SEASON FINALE: VICTORIA EXPRESS PRESENTS STRAIT THUNDER

For the second consecutive year, Port Angles WA was the site where the ULHRA championships were decided.

Again in 2004, the two championships were secured by different competitors. Jerry & Greg Hopp in the UL-1 Mike’s Hard Lemonade will again be adorned with the UL-1 in 2005. With Greg behind the wheel in Heat 2B, the Mike’s Hard Lemonade won the heat and clinched the championship. Earlier in the day, George Woods Jr. in the UL-72 Victoria Express won his first ULHRA driver’s championship with a 2^nd place finish.

Going into Sunday’s final day of racing, the UL-1 had 2 heat victories for 800 points. Michael Flaherty in the 7 Cedars Casino Miss Boat Electric UL-51 picked up his first heat victory as a rookie driver, taking Heat 2 B on Saturday and garnered 625 points. He was tied with Vince Xaudaro in the UL-929 Xaudaro Racing who had won heat 1B. Xaudaro’s best propeller was slightly damaged in Heat 1B and the replacement "wheel" didn’t perform as well on the 1 ¼ mile course. Fourth in points was Harold Mills in the UL-40 Red Dot Corporation salutes the U.S. Marines. Mills had an interesting Saturday. In Heat 1B, he and Michael Flaherty made contact in the warmup period while turning in he infield near the "score-up buoy" on the backstretch. Flaherty was assessed a 1 minute penalty which promoted Mills to second place. In Heat 2B Xaudaro was called for cutting off Mills in a battle for 2^nd place and Mills again benefited with a second place finish. Those 4; Hopp, Flaherty, Xaudaro and Mills qualilfied for the Final.

That set the Sunday "B" Main with a lineup that included………..’

UL-5 Baker Equipment Company driven by Kevin Aylesworth

UL-14 Miss Software Prototype driven by Paul Becker

UL-17 Miss Ted’s Red Apple Market driven by Rick Bridgeman

UL-72 Victoria Express driven by George Woods Jr. and

UL-136 Western Cascade Truck & Tank and Perkins Glass presents La Cucaracha IV driven by Brian Perkins.

Sunday’s racing was affected by persistent fog on the Strait of Juan De Fuca, where the "Strait Thunder" name comes from. Racing wasn’t able to be conducted until after 5:00pm.

In the "B Main", the heat was run on a shortened course to work around the reduced visibility. Kevin Aylesworth and the Baker Equipment Co. UL-5 battled difficult visibility due to the low sun reflecting off of remaining fog. He edged George Woods Jr in he UL-72 Victoria Express by the length of a sponson. At the end of the heat, Woods and the 72 scratched from he Final, which promoted third place Paul Becker in the UL-14 Miss Software Prototype to a Final Heat berth. Brian Perkins in the UL-136 jumped the gun at start and the resultant 1 minute penalty relegated him to 4th. Rick Bridgeman in the Ted's Red Apple Market UL-17 shut down in the infield prior to the start.

The Final Heat was a 6 boat 4 lap run on a course that for the first time all day was free of fog. Into the first turn, Kevin Aylesworth in the UL-5 Baker Equipment Co.who started from lane 1, pulled into first place. He led the entire heat, until the final 200 yards. Going into turn two on the final lap, Aylesworth's supercharger belt came loose, reducing horsepower. The boat had sluggish acceleration out of the turn, and at the line Greg Hopp took the victory, coming from well back for the win. Aylesworth finished second, followed by Harold Mills in the UL-40 Red Dot Corp. salutes the U.S. Marines. Mills was able to finish third, despite damage to the left sponson and the escape hatch caused by the rough water. Fourth place went to Vince Xaudaro in the UL-929 Xaudaro Racing, with 5th place going to UL-51 Seven Cedars Casino driven by Michael Flaherty. Paul Becker and the Miss Software Prototype did not finish.

Next up, the 2005 season, starting next spring.

John Lynch

"Voice" of the Unlimited Lights

Friday Testing