Fans of Australia’s V8 Superboat racing will get their fill of thrills this weekend as the series returns to Allcott Hire Park in Temora, Queensland, this weekend to do battle in the third round of the series. A big local crowd is expected to see some more intense action under the lights, in a return of the battle for the top of the timesheets they’d witnessed just four weeks ago when Australian Unlimited Superboat champion Phonsy Mullan wowed the fans with an impressive run late in the night to eke out victory.

This weekend, South Australian Tony Giustozzi, and West Australian Jamie Welch will be back in the thick of the action, and both will be hoping to improve on their performances at Temora four short weeks ago, where each of them managed to better the reigning champ. The 400-Class too will be equally competitive, with all eyes on Forbes’ Mitch Roylance who stunned the established stars of the tightly regulated category last time out, winning on debut, much to the great delight of the amassed fans.

This weekend will also see the second and final round of the Colin Parish Memorial Trophy, an event designed to honor the “Father of V8 Superboats” who died earlier this year. During the opening leg of the Colin Parish Memorial, which awarded points to the most consistent driver across the three finals in both classes, Natwel Racing’s Jamie Welch took top points from 400-Class podium finisher Brooke Lucas and Unlimited star Tony Giustozzi.

Ones To Watch
There’s little question that the benchmark in V8 Superboats is three-time Unlimited Superboat champion Phonsy Mullan, the Victorian has been undefeated in Australia since the 2014 season, and even despite challenges with his health or the performance of his boat, he still manages to rise to the occasion, especially under pressure.

Expect the 445-cubic-inch twin-turbo V8 powered RAMJET machine to once more lead the Unlimited Superboat field, but keep a close eye on Jamie Welch in the all-blue Natwel Racing entry, the West Australianz who was crowned World#4 earlier this year, has been a revelation this season and has stepped up to be a legitimate challenger to Mullan’s crown.

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For a look at some of this weekend’s top Superboat V8 contenders, checkout the slideshow above. Photos courtesy/copyright Russell Puckeridge/Pureart Creative Images.

So too Tony Giustozzi. We didn’t see the Excalibur pilot at Griffith for the opening round, but typically, on his reappearance at Temora four weeks ago, he seemed rested and ready, punching out some seriously quick laps to top the timesheets, defeating all-comers —Mullan included.

Giustozzi is no slouch in an Unlimited Superboat, but luck and consistency have plagued him over recent years, but as a multiple race winner in the boat he shares with good mate Mick Carroll, he is more than capable of victory, as is Carroll despite being the man who is perhaps best recognised for having two of the biggest crashes in V8 Superboat history, both of them at Temora.

Last time out, former champions Ted and Darek Sygidus arrived at Temora with two of the most impressive Unlimited Superboat packages running anywhere in the world, but both sadly were plagued by niggling issues which forced them to retire both machines ahead of the finals. The development of their 680-cubic-inch V8-powered Frankenzstain has seen a number of teething issues, last time out it was centered around a fuel pump issue.

This time around the team have elected to just campaign the boat they affectionately call Franky Jnr with both Ted and Darek sharing driving duties in their 510ci V8 powered machine, a boat which shares very close bloodlines with Giustozzi’s Excalibur. If they can overcome their developmental issues, they will be contenders!

Sadly for local fans, they’ve been robbed once more of witnessing the return of Wagga’s former world champion Slade Stanley, the talented local hero again struggling to have his new boat ready, delays with the delivery of some vital engine components keeping the popular driver on the bank once more as the third round now passes him by. With any luck fans will get to see the new Hazardous operation on the water in Temora a little later in the season.

Local fans though will have someone to cheer, with Temora’s own Scott Krause returning in Soak’n Fused with his 410-cubic-inch V8-powered machine pushing the popular addition to the Unlimited field into the Top 6 final last time out, to the delight of the big local crowd, the Unlimited class rookie will be hoping to achieve a similar result this time around.

The series will also see another rookie join the Unlimited Class, with former 350 Class champion Jeremy Kincaid finally revealing his new mount, a boat he has been working on for more than 12-months.

In the 400 Class, all eyes will be on rookie sensation Mitch Roylance who will be looking to go back-to-back at Temora in Black Jack in just his second event behind the wheel, the Forbes local though will have plenty of challengers—among them, brother Justin who looks for his first big result this season in Rampage.

The big assault though for the win is expected to come from former 350-Class champions Brooke Lucas and Brett Thornton, the two Queenslanders made the final three four weeks ago, but both were blind-sided by the impressive pace of Roylance in the final, something they’ll be hoping to avoid this time out.

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