News from May, 2003! Don't forget those
physicals and capsule training certifications! Patricia M. Darling, Unlimited Light Hydroplane Racing Association Tastin & Racin 2003 Schedule. Saturday, Sunday June 7 & 8. Notice: Schedule subject to change. However the time schedules for Unlimited Light Hydroplanes will be maintained. Other racing classes may be adjusted if the need arises to accommodate the UL schedule. Per Race Director Kelly Stocklin, if at least 12 Unlimited Lights qualify for this event, there will be 3 heats per section: Heat 1A, 1B, and 1C. Heat 2A, 2B, and 2C, all on Saturday. Saturday June 7 10:00am Spectators Pit Gate open till 5:00pm Sunday June 8 7:30am Breakfast till 9:30am Vintage at Tastin' n
Racin'? Absolutely! "Antique, Classic or Vintage race boats are on the circular and therefore covered for this year's Tastin' n Racin at Lake Sammamish State Park June 7th and 8th. If you plan on running in one of the vintage heats, then the boat has to pass a safety/tech inspection, and the driver is required to wear the approved safety gear. The boat and driver needs to also be registered. Additionally, if you have a race boat that is for sale, and you want to static display it, then that is welcome as well, being we have plenty of real-estate and can display it for you so maybe someone else can get interested and go racing. Interested parties please get back with me so we can have a count and we can give you further instructions. Also we request that you show up Friday afternoon/evening (during Happy Hydro Hour) in order to get properly placed. Your boat will be on display until Sunday evening. We provide profession 24hr security. Visit www.tastinracin.com for driving directions. Shockwave Racing serves up
a few great photos...
Unlimited Lights Season Opener less than 2 weeks
away! As many as 12 or more Unlimited Light hydroplanes could open the 2003 season at Lake Sammamish State Park in Issaquah WA, just east of Seattle. The 7th Annual Tastin & Racin event takes place Friday through Sunday, June 6-8 and features the Unlimited Light Hydroplane Racing Association along with several inboard classes and the OPC outboards. The popular Tastin & Racin Festival also features outstanding live music, family fun area, food & crafts vendors, a custom car show, plus displays of vintage hydroplanes and other powerboats. The cost is only $2.00 per person on Saturday & Sunday, and a $5.00 WA State Parks Dept. vehicle parking fee. There is shuttle bus service from the Issaquah Park N Ride, Saturday & Sunday. Friday afternoon, June 6th, kicks off the weekend with Hydro Happy Hour featuring live music on the main stage from 4:30 - 7:30pm. All teams competing are encouraged to register their entries during Hydro Happy hour in order to save time on Saturday morning. Forms can be printed from this website This will be the first event ever sanctioned by the 3 year old Unlimited Light Hydroplane Racing Association. The ULHRA has partnered with the famous K&K Insurance Group to provide coverage for Tastin & Racin and several other events this season. In addition to the Unlimited Lights, there will be 5 liter hydroplanes, a runabout (flat bottom) class of inboards, and if need be, other classes of inboard hydroplanes may be combined to create 6 boat heats of racing. The Outboard Performance Craft (tunnel boat outboards) will also compete. Some of these limited classes will be competing in the new ULHRA DynaLight Series, which will award contingency prizes to the top teams in each class that compete in all of the DynaLight events in Washington State; Issaquah, Olympia and Port Angeles.
Among the Unlimited Light entries for Tastin & Racin include 3 time defending ULHRA series champion, Phil Bononcini in the UL72 Budweiser - Pocket Mechanic. This year Bononcini is joined by new teammate, George Woods jr; the same George Woods who raced in Unlimited Hydroplanes in the late 80's and early 90's, picking up 3 victories. Woods is returning to racing after a 10 year hiatus necessitated from an accident while racing in the Unlimited Hydroplane series in 1993. He will drive the UL51 Security Race Products entry, a former Grand Prix hull built by Ron Jones in 1981. Woods will double as the chief engine tuner for this supercharged engine hydroplane, lending his 30 years of experience in building, tuning and racing supercharged engines to the UL51 program. Father and son team, Jerry & Greg Hopp will split the driving assignment in the UL15 Mike's Hard Lemonade--Happy Go Lucky entry. The Hopp's won the final 3 events of the 2002 season, including Seattle in the Graham Trucking Cup, all the while adapting to a new supercharged engine program. This past off season Jerry Hopp participated with others to develop new supercharged engine regulations designed to keep parity for both "blown" engines and normally aspirated (carburetor) engines competition. Hopp Racing is also bringing its backup hull, the UL14 to race at Lake Sammamish with rookie Paul Becker at the wheel. Becker debuted at Seattle last season and qualified for the final heat in this 1971 vintage Ron Jones hydroplane that the Hopp's have campaigned on the UL circuit since it was originated back in 1995. Also among the "fleet" for Tastin & Racin are a couple of California based teams; UL5 Team Freedom, driven by Kevin
Rounding out the field will be Washington State based teams including the UL929 Microsoft Project of owner driver Vince "X-Man" Xaudaro. There will be a new challenger in the returning UL17 Miss Ted's Red Apple Market team driven by owner Rick Bridgeman. The current UL17 was acquired in the winter of 2002 and made a brief appearance last year. But at Spring Training in Tri Cities in early May, Bridgeman and his new ride showed they can be a formidable combination in 2003 with this supercharged Jon Staudacher built ex-Grand Prix hull. Bridgeman previously campaigned the current UL58 which Pingree Conflitti drove to victory at Valleyfield Quebec, Canada last year. The host team is the UL40 Microsoft Front Page 2003 from Thunder Valley Racing in Issaquah WA, driven by 2002 Rookie of the Year, Kelly Stocklin. This hull is another ex-Grand Prix hull and in the offseason the team has done extensive modifications including shifting the rudder to the right side of the transom, and installing a new, larger skid fin & bracket. Both changes are designed to improve the cornering capability of the UL40. The reason for noting the "ex-Grand Prix hull" status is because of the rule differences. In Grand Prix racing, a class that is struggling to stay active, teams could run supercharged engines up to 1400 horsepower or more. In Unlimited Light competition the restrictions imposed on supercharged engines drop the output to below 1000 horsepower. With the bigger power numbers, the GP hulls were heavier than the UL standard. On preseason scales, the UL17, UL40, and UL51 all weighed in at least 300 lbs more than the supercharged minimum in the ULHRA of 2700 lbs. The Thunder Valley team also has the UL21 hull, previously driven by team member Nick Badolato. That boat will be in reserve this season, and will be displayed at Tastin & Racin. In fact, on the display circuit this spring, over 1000 people have been "behind the wheel" getting an up close look at an Unlimited Light with Thunder Valley's UL21; the first ever supercharged entry in Unlimited Light racing. This boat weighs in at about the 2700 lb minimum and several interested parties have been checking into acquiring the UL21. So it's possible we may still see this Steve Balcer hydroplane in action during the 2003 season.
Still possible for Tastin & Racin: the UL18 "Mo Jo" of Joe & Jackie Turner of Allyn WA. This hull, formerly campaigned by UL19 driver Steve Hook, debuted with Joe Turner at the wheel in Seattle last year but couldn't get up to racing speed. Lots of off season work commenced and the team is hopeful of racing at Issaquah. Also, the new UL85 team of Bill Nootenboom from Canby OR will decide the week prior to Tastin & Racin if they'll be ready to run in the season opener. Nootenboom, a former 5 liter hydroplane driver, and his team have been working on extensive upgrades to a former 7 liter hydroplane. This 1974 Ron Jones creation at one time held the old 7 Liter Division 2 lap record. Interestingly, the UL85, and the UL5 were both previously owned and raced, at different times, by retired Unlimited Light owner-driver Howie Labrie of Tacoma WA. Labrie was a regular competitor on the Pacific NW inboard 7 liter-GNH circuit and in the 90's assembled the current UL5 from a Ron Jones kit, racing it both as an Unlimited Light and GNH. Also potentially running at Issaquah is the UL20 Overtime Racing team of Wilsey Hamilton from Kent WA. The Hamilton team has made infrequent appearances on the UL circuit but hopes to run several events in 2003. Race Director Kelly Stocklin, who also drives the UL40 Microsoft Front Page 2003 for Thunder Valley Racing, says there will be "capsule training" for all drivers needing to be certified for the 2003 season. Capsule training will be held at Lake Sammamish during Hydro Happy Hour on Friday, June 6th. In addition, ULHRA Chaplain Jim Riley from Dallas TX will be conducting a "non denominational" service at 10:30am on Sunday morning June 8th. The service is for all race team members, ULHRA officials, and is also open to the public. The 7th Annual Tastin & Racin Festival opens the 2003 ULHRA season, which features 7 events. Two of the races will be in conjunction with Unlimited Hydroplanes, at Seattle & San Diego. The complete schedule is posted on this website. John Lynch The first two photos used in this
story were taken by Mark Sharley. The later two
Web update...
A
great new look for the Union Dooz racing team!
Team update! Catching up with the UL-5 Freedom Racing Team Following a quick e-mail from UL-5's own Kevin Braun, we are please to share two updated boat shots!
The photos were comically
captioned by Kevin... "The Voice"
joins Hydro Fever to benefit the Hydroplane and Raceboat Museum in Seattle! This is a chance for Seattle-area hydro fans to come and view the two recent vintage restoration projects, the Griffon-powered Miss Budweiser and the 1982 Chip Hanauer Atlas Van Lines. Other vintage unlimiteds such as SloMoShun V, the 1958 Miss Bardahl, Miss Burien and the Hawaii Kai III replica will also be on display. A hot lunch will be on sale, and there will be FREE unlimited hydroplane driver autographs between 10 am and noon. A fund-raiser auction of hydroplane memorabilia, with proceeds to benefit the Museum, will be held at 12 noon. The auctioneer will be John Lynch, "Voice" of the Unlimited Lights Hydroplane Racing Association. Eight or ten memorabilia tables of hydroplane collectibles will be in operation. Dealer tables (for a $25 donation) are available by calling Bob Senior at (206) 364-7432) by May 21st. For more information, please contact Bob Senior
or visit www.thunderboats.org. More information on the
Detroit River-River Cruise! Alan Lagervall shares a look at the boats that joined the Lights for Spring Training. The 5-Liters...
These teams were joined by a few
others, but Alan didn't have a chance to shoot them during the very busy event. Mark Sharley returns with a second set of outstanding Spring Training photos...
A brief break as we check
out photos of the UL-51 Security Race Products! Think we've fully covered Spring Training? We're just getting started! Join us again tomorrow for more content, more surprises and more fun as we continue to count down to Tastin' n Racin', the first race of the 2003 Unlimited Light Hydroplace Racing Series season! Unlimited Lights ... Unlimited Fun! Mark Sharley shares a great set of photos from Spring Training!
Alan Lagervall shares photos from Spring Training!
The X-Man delivereth! A total of 7 Unlimited Lights were on hand. 6 tested and one (Thunder Valley UL21) was there for display-only as part of the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 launch partnership. The UL21 Front Page 2003 was a popular attraction through the two days of testing on the Columbia Cup course at Kennewick WA as scores of fans took advantage of the opportunity to sit behind the wheel of a real Unlimited Light hydroplane. The first thing they found out was, before they could sit behind it they had to remove the steering wheel just to get in and out of the tightly confined enclosed cockpit. Among the 6 "Lights" participating in the pre-season test session was the UL15 Mike's Hard Lemonade/Happy Go Lucky. The team worked long evening hours this week after getting confirmation of the Mike's sponsorship and might have gotten a whole 2 hours of sleep before making the long drive to the Tri Cities area. The effort was well worth it as the revamped UL15 gleamed under the sunny SE Washington State skies. While many of the UL teams are from the Seattle vicinity, Kennewick, which is about 220 miles to the southeast, provides a much better group testing site at this time of year. Temperatures were in the mid 70's with very little wind. Owner and co-driver Jerry Hopp said they brought the UL15 to Spring Training with two goals in mind. 1. Prove the hull and system modifications made this past winter worked as expected, and 2. Don't break anything! Asked at the end of testing Hopp said this weekend was a success on both counts. Ed Trihey of Everett WA is the team's engine builder and the motor appeared to perform very well. Some fans thought the engine may have "sputtered" a couple of times, but team member Dan Post noted, it wasn't a "miss", it was the motor hitting its pre-set "rev limiter". The team hopes to build upon their excellent finish a year ago, when Jerry & Greg Hopp won the final three races on the UL circuit. UL17 Miss Ted's Red Apple Markets appeared and looked the best it has since
the boat was acquired last year. The ex Grand Prix hull built by Jon Staudacher about a dozen years ago made a brief appearance at Olympia last
year. Over the winter, hull modifications were instituted under the direction of team
consultant Ron Jones Sr. The engine program systems were also adjusted. Gary Pugh of Tacoma is the engine builder and worked extensively
with the team to modify the systems in the hull to better operate with the supercharged power plant. The changes certainly seemed successful as the
UL17 was not only loud, it was fast and with a much improved ride compared 3 time defending UL series champion Phil Bononcini and the Budweiser Pocket Mechanic ran for the first time since their uncharacteristic finish to the 2002 season. In the last three events they had a blow-over accident in Seattle, engine failure in Olympia, and went 0 for the weekend (as in no points scored) in San Diego. From the performance viewed from the shore, it appears the UL 72 is back to form. Also, because one of the four Microsoft entries could not attend this weekend, and since the UL72 had just been painted for this season, instead of wearing the Budweiser and Pocket Mechanic logos, the 72 wore the "Microsoft Project" title sponsorship for Spring Training. Changes were tried out on the UL19 Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services. The team showed good speed the past two seasons, but also displayed a tendency to get too much air under the nose. Co-Owner Tom Eckenberg said they crafted a new rudder bracket extension designed to make the 22.5' boat "think it's a 23 footer". The goal is for the extension to change the angle & attitude of the boat so the ride is more stable and less "flighty". Initial results seemed encouraging although testing time for the 19 was too limited to get a definitive answer. Driver Steve Hook said it was great to get back on the water after the long winter off season. Hometown favorite Vince Xaudaro ran into a problem on his first test; a broken starter motor. This could've been mentally deflating, but this was testing and not the first race of the year. It's the ideal time for something like that to occur. After getting repair parts the "X-Man" and his UL929 Microsoft SharePoint Portal Services entry had a successful test run. Last year the team had a productive year including their first ever heat victory. But for the boat itself, it was a rough season. While the engine program was stabilized, the hull sustained a variety of structural problems." The UL929 crew has spent the off season "beefing up" the 13 year old Karelson, originally designed and built as a Grand National hydroplane. Xaudaro knows the future of his team will be an entirely new boat and he is finalizing plans to build one for the 2004 season. After a 10 year hiatus, George Woods was able to return to hydroplane racing. Best known in hydroplane circles (pardon the pun) for his success at driving Unlimited Hydroplanes where he collected three victories, Woods favorite tasks in boat racing are building & tuning supercharged engines, and driving them in competition as he did when he was a record setting tuner-driver in K-boats (K Racing Runabout) and the former modified 5 liter hydroplane class. That's what has brought Woods to the UL51 "Security Race Products" team, and a teammate of Phil Bononcini and the UL72. The "72" runs a normally aspirated (carburetor) motor, but the 51, a twenty two year old Ron Jones Sr. ex-Grand Prix hull that's been inactive about as long its driver, runs a supercharged engine built by Pugh and who does the motors for the Frauenheim-Bononcini team, and tuned by Woods. They ran into a "piston problem" in testing but Woods was able to get in a few laps that showed potential. 5 Five Liter hydroplanes also participated in the testing program which was the first ever sanctioned ULHRA event. Fans enjoyed the contrast of the two different sizes of boats, and were able to learn some of the differences over the public address system. Plus it was nice for the Light's contingent to see some of their friends, old & new from the 5 liter group including veteran campaigner & former UL pilot Wally Johnston. Here's a dedicated racer. He's home ported in Helena, Montana. There are no hydroplane races anywhere in Montana so every race is a "road trip" for Johnston. And he makes plenty of road trips. When the Lights competed at Valleyfield Quebec, Canada (near Montreal) last summer, there was Wally and his E-98 Agitator showing again that he's one of the best in 5 liter hydroplane. Spring Training was also the first event "sanctioned" by the ULHRA. Previously the series had operated under sanction and insurance from the American Power Boat Association, but now the Unlimited Light Hydroplane Racing Association, Inc. has stepped into the sanctioning arena by acquiring its own coverage through the famous K&K Insurance agency. Quite a few fans and curious onlookers showed up, wondering "what all the noise was about". They found out; Unlimited Lights! 3 supercharged boats and 3 normally aspirated boats make for quite a sound. As ULHRA President Joe Frauenheim noted it was "a relaxed weekend" without the stress of meeting a time clock for the next heat of racing. 6 teams got in some serious testing time, instead of having to do the same at the first race of the season as it's far too expensive for any one team to arrange all the things needed for a solo test. Now those 6 teams have a month to evaluate the testing results and prepare for the season opener, Tastin & Racin, at Issaquah WA on Lake Sammamish just east of Seattle off Interstate 90. Based on the reports of the teams this concept was very well received and plans are already underway to schedule Spring Training 2004 at about the same time of the year. This first ever event was announced less than 2 months ago and some teams, on a schedule to be prepared for the June season opener, were unable to attend. Next year with plenty of notice one can expect a significantly greater number of teams testing at Tri Cities and this event becoming larger in the years ahead. John Lynch Thunder Valley Racing's
John O'Brien offers our second update from Spring Training! We were featured on the Friday night local news with the anchor broadcasting live from the top of the UL-72 trailer. We were also covered in the morning press and throughout the day on the radio. We had local fans with lawn chairs, cameras and autograph books! Our pits were packed. I can't tell you how many kids Ken Eng put in the Microsoft Office Front Page 2003 UL that we brought for display. It was non-stop. George Woods made his debut in the UL-51 Security Race Products. Both have had a hiatus for ten years and George still knows his way around a boat. The hits of the the weekend were the Hopp's Mike's Hard Lemonade / Happy Go Lucky and the Bridgeman's Red Apple (aka Miss Ted's Red Apple Market). They were loud and flying! It's so nice to feel the earth rumble as they leave the pits. Last, but not least, this was they first event sanctioned under the ULHRA. We ran the event under our own insurance policy. I need to give a special thanks to K & K Insurance and Rick Felsen, Hawk Race Consultants, our broker in New York. (I am copying this to Rick, and Rick, no claims. You can breathe now.) Rescue and course control, including my son Mike, his buddy Chad, and the UL-19's jet ski, did a Spartans' job controlling the course. Nick Ely's group was ultra professional, as usual. Thanks to the X-Man, Vince Xaudaro, for his hard work. Still wired after the 3.5 hour drive home. I'm sure the Voice (John Lynch) has an epistle to write... Bye!" - John O'Brien,
Thunder Valley Racing Patricia Darling shares
the early word on the 2003 Spring Training in Tri-Cities, WA! Microsoft Accelerates the Unlimited Lights and Vintage Unlimited Hydroplanes on the Detroit River
The Unlimited Lights bring today's thunder to hydroplane racing, utilizing advanced Detroit automotive technology. V-8 engines ranging from 454 cubic inches to 509 cubic inches, with and without superchargers are the power plants used in Unlimited Light hydroplane racing. Having carburetor and "blown" engines in the same racing category has brought many fans, and new teams to the series. The challenge is in making it possible for both engine choices to have an opportunity for success, and that challenge is ongoing. In 2003 there will be at least 6 supercharged (blown) engine teams competing in the ULHRA series. The fastest growing series in hydroplane racing may surpass 20 teams competing during the 2003 season, including 3 brand new hulls and two more returning from years of inactivity. Plus, at least two more new hulls will debut in 2004. This season marks the third year the Unlimited Lights have raced under their own entity, the Unlimited Light Hydroplane Racing Association, Inc. which was formed in the fall of 2000. The Unlimited Lights will be joined by a "return to yesteryear" as Vintage Unlimited Hydroplanes from the Hydroplane & Raceboat Museum in Seattle will also participate in the Detroit River-River Cruise. . The museum has the largest collection of classic "Thunderboats" from the golden era of Unlimited Hydroplanes, the 50's and 60's when the competitive battle lines were drawn between Detroit & Seattle. The Detroit River-River Cruise is being produced by JSEI of Detroit and will also feature vintage race boats, Marine Manufacturers Expo, Antique & Classic Boat Show, live concert entertainment & DJ's, special automotive and boat displays, and much more. It's a family fun weekend, priced for the family. The latest from the
desk of Patricia M. Darling... New boats and new teams this year include: Ray West International, UL 32, Paul Droullard's UL 9 (Paul is currently honeymooning in Europe!!), Cheetah Racing/Barb and Gary Michael's UL 57, Bill Nootenboom's UL 85, Impact Equipment's UL 51(George woods, Jr. driving) and Shawn and Rick Bridgeman's UL 17. New positions with the ULHRA: Vice-President and General Manager Pat Malara has named John Lynch as Public Relations Director. Also "Voice of the Lights", John will be working with the teams and race sites to promote and improve media coverage. Malara also appointed Gary Adams, of Premier Productions, as Marketing Representative for the ULHRA. Freda Eng, M.D, will assume the position of ULHRA Medical Director. She has been Chief Medical Officer for Tastin' N Racin' the past two years and now expands her role to include the National title. Dr. Eng's official duties will begin at Spring Training in May. Congratulations, and welcome, to all. Thunder and Lights volunteering! Thunder Valley's UL 21 and the U-12 Miss Budweiser from the Hydroplane Raceboat Museum were on display for the Mercer Island Rotary Run Day, held in late March. Proceeds from the race benefit an International Polio Eradication program as well as local Youth and Family Services. Running in the 2600 person race were Mary and John O'Brien (UL 21) and handing our water at the end were Michelle and Joe Frauenheim (UL 72). Our Inspector Peter Thomson was a Course Marshall—complete with Bullhorn!!! (Guess he will want one for the Inspection team now!) Events Coordinator Jeanne Miller is already hard at work, organizing team events, lodging, etc. for the season. Teams interested in attending upcoming ULHRA events should contact her at: 49jmiller@msn.com First Race of the Season: Tastin' N Racin' is scheduled for June 6-8, on Lake Sammamish, WA. This event has grown every year and is seen as the forerunner of Seafair activities. Many Limited Classes are represented, with the Lights being the main feature. There are also antique classic cars, a large vendor and food walkway and a beer garden as well as carnival activities for the kids. This is a real family affair and promises to have great racing as well. Patricia M. Darling, Unlimited Light Hydroplane Racing Association An early look at UL-57 Cheeta
Racing Inc.
Tri Cities WA: For Immediate Release. Unlimited Light Hydroplanes head to Spring Training First ever pre-season session for ULHRA. The Columbia River course at the Tri Cities, Washington will be churning with 900 horsepower , 26 foot Unlimited Light Hydroplanes, this Friday & Saturday May 9 & 10. This first ever pre-season test session is expected to attract up to 10 competitors from the Unlimited Light circuit, as they prepare for the start of the 2003 racing season. The first event on the 7 race schedule will be at Lake Sammamish State Park near Issaquah WA. east of Seattle, on June 7th & 8th. Heading the list of teams testing at Tri Cities will be the return of a boat & driver, each returning to action after a 10 year layoff. The driver is a northwest favorite who scored 3 wins in Unlimited Hydroplane competition before sustaining serious injuries in a racing accident in 1993. George Woods Jr. of Sumner WA will be at the wheel of the UL51 Security Race Products entry, a teammate of 3 time Unlimited Lights series champion Phil Bononcini and the Budweiser Pocket Mechanic of Issaquah WA. The boat is also returning to action. This former Grand Prix hydroplane was built by the renowned Ron Jones Sr.. in 1981. Visually it is very similar to Jones' famous Griffon powered Miss Budweiser Unlimited hydroplane which campaigned in the 80's. . The boat had been inactive for at least 10 years until being purchased last winter by Joe Frauenheim & Phil Bononcini. It will have an enclosed cockpit for the first time. Woods will be joined by teammate Phil Bononcini and the UL72. While this team is a 3 time series champion there are some concerns to be addressed. First of all, after finishing second at Seattle, the boat "blew over" and sustained a reasonable amount of damage. The hull was repaired in time for the next weekend's race in Olympia, but the team's best engine wasn't ready. At Olympia the backup engine failed. 5 weeks later in San Diego, the team uncharacteristically failed to finish a single heat, and that nearly cost Bononcini the driver's title. With an offseason of work, the 72 should be back to form and this weekend will be the first evidence. George Woods says the challenge he and others in the Unlimited Light class will face is adapting former Grand Prix boats to more stringent supercharger engine rules. In the old GP class teams would run up to 1400 horsepower. Woods says, building the UL motors to run about 1200 hp is, for experienced supercharged engine builders, relatively simple. But the current engine"specs" limit the potential of these motors to about 900 hp and getting these motors to do that successfully, according to Woods, is tough.. But it's certainly one of many challenges Woods is gladly facing this season. In addition to Woods & Bononcini, others scheduled to partcipate at Spring Training will be home town favorite Vince "X-Man" Xaudaro; a 1985 graduate of Kamiakin High School in Kennewick WA. He'll be testing his revamped UL929 and debuting the partnership of the Microsoft Corporation. The Redmond WA based company welcomed the Unlimited Light Hydroplane Racing Association as a "launch partner" for its new Windows Server 2003 program. 4 of the ULHRA teams will feature different elements of the new Microsoft package throughout the 2003 racing season. Xaudaro's boat will race as Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal Server 2003. The "X-Man" is coming off his most successful UL season where he finished 6th in the series points standings and picked up his first ever heat victory, at San Diego is the season finale. Among other members of the Microsoft fleet attending Spring Training is Pateros WA driver Steve Hook at the wheel of the UL19 Windows SharePoint Services. Last year Hook was expecting to sit out the season after selling his own race team to Joe & Jackie Turner of Grapeview WA. But right before the season opener at Issaquah he received a phone call from co-owners John Tietz & Tom Eckenberg, offering him the driver's seat in their UL19. Hook promptly stepped in and gave this 1985 Ron Jones hull it's best season in Unlimited Light competition since 1997; fourth place in the series standings. The 19 was the original entry in UL competition of Joe Frauenheim and Phil Bononcini and their Impact Racing team before selling to the current owners in 2001. Also on the schedule for this weekend is the UL21 Microsoft Office Front Page 2003, driven by Kelly Stocklin. Actually the UL21 hull will be substituting for Kelly's regular ride, the UL40. Both the 21 & 40 boats are from the Thunder Valley Racing Team of Issaquah WA. and part of the organization that produces the season opening Tastin & Racing festival, June 7 & 8 at Lake Sammamish. The UL40 is undergoing structural improvements that won't be complete till the end of May. While the UL21 isn't scheduled to be testing, it will be on display and welcome fans to try out the enclosed cockpit and take photos. Driver Kelly Stocklin was the 2002 Unlimited Light Rookie of the year and finished in 5th place is the season point standings, a mere 11 points behind Steve Hook. The Thunder Valley team was the first to bring supercharged engines to Unlimited Light competition. The supercharger concept for the "Lights" is to provide an alternative engine combination that may provide some cost savings to the teams. The rules have been written in such a way as to keep a relative "parity" amongst the supercharged and normally aspirated (carburetor) race teams. Also expected at Spring Training...... UL17. Miss Ted's Red Apple Market. Owners Rick & Shawn Bridgeman of Olympia WA. Driver Rick Bridgeman. Bridgeman is a veteran west coast competitor in Unlimited Lights and Grant National Hydroplane (GNH). In the winter of 2001-2002 he sold his boat to Detroit's Pingree Conflitti, and acquired a new hull. The current UL17, a Jon Staudacher ex-Grand Prix hydroplane, is Bridgeman's first effort with supercharged power. The boat made a brief debut last summer, but with a winter of work on the engine program and hull improvements coordinated with team consultant Ron Jones Sr. the Miss Ted's Red Apple Markets entry is ready to race the entire 2003 season. The team that won the final three events on the 2002 UL season, the first ever victories for a supercharged engine in Unlimited Light competition, is expected for the test session. It's the UL15 Mike's Hard Lemonade / Happy Go Lucky of Jerry & Greg Hopp from Snohomish WA. Last year was a learning curve for Hopp Racing as they converted the hull with the most victories in UL competition to a supercharged engine. For the first 5 races the results were less than they'd hoped. But getting on top of that learning curve began at Seattle's Seafair race where the UL15 topped the field in the most exciting final heat of racing in any hydroplane category, seen in many years. As they entered the final turn, 3 boats were side by side with a chance to win. On the inside was Dave Bender in the UL38 Golden Nugget Casino. In the middle was "Grandpa" Jerry Hopp, and on the outside, perennial favorite Phil Bononcini in the Budweiser Pocket Mechanic. At the wire it was Hopp, just ahead of Bononcini with Bender right behind in third. It was Jerry Hopp's first ever victory in Unlimited Light or Unlimited hydroplanes dating back to his debut over 20 years ago. The Hopp Racing team went on to capture the final two races of 2002, in Olympia with son Greg Hopp driving, and then Jerry picking up the victory at San Diego. Their UL15 hull was previously driven by Bo Schide to 12 Unlimited Light victories in the late 90's. Schide & Bononcini are tied for most wins, career, in Unlimited Light competition. Three "blown" motors (UL15, UL17 & UL51) and three "normally aspirated" (carburetor) engines (UL19, UL72 & UL929) are scheduled for Spring Training testing, plus the the supercharged UL21 on display. Plus, there could be a couple of late arrivals for testing as activity in the Unlimited Light team shops is furious with the season opener just a month away. "Tastin & Racin" at Issaquah on June 7th & 8th is expected to attract a dozen teams including two from California, one from Detroit and one from Idaho. When the Unlimited Light series returns to the northwest in mid summer, that entry level may reach or surpass 15. Three brand new hulls are scheduled to appear this year, along with two "revived" hulls from racing days past. The Unlimited Light Hydroplane Racing Association 2003 season includes. June 7, 8 Issaquah WA For more information, contact ULHRA Public Relations Director John Lynch. daytime phone 253./565-2301. email jlynch105@attbi.com. You can also get more information and feature material by logging on to the Unlimited Lights website www.ulhra.org. Team update! A
new UL-5 Freedom Racing Team update.
For more on the team, visit our last UL-5 Freedom Racing Team update! The latest on the new
Microsoft partnership! Microsoft Accelerates the Unlimited Light teams of drivers Steve Hook (UL19 Windows Share Point Services), Kelly Stocklin (UL40 Front Page) Pingree Conflitti (UL58 Microsoft Project) and Vince Xaudaro (UL929 Share Point Portal Server). The following article appeared in a recent employee newsletter at Microsoft... "Micronews". "Though our teams aren't really the focus of the story, they do discuss the value in partnering with the ULHRA and 4 race teams, and how this program equates with their product strategy.
"Acceleration is what SharePoint is all about—helping customers quickly deploy great portal and collaboration sites to increase individual and team collaboration,” said Kurt DelBene, corporate vice president of Authoring and Collaboration Services. “Developers are an important audience, as the SharePoint products are also platforms built on .NET technology that allow developers to bring in Web components. “Windows SharePoint Services and SharePoint Portal Server both offer significant value out of the box by instantly creating individual, team, divisional, and enterprise Web sites, and providing a simple method to manage those sites,” DelBene said. “Developers will add tremendous value to those sites by building the Web components that users can pull into other applications to increase collaboration, communication, and application development.” The conference provided about 450 developers from around the world with an opportunity to learn about Microsoft’s upcoming release of SharePoint Products and Technologies, including Windows SharePoint Services (formerly SharePoint Team Services), SharePoint Portal Server, Web Parts, Front Page, InfoPath, SQL Server, and Microsoft Office 2003. The focus was on the developer extensibility of these technologies. Conference participants had an opportunity to interact with members of the SharePoint Portal Server and Windows SharePoint Services product teams and learn about the development experiences of other independent software vendors and developers who have been working with early versions of the technology. “We’ve been able to give developers three days of in-depth information about SharePoint Products and Technologies, and the response from developers was overwhelmingly positive,” DelBene said. “This is a great example of us backing up what we tell our customers about the amazing things that can be built on the .NET framework.” For more information, visit www.sharepoint.com. Previous updates relating to this story... 4/18/03 - Microsoft: Big news announced in today's Seattle Times business section! Tastin' -n-Racin' showcases leg-powered events to go with Lights Press Staff Report, Reprinted from the Issaquah Press who have been serving the community of Issaquah since 1900 in print and since march, 1996 online". Visit them on the web at www.isspress.com. The story reprinted below can also be found on-line at www.isspress.com/back/052301/tastin.htm. "Tastin'-n-Racin' no longer features just one sporting event. To go along with the roar of hydroplanes on Lake Sammamish this year, there will be a 5K run and an Enduro triathlon at Lake Sammamish State Park. Henceforth, the Tastin'-n-Racin' has added the Tri Tastin'-n-Racin', a non-motorized racing activity. The annual Tastin'-n-Racin' is scheduled for June 2-3. The 5K run and a 5K family run/walk is set for 9 a.m. on June 2. Packet pickup begins at 7 a.m. at Lake Sammamish State Park. Participants can warm up and stretch with members of the Sammamish Club at 8:45 a.m. Boyer and Susan Horst, the other race director, hope to get at least 300 participants for the triathlon. "That would be a run number," Boyer said. "The water should be warmer than it was last year, too." The triathlon begins at 7:30 a.m. June 3. The event features swimming a quarter of a mile, biking 8.3 miles and running 2.7 miles. Novice athletes can compete in a mini-sprint distance swim, bike and run by completing the circuit once. Experienced athletes can complete the circuit twice. Packet pickup begins at 6 a.m. Packets also can be picked up from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on June 2. Awards will be given in individual competition and teams. For further information on the 5K and triathlon, call 503-617-4644 or check the website www.tritastinracin.org. Participants can register online or by picking up a form at Issaquah Ski and Cycle on 975 N.W. Gilman Blvd. Once again, Tastin'-n-Racin' will hold the KZOK-102.5 Roy's Roostertail Regatta, which features the Unlimited Light Racing Series along with 10 other classes of APBA inboard boat racing. In addition to the racing and running, there will be food, live music, the Wenatchee Youth Circus, arts and crafts, a climbing wall, hydroplane museums and exhibitions, a custom car and hot rod show, and a motorcycle show. Admission is free. For other details, check the festival www.tastinracin.com. Click here for updates from April, 2003
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Race team entry fees are just $50.00 per team for the weekend in select classes. There are no team entry fees in the Unlimited Lights or the 5 Liter Class as those two series have event sponsors at Issaquah. The $50.00 entry fee per team includes ULHRA membership for all team members, up to 10. 
Aylesworth of San Diego and runnerup in the 2002 series driver's standings, Dave Bender in the UL38 Golden Nugget Casino from El Dorado CA. Two others from outside of Washington State will be entered. Detroit based UL58 Microsoft Share Point Portal Services owned and driven by Pingree Conflitti, and from Couer D' Alene, Idaho, UL19 Microsoft Windows Share Point Services driven by Steve Hook. 
Count up the above and that's 11 confirmed entries. A few teams remain potential entrants with last minute decisions forthcoming. Unfortunately, none of the 3 brand new teams expected for this season will be at Tastin & Racin. It's hoped that the teams of Ray West (UL32), Barbara & Gary Michael (UL57), and Paul Droullard (UL9) will join the series, soon. All 3 teams are planning to run supercharged engines. 
A unique "partnership" in motorsports is being featured. Microsoft Corporation joined with the ULHRA in its springtime launch of the Windows Server 2003 program. The "Accelerate with SharePoint Products and Technologies" is exemplified by 4 of the Unlimited Lights teams, each representing a different element of the program. As featured in the company online newsletter Micronews, "Acceleration is what SharePoint is all about-helping customers quickly deploy great portal and collaboration sites to increase individual and team collaboration," said Kurt DelBene, corporate vice president of Authoring and Collaboration Services. "Developers are an important audience, as the SharePoint products are also platforms built on .NET technology that allow developers to bring in Web components. 
Spring Training
- Teams are taking their boats to Tri-Cities and the Columbia River on May 9 and 10 to stage a Spring Training event. What a great opportunity to test and to take advantage of the Eastern Washington weather as well! Board member and Tri-Cities native, Vince Xaudaro is working with Emily Janikowski and her staff at the Tri-Cities Water Follies to promote this season kick-off. He already has his UL 929 on display in the area. As Director of this event, Vince says we can expect to see many of our UL friends and fans and they will enjoy this show. KONA Radio has signed on and will be joined by several other media members. Steve Hook (UL 19) is assisting the "X-man" by parking motor homes and managing the refreshment stand. The invitation is out to all Unlimited Light and Limited teams. For more,
stay tuned right here to 
