2018 Penrite V8 Superboats Championship

Lake Wyangan, Griffith, NSW

24 February, 2018

 

The opening round of the 2018 Penrite Australian V8 Superboats Championship delivered all kinds of intrigue, with testing weather conditions and a range of technical challenges upsetting some of the favourites to help deliver Temora’s Scott Krause his maiden victory in Unlimited Superboats, whilst reigning 400-Class champion Ben Hathaway opened his season ledger with full points despite some intense competition.

 

Heading to Griffith teams were well aware that mother nature would be a contributing factor with first high temperatures and then threatening storms likely to impact the schedule.

 

Despite darkening skies that were a menacing dark brown as nearby paddocks mixed with the wind and rain, qualifying began with the Lake Wyangan venue seemingly free from the drama that was clearly intensifying all around.

 

Ultimately the weather came though, just as the finals started to get interesting, with the event declared just after 10:00pm as heavy rain ultimately decided the fate of the opening round, with the Unlimited Superboat category declared after the first final, whilst the 400-Class was able to complete their second final with Hathaway just sneaking through on early pace-setters Paul Kelly and Jody Ely.

 

The big news from qualifying was the absence of reigning Unlimited Superboat champion Phonsy Mullan, the six-time national title holder had suffered dramas with his new package (he debuted a ‘new’ hull at Griffith) which delayed his departure from Melton, before a steering failure in his primary tow vehicle saw him stranded roadside waiting for assistance. To make matters worse, he discovered a fuel line issue once set up at Griffith that the team took most of the afternoon fixing, the Victorian finally able to lay down a time in the third qualifier.

 

With the opportunity open to his rivals, they attacked, with both Scott Krause and Glenn ‘Spider’ Roberts dominating the timesheets in the Unlimited category, as former champion Daryl Hutton continued to battle with his Stinger hull, the fact that he spent more time in the air than on the water a sure indication the team had been unable to dial out it’s evil tendencies.

 

Campaigning the package originally put together by former Group A (400-Class) world Champion Slade Stanley, Scott Krause showed incredible skills to punch out a staggering 39.489 in the opening qualifier, the next best driver was Glenn Roberts who was over a second slower, whilst Daryl Hutton bounced around five seconds off the outright pace, it was an impressive debut.

 

Roberts though quickly returned fire with a 39.729 in Q2 as Krause started to try alternate lines looking for some more speed on track. Campaigning the boat that took Tremayne Jukes to four outright wins in season 2017, Paul Gaston was easing himself into the seat of the new look ‘Heatseeker’, taking on board feedback from Jukes and the team that took ‘Maniac’ to a season high four wins and second in the Unlimited championship last season.

 

He was second fastest in Q2 before dipping into the 39s in both Q3 and Q4, but by that stage Krause had stunned the field with a 38.236 in the final qualifier, with Roberts also dipping into the 38s as Mullan began to fire, his second run (Q4) netting a 39.361 with the promise of more to come.

 

Unlike previous seasons at Griffith, the qualifiers went by almost without drama, although the returning Jeremy Kincaid had the vocal Griffith crowd on their feet in Q4 after clipping a bank whilst trying to find some extra time late in the lap. He initially righted the boat, but momentum was against him, rolling ‘Rogue’ over fortunately landing on the hard dry circuit edge and not in the water, the upshot being some red clay on the roll cage, but aside from that the hull and engine were unhurt.

 

In the end no-one could touch Scott Krause’s benchmark qualifying time - the Temora local comfortably clear of Roberts, Mullan and Paul Gaston who was getting progressively quicker in ‘Heatseeker’. Michael Cunningham was an impressive fifth fastest on his debut, ably assisted by former national champions Phil Dixon and Greg Mercier, whilst Jeremy Kincaid - who despite the indiscretion of Q4 - was sixth in ‘Rogue’.

 

Daniel deVoigt was finding more consistent speed with every run, whilst a frustrated Daryl Hutton was strangely slowest in the field, something which didn’t sit well with the two-time champion.

 

Whilst the Unlimited field was preparing for a shake-up in the finals, in what was shaping up as one of the best 400-Class fields in recent seasons, the action was even more intense with mere hundredths separating the top teams at times as the field ran through the four qualifiers.

 

Reigning champion Ben Hathaway started the season the way he’d finished 2017 - with the quickest time in Q1 before starting a see-sawing battle with Jody Ely in ‘Rampage’ and 2017 Griffith winner Paul Kelly in the ‘4Zero Racing’ machine.

 

Ely took top honours in Q2 (although four one hundredths off Hathaway’s top time from Q1) before Hathaway fired back in Q3, lowering the benchmark time to a 40.686, but it was Kelly who waited until the final qualifier to fire, setting a stunning 40.458 best, two tenths quicker than Ely and Hathaway who were again separated by mere hundredths of a second, with former champion Mark Garlick well within reach in ‘Grumpy’.

 

2016 champion - and the man who missed last year’s title by just a single point - Brett Thornton was a conservative fifth in ‘2Obsessed’, the Queenslander seemingly unwilling to push the absolute limit on a track notorious for breaking boats and ending championships. 

 

2016 ‘Rookie of the Year’ Mitch Roylance was sixth, lamenting a lack of experience at the Griffith circuit, and a lack of development time with ‘Blackjack’ although he was celebrating having gone quicker than older brother Justin who was having a tough time in the ‘Spitwater Team Outlaw’ machine after a pre-race preparation which saw him glued to a telephone for 16 hours a day in an effort to secure sponsors for the sport.

 

Brad Marsden was next quickest of the qualifiers in ‘Allcott Transformer’ the Queenslander confirming his 400-Class package was available ahead of a sabbatical from the sport to focus on business, the 2016 Griffith winner though a devout Superboat fan, so much so that he allowed rival David Moodie to share the drive after ‘Jackhammer’ suffered a mechanical setback in the opening session.

 

Sadly Moodie had a big off in Q4 although fortunately without significant damage to the ‘Allcott Transformer’ machine, which was repaired in time to allow Marsden to run in the finals.

 

Greg Harriman was ninth fastest qualifier in the ‘Pink Boots Foundation’ machine ahead of the returning Shane Loughnan who had a tough time in ‘Vicious’ recording just a single lap in Q1 before retiring the boat with technical issues.

 

David Moodie was classified 11th after qualifying despite having to change seats ahead of Hugh Gilchrist (Pink Boots Foundation), whilst former champion Andrew Medlicott (Gone Nutz Again) out-qualified Darrin Kesper in ‘Let’s Boogie’ whose 55.475 Q4 time saw him fall seven tenths shy of a berth in the finals.

 

First out for the finals was reigning LS-Class champion Ivan Safranek, the sole LS entry enjoying updated performance from his new powerplant, fitted just days out from the opening round of the season.

 

A 46.819 opening qualifier for the West-Australia improved to a 45.618 in Q3, a time which would have put him just off the tail of the top 10 in 400-Class. By virtue of being the only LS entrant to make the field for the season opener, Safranek and ‘Katana’ claimed top points for the Griffith round.

 

Frustratingly, after Safranek’s lap, threatening rain began to fall on the circuit, delaying the start of the finals, although just as quickly as it came, it eased, allowing the Top 12 sessions to get underway.

 

400-Class was out first and Paul Kelly’s impressive late-session pace improved, the Queenslander comfortably quickest with a 40.244, eight tenths quicker than Jody Ely and more than a second up on Hathaway.. the gauntlet had been thrown!

 

Mark Garlick was also within reach of Hathaway, so too Brett Thornton, whilst Mitch Roylance also made his way into the second final, defeating brother Justin for the position, Greg Harriman and Brad Marsden also failing to advance.

 

With light rain falling, 400-Class took to the water for their second final with Paul Kelly again setting the pace as the first driver into the 39s, something the bulk of the Unlimited class was struggling to achieve, his 39.833 lap seemingly good enough to take back-to-back wins at Griffith, but nobody had told Ben Hathaway about the plan, the Victorian going nine one thousandths faster to claim the round win - 39.824!

 

Third ultimately fell to Jody Ely whose consistency in ‘Rampage’ saw him improve by just eight one hundredths over his Top 12 time, in the end he took the final podium position by just 26 one thousandths from Garlick.. it was that close!

 

Mitch Roylance ultimately claimed fifth, with Brett Thornton - who was suffering an ignition problem which dropped him to seven cylinders - hanging on for sixth.

 

Between the two 400-Class finals the Unlimited class too was able to put down a full session with the running of the first final and with lightning flashing in the distance, the field realised that it could very well be their last run of the night.

 

Daniel deVoigt (Devo Racing) was the big improver during the first final setting a best for the night of 42.411 to top the hapless Daryl Hutton, Jeremy Kincaid and rookie Michael Cunningham, before falling just 17 one hundredths short of Paul Gaston.

 

The main focus though was on reigning champion Phonsy Mullan who was still working feverishly on his new ‘RAMJET’ package. Having just two rotations under his belt before heading out for what would ultimately be his final run of the night with the increasing tempo of the rain, Mullan put down an impressive 39.965 to top Glenn Roberts who at that stage held the fastest time. 

 

Then it was down to Scott Krause.

 

Krause threw the immaculate KAOS/Penrite machine around the Lake Wyangan circuit with the crowd and his rivals mesmerised by his aggression and wheel-work, the Temora local stopping the clocks with a stunning 38.446 to claim the win by more than a second and a half over Mullan despite falling short of his final qualifying best.

 

In a round that had delivered ambient temperatures of up to 38 degrees, followed by strong wind and ultimately a drought breaking rain storm, race director Grant Bourke was left with little option other than to declare the event after the completion of the second 400-Class final despite a number of Unlimited boats starting their second final.

 

The Penrite Australian Championships now resturns to Keith in South Australia for a single-day event at the popular Diesel & Dirt Derby event. Gates open early with qualifying rounds getting underway at 8:30am. The circuit is located in the township of Keith, just follow the many green signs pointing to the venue.

 

Tickets are available at the gate, or by visiting the Keith Diesel & Dirt Derby page; http://keithshow.org.au/diesel-and-dirt-derby/

 

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Lake Wyangan, Griffith, NSW

24 February, 2018

 

1. Scott Krause/Narelle Pellow-Djukic (KAOS/Penrite) - 38.446

2. Phonsy Mullan/Kelsie Gill (RAMJET) - 39.965

3. Glenn Roberts/Tiarna McGifford (Blown Budget) - 40.218

4. Paul Gaston/Louise Blythe (Heatseeker) - 42.240

5. Daniel deVoigt/Vicki Burrell (Devo Racing) - 42.411

6. Michael Cunningham/Narelle Grayland (AusPro Logistics) - 42.484

7. Jeremy Kincaid/Miles Kincaid (Rogue) - 42.511

8. Daryl Hutton/Mick Parry (American Imports) - 43.810

 

400-Class (Group A)


1. Ben Hathaway/Lisa Oppes (Weapon) - 39.824

2. Paul Kelly/Matthew Gow (4Zero Racing) - 39.883

3. Jody Ely/Greg Blaz (Rampage) - 41.015

4. Mark Garlick/Angel Brennan (Grumpy) - 41.041

5. Mitch Roylance/Matt Cullen (Blackjack) - 41.826

6. Brett Thornton/Lin Thornton (2Obsessed) - 47.825

 

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Unlimited Superboat (after round one of six)


1. Scott Krause (KAOS/Penrite) - 36-points, 2. Phonsy Mullan (RAMJET) - 33, 6. Glenn Roberts (Blown Budget) - 30, 4. Paul Gaston (Heatseeker) - 28, 5. Daniel deVoigt (Devo Racing) - 26, 6. Michael Cunningham (AusPro Logistics) - 24, 7. Jeremy Kincaid (Rogue) - 22, 8. Daryl Hutton (Victorian American Imports) - 20

 

400-Class (Group A) (after round one of six)

1. Ben Hathaway (Weapon) - 36-points, 2. Paul Kelly (4Zero Racing) - 33, 3. Jody Ely (Rampage) - 30, 4. Mark Garlick (Grumpy) - 28, 5. Mitch Roylance (Black Jack) - 26, 6. Brett Thornton (2Obsessed) - 24, 7. Justin Roylance (Spitwater Team Outlaw) - 22, 8. Greg Harriman (Pink Boots Foundation) - 20, 9. Brad Marsden (Allcott Transformer) - 18, 10. Hugh Gilchrist (Pink Boots Foundation) - 16, 11. Shane Loughnan (Vicious) - 14, 12. David Moodie (Jackhammer) - 12, 13. Andrew Medlicott (Gone Nutz Again) - 10, 14. Darrin Kesper (Let’s Boogie) - 10

 

LS-Class (after round one of six)

1. Ivan Safranek (Katana) - 36-points

 

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Rnd#1 Griffith, NSW - 24 February - (day/night)

Rnd#2 Keith, SA - 24 March (day)

Rnd#3 Temora, NSW - 28 April (day/night) - Colin Parish Memorial Trophy

Rnd#4 Tweed Coast, NSW - 2-3 June (day)

Rnd#5 Tweed Coast, NSW - 17-18 August (day)

Rnd#6 [FINAL] Temora, NSW - 22 September - (day/night)

 

UIM World Series - Rnd#1 Keith, SA - 27-28 October

UIM World Series - Rnd#2 Tweed Coast, NSW - 3-4 November

 

Founded in Melbourne in 1926 by - then - 16-year old Les Mecoles, Penrite Oil utilised high-quality lubricants from Pennsylvania [USA] base stocks, hence the name ‘Pen’ from the base stock and ‘rite’ for the right oil.

 

In 1979, due to ill health, Les sold the company to John and Margaret Dymond. A mechanical engineer by trade and a car enthusiast at heart, John rapidly expanded the Penrite range of products. His technical background and commitment to quality ensured that Penrite continued to produce the highest quality products becoming the market leader in Australian oil and lubricants.

 

90 years on from those early beginnings the Dymond family have built Penrite into one of Australia’s most prominent and recognised brands. 

 

The iconic Australian-made and owned lubricants company has a simple philosophy: ‘the right product for the right application’.

 

Penrite Oil Company produces a large range of high quality products suited to the Australian conditions including the exciting 10 Tenths Racing Oils range which offers a superior package of performance and protection for both competition and high performance engines.

 

For more information about the extensive range of Penrite Oils available, visit www.penriteoil.com.au

 

 

For more information on the 2018 Australian V8 Superboat Championships, please visit www.v8superboats.com.au

 

A selection of 2018 images are available in hi-res through the following link;

 

Please credit; Russell Puckeridge, Pureart Creative Images

2018 Penrite Australian V8 Superboats Championship

8 March, 2018

 

 

An iconic Australian family-owned business has taken on the naming rights sponsorship of V8 Superboats for both the six-round national championships, and the forthcoming UIM World Championships set for a return to Australia later this year.

 

Finalised immediately after the opening round of the season, the new arrangement will see the familiar black, red and gold insignia of Penrite adorn the two championships through the remainder of the season, bringing with it, significant exposure to the sport and a heavy-hitting Australian profile from which to tackle the best in the world!

 

The Australian Championships will be known as the 2018 Penrite Australian Superboat Championships, whilst the forthcoming world titles, will become the 2018 Penrite UIM World Championships.

 

“Like Penrite, V8 Superboats is all about passion,” Penrite Oil Australia’s General Manager Toby Dymond admitted. “The teams, the drivers and the fans are purists who love their motorsport, just like we do, so when the opportunity came to be involved with the series in a World Championship year, we felt that it was the ideal time to ‘jump on board’.”

 

Penrite is no stranger to motorsport, having been a part of a variety of categories over the years, however perhaps their highest profile association in recent years came as part of their branding of the Erebus Motorsport Supercars team that won the coveted Bathurst 1000 last year with drivers David Reynolds and Luke Youlden.

 

V8 Superboats too are no stranger to Penrite, with the iconic brand having adorned a number of boats in the series over past years, including - fittingly - the winner of the opening round of the 2018 Unlimited Superboat season, Scott Krause.

 

For Australian Formula Jet Sprint Association [AFJSA] President Grant Bourke, the announcement of Penrite’s involvement comes as a welcome addition to what will arguably be the biggest season in the history of the sport in Australia.

 

“We are overjoyed to have Penrite join us for season 2018, a year that will see the eyes of the world focused on Australia as we do battle across the country ahead of the World Championships,” he said.

 

“To have a company with such a great history in motorsport join us this year gives us great hope as we work towards returning a world title trophy to Australia at the end of the year. We have a significant media plan in play and the support of Penrite will only add to the exposure our teams and the sport will receive, so it is a perfect fit.”

 

Season 2018 has also attracted the return of television to the sport, with a series of programs to be released worldwide during the year providing extensive exposure to what is regarded by many as one of the most raw and exciting forms of motorsport on the planet.

 

The second round of the 2018 Penrite Australian V8 Superboats Championship will also see a return to the popular Keith venue in South Australia on Saturday the 24th of March as part of the annual Keith Diesel & Dirt Derby, an event which was extremely popular with fans last year.

To more information about the 2018 Penrite Australian V8 Superboat Championships to keep up with all the action, please visit; www.v8superboats.com.au

 

-------------------------------------------------

 

Rnd#1 Griffith, NSW - 24 February - (day/night)

Rnd#2 Keith, SA - 24 March (day)

Rnd#3 Temora, NSW - 28 April (day/night) - Colin Parish Memorial Trophy

Rnd#4 Tweed Coast, NSW - 2-3 June (day)

Rnd#5 Tweed Coast, NSW - 17-18 August (day)

Rnd#6 [FINAL] Temora, NSW - 22 September - (day/night)

 

UIM World Series - Rnd#1 Keith, SA - 27-28 October

UIM World Series - Rnd#2 Tweed Coast, NSW - 3-4 November

 

Founded in Melbourne in 1926 by - then - 16-year old Les Mecoles, Penrite Oil utilised high-quality lubricants from Pennsylvania [USA] base stocks, hence the name ‘Pen’ from the base stock and ‘rite’ for the right oil.



 

In 1979, due to ill health, Les sold the company to John and Margaret Dymond. A mechanical engineer by trade and a car enthusiast at heart, John rapidly expanded the Penrite range of products. His technical background and commitment to quality ensured that Penrite continued to produce the highest quality products becoming the market leader in Australian oil and lubricants.
 


 

 

The iconic Australian-made and owned lubricants company has a simple philosophy: ‘the right product for the right application’.



 

Penrite Oil Company produces a large range of high quality products suited to the Australian conditions including the exciting 10 Tenths Racing Oils range which offers a superior package of performance and protection for both competition and high performance engines.



 

For more information about the extensive range of Penrite Oils available, visit www.penriteoil.com.au


 

2018 V8 Superboats Championship

Lake Wyangan, Griffith, NSW

24 February, 2018

 

The Australian V8 Superboats Championship returns for season 2018 with arguably the toughest test of the calendar to open the ledger for the new year - Griffith’s notorious Lake Wyangan circuit.

 

One of the sport’s longest standing facilities, Griffith is always popular with the fans, but regarded as one of the most testing challenges for teams and drivers especially under lights, conditions in which the finals are usually contested.

 

There are a string of new teams coming into the new season - a season which will conclude with a two round UIM-sanctioned World Championship event starting late October, so the national championships provide an ideal proving ground for what promises to the toughest contest in the world of jetsprinting.

 

Five-time - and reigning - Unlimited Superboat champion Phonsy Mullan starts as the undeniable favourite for victory at Griffith, not the least because of his 2016 and 2017 finals victories - but because of his almost complete domination of the series over the last five season, his 2017 title continuing a streak that began in 2013!

 

Sadly Mullan’s greatest rival Tremayne Jukes won’t be back to add to his four outright wins in 2017. During the off-season he relinquished ownership of ‘Maniac’ to former New Zealand regular Paul Gaston - a name that won’t be unfamiliar with V8 Superboat fans - taking over the multiple race winning machine campaigned initially by former Australian champion Dean Finch (Finch taking it to Griffith victory in 2014).

 

Now renamed ‘Heatseeker’, the exciting 1600hp twin-turbo V8 powered machine will make it’s debut at Griffith with Gaston tipped to continue the pressure that Jukes applied to Mullan and RAMJET Racing in 2017, as the teams battle out the six-round Australian championship.

 

For Jukes fans though, there are rumours that the popular Victorian will make a number of cameo appearances in 2018, however he will also be on hand to assist Gaston’s transition across to his exciting new machine.

 

Sadly, the opening round of the new season will see a number of high profile absences.. Ted and Darek Sygidus have been starring in the New Zealand championship over the off-season with an all-new Sprintec hull, the two Victorians were faced with a clash of events between the two national championships this weekend, but have ultimately been forced to withdraw from both due to business commitments.

 

Business has also impacted Tony Giustozzi and Mick Carroll, forcing the popular ‘Excalibur’ machine to stay at home in the shed, whilst for ‘Natwel Racing’ a technical issue with their new powerplant has forced the West Australian crew to wait for parts ahead of an expected return at Keith in a month’s time. Also waiting on parts is long-time Unlimited Superboat campaigner Paul Burgess who will also be a rare omission from the field.

 

Former Group A (400-Class) world champion Slade Stanley is another who was expected to make a return in 2018 however delays in sourcing vital parts have kept the #Hazardous08 team from the Griffith field, with a potential return at Temora in April.

 

Whilst Mullan has the runs on the board, a ‘new’ Sprintec hull, his impressive LS527ci naturally-aspirated powerplant and immense experience under his belt, the six-time Australian champion knows that he needs to be on his A-game at Griffith as there will be any number of drivers looking to unseat him from the top step of the podium.

 

Leading the charge alongside Gaston will be two-time Unlimited champion Daryl Hutton. ‘Nutsy’ - as he is known to his legion of fans - has been working feverishly to get on top of the new hull and jet unit package (468ci supercharged V8 with 9” Hydro jet unit) that he debuted more than a year ago.

 

A consistent podium finisher and a multiple race winner, Hutton endured a tough 2017 season, but his ‘never say die’ approach to the sport kept fans around the country entertained with his on-the-edge driving as the New Zealander tried everything he could to extract pace from the ‘American Automotive’ supported machine. A champion in every sense of the word, Hutton won’t be down for long, and you can expect he will want to have everything sorted by the time the world titles arrive in October.

 

Glenn ‘Spider’ Roberts was one of the revelations of the 2017 season, the ‘Blown Budget’ driver a podium finisher during the final round at Cabarita and with a big off-season rebuild behind him, he will be hoping to press for more podium finishes this season.

 

Former 350-Class champion Jeremy Kincaid too has had a big off-season rebuild after a technical failure mid-way through 2017, the lone Ford powered entry will be looking to again impress upon his rivals the agility of the supercharged 302 - Griffith the ideal venue for ‘Rogue’.

 

Whilst there may be a number of Unlimited boats missing from the season opener, there will be another returning former champion in the guise of Phil Dixon’s ‘True Blue’ Unlimited machine, complete with 410ci naturally-aspirated powerplant in the hands of new owner Michael Cunningham. An experienced Sprintcar pilot, Cunningham is no stranger to action, and he’s bound to get plenty of that this weekend as he comes to terms with his new steed.

 

Add in former 350-Class champion and V8 Superboats ‘veteran’ Daniel deVoigt - who has come off his best ever season in the Unlimited class - and Temora’s Scott Krause who has also undertaken an off-season change with his supercharged powerplant replaced by an ex-Slade Stanley Farr Faster built twin-turbo small-block Chevrolet V8, and you have all the ingredients for a night of pure horsepower and endless action under lights.

 

But wait, there’s more…

 

Whilst the Unlimited Superboat category has been the star performer of the Australian V8 Superboats championship in recent years, the 400-Class (aka International Group A) has seen an off-season resurgence with a strong field of entries at Griffith, including drivers with no less than seven V8 Superboat titles between them, including reigning champion Ben Hathaway. If you throw the success of Hathaway’s Sprintec hull into the equation (it took Brooke Dixon to two national titles), plus that of Mark Garlick’s ‘Grumpy’ - the list of title wins extends to 11 national championship wins - a sure indication that season 2018 is going to be hard fought.

 

Hathaway comes into the season as champion, although his victory came by just a single point over 2016 champion Brett Thornton (2Obsessed) and only 13-points clear of 2015 champion Mark Garlick, so consistency and podium finishes are going to be key factors.

 

Last year’s leading drivers won’t have it all their own way though, with a string of likely contenders, including a number of drivers returning to the sport.

 

Mitch Roylance was a star performer in season 2016, taking out the ‘Rookie of the Year’ title as well as his maiden season victory in Temora, his results earning him third in season points despite missing an entire round. The ‘Black Jack’ driver sat out season 2017 and returns looking to make an impression once again on the leading pack, as will former race winner Shane Loughnan (Vicious) and David Moodie (Jackhammer).

 

Jody Ely was one of the stars of season 2017, the former Unlimited driver campaigning ‘Rampage’ with great success, the Victorian looking to take his late season form into title contention in 2018.

 

So too Justin Roylance, the ‘Spitwater Team Outlaw’ driver on a big push in season 2018, focusing on preparations for the forthcoming world titles, the Forbes local also looking to employ a second team entry this year, in the shape of former national champion Daniel James - sadly vital mechanical parts for James’ entry were delayed ahead of the start of the season, the JRE Engines pilot expected to make his season debut in Keith.

 

Griffith has always thrown somewhat of a curveball at the 400-Class regulars in past seasons, the fact that the almost identically powered machines are on the limit for much of the lap forces the drivers to be on the ragged edge extracting the maximum from their machines, something which often ends in victory or dramatic defeat..

 

12-months ago Queenslander Paul Kelly made his first trip to Griffith claiming the win in the final from team-mates Daniel James and Justin Roylance, whilst two years ago, Griffith delivered Brad Marsden his maiden success in the 400-Class, the Queenslander outlasting a string of rivals to defeat champion-elect Thornton and Ben Hathaway to claim the win. Both former race winners will be in the Griffith field this weekend and looking for a return to victory.

 

Throw in former 350-Class champion Andrew Medlicott (Gone Nutz Again), Darrin Kesper (Let’s Boogie) and ‘Pink Boots Foundation’ pairing Greg Harriman and Hugh Gilchrist and you have an action-packed 400-Class field that will surely keep the fans on their feet.

 

The LS-Class too will be back in action, with reigning champion Ivan Safranek in ‘Katana’ waving the flag for the new entry-level category which was first introduced into the V8 Superboats program in 2017 as a replacement for the outgoing 350-Class category, the LS powerplant providing teams with a cheaper and more consistent level of performance with which to gain experience.

 

Bottom line this weekend is that Griffith under lights is an event to behold - it will be fast, it will be furious and you won’t want to miss it.. 

 

However if you can’t make it to the race, we have you covered. A range of interviews and videos will be made available on the sport’s Facebook page www.facebook.com/V8Superboats where results and updates will also be posted - so too the LIVE STREAM, but if you live in the area, do yourself a big favour, and drop down to Lake Wyangan to take in some of the action live, you certainly won’t be disappointed!

 

The opening round of the Australian V8 Superboats Championship will be a single-day event at Lake Wyangan, Griffith. Gates open at 3:00pm with qualifying rounds getting underway at 4:00pm. The circuit is located at the Griffith Boat Club, off Lakes Road (via Borga Road or Kidman Way), 10-kilometres north of the city.

 

Tickets are available at the gate.

 

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24 February, 2018

 

1. Phonsy Mullan/Kelsie Gill (RAMJET)

10. Michael Cunningham/Narelle Grayland (tba)

28. Daryl Hutton/Mick Parry (American Automotive)

37. Scott Krause/Narelle Pellow-Djukic (Krause Auto & Marine - KAOS)

48. Paul Gaston/Louise Blythe (Heatseeker)

86. Daniel DeVoigt/Vicki Burrell (Devo Racing)

302. Jeremy Kincaid/Miles Kincaid (Rogue)

888. Glenn Roberts/Tiarna McGifford (Blown Budget)

 

400 CLASS (GROUP A)

1. Ben Hathaway/Lisa Oppes (Weapon)

2. Brett Thornton/Lyn Thornton (2Obsessed)

3. Jody Ely/Greg Blaz (Rampage)

21. Mitch Roylance/Matt Cullen (Black Jack)

34. Shane Loughnan/tba (Vicious)

40. Paul Kelly/Matthew Gow (4Zero Racing)

43. Darrin Kesper/Baz Taylor (Let’s Boogie)

62. Andrew Medlicott/Phil Shead (Gone Nutz Again)

66. Brad Marsden/Jarrod Nobrega (Allcott Transformer)

67. Justin Roylance/Tracey Little (Spitwater Team Outlaw)

95. Mark Garlick/Angel Brennan (Grumpy)

333. David Moodie/tba (Jackhammer)

360A. Greg Harriman/Sammy Leonard (Pink Boots Foundation)

360B. Hugh Gilchrist/James Parsons (Pink Boots Foundation)

 

7. Ivan Safranek/Chris Guerin (Katana)

 

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3:00pm - Gates Open

3:00pm - Practice Lap (60-minutes)

4:00pm - Qualifying #1 (45-minutes)

4:45pm - Qualifying #2 (45-minutes)

5:30pm - Qualifying #3 (45-minutes)

6:15pm - Qualifying #4 (45-minutes)

7:00pm - Dinner break (60-minutes)

8:00pm - LS Class Top 3 FINAL (10-minutes)

8:10pm - 400 Class Top 12 Final (25-minutes)

8:35pm - Unlimited Class Top 12 Final (25-minutes)

9:00pm - 400 Class Top 6 Final (15-minutes)

9:15pm - Unlimited Class Top 6 Final (15-minutes)

9:30pm - FINALS (400 Class/Unlimited)

 

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15 April, 2017

1. Phonsy Mullan (RAMJET) - 37.008

2. Tremayne Jukes (Maniac) - 37.572

3. Ted Sygidus (Frankenzstain) - 39.160

 

400 Class (Group A)


1. Paul Kelly (4Zero Racing) - 41.685

2. Daniel James (Spitwater Team Outlaw) - 42.867

3. Justin Roylance (Spitwater Team Outlaw) - 43.000

 

26 March, 2016

1. Phonsy Mullan (RAMJET) - 37.350

2. Jamie Welch (Natwel Racing) - 38.715

3. Darek Sygidus (Frankenzstain) - 39.802

 

400 Class (Group A)


1. Brad Marsden (Allcott Transformer) - 43.391

2. Brett Thornton (2Obsessed) - 44.116

3. Ben Hathaway (Weapon) - 44.956

 

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Unlimited Superboat (after round seven of seven)


1. Phonsy Mullan (RAMJET) - 214-points, 2. Tremayne Jukes (Maniac) - 211, 3. Mick Carroll (Excalibur) - 162, 4. Daryl Hutton (Victorian American Imports) - 159, 5. Tony Giustozzi (Excalibur) - 156, 6. Glenn Roberts (Blown Budget) - 154, 7. Paul Burgess (Daly Transport) - 152, 8. Ted Sygidus (Frankensztain) - 136, 9. Daniel deVoigt (DEVO Racing) - 134, 10. Darek Sygidus (Frankensztain) - 122, 11. Scott Krause (Soak’n Fused) - 70, 12. Jeremy Kincaid (Rogue) - 58, 13. Jamie Welch (32), 14. Cheryl Welch (30), 15. Aaron Hansen (Blown Budget) - 26

 

400-Class (Group A) (after round seven of seven)

1. Ben Hathaway (Weapon) - 206-points, 2. Brett Thornton (2Obsessed) - 205, 3. Mark Garlick (Grumpy) - 193, 4. Jody Ely (Rampage) - 187, 5. Paul Kelly (4Zero Racing) - 177, 6. Justin Roylance (Spitwater Team Outlaw) - 159, 7. Brad Marsden (Allcott Transformer) - 146, 8. Greg Harriman (Pink Boots Foundation) - 144, 9. Hugh Gilchrist (Pink Boots Foundation) - 118, 10. Ivan Safranek (64), 11. Clint Ruby (Dirty Deeds) - 46

 

LS-Class (after round seven of seven)

1. Ivan Safranek (Katana) - 144-points, 2. Kyle Reynolds (RedRum) - 63, 3. Graham Reynolds (RedRum) - 43

 

-------------------------------------------------

 

Rnd#1 Griffith, NSW - 24 February - (day/night)

Rnd#2 Keith, SA - 24 March (day)

Rnd#3 Temora, NSW - 28 April (day/night) - Colin Parish Memorial Trophy

Rnd#4 Tweed Coast, NSW - 2-3 June (day)

Rnd#5 Tweed Coast, NSW - 17-18 August (day)

Rnd#6 [FINAL] Temora, NSW - 22 September - (day/night)

 

UIM World Series - Rnd#1 Keith, SA - 27-28 October

UIM World Series - Rnd#2 Tweed Coast, NSW - 3-4 November

 

Rnd#7 2017 V8 Superboats Championship

Round Mountain Raceway, Cabarita Beach

28-29 October, 2017

 

• Tremayne Jukes wins fourth event of 2017, but Phonsy Mullan is Unlimited champion

• Ben Hathaway claims 400-Class round win and with it, the title by a single point

• Local and online fans follow the finale in big numbers for a successful season conclusion

 

It was perhaps no surprise that fans had to wait until the dying stages of the 2017 Australian V8 Superboat Championships to witness the crowing of a new champion, with the 400-Class settled on the final run of the day for Victoria’s Ben Hathaway, the ‘Weapon’ driver forced to dig deep in his final lap to claim a win when nothing else counted, taking the top step by just four one hundredths of a second, and with it, season victory.

 

In the Unlimited class, five-time national champion and reigning title-holder Phonsy Mullan needed only start the final event to claim an unprecedented fifth-consecutive Unlimited title, but that didn’t stop him going after a third season victory, although the man he defeated for the title had his own agenda.. From the outset Tremayne Jukes kept the big Cabarita crowd on their feet as he and Mullan went head-to-head all the way to the final, Jukes ultimately hanging on to claim his fourth win of the year and second in the championship.

 

Whilst the ‘big boys’ attracted the bulk of the crowd’s attention, in the newly formed LS Class, a great battle ensued all weekend between points-leader Ivan Safranek, and newcomers Dave Bray and Darrin Kesper. In the end Bray won his first ever event, but for Safranek - who suffered a DNF in the final - he had amassed enough points across the season to claim his maiden V8 Superboat title.

 

Campaigning the regular two-day Cabarita format, teams were able to make a relatively relaxed start to their finals campaign with a late start on Saturday ahead of the first two qualifying sessions, something which on paper sounded like the prefect recipe to settle into a rhythm but clearly there were a few ‘rusty’ drivers in the field with nine teams failing to record a time in Q1..

 

Not surprisingly, the top of the timesheets was dominated by the very same teams who had set the pace for much of the season, whilst in the Unlimited class, the battle for top spot was on again in earnest with newly crowned champion Phonsy Mullan and ‘Maniac’ pilot Tremayne Jukes going toe-to-toe, the pair separated by half a second in the first two qualifiers, advantage Mullan in Q1, Jukes returning the favour in Q2 - the scene was set for a cracking weekend!

 

In the 400-Class it was all Ben Hathaway, the Victorian laying the foundations for his title assault knowing he needed to make up a five point deficit on reigning title holder Brett Thornton, going out hard had been his strategy all season, and he wasn’t about to let up and go for a cautious run this time around, his first two qualifiers comfortably clear of the rest of the field, with Jody Ely continuing his strong late-season form to be second quickest.

 

Sunday morning dawned with near perfect conditions, and the first qualifier of the day saw a sequence of almost perfect runs, in fact in the end, the only one of the 26 teams to fail to record a time was Ben Hathaway who was unable to make the circuit after a fuel switch was inadvertently turned off as the team prepared to put the boat on the water, fortunately without any residual issues.

 

Up front in the Unlimited class, the season-long battle between Mullan and Jukes continued, the pair see-sawing their way through the remaining qualifiers with little separating them - in fact across the three early sessions, the pair were no more than half a second apart, Jukes the more consistent with three laps separated by just 13 one hundredths of a second! 

 

In the end though it was Mullan who ended qualifying quickest with a blistering 46.553 to Jukes’ best of 46.676.. it was close, and far too close to call..!

 

Of their rivals, round four winner Tony Giustozzi was again the standout although two seconds down on the battle for the top of the leaderboard, he, team-mate Mick Carroll and former champion Daryl Hutton at that stage - the only other teams to record a sub 50-second lap.

 

There were again some standout performances across qualifying, notably former 350-Class champions Daniel de Voigt (DEVO Racing) and Glenn ‘Spider’ Roberts (Blown Budget), who alongside Scott Krause (Soak’n Fused) were just off the tail of the top five and threatening to make their way into the second final.

 

Sadly whilst there were some solid performances in the Unlimited class, we were again robbed of an appearance from Jamie Welch in the Natwel Racing machine, the West Australian was forced to spectate after finding an oil-vacuum issue that saw the team elect to park the boat to avoid any serious damage - Cabarita considered just an extended test session ahead of a full 2018 assault.

 

The Unlimited class might have had the big Cabarita crowd on their feet, but the 400-Class title battle was no less enthralling and no less attractive to those that made their way to the Tweed Coast Jet Sprint Club for the final round of the season and the title contenders did their best to keep them entertained.

 

Ben Hathaway’s failure to start Q3 opened the door for his rivals to make ground, and make ground they did, 2016 Rookie-of-the-Year Mitch Roylance - in his first drive for season 2017 - grabbed the top spot to signal his intention to take the round win, before Brett Thornton set the fastest time of the weekend (50.473) in 400s for Q4 to become the top qualifier.

 

Hathaway and ‘Weapon’ ultimately claimed the quickest time in the final session, but he was almost two tenths slower than Thornton’s Q4 best, whilst Jody Ely in ‘Rampage’ also made it inside the 51s, just clear of Mitch Roylance (BlackJack), Mark Garlick (Grumpy) and Paul Kelly (4Zero Racing).

 

Just off the tail of the lead pack, Spitwater Team Outlaw’s Justin Roylance was having another consistent run with his new JRE prepared machine, although admitting he was still struggling with props capable of dealing with the performance of the engine, something which time hadn’t allowed him to rectify ahead of the season final. Still, his battles with Greg Harriman (Pink Boots Foundation) and brother Mitch were highlights across the weekend, however the former drag racer admitted with much frustration, that spending much of the season testing his new package did not suit his desire to race with the leaders, although it did provide the team a solid foundation for the 2018 season.

 

With another title on the line in the new LS-Class, Ivan Safranek too was looking to go out on a high, taking ‘Katana’ to the top spot in qualifying, his 58.015 more than four seconds clear of Dave Bray in ‘Bare Necessities’ with Darrin Kesper continuing to improve in ‘DUG’.

 

The 2017 Unlimited Superboat title may have been out of play, but you could sense that neither title holder Phonsy Mullan nor 2017 rival Tremayne Jukes was willing to concede the win, the pair going out hard across all three finals, the top three final ultimately forcing the fastest time of the event..

 

Sadly the Top 12 saw the demise of Daryl Hutton with a rollover coming out of the opening turn, the two-time Australian champion pushing hard in typical ‘Nutsy’ fashion in an effort to make his way into the top three. Sadly it back-fired, although the exit was - as ever - spectacular..

 

Mick Carroll was the next to go, an electrical issue ultimately sidelining him, the ‘Excalibur’ team turning their attention to Giustozzi who was threatening a challenge on the leaders, but sadly that also came up short after a navigational error in the Top 6 saw him drop down the order and out of an almost certain podium finish.

 

Paul Burgess also failed to make the Top 6 after another solid run, but he was rewarded a seventh-placed championship finish, just missing out on a top six position after a late charge by Glenn Roberts who himself turned in a blistering time in the second final just a second and a half slower than the pace-setting points leaders.

 

A 46.729 gave Jukes the top spot in the first final, with a 46.623 keeping him there in the Top 6, Mullan in the second final just 17 one hundredths slower with Roberts becoming the third driver to make it into the final dropping Giustozzi and local favourite Daniel de Voigt out of the last rotation of the season, de Voigt though not too disappointed after recording his best result of the season.

 

As fastest driver in the Top 6, Jukes elected to run last in the final and Mullan was intent on making him work for the win, setting an impressive 46.679 in his run.. Jukes was last out, and determined to end the season on a high, he pushed hard, crossing the line with the fastest time of the weekend, 46.523, a time just three one hundredths faster than Mullan’s pace-setting time from Q4.. it was THAT close!

 

As an indication of how consistent Jukes had been across Sunday’s six runs, all six laps were separated by just 27 one hundredths of a second.. with the margin of victory 15 one hundredths..

 

Glenn Roberts may have finished third, but it was just reward for an impressive season, and proved a popular result amongst fans and teams, the Victorian’s final time not his best, but he was also lucky to make the final after a technical issue with the boat in the Top 6.

 

With the Unlimited final sorted, the focus turned to the 400-Class where the title looked certain to come down to the final run, but whilst the title contenders were keeping an eye on one another, a dark horse was looming in the shape of 4Zero Racing’s Paul Kelly.

 

Between qualifying and the finals, Kelly’s team found the sweet spot in the 4Zero machine, his Top 12 time stopping everyone in their tracks, the title contenders included with the Queenslander finding almost a second and a half to top the timesheets (50.189) ahead of Hathaway, Ely, Mitch Roylance and Garlick.

 

He did it again in the second final, going just six one hundredths faster, but still no-one could stay with him, Hathaway the next best with a 50.7. 

 

For reigning champion Brett Thornton, a setback in the Top 12 saw the ‘2Obsessed’ driver languishing back in sixth position and needing to find something special in the second final to keep his championship lead alive. He did it too, a 50.8 keeping him within a tenth of Hathaway with just one run remaining.

 

The Top 6 final had been a real indication of just how competitive the 400-Class field had become in season 2017, with all six boats separated by just over a second, the difference between third and fifth.. 15 one hundredths of a second.. a blink, and that’s all it took, a blink which eliminated Mitch Roylance, Mark Garlick and Jody Ely..

 

As fastest driver in the second final, Paul Kelly had the choice of when he would conduct his run, but unlike the Unlimited teams, he elected to go first and lay down a time for the others to chase. His lap again was stunning.. 50.217 - his three finals laps just 85 one thousandths apart..! Brett Thornton was next, the 2016 #1 needed a solid lap to ensure he finished second, or at worst, third behind Hathaway with Kelly taking the win.. The lap was good - 50.901 - not his fastest of the day, but good enough to put the pressure on his title rival.

 

Backing off the trailer, Ben Hathaway knew he had only one choice. Ahead of that final run he’d made a series of changes to the boat, admitting he’d either win it, or bin it.. He had to go out hard. His only chance of championship victory was to beat Kelly’s time which was faster than he’d been all day.

 

The crowd were on their feet and there was silence around the course as he delivered one final lap. It was clear he was committed, running deep into the corners and cutting as many banks as he dared as he went searching for hundredths of a second. As he crossed the line, the timing board flashed the time.. 50.177.. faster than he’d been all day, but vitally, four one hundredths of a second faster than Kelly, and with that, he became the 2017 400-Class champion by a single point over Brett Thornton.

 

What a season it had been..

 

Whilst the Unlimited Superboat and 400-Class teams provided the fans with plenty of entertainment, and championships that came down to the final round, the LS-Class win was locked in much earlier in the season, after Ivan Safranek’s consistency and speed gave him the Australian Championship crown in ‘Katana’. Sadly he wasn’t able to cap off the season with another win despite setting the pace all weekend, an off in the final keeping him off the podium, allowing David Bray in ‘Bare Necessities’ through for his maiden victory.

 

With the 2017 season at it’s conclusion, focus now turns to 2018 with the release of next year’s calendar, a calendar which will include the UIM World Championships at seasons end, a two-round programme shared between Keith in South Australia, and the Tweed Coast Jetsprint Club.

 

 

Rnd#1 Griffith, NSW - 24 February - (day/night)

Rnd#2 Keith, SA - 24 March

Rnd#3 Temora, NSW - 28 April (day/night) - Colin Parish Memorial Trophy

Rnd#4 Tweed Coast, NSW - 2-3 June

Rnd#5 Tweed Coast, NSW - 17-18 August

Rnd#6 [FINAL] Temora, NSW - 22 September – (day/night)

 

UIM World Series - Rnd#1 Keith, SA - 27-28 October

UIM World Series - Rnd#2 Tweed Coast, NSW - 3-4 November

 

For more information on the 2017 Australian V8 Superboat Championships, please visit www.v8superboats.com.au

 

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Round Mountain Raceway, Cabarita Beach (28-29 October, 2017)

 

1. Tremayne Jukes (Maniac) - 46.523

2. Phonsy Mullan (RAMJET) - 46.679

3. Glenn Roberts (Blown Budget) - 49.195

 

400-Class (Group A)


1. Ben Hathaway (Weapon) - 50.177

2. Paul Kelly (4Zero Racing) - 50.217

3. Brett Thornton (2Obsessed) - 50.901

 

1. Dave Bray (Bare Necessities) - 61.315

2. Darrin Kesper (DUG) - 82.852

3. Ivan Safranek (Katana) - DNF

 

1. Tremayne Jukes (Maniac) - 46.623

2. Phonsy Mullan (RAMJET) - 46.791

3. Glenn Roberts (Blown Budget) - 48.394

4. Daniel de Voigt (Devo Racing) - 50.513

5. Scott Krause (Soak’n Fused) - 51.412

6. Tony Giustozzi (Excalibur) 53.594

 

400-Class (Group A)


1. Paul Kelly (4Zero Racing) - 50.132

2. Ben Hathaway (Weapon) - 50.738

3. Brett Thornton (2Obsessed) - 50.857

4. Jody Ely (Rampage) - 51.007

5. Mitch Roylance (BlackJack) - 51.013

6. Mark Garlick (Grumpy) - 51.575

 

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Unlimited Superboat (after round seven of seven)


1. Phonsy Mullan (RAMJET) - 214-points, 2. Tremayne Jukes (Maniac) - 211, 3. Mick Carroll (Excalibur) - 162, 4. Daryl Hutton (Victorian American Imports) - 159, 5. Tony Giustozzi (Excalibur) - 156, 6. Glenn Roberts (Blown Budget) - 154, 7. Paul Burgess (Daly Transport) - 152, 8. Ted Sygidus (Frankensztain) - 136, 9. Daniel deVoigt (DEVO Racing) - 134, 10. Darek Sygidus (Frankensztain) - 122, 11. Scott Krause (Soak’n Fused) - 70, 12. Jeremy Kincaid (Rogue) - 58, 13. Jamie Welch (32), 14. Cheryl Welch (30), 15. Aaron Hansen (Blown Budget) - 26

 

400-Class (Group A) (after round seven of seven)

1. Ben Hathaway (Weapon) - 206-points, 2. Brett Thornton (2Obsessed) - 205, 3. Mark Garlick (Grumpy) - 193, 4. Jody Ely (Rampage) - 187, 5. Paul Kelly (4Zero Racing) - 177, 6. Justin Roylance (Spitwater Team Outlaw) - 159, 7. Brad Marsden (Allcott Transformer) - 146, 8. Greg Harriman (Pink Boots Foundation) - 144, 9. Hugh Gilchrist (Pink Boots Foundation) - 118, 10. Ivan Safranek (64), 11. Clint Ruby (Dirty Deeds) - 46

 

LS-Class (after round seven of seven)

1. Ivan Safranek (Katana) - 144-points, 2. Kyle Reynolds (RedRum) - 63, 3. Graham Reynolds (RedRum) - 43

 

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Photo credit; Russell Puckeridge, Pureart Creative Images

Rnd#7 2017 V8 Superboats Championship

Tweed Coast Jet Sprint Club, Cabarita Beach, NSW

(28-29 October, 2017)

 

After a mixed season that saw the full spectrum of emotions for the Spitwater Team Outlaw V8 Superboat operation, Justin Roylance and his crew have claimed a top six finish in the hotly contested 400-Class to put themselves in the box seat for an outright title assault on the 2018 Australian Championships and the 2018 UIM World Championships

 

Kicking off the season with an all-new package - from hull to engine - Justin and Bree Roylance knew the Australian titles would present a significant challenge, but with their focus firmly on developing a competitive package for the 2018 Australian Championships and the UIM World titles later in the year, they looked upon the 2017 season as a learning experience - and what an experience it was..

 

Sadly the season started on the back foot, late delivery of mechanical parts for the new JRE-developed engine had them behind the eight-ball for the season opener, ultimately forcing the team to watch the Temora round unfold from the spectators hill.

 

By round two - the first ever event at the new Keith facility in South Australia - the immaculate Spitwater supported Outlaw67 machine was unveiled, and despite some minor teething problems, you couldn’t wipe the wide smile from Justin Roylance’s face afterwards.. it was game on!

 

Griffith was the scene of the third round of the season, the annual day/night event is widely regarded as the most difficult and most demanding of the season, something Roylance could attest to having tested the outer limits of the circuit on many occasions.

 

This time around though, with the hands-on support of JRE’s Brad and Daniel James, the Roylance team were rewarded with a second-placed finish in the final, Justin admitting afterwards that whilst the win was on the table, a more conservative approach and a straight boat on the trailer at the end of the weekend was his focus - it was all big-picture stuff..!

 

Having established a solid benchmark for the boat and made the podium in just their second outing, the team unleashed greater potential for the final event ahead of the winter break at Cabarita, and they quickly discovered the reason they were using their maiden season as a development program..

 

Developing much better power and torque than they’d had from their engines in past seasons, it was clear their jet unit was not capable of turning that power into drive, forcing the team to turn their attention from tweaking their new Stingray hull, into finding solutions for the 8.5” Scott jet unit - or more particularly, developing props that would match the powerplant.

 

Despite the setbacks with developing the right blades - a delay in part due to the back-orders the manufacturer themselves were facing - the team forged on, eking out a sequence of competitive runs in and around the top six over the closing rounds to be classified sixth for the championship, and with a mountain of data to take into 2018.

 

“As a racer you want to win, that’s part of the DNA,” Justin Roylance admitted. “So it’s frustrating to have to discount that and focus on development and building a package. It was clear to us pretty quickly though that thanks to JRE we had the right boat, and we had the right engine, but the big problem was getting that power to the ground - so to speak. We just couldn’t get the power through the jet unit efficiently, so we were forced to go on a development program there too.

 

“I think by season’s end we knew what we needed and we knew how to get it, so that will put us in the box seat to start 2018, and for next season we have a few more exciting announcements..”

 

Whilst not saying too much, it appears that season 2018 will see the Outlaw67 team increase in size, with plans to introduce a second team as well as a second and third  JRE-built 400-Class engine, all with a view to going after the Australian championship title and to being a contender in the Australian-based 2018 UIM World Jetsprint Championships.

 

“I couldn’t be more excited about what 2018 has to offer, especially off the back of a season where we learnt so much, not just technically, but I also had a great chance to learn how to drive my own boat [as opposed to subbing with other teams] and get myself up to speed again with the intricacies of campaigning a Superboat at speed.

 

“We’re in this for the long haul. We love the sport as a family, and I like to win, so that’s the focus for 2018 - we wouldn’t have it any other way!”

 

For more information on the 2017 Australian V8 Superboat Championships, please visit www.v8superboats.com.au

 

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400-Class (Group A) (after round seven of seven)

1. Ben Hathaway (Weapon) - 206-points, 2. Brett Thornton (2Obsessed) - 205, 3. Mark Garlick (Grumpy) - 193, 4. Jody Ely (Rampage) - 187, 5. Paul Kelly (4Zero Racing) - 177, 6. Justin Roylance (Spitwater Team Outlaw) - 159, 7. Brad Marsden (Allcott Transformer) - 146, 8. Greg Harriman (Pink Boots Foundation) - 144, 9. Hugh Gilchrist (Pink Boots Foundation) - 118, 10. Ivan Safranek (64), 11. Clint Ruby (Dirty Deeds) - 46

 

-------------------------------------------------

 

 

 

All images courtesy of Russell Puckeridge - Pureart Creative Images

Rnd#7 2017 V8 Superboats Championship

Round Mountain Raceway, Cabarita Beach

28-29 October, 2017

 

The 2017 Australian V8 Superboats season will come to its conclusion this weekend with the biggest field of the year heading to the Tweed Coast Jet Sprint Club for a two-day extravaganza of what is expected to be amongst the best racing of the year.

 

After six rounds the Unlimited Superboat crown is sadly out of the equation, with reigning champion Phonsy Mullan effectively claiming an unprecedented fifth-straight Unlimited title with a solid performance last time out at Temora, despite trailing title-rival Tremayne Jukes for much of the 2017 season.

 

Jukes sadly lost what promised to be the showdown of the decade, the ‘MANIAC’ pilot making a rare navigational error last time out at Temora whilst on top of the timesheets, adding to his woes from the fifth round of the series at Cabarita where an electrical gremlin stopped the team in their tracks, forcing a rare retirement after failing to record a competitive lap in the finals. He will be back at Cabarita for the final and looking to add to his three rounds wins so far this season.

 

On count-back Mullan needs only start in the final event to be classified champion, but as always, he will want to go out on a high, and will push ‘RAMJET’ and his rivals through every lap to prove once more just why the Victorian is regarded as one of the best drivers in the world.

 

The Unlimited title might be out of reach for anyone but Mullan, but in the 400-Class, the battle will come all the way down to Sunday afternoon’s final three, with a number of teams right in the mix. Like Jukes, Ben Hathaway has been a revelation this season, the popular Victorian may have only won two 400-Class rounds of the six to date, but he’s won the hearts of the fans with his epic drives in borrowed boats after ‘Weapon’ was sidelined with technical problems during the year. He comes into the Cabarita final on top of the points, but on adjusted points he is actually five points down on reigning champion Brett Thornton who’s consistency at the northern-NSW venue could be the key to back-to-back titles.

 

With the Unlimited Superboat crown out of the equation for another year, teams will be going for broke looking for victory. Rivals Mullan and Jukes will be looking to end the year on a high, and with some months until the start of the 2018 season, both will be pushing to the limit.

 

Don’t discount Adelaide’s Tony Giustozzi either, the ‘Excalibur’ pilot is driving perhaps better than ever this year and is the only one outside of Mullan and Jukes to have claimed a round win. Always exciting at Cabarita, Giustozzi and team-mate Mick Carroll - both multiple winners in the Unlimited category, will be pushing the points leaders hard.

 

They won’t be the only ones though, factor in former champion Daryl Hutton in the ‘American Automotive’ machine and the returning Jamie Welch in the ‘Natwel Racing’ entry from Western Australia, and you have a range of boats capable of making the podium and keeping the fans on their feet!

 

With nothing to lose, the Unlimited teams will surely provide plenty of action, but whilst they will be going hard and ignoring championship points, the 400-Class teams will spend as much time on keyboards strategizing as they will behind the wheel as the title comes all the way down to the wire.

 

For points-leader Hathaway, he will be focused on one single goal - victory. Without it, his road to his first 400-Class crown will be more difficult, and he will be forced to hope that any one of this title rivals will push reigning champion Brett Thornton into a rare error and slip down the leaderboard.

 

Thornton though has proven a very capable rival, and his consistency is amongst the best in the business. He leads the championship effectively by five points, and with three points separating the winner from second, or second from third, if he can keep within reach of Hathaway, a second consecutive 400-Class crown will be his. He - and Hathaway - though will also have one eye on a ‘Grumpy’ old man (he just had another birthday, something in the 40+ range).. multiple Australian champion Mark Garlick. Like Thornton, ‘Garlo’ is a Cabarita ‘local’ and knows the circuit intimately. He’s also one of those competitors who can dig deep under pressure and pull out a blinding lap when he needs to, so keep an eye on the #95 machine, because he just could be the ‘joker’ in the pack!

 

Throw in Victoria’s Jody Ely (Rampage) and popular local star Paul Kelly (4Zero Racing) and the battle for championship points will keep everyone guessing all the way down to the final three on Sunday afternoon, but don’t discount a range of other stars that will also be looking to make an impression..!

 

Leading the charge will be Spitwater Team Outlaw pilot Justin Roylance, the man from Forbes in NSW debuted a new boat at the start of the 2017 season with mixed results, but with strong support from the team at JRE, he has been on a steep development curve, and this weekend could see the efforts of his entire team produce a podium finish.. Likewise his younger brother Mitch who has been on a sabbatical this season, the ‘Blackjack’ star was a rookie winner in 2016, and makes his return to the Australian championships this weekend, and is just as capable of making the podium.

 

For those of you unable to make the event, this weekend a range of interviews and videos will be made available via www.facebook.com/V8Superboats where results and updates will also be posted, but if you live in the area, do yourself a big favour, and drop down to Round Mountain Road, Cabarita Beach to take in some of the action live, you certainly won’t be disappointed!

 

Tickets are available at the gate, or by visiting www.afjsa.com/tickets

 

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1. Phonsy Mullan/Kelsie Gill (RAMJET)

15. Tremayne Jukes/Kianna Lucas (Maniac)

18. Paul Burgess/Matt Foote (Daly Transport)

22A. Jamie Welch/Joel Page (Natwel Racing)

22B. Cheryl Welch/Rachel Parsons (Natwel Racing)

28. Daryl Hutton/Mick Parry (American Automotive)

37. Scott Krause/Narelle Pellow-Djukic (Krause Auto & Marine)

86. Daniel de Voigt/Vicki Burrell (Devo Racing)

93A. Tony Giustozzi/Damian O’Leary (Excalibur)

93B. Mick Carroll/Daniel Kelly (Excalibur)

888. Glenn Roberts/Tiarna McGifford (Blown Budget)

 

400 CLASS (GROUP A)

1. Brett Thornton/Lyn Thornton (2Obsessed)

12. Ben Hathaway/Lisa Oppes (Weapon)

21. Mtch Roylance/tba (Blackjack)

33. Jody Ely/Greg Blaz (Rampage)

40. Paul Kelly/Matthew Gow (4Zero Racing)

62. Andrew Medlicott/Phil Shead (Gone Nutz Again)

63A. Sam Everingham/Mikayla Mongan (Arkham Asylum)

63B. Luke Diedrich/Marissa Moore (Arkham Asylum)

66A. Mark Oakley/Jarrod Nobrega (Allcott Transformer)

66B. Brad Marsden/brayden Barr (Allcott Transformer)

67. Justin Roylance/Michelle Hodge (Outlaw Team Spitwater)

70A. Clint Ruby/Mick Brennan (Dirty Deeds)

70B. Shane Brennan/Angel Brennan (Dirty Deeds)

95. Mark Garlick/tba (Grumpy)

96. Peter Monger/tba (Mongrel)

360A. Greg Harriman/Sammy Leonard (Pink Boots Foundation)

360B. Hugh Gilchrist/Rachel Parsons (Pink Boots Foundation)

 

7. Ivan Safranek/Chris Guerin (Katana)

43. Darrin Kesper/Bas Taylor (DUG)

85. David Bray/Adam Knightsbridge (Bare Necessities)

 

----------------------------

 

8:00am - Gates Open

12:15pm - Qualifying #1 (60-minutes)

1:15pm - Qualifying #2 (60-minutes)

 

8:00am - Gates Open

9:00am - Qualifying #3 (45-minutes)

9:45am - Qualifying #4 (45-minutes)

10:30am - Lunch break

11:15am - Qualifying #5 (45-minutes)

12:00pm - Top 3 Final (LS-Class)

12:20pm - Top 12 Finals (Unlimited/400)

1:50pm - Top 6 Finals (Unlimited/400)

2:30pm - FINALS (Unlimited/400)

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Unlimited Superboat (after round six of seven)


1. Phonsy Mullan (RAMJET) - 204-points, 2. Tremayne Jukes (Maniac) - 185, 3. Mick Carroll (Excalibur) - 150, 4. Daryl Hutton (Victorian American Imports) - 149, 5. Ted Sygidus (Frankensztain) - 136, 6. Tony Giustozzi (Excalibur) - 132, 7. Paul Burgess (Daly Transport) - 130, 8. Glenn Roberts (Blown Budget) - 126, 9. Darek Sygidus (Frankensztain) - 122, 10. Daniel deVoigt (DEVO Racing) - 106, 11. Jeremy Kincaid (Rogue) - 58, 12. Scott Krause (Soak’n Fused) - 44, 13. Aaron Hansen (Blown Budget) - 26, 14. Jamie Welch (22), 15. Cheryl Welch (10)

 

400-Class (Group A) (after round six of seven)

1. Ben Hathaway (Weapon) - 186-points, 2. Brett Thornton (2Obsessed) - 175, 3. Jody Ely (Rampage) - 171, 4. Mark Garlick (Grumpy) - 167, 5. Paul Kelly (4Zero Racing) - 144, 6. Justin Roylance (Spitwater Team Outlaw) - 135, 7. Brad Marsden (Allcott Transformer) - 134, 8. Greg Harriman (Pink Boots Foundation) - 122, 9. Hugh Gilchrist (Pink Boots Foundation) - 98, 10. Ivan Safranek (64), 11. Clint Ruby (Dirty Deeds) - 36

 

LS-Class (after round six of seven)

1. Ivan Safranek (Katana) - 108-points, 2. Kyle Reynolds (RedRum) - 63, 3. Graham Reynolds (RedRum) - 43

 

-------------------------------------------------

 

Rnd#1 - 4 March, Temora (NSW) - Colin Parish Memorial Trophy - day/night

Rnd#2 - 25 March, Keith (SA) - Diesel & Dirt Derby

Rnd#3 - 15 April, Griffith (NSW) - day/night

Rnd#4 - 27-28 May, Tweed Coast (NSW) - day

Rnd#5 - 26-27 August, Tweed Coast (NSW) - day

Rnd#6 - 23 September, Temora (NSW) - day/night

Rnd#7 - 28-29 October, Tweed Coast (NSW) [FINAL] - day​

V8 Superboat title come down to wire after tough Temora round

Ben Hathaway

 

Rnd#6 2017 V8 Superboats Championship

Lake Centenary, Temora, New South Wales

23 September, 2017

 

Season 2017 has provided arguably the best competition in the history of the Australian V8 Superboats championship, highlighted by a number of epic battles across both the Unlimited Superboat and 400-Class fields, and that action is expected to step up another gear under lights at Temora on 23 September.

 

The championship’s second visit to the popular regional New South Wales venue also signals the penultimate round of the season, and with next to nothing separating the title contenders going into the finale on the Tweed Coast in late October, Temora’s event offers an opportunity to carry a psychological advantage into that round.

 

For many of the fans - and for that matter, many of the teams in the pits - the big focus will be on the season-long battle between four-time - and reigning - Unlimited Superboat champion Phonsy Mullan, and his 2017 title rival Tremayne Jukes.

 

Jukes has led the championship points standings up until the most recent round on the Tweed Coast three weeks ago, but an electrical gremlin stalled his progress in ‘Maniac’ forcing him out of the finals for the first time all season, an opportunity which title-rival Mullan pounced on immediately, although he too failed to make the top step after suffering his own problems across the weekend.

 

The result of the setbacks though was that Mullan assumed the championship points lead heading into Temora, with Jukes now chasing, seven points back, although on adjusted points (teams can drop their worst point-scoring round of the year in the end of season tally), Jukes remains the points leader by six points over Mullan, courtesy of his three round wins. That puts the advantage firmly back in the ‘Maniac’ team’s court, but it also means that Jukes has to ensure two more solid rounds without setbacks, whilst Mullan will be focused solely on victory.

 

Both teams have been working feverishly over the last few weeks, Mullan rebuilding completely the ‘RAMJET Racing’ LS583ci naturally-aspirated powerplant, whilst across in the ‘Maniac’ camp, they have completely rewired their machine to try and eliminate all potential electrical gremlins, with both teams likely to work right up until opening qualifying to ensure they hit the water ready for battle.

 

Last time out at Cabarita, victory fell the way of ‘Excalibur’ pilot Tony Giustozzi, the South Australian always a contender and he will again be expected to push the points leaders in Temora. So too former champion Daryl Hutton, the popular New Zealander is still working to develop his new package for 2017 and has had a hit-and-miss season to date but is starting to see some light at the end of a very long tunnel.

 

Ted Sygidus (Frankensztain) too will be one to watch, the former 400-Class champion struggled last time out with a major handling issue, something which kept the Victorian off the podium. He’ll be looking to right that wrong at Temora, and try and move clear of Mick Carroll (Excalibur), Hutton, Giustozzi and Glenn Roberts (Blown Budget) in the battle for championship positions.

 

Paul Burgess is enjoying one of his best seasons in an illustrious career in the sport that has spanned more than two decades, the Canberra-based driver will be hoping for some more solid runs inside the top six to build on his strong 2017 championship points haul and try to move further up the order, whilst for Daniel de Voigt, Scott Krause and Darek Sygidus, they too will be hoping for a strong close to the season.

 

Whilst the season regulars will again provide plenty of interest for the fans, the return of a team that had been a strong title contender in past seasons - will also attract plenty of attention.

 

Natwel Racing’s Jamie and Cheryl Welch have not featured in the 2017 season, after a big mechanical failure towards the close of the 2016 championship. That forced a rethink by the West Australian team on their future against tough competition from the likes of Mullan, Hutton, the Sygidus brothers and the Excalibur team.

 

They will make their much-anticipated return at Temora and are expected to feature strongly at the top of the leaderboard with their all-new 1600bhp twin-turbo 427LSX Steve Morris Racing built V8. As one of the stars of the 2016 season before his forced retirement - Jamie Welch is hungry and looking forward to a return to the podium.

 

In 400-Class the championship too is wide-open, with just 16 points separating the top five boats. For points leader Ben Hathaway, the return of his primary powerplant for ‘Weapon’ couldn’t have come at a better time, having languished back down the order over recent rounds whilst the engine was repaired after a failure at the Griffith round earlier in the season.

 

Hathaway holds the championship lead by just a solitary point over reigning champion Brett Thornton, but on adjusted points, Hathaway is third, eight points back from Thornton, and three back from the winner of the most recent round - Jody Ely.

 

Ely was the undeniable star of the Cabarita event, the Victorian storming through the final to take a comfortable win over Thornton and former champion Mark Garlick, all of whom are in the title fight with Queenslander Paul Kelly.

 

They will all no doubt provide plenty of entertainment for the fans, with the focus for Hathaway and the pack, on reigning champion Thornton who won the opening event of the season at Temora after a technical failure thwarted Hathaway’s dominant performance through qualifying. Both those teams will be looking to assert their position in the championship at Temora, and both will be forced to keep a keen eye on Ely who impressed with his new Jetspeed hull. 

 

Justin Roylance too will be looking for big things, the ‘Spitwater Team Outlaw’ driver considers Temora his ‘home’ circuit, and he’s shown in the past he can be a podium contender with the supportive Temora crowd cheering him on. With more development in stock by JRE, the Forbes-based driver could be the dark horse this weekend.

 

There will be a number of new additions to the 400-Class field making their debuts - or returns - to Temora. Clint Ruby is back in ‘Dirty Deeds’ the team having rebuilt their machine after a big off earlier in the season at Temora, they will be joined by a second team spear-headed by Shane Brennan, whilst Andrew Medicott will be making his first appearance in ‘Gone Nutz Again’.

 

‘Arkhum Asylum’ duo Sam Everingham and Luke Diedrich will be making their Temora debuts looking to apply what they learnt during their first season appearance at Cabarita last time out, whilst Greg Harriman and Hugh Gilchrist will be hoping to find form again in the ‘Pink Boots Foundation’ machine.

 

For LS-Class points leader Ivan Safranek, he will re-join the 400-Class field at Temora looking to take the fight to the faster boats, in the process cementing his position as champion-elect during his debut season of V8 Superboats.

 

The penultimate round of the 2017 Australian V8 Superboat Championships will be a day-night event at Lake Centenary in Temora, with gates opening at 3:00pm and qualifying rounds underway from 4:00pm. The circuit is located at Lake Centenary, 3.0-kilometres north of Temora on Barmedman Road - diagonally opposite Temora Airport.

 

Tickets are available at the gate, or by visiting www.afjsa.com/tickets

 

For those of you unable to make the event, this weekend a range of interviews and videos will be made available via www.facebook.com/V8Superboats where results and updates will also be posted, but if you live in the area, do yourself a big favour, and drop down to Lake Centenary to take in some of the action live, you certainly won’t be disappointed!

 

------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

1. Phonsy Mullan/Kelsie Gill (RAMJET)

15. Tremayne Jukes/Kianna Lucas (Maniac)

18. Paul Burgess/Matt Foote (Daly Transport)

22A. Jamie Welch/Joel Page (Natwel Racing)

22B. Cheryl Welch/Rachel Parsons (Natwel Racing)

28. Daryl Hutton/Mick Parry (American Automotive)

37. Scott Krause/Narelle Pellow-Djukic (Krause Auto & Marine)

86. Daniel de Voigt/Vicki Burrell (Devo Racing)

93A. Tony Giustozzi/Lachlan Warner (Excalibur)

93B. Mick Carroll/Daniel Kelly (Excalibur)

888. Glenn Roberts/Paul Hill (Blown Budget)

999A. Ted Sygidus/Braydon Munro (Frankensztain)

999B. Darek Sygidus/Scott Munro (Frankensztain)

 

400 CLASS (GROUP A)

1. Brett Thornton/Lyn Thornton (2Obsessed)

7. Ivan Safranek/Chris Guerin (Katana)

12. Ben Hathaway/Lisa Oppes (Weapon)

33. Jody Ely/Greg Blaz (Rampage)

40. Paul Kelly/Matthew Gow (4Zero Racing)

62. Andrew Medicott/Phil Shead (Gone Nutz Again)

63A. Sam Everingham/Mikayla Mongan (Arkham Asylum)

63B. Luke Diedrich/Marissa Moore (Arkham Asylum)

66. Brad Marsden/Mark Oakley (Allcott Transformer)

67. Justin Roylance/Peter Hodge (Outlaw Team Spitwater)

70A. Clint Ruby/Mick Brennan (Dirty Deeds)

70B. Shane Brennan/tba (Dirty Deeds)

95. Mark Garlick/Angel Brennan (Grumpy)

360A. Greg Harriman/Sammie Leonard (Pink Boots Foundation)

360B. Hugh Gilchrist/James Parsons (Pink Boots Foundation)

 

----------------------------

 

Saturday, 23 September;

3:00pm - Gates Open

4:00pm - Qualifying #1 (45-minutes)

4:45pm - Qualifying #2 (45-minutes)

5:30pm - Qualifying #3 (45-minutes)

6:15pm - Dinner break (sunset - 60-minutes)

7:15pm - Qualifying #4 (45-minutes)

8:10pm - Top 12 Finals (all classes)

8:50pm - Top 6 Finals (all classes)

9:30pm - FINALS (all classes)

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Unlimited Superboat (after round five of seven)


1. Phonsy Mullan (RAMJET) - 168-points, 2. Tremayne Jukes (Maniac) - 161, 3. Ted Sygidus (Frankensztain) - 122, 4. Mick Carroll (Excalibur) - 120, 5. Daryl Hutton (Victorian American Imports) - 116, 6. Tony Giustozzi (Excalibur) - 116, 7. Glenn Roberts (Blown Budget) - 114, 8. Paul Burgess (Daly Transport) - 110, 9. Darek Sygidus (Frankensztain) - 94, 10. Daniel de Voigt (DEVO Racing) - 80, 11. Jeremy Kincaid (Rogue) - 58, 12. Aaron Hansen (Blown Budget) - 26, 13. Scott Krause (Soak’n Fused) - 12

 

400-Class (Group A) (after round five of seven)

1. Ben Hathaway (Weapon) - 150-points, 2. Jody Ely (Rampage) - 149, 3. Brett Thornton (2Obsessed) - 145, 4. Paul Kelly (4Zero Racing) - 134, 5. Mark Garlick (Grumpy) - 134, 6. Justin Roylance (Spitwater Team Outlaw) - 115, 7. Brad Marsden (Allcott Transformer) - 108, 8. Greg Harriman (Pink Boots Foundation) - 94, 9. Hugh Gilchrist (Pink Boots Foundation) - 80, 10. Ivan Safranek (40), 11. Clint Ruby (Dirty Deeds) - 20

 

LS-Class (after round five of seven)

1. Ivan Safranek (Katana) - 108-points, 2. Kyle Reynolds (RedRum) - 63, 3. Graham Reynolds (RedRum) - 43

 

-------------------------------------------------

 

Rnd#1 - 4 March, Temora (NSW) - Colin Parish Memorial Trophy - day/night

Rnd#2 - 25 March, Keith (SA) - Diesel & Dirt Derby

Rnd#3 - 15 April, Griffith (NSW) - day/night

Rnd#4 - 27-28 May, Tweed Coast (NSW) - day

Rnd#5 - 26-27 August, Tweed Coast (NSW) - day

Rnd#6 - 23 September, Temora (NSW) - day/night

Rnd#7 - 28-29 October, Tweed Coast (NSW) [FINAL] - day

Rnd#5 2017 V8 Superboats Championship

Tweed Coast Jet Sprint Club, Cabarita Beach, NSW

(26-27 August, 2017)

 

After a three-month winter layoff, the Spitwater Team Outlaw operation of Justin and Bree Roylance was back on the water for the fifth round of the Australian V8 Superboats Championship on the Tweed Coast in northern new South Wales looking for some more solid data on which to build their team ahead of the 2018 UIM World Championships.

 

Much preparation work had taken place during the winter break, including a solid effort from their ace mechanical crew from JRE Race Engines, giving Roylance and navigator Michelle Hodge full of confidence for a return to the 400-Class podium.

 

Despite that confidence, Roylance was aware very early on at Cabarita of two things.. One, the preparation of the boat had never been better, and the engine performance was very near it’s peak.. and; Two, the jet unit fitted to the pristine ‘Spitwater Team Outlaw’ machine wasn’t capable of handling the power that was being pumped through the 400ci V8 powerplant, forcing some lengthy negotiations with the team’s rivals..

 

“The work that Brad James from JRE has done with the engine is outstanding, it’s making so much power that our poor little jet unit can’t cope,” Roylance admitted.

 

“We knew that would happen, but we didn’t expect to be at this stage just yet in the development of the new package, so to counter the additional power, I had to call in some favours from some of my rivals, who not unsurprisingly didn’t hand across their best blades, but gave me access to blades they weren’t using.”

 

As a point of explanation, jet units feature two impellors [props], the shape and angle of which can have a dramatic effect on the performance of the boat being able to ‘thrust’ its way through the water [hence the term ‘jet’ unit].

 

“We tried various combinations, one of which cost us three seconds a lap, the second of which gained us time, but we were still short of where we needed to be by probably two seconds. We have already placed orders for new blades capable of handling the power we’re now producing, but that takes time and may not even be available to use for the next round in Temora, but we’re still tuning the boat and everything is taking big forward steps.

 

“At the end of the day, we’re campaigning a brand new package this year against teams with tried and proven combinations, and we’re just over a second off where we should be, so all-in-all it’s looking very positive as we head into the 2018 season, a season for which we have big things planned ahead of the World Championships at the end of the year.”

 

Ultimately the ‘Spitwater team Outlaw’ machine was classified seventh for the round having missed the second final by mere tenths of a second, the team’s best lap of 52.646 just over a second and a half off the top qualifiers, the result maintaining Roylances sixth place in the championship with two rounds to go, still well within striking distance of a series podium.

 

The sixth round of the 2017 Australian V8 Superboats Championship will be held at Lake Centenary in Temora in central-western New South Wales on 23 September, a day-night event, ahead of the season finale at the Tweed Coast venue on the northern New South Wales coast over two days, 28-29 October.

 

 

 

------------------------------------------------------------

 

400-Class (Group A) (after round five of seven)

1. Ben Hathaway (Weapon) - 150-points, 2. Jody Ely (Rampage) - 149, 3. Brett Thornton (2Obsessed) - 145, 4. Paul Kelly (4Zero Racing) - 134, 5. Mark Garlick (Grumpy) - 134, 6. Justin Roylance(Spitwater Team Outlaw) - 115, 7. Brad Marsden (Allcott Transformer) - 108, 8. Greg Harriman (Pink Boots Foundation) - 94, 9. Hugh Gilchrist (Pink Boots Foundation) - 80, 10. Ivan Safranek (40), 11. Clint Ruby (Dirty Deeds) - 20

 

-------------------------------------------------

 

Rnd#1 - 4 March, Temora (NSW) - Colin Parish Memorial Trophy - day/night

Rnd#2 - 25 March, Keith (SA) - Diesel & Dirt Derby

Rnd#3 - 15 April, Griffith (NSW) - day/night

Rnd#4 - 27-28 May, Tweed Coast (NSW) - day

Rnd#5 - 26-27 August, Tweed Coast (NSW) - day

Rnd#6 - 23 September, Temora (NSW) - day/night

Rnd#7 - 28-29 October, Tweed Coast (NSW) [FINAL] - day

 

 

 

All images courtesy of Russell Puckeridge - Pureart Creative Images