2005 Test 'N Tune Report

2005.10.23 NWSC Carrum Victoria - For some strange reason or another, the start of the Drag Boat racing season seems to creep up, secretly unannounced every year, and catches nearly all but the wise driver, by surprise. Apart from a dozen or so owners and drivers who seem to know what is going on the rest of the drag boaters lose their way and can never have all their equipment ready to race, even though nearly six months has lapsed since the last drag boat ventured down the liquid quarter mile in early May. This has been the normal start to every race season that we can recall, with more drivers walking around the pits and hanging around the beer tent than actually out on the water. So, welcome to the Signature Spas Australian National Drag Boat Racing Series for 2005-2006, and let’s hope that the dismal number of entries isn’t setting the stage for the remainder of the season. Only 13 boats attended the annual Test N’ Tune’ which doesn’t usually bring them out, but it’s about time this trend changed. Those that did make the effort to have all their memberships done, APBA paperwork logged in, and of course, had their boats upgraded or prepared had a reasonable day with great water and weather conditions. With 5, 1.6 litre Oz Lite Hydros present and racing, a good turn out of spectators had a pretty good entertaining day on the cheap.

Still, we saw a bit of a flash with the boats that did race, some new ones and some old ones put in the hard yards and made the rope for the first race day of season 2005-2006!

The boats that did turn up were, ‘FLAT OUT’ Chris Howlett, ‘ROBBIE MARINE PRODUCTS’, David Kula, ‘ENERGY’ David Howie, ‘WHITE HEAT’ Rowan White, ‘FLAMED & FLAT’ Gary James, ‘SHOW NO MERCY’ Ben Coughlin, ‘TRIPPA’ Chris Buhagiar, ‘ANNIHILATION’ Alan Butcher, ‘RADICAL RACING’ Craig Oliver, ‘IMMATURE’ Drew Foster, ‘ARMEGEDDON’, Tony Tippelt and a first timer who came to watch and rushed home to get his boat.

One boat did turn up with a rather big ‘makeover’, was the Spearscraft of Chris Howlett (FLAT OUT). Over the winter layoff, Chris transplanted the tired old 454 that had powered the boat for the last couple of seasons. A big 572ci Chevrolet crate motor, found its way to the MK Automotive & Marine workshop and was placed on the dyno, straight out of the box and pulled a whopping 762hp and a mountain of torque. Some thrashing to have the boat ready saw the big engine fire up late on the Thursday night prior to race day. Chris made some runs on the Saturday, but the boat wouldn’t play the game, due to a propeller problem. A loan of new prop on Sunday and the boat was a completely different animal, laying down some really sweet passes that allowed Chris to really get the power down.

Alan Butcher made the program with his Blown Hydro ‘ANNIHILATION’ and was experimenting with a new prop. The top end speed was down was the boat sure accelerated hard off the line and seemed to get to the finish line a lot quicker. The team was concentrating on the coming season and used the day to try a few changes. Unfortunately the boat suffered some engine gremlins in the early afternoon and spent the rest of the day on the trailer.

Marty Lynch has placed Gary James in the ‘FLAMED & FLAT’ machine for this season and the team had a little bit of bad luck with a magneto problem. Gary, the regular driver of the Blown Alcohol Flatbottom ‘DAD’S TOY’ has parked his boat to concentrate of winning back to back Super Comp titles for the Lynch Team. Look out for the ‘FLAMED & FLAT’ boat to return with a new engine combination real soon.

New driver Drew Foster arrived with his flatbottom ‘IMMATURE’, the bright red Neilcraft looking a cherry piece with tunnel rammed small block bolted inside. Drew has been giving quite a few of the old timers in the class a bit of cheek prior to race day, and gave all a real scare in some match races. Expect to see Drew and the ‘IMMATURE’ team wins a few this season and challenge for the title.

Speaking of new drivers, one guy turned up to watch proceedings and was so excited about the racing, that he went home and got his boat out of the garage and rushed back to compete! Tony (we didn’t get his last name) bought back his 19’ Eliminator Bubble Deck, called ‘OVERPROOF’ and had an absolute ball! After passing through Tech Inspection Tony hit the holding rope for the first time and really gave some regulars a bit of ‘curry’. Tony was so chuffed at the end of the day that he couldn’t wait for the next race day.

Crowd favourite‘SHOW NO MERCY’, and driver Ben Coughlin will again be pressed to hang on to his mantle of class champion, with new boats entering the class. Ben went on to win the match race series on the day, but didn’t have it his own way and was lucky enough to hold off ‘IMMATURE’ in the final of the match race. Ben will be the one again that could go all the way, but need to watch his back, because the new guys are coming.

The ‘WHITE HEAT’ machine of Rowan ‘Skid’ White, made a new season appearance, with a new fit out on the inside. Rowan sold the old engine out of the boat and spent the winter months building a new killer 308, painting the inside of the hull a nice blue, and trying to relieve the boat of some unnecessary weight. Just as well Rowan had a legal single in one pass that made the rescue teams stand up and place them on notice after a steering cable came adrift and sent the ‘WHITE HEAT’ missile on a 180 spin that saw the boat end up in the next lane. Facing the wrong way! Rowan was ok and had the boat repaired and re inspected and was back racing ready for the next round of match racing.

Chris Buhagiar in ‘TRIPPA’ arrived with a new crew member, this one being a couple of weeks old, his wife Jacqui giving birth to baby Meg. Seemed to spur Chris on as he gave enough to show why he was class champion runner up last season. After giving his old foe David Howie in ‘ENERGY’ a work over the only boat that Chris couldn’t knock off was the match race final was ‘FLAT OUT’.

Tony Tippelt bought out his big bad blown Pro Comp boat and gave everyone something to think about. After winning the High Points chase last season, Tony again showed all on the bank that are likely challenges that he is still going to be the class bully. The Pro Comp boys are the talk of the town these days, with some really great stuff amongst them, and let’s hope all the hype that surrounds them continues with some terrific side by side racing.

Well, there you have it! As disappointing as it was with the number of boats that showed up, those that did have already set their seasons up for the new AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL DRAG BOAT CHAMPION for season 2005-2006. Those that didn’t turn up, now have a job a head of them now to catch up.

So let’s hope that we have more boats turn up to the November race day, which has now been named ‘Thunder on the River’, as we are hoping for a really big day. Drivers, ‘START YOUR ENGINES’ the season has begun. So if you want to be the AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL DRAG BOAT CHAMPION for season 2005-2006, see you on the holding rope!