Sieders takes delivery of Mitsubishi SuperUte

The Sydney-based Sieders squad will run up to three Mitsubishi Tritons in the new SuperUte Series next year.

Sieders has started work on transforming the Tritons for the turbo diesel-only engine category which will see the SUV-style, dual cab vehicles replace the Holden and Ford Utes.

News of the Sieders/Mitsubishi alignment comes as SuperUtes custodians Supercars continues with plans previously announced that will see three prototypes to perform demonstration laps during the Clipsal 500 in March.

Speedcafe.com has learnt that Supercars is working on the homologation of a Holden Colorado and Nissan Navara as the deadlines for the Championship which is scheduled to start at Townsville in July loom.

Homologation for the SuperUte’s rollcage, gearbox, differential and running gear is being overseen by V8 Supercar officials at Sieder’s race shop and at Paul Ceprnich’s Gold Coast-based PACE Innovations on the Gold Coast.

Parity and reliability work on the Mitsubishi 2.3-litre turbo diesel will be overseen by noted engine builder Craig Haysted.

Sieders Racing is planning to campaign a minimum of three Mitsubishi entries for current drivers David Sieders, Craig Dontas and another yet-to-be-named high profile competitor.

It is believed the process of the homologation and the securing of the third driver will determine the level of factory support from Mitsubishi.

Supercars has previously stated a desire to have a maximum of five of the one make in the series.

“We canvassed interest from the manufacturers out there and Mitsubishi were keen to get involved by helping us homologate the first ute,” team boss Luke Sieders said.

“We still have to work through the level of our relationship.

“We would like to be in a position to run three factory utes and prepare a couple more (for customers).

“Our goal is to definitely have everything ready for the demonstration at the Clipsal 500 and that will be very achievable.

“Supercars are doing what they need to at their end and the parts list and everything else is well underway.”

The new-look series is open to up to 13 different manufacturers, but Dontas, who has been a mainstay of the Ute championship for many years, said the Mitsubishi delivery provided a shot of much needed confidence.

“The great thing is that the truck is in the race shop and the work is progressing at 100 miles an hour,” said Dontas.

“There has been a bit of scepticism about the new-look series, but this makes it all real and will maybe fire-up a few more to get on with it.”

Sieders Racing was the first to put up his their in support of the previously proposed new-look ute series in March 2015, which ended up dead in the water after a Supecars takeover coup.

The current ute series will compete at Phillip Island as part of the Supercar support program from April 2-23 before its swansong at Winton from May 19-21.

SuperUtes has been earmarked as a key Supercars support category for next season with the series due to begin at Townsville from July 7-9.