Owner: Tom Heffernan

Driver: Tom Heffernan

Crew: Mick Craddock, Phillip Norrish, Paul ‘Frog’ Norrish, Jeff ‘Wombat’ Heggaton,
Mat Norrish, Judith Heffernan, Natasha Heffernan

Hull: Dragula / Staudacher

Hull Built By: Dragula Hydroplanes Australia – Tom Heffernan

Hull Construction: Marine Plywood, Douglas Fir & Fibreglass Safety Cell

Engine: Chevrolet 454ci Supercharged, Fuel Injected, Fuel - Methanol

Engine Builders: Tom Heffernan & Mick Craddock

Gear Box: Argo Z Drive

Propellor: 13 x 22 Mercury

Sponsors:

Knox International - Australia
Yellow Earth – Woolskin Tanners – Australia
B & L. Craddock Motor Mechanics
Enzed - Brooklyn
Total Rubber – Brooklyn
CBC Bearings - Brooklyn
TFC – Total Flow Cylinderheads
Peter Branch Signwriting & Screenprinting

Tom Heffernan has been building and racing boats for around 35 years. He started his racing career in the 225ci Displacement Class and then moved into the 4.2 Litre Displacement Class. He then decided to move across to hydroplane racing, after building a Dragula / Jones Hydroplane, in which he competed in the 4.2 Litre Stock Hydroplane Class. Having success in this class and winning many championships, including Victorian, South Australian and Australian Championships.

Tom then decided to sell his winning 4.2 Litre Hydro and build his current Grand Prix Hydro. While building the GP, he found that he wasn’t a very good spectator and decided to purchase a half-share in a 1.6 Litre Hydro called ‘Frenzy’. The ‘Frenzy Team’, enjoyed success in the 1.6 Litre Class, with State and Australian Championship wins.

When the GP was complete, it was time to move into the GP Class. The first couple of years were used as a learning curve. With engine problems now sorted, the ‘Dragula GP-7 Racing Team’, started seeing progress for all the hard work that had been put in over the years. 2004 saw the team take out 1st Place in the ‘Inaugural Benalla Rural City Grand Prix Hydroplane Trophy’ and qualifying 6th fastest in the E.C. Griffith Cup and then finishing 4th in the final.