American K-boat champion Ty Newton returns to Australia this August for another shot at the Battery World National Drivers’ Championship, six months after his campaign ended in a rollover on the first lap of round one at Mildura.
Newton’s K-640 “Mr Big Stuff,” co-owned by Sydney’s Craig Cook and John Grijalva, suffered a cav-system failure moments into its Australian debut in January. The boat had arrived in the country just days before the race after shipping delays in the US.
Craig Cook explained the fallout.
It wasn’t what we’d hoped for, but it came off the back of a litany of issues highlighted by the late arrival of the boat in Australia. The boat arrived just in time to be freighted to Mildura, and after more than two months sitting in a shipping container, we discovered a number of things weren’t right, one of those was the cav-system which failed on Ty’s first lap. Fortunately it was only a relatively slight rollover and we repaired the boat to continue racing, but the more we checked, the more issues we found.
Newton raced a second event at Berri a week later before returning home to California. The boat stayed in Australia, where Cook’s team, with engine builder Garry Kincaid, has since built three fresh engines ahead of the Dargle return.
Cook is expecting a different result this time.
We’re 100% serious about making an impact. This is one of the best K-boats in the world, and Ty has taken it to victories all over the USA, it’s run 155 to 156mph in the States. With help from the Newell brothers and Wayne Newby we’ve been right over the boat, so we’re heading to Dargle with the intention of pushing for a result.
The team plans to contest both the Dargle and Windsor rounds before deciding on a longer-term Australian campaign.
Cook on the appeal of the series.
We really like the National Drivers’ Championship concept. If we’re competitive, we’ll continue running, ideally with Ty driving, but he lives in California, so it’s a big deal to get him out here every couple of months. If we can generate some interest and sponsorship support, there’s no reason we can’t be here for seasons to come.
The visit also comes as circuit boat racing changes shape in the US, where Duff Daily’s retirement and the withdrawal of his boat “El Cid” have left “Mr Big Stuff” among the last K-boats competing, with speed-limited Pro Stock classes now taking over.
Cook on the category’s decline at home.
It’s a real pity the category has come to an end in America. I don’t think it’s ever going to regain numbers, and Australia has really set a new standard. Politics played a part in its demise over there, and I hope that doesn’t happen here, because the series in Australia has great potential.
Round three of the Battery World National Drivers’ Championship runs at Dargle Valley Boat Club, Lower Portland, on the Hawkesbury River from Friday July 31 to Sunday August 2.
2026 Battery World National Drivers’ Championship
17-19 April
27-28 June
31 July-2 August
18-20 September
30 October-1 November
For the past three decades, Sean Henshelwood has been fortunate to build a career that is never dull, consistently challenging, and offers an extraordinary breadth of experiences. His work spans Asia and Australia, encompassing commentary, media support, and the development of television programmes. He collaborates closely with a dedicated Beijing-based team, delivering a diverse range of media services to motorsport and motoring clients across the Asian region.
