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[BOATS] Tough run at Temora for Triple X
by Sean Henshelwood
(Archived)
Frustrating run for Triple X at Temora
Rnd#2 2009 Continental Tyres Australian Superboat Championships
Lake Centenary, Temora, NSW
27-28 March, 2009
After a strong run at home during Melton’s opening round of the 2009 Continental Tyres Australian Superboat Championships, the Triple X team of brothers Ted and Darek Sygidus (400 Class) and team-boss Phonsy Mullan (Unlimited Superboat) were full of anticipation for Temora’s second round.
“We’ve made a couple of changes since Melton,” Darek Sygidus admitted, “and even made a quick trip over to NZ just days before leaving for Temora to ensure we had some critical parts for both boats..”
Triple X’s arrival at Temora gave opposing teams a pretty good indication of one of the changes, a brand new Triple X liveried D. G. Parsons Transport Freightliner towing the team transporter into the Temora compound.
“We have our own truck,” Darek confirmed, “but Parsons Transport wanted to use one of their trucks, which is dedicated to the team as part of the sponsorship package – it looks great huh?”
He wasn’t wrong, the team setting a new standard in professionalism for a sport that is very quickly gaining greater corporate support.
Whilst looking the goods, Melton’s opening round showed that both Triple X teams had pace and all three drivers were capable of challenging for victory, at Temora things certainly started that way for the Sygidus boys, but it was a different story for Phonsy..
“I can’t believe it,” he laughed prior to the start of competition. “We did some important electrical work with the MoTeC just prior to loading the truck, and now that we’re here, we’ve discovered that it won’t even start…”
Fortunately for the Triple X crew they were able to diagnose the problem and fire the engine, but Phonsy’s problems didn’t end there.. “Man the thing’s a handful to drive. I just can’t seem to settle it down. The more we work on sorting engine issues and things like the problem with the electrics, the less time we have to work on the boat..”
For Ted and Darek though things were running a lot smoother, at least they were for the opening session.. Darek had put down a blinder in the opening qualifier to hold down the fifth fastest time, faster than Ted who was coming off a second place finish at Melton. “How’s that,” he beamed. Sadly though session two saw Darek’s run end prematurely after hitting the hay bales at the top of the track..
“These things happen when you push. We’re not here to just make up the numbers, we want to win. My time in the boat has been limited, so I’m probably pushing harder in some areas than Ted, and when you push, you risk coming unstuck. My line into the top corner was out because I’d just nicked the bank the corner before, and that’s all it takes. There’s a bit of damage to the left rear of the boat, but we can fix it and prepare for tomorrow’s main event..”
“It’ll be alright,” Ted added. “Darek was doing everything we wanted him to and he came unstuck, big deal. We’ll fix it and be ready for tomorrow – no problem..”
The team arrived at the Temora circuit early Saturday morning to gorgeous fine conditions and immediately set about preparing for the day ahead.
“To be honest, I’m not sure where the hell I’m going to go with this thing,” a frustrated Phonsy Mullan shrugged. “With the Group A boat I knew exactly what I needed it to do and how to make that happen, with this thing at the moment, I’ve got no bloody idea..”
“We made some dramatic changes yesterday and I mean win it or bin it changes, but they made a negligible difference, I’ve never seen that before.. At the moment it’s a bit of a pig to drive, and sadly to go faster, we have to make it worse again, so we’re in for an interesting day..”
As was the case at Melton, despite the frustration of an ill-handling boat, Mullan again managed to man-handle it into the top three, carding a best of 43.628 by the close of qualifying; and that was still more than a second off P1..
“Better,” he smiled, “better..!”
Whilst Phonsy improved, the Sygidus boys took a cautious approach after Darek’s Friday afternoon off. “There’s still plenty of time,” Ted acknowledged, “We’ll just work our way back into the top half of the field and attack in the finals..”
By finals time the pair had done just that, Ted improving to set the third fastest time, Darek a bit more cautious but still inside the bubble with ninth.
Darek was third boat out, his 46.316 a seven tenth improvement on qualifying and good enough in the end for sixth place, just a tenth off Slade Stanley in fourth. “That’s awesome, especially after yesterday’s excursion,” he laughed. “The package is good, there’s no doubt about that, it’s just me now, I need miles and this is the only way I can get them. I can’t wait for Griffith now..”
Whilst Darek took a conservative approach, Ted was going all out for the win. After watching perennial #2 Greg Mercier run up the bank on a hot lap prior to his run, Ted knew he was in with a chance. Sadly, the equipment had other ideas..
Off the line it was clear he was going all out and through the first section of the lap he was visibly quicker than the drivers before him, but less than half way into his run the boat ran up the bank and into retirement.. Whilst it wasn’t evident at the time, Ted held the culprit in his hand.. “I can’t believe it, the bloody jack shaft (drive shaft for the jet unit) broke at both uni’s (universal joints). One end snapped and the other end melted.. From there I was just a passenger.. All I needed was another half a lap..
“We looked at the MoTeC and it showed that I was well up on my previous best lap and could have even cracked a 42.. That’s racing though but we’re still in it, look out at Griffith..”
In Unlimited Superboats Phonsy Mullan was sixth driver out in the top ten shootout, the GM Motorsport proprietor looking for a run in the top three, although with the pace of the Excalibur team, he knew it would be a big ask..
“Once we get this thing settled down, for sure we’ll be there. I said from the start that it would take the majority of the season to sort out so that we had a strong package for the world titles, but with our qualifying speed, the racer in me has gone from conservative to ‘let’s go after the win..!’ I just need to be patient, it will come.”
By the close of the top ten Mullan fell just short, carding the fifth quickest time; 44.194.
“That’s okay, at least the boat is straight, the engine’s good and we’ve got more valuable data. We’ll head home and fix the Group A boat and try to find some time to work on the Superboat so that we can make another forward step for Griffith.”
The Triple X Racing team now prepares for the third round of the 2009 Continental Tyres Australian Superboat Championships scheduled for Griffith in central-western NSW over the Easter weekend (April 10-11).
You can catch all the action from round two of the 2009 Continental Tyres Australian Superboat Championships on SBS Speedweek on April 5 (2:00pm EST - check guides) and on FOX Sports 'Inside Speed' on April 8 (8:30pm EST - check local guides for confirmation).
Triple X Racing are proudly supported by; GM Race Engines, GM Motorsport, SGA Engineering, Ripshift, D.G. Parsons Transport, Gill Engineering, Sign Perfection, Showcase Constructions, Leggett Crane Hire, Tom Matthews Accounting and Big Benna Events.
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2009 Continental Tyres Australian Superboat Championships
Unlimited Superboats (points after Rnd#2 of 5)
1. Tony Giustozzi (88), 2. Daryl Hutton (79), 3. Mick Carroll (78), 4. Dean Finch (70), 4. Phil Dixon (70), 6. Phonsy Mullan/Byron Bassett (66), 7. Jamie Welch (60), 8. Peter Freckleton (43), 9. Cheryl Welch (42), 10. Louise Dixon (38), 11. Paul Burgess (14), 12. Andrew Page (10), 12. Jody Ely (10), 12. Adam Raverty (10), 15. Glenn Roberts (7)
International Group A (points after Rnd#2 of 5)
1. Slade Stanley (91), 2. Nathan Pretty (88), 3. Ted Sygidus/Krystal Armstrong (76), 4. Rohan Smith (75), 5. Tremayne Jukes (68), 6. Brooke Dixon (63), 7. Robert Colman (50), 8. Greg Mercier (46), 9. Darek Sygidus/Shane Grey (39), 10. Daniel Walton (22), 11. Simon Zarb (18), 12. Greg Harriman (12), 12. Mick Manini (12), 14. Brendan Donnelly (10), 14. Shane Loughnan (10), 14. Darren Watkins (10), 14. Tony Whalan (10), 18. Kevin Laugesen (5), 18. Damien O’Leary
www.gmmotorsport.com
www.triplexxxracing.com
www.sgaengineering.com.au
www.v8superboats.com.au
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