[BOATS] So close... Triple X

by Sean Henshelwood



Coming into the final round of the 2009 Continental Tyres supported Superboat series, Triple X Racing were looking for a solid finish to their championships assaults, with both reigning Group A champion Phonsy Mullan [Unlimited Superboats] and Group A team-leader Ted Sygidus looking for championship podiums.

So close, yet…

FINAL 2009 Continental Tyres Australian Superboat Championships
Cabarita Beach, NSW
21 September, 2009

Coming into the final round of the 2009 Continental Tyres supported Superboat series, Triple X Racing were looking for a solid finish to their championships assaults, with both reigning Group A champion Phonsy Mullan [Unlimited Superboats] and Group A team-leader Ted Sygidus looking for championship podiums.

For Mullan it had been an up-and-down year, his top ten engine failure at Maryborough highlighting that very point. Sadly though it wasn’t to be his only engine issue prior to Cabarita, his backup engine also failing on the eve of the final round.

“Unfortunately these Unlimited engines are all unique,” he said, “so parts aren’t always off the shelf. When we pulled the engine down [post Maryborough] we found an anomaly with the oil journals in our conrods; they were all over the specified size, and one failed under the loads we’re putting through the engine (reported to be 1500+ horsepower). I was almost finished with a complete second engine so that we could avoid delays in the event of this happening in future, however we still needed vital parts. I went to a lesser rated conrod to complete the job, but in testing we suffered the same fate; one conrod failure and no engine…

“I have to say though that the package we created with that second engine is exactly what we need, it was a jet. We probably have the most powerful Group A package in the world, and against that, the new Unlimited engine was a monster. On the MoTeC, where the Group A was doing 88 km/h, at the same time, the Unlimited boat was pulling 120 km/h. Honestly, it was the first time I’ve driven a boat that has really got my attention, it was almost scary. All we need now though is an engine that will stay together, and we’re in the process of developing plans for that package right now.”

Despite the misfortune Mullan was at Cabarita to support the Group A team, and once word had circulated amongst the Superboat fraternity, he was inundated with calls.

“In the end the best opportunity to take home a mess of points towards the championship [Mullan had fallen from third to fourth after his Maryborough failure, just two points behind reigning Australian champion Phil Dixon] was to drive Greg Mercier’s Az U Do Group A boat, so I tried that, but with Greg being over six foot, and me vertically challenged, it was a tough ask and I didn’t feel completely in control of the boat because I had to stretch so far, so in the end I reluctantly had to pull the pin and become a spectator.”

Whilst the team leader was on the bank, the Sygidus brothers were well and truly on the attack in Group A, although Ted didn’t look as strong as he had been throughout the year. Darek meanwhile was on fire and at various points was within reach of the top three. “I’m loving this,” he grinned on Saturday night after studying the timesheets.

Ted meanwhile was not having such a great time… “I don’t know what’s wrong,” he shrugged. “The boat’s clearly alright, but my lines are all over the place, I just can’t get a clean run. We’ll see what a night’s rest can do.”

Fortunately for Ted, Rohan Smith too was struggling to make the most of his points defence, leaving P2 in the championship wide open.

Sunday dawned fine again for what the big Cabarita crowd hoped would provide some of the best action of the season; they weren’t disappointed.

Whilst Darek was caught deep in a fight for a position inside the top ten, Ted was again struggling to get the most out of himself and by the final round of qualifying put himself up the bank and back to fifth fastest qualifier, mere hundredths off Smith.

In the top ten he again improved, but his best of 43.609, was almost half a second slower than arch-rival Brooke Dixon who snuck her way into the top three with Greg Mercier and Slade Stanley. Sadly for Ted, Smith, despite suffering just as frustrating a day, was able to hold on to P2 in the championship.

“I drove like I wore a skirt in the end,” Ted admitted with frustration. “It was all there to take, and Rohan helped by having a lousy weekend, but I failed when I needed to step up. It was all my fault, the boat was fine and despite wringing its neck all year, I suddenly decided to play conservative and protect the boat. What was I thinking.

“Look, third isn’t a bad result. Second would have been better, but I’ll take third, but look out next year and look out for the worlds. If there’s one thing I’ve learned this weekend, it’s go hard or go home!!”

With Ted out early, Darek had all the incentive he needed in the top ten to just ‘go for it’.

“With Teddy out, I don’t have to worry about conserving the boat, I can just go all out.. Look out,” he laughed.

To say Darek’s run was impressive would be an understatement, and it showed just why he would be crowned Rookie of the Year that night, his 43.931 second run in the top ten, just a quarter of a second slower than his older brother, and just over eight tenths of a second off a podium run.

“Yeahhh,” he grinned afterwards, “that’s more like it…”

With the Australian championships now over, focus now turns to the internationally sanctioned world championships in November, with round one at Temora (NSW) on November 21-22 and round two at Triple X Racing’s home track at Melton (Victoria) just one week later (November 28-29).

You can catch all the action from the 2009 Continental Tyres Australian Superboat Championships on SBS Speedweek and FOX Sports 'Inside Speed' (check local guides and keep an eye on www.v8superboats.com.au for dates and times). Also visit www.speedweek.com.au for clips of previous events.

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
International Group A (400 Class)
Championship points (points after six rounds of six*)
1. Slade Stanley (243), 2. Rohan Smith (197), 3. Ted Sygidus/Kelsie Gill (183), 4. Brooke Dixon (182), 5. Greg Mercier (181), 6. Tremayne Jukes (154), 7. Robert Colman (134), 8. Nathan Pretty (133), 9. Darek Sygidus/David Gill (105), 10. Daniel Walton (78), 11. Shaun Dixon (59), 12. Mick Manini (40), 13. Rodney Krause (31), 14. Chris Bollins (27), 15. Greg Harriman (25), 16. Kevin Laugenson (20), 17. Simon Zarb (15), 18. Tony Whalan (15), 19. Darren Watkins (15), 20. Geoff Kunkel (15), 21. Shane Loughnan (10), 22. Kieren Krause (10), 23. Darryl Squires (10), 24. Brendan Donnelly (7)

Unlimited Superboats

Championship points (points after six rounds of six*)
1. Daryl Hutton (218), 2. Mick Carroll (214), 3. Dean Finch (194), 4. Phil Dixon (182), 5. Phonsy Mullan/Byron Basset (178), 6. Tony Giustozzi (178), 7. Jamie Welch (154), 8. Louise Dixon (123), 9. Cheryl Welch (115), 10. Peter Freckleton (89), 11. Andrew Page (66), 12. Paul Burgess (26), 13. Jody Ely (16), 14. Adam Raverty (15), 15. Glenn Roberts (5)

* championship points are calculated from the best five point scoring rounds (of six)

www.gmmotorsport.com

www.triplexxxracing.com
www.sgaengineering.com.au





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