Saturday Summary at Desert Thunder II

 

The first two rounds of preliminary heats were completed on Saturday (5-17) at the 2nd Annual Graham Trucking Cup at Desert Thunder, and one constant remained.  Through 6 preliminary heats at two race sites in 2008, the UL-72 Miss Boat Electric and the UL-15 Pump Tech of Moses Lake presents Graham Trucking G.T.-Happy Go Lucky have yet to be drawn into the same heat.........and neither team has lost a preliminary.  Only in the final heat at Phoenix AZ 3 weeks ago have they met and Kayleigh Perkins drove to victory as Greg Hopp's hydroplane failed to finish.

 

Saturday weather was outstanding. Temperatures in the upper 90's and very little wind made for excellent racing conditions on the Columbia River at Howard Amon Park in Richland WA.  The numerous shade trees were utilized by the excellent first day attendance.

 

Other heat winners included Kip Brown in his very first UL heat, defeating Brian Perkins, Wil Muncey and Joe Souza.  Brown, nephew of turbine team owner and retired driver Nate Brown drove the UL-8 Sterlings Famous Steaks & Seafood past Perkins in the UL-40 King & Bunny's by the end of lap one and never looked back.

 

There was one incident that caused significant damage to two teams but no injuries resulted.  Vince "X-Man" Xaudaro driving the UL-929 had the steering wheel come off its mount in turn number one and the boat ran into the UL-13 of Celtic Racing driven by owner J. Craig Fletcher.  The Fletcher driven hull had gone dead in the water on the previous lap while challenging Paul Becker and Jerry Hopp for the lead in Heat 1C.  Fortunately Fletcher followed ULHRA Rules by staying belted in the boat's safety cockpit so that when Xaudaro's boat rode across the center of the UL-8, Fletcher was properly protected.   

 

Racing resumes at 11:20am Pacific Daylight Time for the final day of the Graham Trucking Cup at Desert Thunder II.

 

John Lynch

P.R. Director and "Voice" of ULHRA Racing.

The Graham Trucking Cup at Desert Thunder II

UL Heat 2 B

Place

Boat

Driver

Sponsor

Speed

Points

1

UL 72

Kayleigh Perkins

Miss Boat Electric

93.932

400

2

UL 8

Kip Brown

Sterling's Famous Steaks & Seafood

92.066

300

3

UL 00

Wil Muncey

Trafficade Racing Team

75.821

225

4

UL 39

Joe Souza

Rouly Heat Exchangers presents Pressure's On

63.121

169

 

UL 11

Michael Flaherty

Executif Racing LLC

DNS

 

UL Heat 2 A

Place

Boat

Driver

Sponsor

Speed

Points

1

UL 15

Gregg Hopp

Graham Trucking GT- Happy Go Lucky

88.781

400

2

UL 14

Paul Becker

Miss Critical Logic

88.638

300

3

UL 40

Brian Perkins

King & Bunny's Appliances

83.19

225

 

UL 20

Robert (Bob) Smets

SMETCO

DQ

 

 

 

 

UL 20 missed a buoy

 

 

8 Cyl Heat 2

Place

Boat

Driver

Sponsor

Speed

Points

1

E 10

Bud McKay

GEICO presents Namron Racing Team

63.302

400

4 Cyl Heat 2

Place

Boat

Driver

Sponsor

Speed

Points

1

Y 28

Joseph Perkins

Perkins Glass

73.674

400

2

S 81

Jesse Robertson

Meyers' Auto Tech Inc

72.616

300

3

S 10

Joe Gutierrez

 

69.644

225

4

Y 82

Bianca Bononcini

Perkins Glass

62.349

169

 

Y/S 36

Austin Eacret

 

DNS

 

 

S 6

Keven Eacret

Miss Boat Electric

DNS

 

 

Y/S 36 stopped the race

 

Could not go back out

 

 

 

S 6 stopped the race

 

Could not go back out

 

 

A.C.C.S. Heat 1

Place

Boat

Drivers

Sponsors

Speed

Points

1

G 17

Dustin Echols

Schucks Auto Supply presents Miss Ted's Red Apple

95.941

400

2

G 13

Dick Lynch

Tempo - Jet Chevelot

91.556

300

 

G 329

Ryan Mallow

Roastertail Racing

DNS

 

 

8 cyl Heat 1

Place

Boat

Driver

Sponsor

Speed

Points

1

E 10

Bud McKay

GEICO presents Namron Racing Team

63.302

400

 

A 1

Rob Hall

Marine Dream

77.929

0*

 

E 25

Mark Evans

Straightthunder.com

dns

 

 

 

 

* A1 Is just testing

 

 

4 cyl Heat 1

Place

Boat

Driver

Sponsor

Speed

Points

1

Y 28

Joseph Perkins

Perkins Glass

60.712

400

2

Y/S 36

Austin Eacret

The Trainer

60.608

300

3

S 81

Jesse Robertson

Meyers' Auto Tech Inc

NTT

225

4

Y 82

Bianca Bononcini

Perkins Glass

NTT

169

 

S 10

Joe Gutierrez

Cojote

0

dns

 

S 6

Keven Eacret

Miss Boat Electric

0

dns

UL Heat 1 C

Place

Boat

Driver

Sponsors

Speed

Points

1

UL 15

Jerry Hopp

Graham Trucking GT- Happy Go Lucky

91.032

400

2

UL 14

Paul Becker

Miss Critical Logic

89.779

300

 

UL 929

Vince Xaudaro

 

DNF

 

 

UL 13

J Craig Fletcher

Celtic Racing Team

DNF

 

UL Heat 1 B

Place

Boat

Driver

Sponsor

Speed

Points

1

UL 72

Kayleigh Perkins

Miss Boat Electric

93.882

400

2

UL 11

Michael Flaherty

Executif Racing LLC

90.937

300

 

UL 20

Robert (Bob) Smets

SMETCO

 

dns

UL 98 dns

UL Heat 1 A

Place

Boat

Driver

Sponsor

Speed

Points

1

UL 8

Kip Brown

Sterling's Famous Steaks & Seafood

91.68.7

400

2

UL 40

Brian Perkins

King & Bunny's Appliances

80.512

300

3

UL 00

Wil Muncey

Trafficade Racing Team

66.662

225

4

UL 39

Joe Souza

Rouly Heat Exchangers presents Presure's On

60.721

169

UL 00 improper score up