Back to back National Titles

The IN YA FACE race team has done it again, retaining their National Suzuki Superboat title on Saturday, at the Trusthouse Watertrack in Featherston.

It was a spectacular end to the Season, especially for Richard and Roger with the boat running out of water on one of the tight turns, hitting the tyres on the waters edge and barrel rolling twice with a half twist thrown in somewhere for good measure, in the Sport of Gymnastics that would have earned Richard and Roger a 9.750 on the scoreboard.

The Saturday and Sunday night Television News had the Vitroglaze/Garlington Homes boat splashed across our viewing screens, and it would be fair to say that The Burt Maunder Household had as many hits on their telephone as you'd have on a popular You tube video!

Richard says that they just wanted to put on a good show for the spectators, but really the acrobatics wasn't really part of the plan.

Roger ended up being attended to by the ambulance staff on the day and is now nursing a broken ankle and a broken finger and a trip to an Orthopedic Surgeon on Wednesday.

There is great comaradery amongst the Teams in the Sport of Jetsprint racing, and this was demonstrated immediately following the crash with The Opiki Spud crew first in the Team Tent supporting the Girls who were very concerned, other Teams quickly came to support the crew as well.

Once the Humans were checked over and all given the thumbs up, the attention then went to the boat various terms were used to describe the condition of the hull, that mainly suffred denting to Rogers side of the boat and to the rear, the hull it looked a bit munted, but more than likely very repairable.

In the End the IN YA FACE team of Richard Burt and Roger Maunder (Palmerston North) won it's second NZ Suzuki Superboats National Series title with 169 points, 2nd place going to Pat Dillion and Steve Edmonds, (Wanganui) on 160 points, 3rd place going to Leighton Minnel and Kylie Minnel, (Wanganui) on 159 points.

A very dramatic Season, a brief fire in the boat, and a couple of crashes, Richard says that all the dents and the Fire were all on Rogers side of the Boat, so it would be fair to say Roger has been taking his fair share of the hits for the Team for the Season.

So to all the Fans and Supporters of IN YA FACE Race Team, thank you for all your support on behalf of all of us below.

Richard, Roger, Rach, Kiahn, Buckley, Tony, Kim, Nagle and Maureen.

For further photos and results from the Jetsprints and other information on Teams and Track websites go to http://www.jetpro.co.nz/.

Chester and Sharlene (the website people)

Burt and Maunder take the heat and scorch Superboat opposition

The "In Ya Face" Team had an action packed race under lights at Wanganui's Shelterview track on Saturday night. Not only did the racing under lights provide great viewing for the spectators, but there was more action than usual in the boat, other than Richard and Roger being thrown from corner to corner. Roger was literally getting somewhat more of the action in the boat than Richard, due to a methanol fire on board licking at Roger's flameproof clothing, so you could say Roger was in the hot seat, and not Richard (father in law playing "the human shield" on this occasion).

A methanol fire is somewhat exciting, you can feel yourself getting hot, but you just cannot see the flames, one of those invisible fires, just like you see on the televised motorsports overseas ... we'll news flash people, it happens in New Zealand too!

Quick thinking was required and Richard beached the boat on one of the islands, so the RSQKRU Safety team didn't have to get wet! ................. on yer Richard.

The fire started due to a loose part, which allowed the methanol to spew out and hit the hot engine, which in turn caused the fire.
Once the fire was sorted it was straight back into the pit lane for repairs and the replacement of a few rubber parts that had melted, then it was back out on the water for the finals.

Other dramas in the Suzuki Superboat class occured with Leighton Minnell blowing his second engine of the season and Duncan Wilson's boat not firing up for the finals race shootout.

All and all a very successful round for the "In Ya Face" team with Richard having a relaxed final drive, just having to take the boat around the course, and in doing so putting on a great show for the fans, making the last run of the night the fastest of the round by 2 seconds.
Richard Roger and the Team now take a 14 point led into the final race of the Season, at the Trusthouse circuit in Featherston on April 24th.

A big thanks again to our awesome Pit Crew and team work in the Pits, Vitroglaze our main sponsor and Garlington Homes, and to all our other smaller, but also important Sponsors and to those doing heaps of work behind the scenes assisting to get the boat engine and drive units ready and race prepared for each meet.

The Team sure missed Maureen and Rach in the Pits at Wanganui, so we hope the Girls are able to join us for the Final round in 2 weeks time in Featherston.

For further results and photos articles from the round www.jetpro.co.nz