made it onto the water, but failed to make it onto the racecourse. Your order of finish: Sunday, 12:28 PM update... Very sad news as the hydro community has lost one of it's own. Mark Weber in the U-10 York Heating and Air Conditioning is making his way out onto the course to take a one lap tribute for his USA Racing Partners Teammate, George Stratton, who died from injuries sustained during the test session this morning. Weber will then come into the pits and the team will withdraw from the race. Sunday, 12:00 PM update... We are under continued fog delay at this time. The Formula One's have taken to the water for two qualification heats, but the Unlimiteds and the Unlimited Lights have stayed on the shore. The waters of Mission Bay have been quiet for some time now. Sunday, 10:00 AM update... George has been taken to the hospital at this time. We have no additional information at this time. Please keep George in your thoughts and prayers this morning. Sunday, 9:18 AM update... I regret to report that we are off to a rough start this morning. Wind coming off the east end bridge got under the U-5 Lowery's Beef Jerky, lifted the front of the boat and took it over. The boat is upside down at this time. We will let you know as soon as we know anything about driver George Stratton. Sunday, 9:08 AM update... Under a slow lifting fog, the Unlimiteds took to the course for a period of testing. Saturday in San Diego Unlimited Light Heat 1A
Unlimited Light Heat 1B
Saturday's play-by-play coverage Saturday, 2:38 PM update... Here are your draws for the next unlimited and unlimited light heats... Unlimited
Light Heat 2A: UL-136, UL-49, UL-72, UL-23 Saturday, 1:05 PM update... Unlimited Lights Heat 1B An early tale was told at the start of this heat as the UL-49 pulled away from the dock, made it out onto the water and yanked a hard right taking the boat in a small circle off the course. Steve Hook was at the wheel driving his UL-49 this time and ended the heat returning to the dock prior to the start. This heat also saw Gordon Grimm take to the helm of the UL-38 Security Race Products. Gordon was driving on the outside and back at the request of the officials so that her could get some seat time. As the boats lined up for the start, the UL-15 Wizards Casino presents Graham Trucking held lane one, the UL-23 Index Home Systems/Jose Cuervo held lane two, the UL-21 Miss Pepsi/Red Dot held lane three and the UL-38 Security Race Products took the outside. The UL-15 and the UL-23 were side-by-side through much of the early part of this race with the UL-38 a good way off the lead. The UL-21 trailing the pack. As the drivers completed lap one, JW Myers in the UL-23 took the lead from Jerry Hopp in the UL-15, but Jerry was back in front as they came out of the turn. It was a close race until the UL-23 lost power during the second lap. We would later learn that the hull ran out of fuel and cost them a strong finish. From there the race was decided, but we have to offer high honors to UL-38 driver Gordon Grimm who came for the outside and drove himself into the hunt for the lead at the end of the race. Your
order of finish: Saturday, 12:42 PM update... Unlimited Lights Heat 1A Going into Unlimited Lights Heat 1A we had the UL-38, UL-110, UL-136 and UL-72 at the starting line. Vince Xaudaro in the UL-49 Lake Pateros Motor Inn attempted to make the heat to get some seat time, but he was unable to join the pack, but eventually refired to return to the dock. At the start, Randy Haas and the UL-110 Miss CompAir worked his way to the inside and set up in lane one. Dave Bender in the UL-38 Security Race Products had lane two with Phil Bononcini (UL-72 Budweiser/Pocket Mechanic) in lane three. Wayne Howard (UL-136 Sanders Racing Team) started on the outside in lane four. A solid battle for first has become an expectation for the lights and this heat was no exception. At the start the UL-72 Budweiser/Pocket Mechanic had the early lead with Randy Hass in the UL-110 just off the lead. As the boats entered the second turn, the UL-72 and the UL-110 were almost side-by-side with Dave Bender and the UL-38 just off the lead in contention. The battle for first continued until Randy gave everyone a scare with a hop and a short ride through the UL-72 roostertail. Randy, always a solid driver, landed and was right back in the hunt challenging the UL-38 Security Race Products for second. Dave Bender pulled away from Randy and moved to challenge the leader. In the end it was an exciting drag race to the finish between the UL-72 and the UL-38. Phil Bononcini came out on top, but it was a show for the fans, start to finish. Your order of
finish: Saturday, 12:06 PM update... The first unlimited light heat has been pushed back to 12:30 PM. A buoy was dislodged on the course and we lost about ten minutes which is now pushing things back. Saturday, 10:00 AM update... The unlimited lights morning driver's meeting has taken place. We will have two unlimited light heats for you this afternoon and here are your draws... 1A: UL-38,
UL-110, UL-136 and UL-72 Heat 1A is scheduled to run at 12:20 PM and heat 1B is scheduled for 12:35 PM. In the pits we have eight lights including UL-21 Miss Pepsi/Red Dot, UL-38 Security Race Products, UL-15 Wizards Casino presents Graham Trucking, UL-23 Index Homes Systems/Jose Cuervo, UL-49 Lake Pateros Motor Inn, UL-72 Budweiser/Pocket Mechanic, UL-110 Miss CompAir and UL-136 Sanders Racing Team. Vince Xaudaro and Gordon Grimm will be co-driving the UL-49 and the UL-38 respectively off and on throughout the weekend. Saturday, 8:15 AM update... Our first boats on the water this morning were the Unlimited Lights. Out on the water this morning we had the UL-72 Budweiser/Pocket Mechanic, the UL-49 Lake Pateros Motor Inn, the UL-15 Wizards Casino presents Graham Trucking, the UL-21 Miss Pepsi/Red Dot and the UL-38 Security Race Products. Vince Xaudaro replaced Steve Hook in the UL-49 for the morning session. Saturday,
8:03 AM update... Friday in San Diego Here are your top Unlimited Light qualifiers following day 1!
Friday play-by-play coverage Friday, 3:07 PM update... Just wrapping up the day, we are pleased to let you know that the UL-38 Security Race Products has joined us late yesterday. Jerry Hopp's UL-15 is on the way, but has yet to join the fleet. Friday, 1:56 PM update... Speeds for the UL-23 Index Home Systems/Jose Cuero are 107.921 and 68.831. Speeds for the UL-72 Budweiser/Pocket Mechanic are 80.339, 107.294 and 109.782 Friday, 1:40 PM update... Steve Hook's UL-49 Lake Pateros Motor Inn was the first light out on the course, but he has gone down on the back stretch. He is attempting to refire, edges forward a bit then goes down again. He was able to make it into the infield before he went down. The UL-23 Index Home Systems/Jose Cuervo and the UL-72 Budweiser/Pocket Mechanic are on deck to run. Friday, 1:35 PM update... The lights will have a brief testing/qualification session coming up. Friday, 12:28 PM update... Some speeds for the Lights... UL-23 Index Home Systems/Jose
Cuervo ... 107.874, 107.246 Friday, 12:15 PM update... As of noon we've entered a period of Unlimited Light testing and qualification. First on the water during the session was the UL-136 Sanders Racing Team. Following them came the UL-23 Index Home Systems/Jose Cuervo and the UL-110 Miss CompAir. The UL-72 Budweiser/Pocket Mechanic is on deck at this time. Friday, 10:00 AM update... As Greg Hopp takes to the course in an Unlimited, his father Jerry Hopp looked on from the pit tower. Both Greg and Jerry are racers in their own right. Jerry is working to repair his transport truck which became stranded in route to the course. We will see his UL-15 added to the field later this weekend. Jerry is headed down into the light pits to borrow a truck so that he can go rescue his race boat. As he left the tower Jerry explained "I think I'll go see which one has the best stereo." While out on the water, Greg turned a lap of 131.075 and returned to the shore. Friday, 9:33 AM update... Randy Hass and the UL-110 returned to the water next for a bit of additional testing. His first lap was a full run and his second lap was more of a timing run. Speeds this time out; 102.259 and 79.415 respectively. Friday, 9:24 AM update... Change can be expected and our schedule for the weekend here at Bayfair is currently in version H. Version A through G passed quickly yesterday and today, but they are working hard to present an amazing mix of powerboat activity. Friday, 8:57 AM update... Randy Hass and the unlimited light UL-110 Miss CompAir is the first boat on the water for the 2000 event! Randy made it away from the dock about twenty feet and went dead in the water. He then climbed out of his boat went to the back of the UL-110 and went to work. About two minutes later he jumped back in the drivers seat, fired up the hull and took to the smaller UL course. Randy turned a couple quick laps and returned to the crane. Thursday, 2:40 PM update... In
the Unlimited Light camps, we have six boats in attendance at the time. We
have a full weekend of coverage in store for you so stay tuned! |
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