Australia’s best V8 Superboat drivers will be back at Allcott Hire Park in Temora this weekend to do battle in the third round of the Australian Championships. A big local crowd is expected to see some more intense action under lights, in a return of the battle for the top of the timesheets they’d witnessed just four weeks ago.

Then – three-time Australian Unlimited Superboat champion – Phonsy Mullan wowed the fans with an impressive run late in the night, although the man they all aim to beat had to work perhaps harder than he had at any point in the last 12 months to eke out victory, with some solid challenges coming across the single-day event.

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.

400-Class too will be well subscribed, 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 honour the ‘father of V8 Superboats’ who passed away 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.

Who to watch out for..

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 445ci 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 Australian – 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.

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 ‘monster’ 680ci V8-powered ‘Frankenzstain’ has seen a number of teething issues, last time out it was centered around a fuel pump issue, whilst their ‘Junior’ boat suffered a steering 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 robed 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 ‘blown’ [supercharged] 410ci 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 – amongst 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.

Keep an eye out too for former Temora race winner Greg Harriman in the ‘Pangaea Floors’ entry, David Moody in ‘Jackhammer’ and Superboat veteran Kevin Laugesen, who like Mitch Roylance, stunned the establishment last time around by topping almost every session through qualifying in the silver ‘SpaNET’ bullet..

The third round of the Australian V8 Superboats Championship will be a day-night event at Lake Centenary in Temora, with gates opening and qualifying rounds getting underway from 3:00pm. The circuit is located at Lake Centenary, 3-kilometres north of Temora on Barmedman Road – diagonally opposite Temora Airport.

Gates open 3:00pm (Saturday), entry $25 (adults), $5 (kids), $50 (family pass)  – or, to buy tickets online, please visithttp://www.afjsa.com/tickets/ Food and drinks will be available at the event, but strictly no glass.

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Rnd#3 2016 Australian V8 Superboats Championships

Allcott Hire Park, Lake Centenary, Temora, NSW
 – 21 May, 2016

1. Phonsy Mullan/Kelsie Gill (RAMJET)

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 Importers)

37. Scott Krause/Carey Purcell (Soak’n Fused)

86. Daniel deVoigt/Vicki Burrell (QBEARS)

93A. Tony Giustozzi/tbc (Excalibur)

93B. Michael Carroll/tbc (Excalibur)

302. Jeremy Kincaid/Miles Kincaid (Rogue Racing)

666A. Ted Sygidus/tbc (Frankensztain Jnr.)

666B. Darek Sygidus/Austin Gill (Frankensztain Jnr.)

400 CLASS (GROUP A)

11. Brooke Lucas/Karrina White (Trouble Maker)

21. Mitch Roylance/Matt Hern (Black Jack)

33A. Jody Ely/Greg Blaz (Rampage)

33B. Justin Roylance/Joel Duggan (Rampage)

39. Kevin Laugesen/Jessica Winsley (spanet)

53. Brett Thornton/Lin Thornton (2Obsessed)

333. David Moody/Laura Pratt (Jackhammer)

360. Greg Harriman/Sammy Leonard (Pangaea Floors)

85. Ben Hathaway/Lisa Oppes (Weapon)

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3:00pm – Gates Open

3:00pm – Qualifying #1 (45-minutes)

3:45pm – Qualifying #2 (45-minutes)

4:30pm – Qualifying #3 (45-minutes)

5:15pm – Qualifying #4 (45-minutes)

6:00pm – Dinner break

7:00pm – Top 12 Final (all classes)

7:40pm – Top 6 Final (all classes)

8:20pm – FINAL (all classes)

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Unlimited Superboat (after round two of seven)

1. Phonsy Mullan (RAMJET) – 72 points, 2. Jamie Welch (Natwel Racing) – 66, 3. Daryl Hutton (American Automotive) – 56, 4. Darek Sygidus (Frankenstein) – 48, 4. Cheryl Welch (Natwel Racing) – 48, 6. Paul Burgess (Daly Transport) – 42, 6. Scott Krause (Soak’n Fused) – 42, 8. Ted Sygidus (Frankenstein) – 40, 9. Tony Giustozzi (Excalibur) – 30, 10. Slade Stanley (Hazardous) – 26, 11. Mick Carroll (Excalibur) – 20

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

1. Brett Thornton (2Obsessed) – 63-points, 1. Brooke Lucas (Trouble Maker) – 63, 3. Brad Marsden (Allcott Transformer) – 54, 4. Kevin Laugesen (Spanet) – 22, 5. Jody Ely (Rampage) – 48, 5. Dave Moody (Jackhammer) – 48, 5. Justin Roylance (Rampage) – 48, 8. Mitch Roylance (Black Jack) – 36, 9. Greg Harriman (Pangaea Floors) – 26

Sportsman (after round two of seven)

1. Ben Hathaway (Weapon) – 72

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Rnd#1 – 26 March, Griffith (NSW)

Rnd#2 – 23 April, Temora (NSW) – ANZAC Day Tribute

Rnd#3 – 21 May, Temora (NSW)

Rnd#4 – 6-7 August, Tweed Coast (NSW)

Rnd#5 – 3-4 September, Tweed Coast (NSW)

Rnd#6 – 1 October, Temora (NSW)

Rnd#7 – 29 October, Temora (NSW) [FINAL]