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Rnd#4 Continental Tyres Australian Superboat Championships
Susan River Homestead, Maryborough - September 5-6
After a lengthy mid-season break, the Continental Tyres Australian Superboat Championships fires back up this weekend at the Susan River Homestead facility outside Maryborough for the much anticipated penultimate round of the season. Whilst teams and drivers are champing at the bit to get back on the water, Superboat fans are eager to see what is being billed as the best Unlimited Superboat field ever assembled on the planet..
Already season 2009 has provided the kind of high speed drama filled action that would keep any Hollywood script writer salivating, but to have a field of seriously competitive boats joined by one of the most anticipated debuts in the sports history is almost too much for some to bear..
Unlimited Superboat points leader and the winner of the last two rounds, Mick Carroll (Excalibur) was the last driver to contest an event on the Maryborough course having taken a convincing win during the Queensland Championship round on June 20-21. “Despite the lack of opposition at the state round, we came to Maryborough to gain some valuable track knowledge prior to the Continental Tyres round,” Carroll admitted. “It gave us some valuable data and should put us ahead of the opposition during the early rounds at least.”
Whilst Carroll firms up as favourite for the 2009 title, reigning champion Phil Dixon (True Blue), reigning Group A champion Phonsy Mullan (XXX Racing), New Zealand superstar Daryl Hutton (Hooters) and 2007 Unlimited Champion Dean Finch will be amongst those to challenge Carroll’s authority; so too his very own team-mate, Tony Giustozzi, the man who won the opening two rounds of the season.
For the fans though it’s the debut of Dean Finch’s much revised ‘Loose Cannon’ that has created the most interest, the affable Mildura native having dramatically modified his 440 cubic-inch small block to add twin-turbos thanks to some serious development work by engine builder Darren Farr. “Farry has found a way to negate turbo-lag, so we’ve got the kind or horsepower we had in our supercharged engine with a lot less weight,” Finch admitted. “It’s bloody scary though how quick it is, it’s the only boat that’s ever made me sick.. In fact I took my son Tyler for a run on the lake the other day and he’s never intimidated, but he had to take a day off school the following day so he could stop shaking…”
For Finch though there is no guarantee he’ll make the Maryborough event as despite some serious sessions on the water, teething problems are affecting the reliability of the package.
“We know we’ve got some work ahead of us, so we just have to accept the little issues that eventuate. Here I am just days away from heading across to Maryborough and I’m waiting on a stronger drive-shaft – the engine’s got so much power that it’s tearing the keyways out of the one we have now… It’s a mad engine, but I reckon it’s got plenty of potential, I just can’t wait to get it on the track..”
Another driver in the 1000+ PLUS horsepower department is reigning national 400 champion Phonsy Mullan. After a sometimes frustrating start to the season, the Victorian performance aftermarket specialist is expecting big things at Maryborough, a circuit he enjoys.. “Yeah I’m looking forward to it, I think we’ll be pretty strong there. I didn’t go to the state series round, but Ted (Group A driver Ted Sygidus) won his class which was good and gave us some good data to relate back to the Superboat.. We’ve also given it a birthday and put it on a diet, so we’re really pumped.”
After a fairly lousy start to his 2009 title defence by his own admission, Phil Dixon will be back behind the wheel of his Unlimited boat ‘True Blue’ after suffering an engine failure at the previous round in June. “Something went amiss I think even as early as New Zealand and it just progressively got worse; Cabarita being the final straw,” the multiple Australian champion admitted. “Unfortunately most of these top end Superboat engines are unique, they’re one offs and often you can wait months to have parts you desperately need purpose made; we suffered from the same thing, but just last week we sourced the final parts and bolted it all back together again ready for Maryborough. That’s a track I really enjoy and we’ve had success there in the past, so I’ll be looking to get my title challenge back on track and see whether we can finally get that first elusive win this season.”
Also throwing his hat into the ring as a possible outright winner is former New Zealand champion Daryl Hutton, the now Victorian based driver has been on the podium three times this season, but suffered engine failures in two of those three final performances. For Maryborough though he is back behind the wheel of Peter Freckleton’s ‘Hooters’ and despite not enjoying the same performance figures of the leading boats, has proven more than handy in the closing stages of each event to date.
“I keep telling him to go easy on my gear,” Freckleton laughed. “Look, he’s really got this going brilliantly and the bugger can drive. We lost our good engine after a crankshaft failure in the opening round, so we’ve taken that away and morphed it with a new engine I was already building and we expect we’ll debut that at Temora for the first round of the world championships. I’m really excited – for Daryl to be doing what he’s doing with the engine we have now, he’ll be a real contender come world championship time..”
Whilst the Unlimited class is expected to provide some serious fireworks, the Group A category too is sure to provide its fair share of action.
The biggest news in this class though is the non-attendance of reigning world champion Nathan Pretty, the Holden V8 Supercar pilot unfortunately suffering from increased commitments with the Kelly Racing team for whom he will drive the Phillip Island and Bathurst enduros.
That all but hands former world champion Slade Stanley the title, although it’s never over until it’s over.. With two outright wins from four rounds and a brand new boat in her possession, Brooke Dixon, a former winner at Maryborough, could well be the surprise package..
Reigning AUS#2Greg Mercier too is a big fan of Maryborough and with a fresh engine package and some renewed enthusiasm, he’s looking to end his Group A career on a high note..
“We’ve got the Superboat engine ready to go, but I’ve still got a bit of unfinished business in the 400s,” Crusty grinned.
Coming off victory last time out at Maryborough, one of the biggest outright challengers will be XXX Racing’s Ted Sygidus, the no-nonsense steelwork manufacturer from Melbourne’s west showed that he can pull a result when needed.
“Ted did agreat job at Maryborough last time out,” team-boss Phonsy Mullan acknowledged. “He’s got the ability and he’s got the boat, in fact he’s got a boat with better horsepower than I had when I won the title last year. It was a good exercise for them (Ted and younger brother Darek) to run the boat themselve slast round without me there because it gave them confidence to try things and experiment without me telling them it wouldn’t work (laughs).
“Honestly, there’s no reason why they won’t be challenging Slade this weekend..”
Another driver that is capable of pulling a few surprises is Stingray Boats manufacturer Tremayne Jukes. TJ has been quick this season but prior to Cabarita was running alongside Stanley in ‘Hazardous’. At Cabarita he joined 350 class graduate Chris Bollins in the Jukes built Stingray ‘Conti-Racer’ and put on a strong display. At the following state round at Maryborough, Jukes admits to feeling confident they had a winning package..
“Sadly our new engine suffered a niggling little issue which put us out early, but when it was running it was a bullet. Look Slade’s boat is exceptional, there’s no question about that, and I know first hand how it feels. I may be being parochial, but I have never felt more confident and comfortable than I was at Maryborough. If we can find that sweet spot again and I have no doubt we will, we will be a serious contender..!”
Throw in former champion Rohan Smith, emerging star Shaun Dixon alongside his sister in ‘TrueBlue Too’, Mildura’s Rob Colman and AFJSA President Greg Harriman in a much modified ‘321Ignition’ and you have the recipe for yet another chance to scream yourself horse..
Whilst almost a foregone conclusion, the 350 Class could yet provide some action, although on home turf and with an outstanding ability to pull a time that makes you question the accuracy of the timing equipment, Jake Garlick has to start Maryborough as class favourite. With three wins from four starts and his only hiccup coming as a result of a 10 cent part failure which eliminated him from the finals at Temora, Jake all but has the championship wrapped up.
Former champion and boat owner (and father) Mark Garlick though will keep the young bloke as honest as he can, however both ‘Grumpy’ pilots are expected to sit atop the timesheets. One driver though who will have something to say (as always) will be reigning champion Brooke Lucas.
Lucas has had a haphazard year to date with the introduction of his new Stingray hull delayed until round two, in fact it was so new it contested the Temora and Griffith rounds resplendent in black undercoat. Now in gorgeous black and grey,‘Our Toy’ is the one boat that has the potential to challenge the locals.
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2009 Continental Tyres Australian SuperboatChampionships
Unlimited Superboats (drivers points after Rnd#4 of 6)
1. Mick Carroll (170), 2. Daryl Hutton (169), 3. Phonsy Mullan (148), 4. Phil Dixon (147), 5. Tony Giustozzi(135), 6. Dean Finch (100), 7. Jamie Welch (93), 8. Louise Dixon (87), 9.Cheryl Welch (67), 10. Peter Freckleton (61), 11. Andrew Page (44), 12. PaulBurgess (21), 13. Jody Ely (16), 14. Adam Raverty (15), 15. Glenn Roberts (5)
International Group A (drivers points after Rnd#4 of 6)
1. Slade Stanley (185), 2. Rohan Smith (158), 3. Brooke Dixon (145), 4. Ted Sygidus (141), 5. Nathan Pretty(133), 6. Tremayne Jukes (120), 7. Greg Mercier (110), 8. Robert Colman (105), 9. Darek Sygidus (74), 10. DanielWalton (58), 11. Mick Manini (33), 12. Rodney Krause (31), 13. Greg Harriman(20), 14. Simon Zarb (15), 15. Tony Whalan (15), 15. Darren Watkins (15), 17.Shane Loughnan (10), 17. Damien O’Leary (10), 17. Kevin Laugesen (10), 17.Kieran Krause (10), 21. Brendan Donnelly (7), 22. Shaun Dixon (5), 22. ChrisBollins (5), 22. Geoff Kunkel (5)
350 Class (drivers points after Rnd#4 of 6) 1. JakeGarlick (190), 2. Mark Garlick (176), Daniel James (144), 4. Brooke Lucas(141), 5. Nathan Dickenson (123), 6. Jamie Taylor (115), 7. Chris Bollins(105), 8. Darryl Dickenson (69), 9. Darryl Squires (59), 10. Troy McKenzie(52), 11. Glenn Arundel (40), 12. Daniel DeVoigt (30), 13. Robert Hallum (24),14. David Blake (23), 15. Shane Allen (20), 16. Rhiannon Dickinson (12), 17.Colin Bellert (6), 18. John Duggan (6)
Maryborough,September 5-6 2009
Rnd#5 2009 ContinentalTyres Australian Superboat Championships
ENTRY LIST
350 Class
# Boat name Driver/Navigator
11 Our Toy Brooke Lucas
63A Witch Bank Nathan Dickenson/Lauren Dickinson
63B Witch Bank Darryl Dickenson/Kristy Yetman
74 Evil As Col Bellert/Bodine Seurs
86 Devo2 Daniel DeVoigt/Vicki Burrell
92 Stingray Racing Daniel James/Andrew Phillips
95A Grumpy Mark Garlick/Kerry Garlick
95B Grumpy Jake Garlick/Demi Garlick
98A Witch Way Rhiannon Dickenson
98B Witch Way Betina Dickenson/Neil Norris
400 Class (International Group A)
# Boat name Driver/Navigator
05 Kryptonite KII Dan Walton
08 Hazardous Slade Stanley/Vanessa Wright
12A True Blue Too Brooke Dixon/Leanne Rake
12B True Blue Too Shaun Dixon/James Snow
23A XXX Racing Ted Sygidus/Kelsie Gill
23B XXX Racing Darek Sygidus/David Gill
27 Az U Do Greg Mercier/Dorinda Mercier
35 Geoff Kunkel
39 Silver Bullet Kev Laugesen/Tiffany Parratt
44 Red Roar Darryl Squires
45 BTS Racing Rohan Smith/Owen Dyball
48 Annaconda Darren Watkins/Brad Salibur
55 Cool Bananas Mick Manini/Athena Dickson
77 Tunna Guts Rob Colman/Shane Stewart
82A Conti-Racer Tremayne Jukes
82B Conti-Racer Chris Bollins
321 321 Ignition Greg Harriman/Adam Doyle
Unlimited Superboat
# Boatname Driver/Navigator
10A True Blue Phil Dixon/Ron Dixon
10B True Blue Louise Dixon/Casie Lack
22A Liberator Jamie Welch
22B Liberator Cheryl Welch/Sandi Whalan
22S XXX Racing 2 Phonsy Mullan/Byron Basset
28A Hooters Peter Freckleton/Jake Freckleton
28B Hooters Daryl Hutton/Yvonne Maxwell
32A Loose Cannon Dean Finch/Demi Finch
32B Loose Cannon Andrew Page
93A Excalibur Tony Giustozzi
93B Excalibur Mick Carroll/Yolanda Low
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