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A battle royale raged between two former Australian Superbike champions at Hidden Valley today, with Procon Maxima BMW rider Glenn Allerton claiming race 2 and Team Suzuki’s Josh Waters getting the nod, by a single point, for the round win.

2008 champion Allerton finished second to 2009 champion Waters in the opening 17-lap battle, and knew he would need to win the second race to have a shot at his fourth round victory in succession.

Glenn Allerton, Josh Waters and Ben Attard

The BMW S 1000 RR rider withstood Hidden Valley’s intense heat to take his race win tally to four for the year, but it was Waters who prevailed for back-to-back round wins in the Northern Territory.

“It’s been a real battle with Glenn this weekend and a lot of fun,” said Waters. “To take back-to-back wins at Hidden Valley really is all we could have hoped for. It was hard work in the heat but we hung in there and the pole position point ended up giving us the edge today. Suzuki have done an amazing job with the GSX-R1000 and I can’t thank the crew enough for their dedication.”

Waters is quickly making up the points deficit after missing the opening round while making his World Superbike debut. He entered the weekend in 10th and leaves in 5th on 88 points.

Allerton extended his lead to 37 points today and acknowledged Hepburn Motorsports’ quick thinking between races to give him a better bike this afternoon.

“The boys made a setup change which made the bike a lot easier to ride in the second race,” said Allerton. “It was a lot better rolling into the turns and coming out of them and was strong from start to finish. It’s a great result for us and the BMW just keeps getting better. We’ve added a few points to our lead and are really looking forward to seeing how the bike does in Perth.”

Ben Attard and his Aprilia outfit had another exemplary showing today, with the experienced Queenslander scoring his second race and round podium for the year aboard the RSV-4. The iStyle Natural Aprilia Racing Team rider led the opening lap of race 1, and showed pace again this afternoon. Attard had the measure of Waters at mid-race distance but consolidated for third place after his pace faded slightly.

“After a season of development the team has really come on strong with the Aprilia, it’s still early days but these results are really promising,” he said. “It’s really good to be up here racing in the top three and showing what the bike can do.”

Consistent finishes in each round to date have Attard placed third in the championship, just a point off Team Suzuki’s Troy Herfoss. Herfoss held onto second place with two top five finishes today as he continues to come to grips with the GSX-R1000 in his rookie season.

Craig Coxhell took over the top Honda placing in the championship with two fifth places today for the Demolition Plus GAS Honda outfit.

The factory Honda Superbikes struggled in the Darwin heat, with Jamie Stauffer and Wayne Maxwell both failing to finish.

Kevin Curtain took the QBE Australian Supersport Championship round victory with another a strong ride today. The Yamaha Racing Team rider won race 2, holding off teammate Rick Olson who had an improved showing in second.

Polesitter Mitchell Carr looked set to challenge the factory Yamaha team following his maiden Supersport race win this morning but didn’t have the pace to stay in touch.

The experienced Curtain said he had hoped to make a break early after falling back in the first race.

“The plan was to get out there and get as much as a gap as I could,” said the YZF-R6 mounted rider. “I knew there would be nothing in it, Rick caught me in the closing stages and I wore the tire down trying to stay in front. It’s a good result for my own championship and for Yamaha this weekend.”

He may have narrowly missed the round victory but Carr accumulated enough points to overtake fellow Triumph rider Christian Casella in the title chase.

“It’s been a breakthrough weekend, everyone’s really chipped in and we’ve taken the Triumph to another level,” said Carr.

After three rounds he holds a two-point lead over Casella, with Curtain a further three points in arrears.

Team Suzuki’s Brodie Waters went from second to fourth on the standings after a problematic weekend which included a crash in this afternoon’s race.

Today’s support classes provided close and entertaining racing for the Darwin crowd.

The Honda Prostock spoils went to Cru Halliday, Mike Jones extended his Suzuki Superstock lead with another clean sweep, and Josh Hook did the same in Motul Superlites.

Shane Soutar and Jeff Rowe put on a show in the Superside class, taking two race wins from three and the overall.

The Viking Group Australian Superbike Championships heads to Western Australia as part of the Perth Trading Post Challenge from April 29 – May 1 where Superbike and Prostock classes will race as a combined field.

Viking Group Australian Superbike Round 3 Overall
1. Joshua WATERS (VIC) Team Suzuki, Suzuki GSXR, 46
2. Glenn ALLERTON (VIC) Procon Maxima BMW / Dynomotive / Zoom Recruit. BMW S 1000 RR, 45
3. Ben ATTARD (QLD)     The i-Style Natural Aprilia Team Aprilia RSV4, 35
4. Craig COXHELL (VIC) Demolition Plus GAS Honda, Honda CBR RR, 32
5. Troy HERFOSS (VIC) Team Suzuki, Suzuki GSXR, 31
6. Cole ODENDAAL (NSW) GAS Honda Racing / NSW Compensation Lawyers, Honda CBR RR, 30
7. Kris McLAREN (VIC) McLaren Motorsport / Kirk McCarthy Memorial Award, Honda CBR RR, 27
8. Jamie STAUFFER (NSW) Team Honda Racing / Oleon Oils / Motologic, Honda CBR RR, 18
9. Ben HENRY (QLD) Cube Racing / Australian Outdoor Living / Weld West, Suzuki GSXR, 13

QBE Australian Supersport Championship Standings
1. Glenn ALLERTON (VIC) 138
2. Troy HERFOSS (VIC) 101
3. Ben ATTARD (QLD)     100
4. Craig COXHELL (VIC) 90
5. Joshua WATERS (VIC) 88
6. Jamie STAUFFER (NSW) 84
7. Cole ODENDAAL (NSW) 75
8. Wayne MAXWELL (VIC) 60
9. Ben HENRY (QLD) 58
10. Robert BUGDEN (QLD) 57

QBE Australian Supersport Round 3 Overall
1. Kevin CURTAIN (VIC) Yamaha Racing Team Yamaha, YZF-R6, 45
2. Mitchell CARR (NSW) Carr Bros M-sport / Triumph / Peter Stevens M-cycles Triumph Daytona, 43
3. Rick OLSON (VIC) Yamaha Racing Team Yamaha, YZF-R6 38
4. Nicholas WATERS (VIC) Arai Helmets, Suzuki GSXR, 34
5. Christan CASELLA (VIC) Aark Electrics / Triumph Aust. / Alpinestars / AGV Triumph Daytona, 31
6. Aaron GOBERT (NSW) Yamaha / Graves / Hot Bodies Yamaha, YZF-R6, 28
7. Dylan MAVIN (QLD) Champion’s Ride Days / Honda / Palfinger Cranes Honda, CBR RR, 28
8. Brodie WATERS (VIC) Team Suzuki, Suzuki GSXR, 27
9. Andy LAWSON (QLD) Avweld Pty Ltd / Trucks Australia, Yamaha YZF-R6, 23
10. Jackson LEIGH-SMITH (QLD) Champion’s Ride Days / Honda / Palfinger Cranes, Honda CBR RR, 23

QBE Australian Supersport Championship Standings
1. Mitchell CARR (NSW), 110
2. Christan CASELLA (VIC), 108
3. Kevin CURTAIN (VIC), 105
4. Brodie WATERS (VIC), 103
5. Aaron GOBERT (NSW), 99
6. Rick OLSON (VIC), 89
7. Andy LAWSON (QLD), 69
8. Nicholas WATERS (VIC), 66
9. Glenn SCOTT (NSW), 62
10. Ryan TAYLOR (VIC), 58

Yoshimura Suzuki is preparing for its second World Superbike Championship race on May 30 at the Miller Motorsports Park fifth round in America.

Following its inaugural WSBK points-scoring ride with Australian Josh Waters at the Australian series opener at Phillip Island last month, Yoshimura is currently evaluating all data gathered and further developing the team’s GSX-R1000 ahead of the US race, in which 22-year-old Waters will compete in only his second-ever World Championship event.

At Phillip Island, the team tested several new Yoshimura factory parts, including an all-new R-11R racing exhaust, which will be further developed by R&D testing in America and also at the Suzuka 8-Hour in Japan at the end of July.

“At Phillip Island, Josh did a great job in his first ride on the Yoshimura GSX-R1000; his first race on Pirelli tires and his first race on the world stage,” said Yoshimura’s Keiko Oshimi. He finished 18th in race one because of a puncture, but was 13th in race two and earned three points.

“Although we were happy with our result, we always want to do better and we have found some areas to work and improve on before we go to Miller Motorsports Park in May.”

Team Suzuki’s Josh Waters has signed to race for the Yoshimura Racing Team at the opening round of the 2011 World Superbike Championship at Phillip Island in Australia.

“We are extremely excited to have Josh on board,” said Yoshimura Japan President Fujio Yoshimura, who handpicked the 2009 Australian Superbike champion to represent the team on February 25-27. “He is a very talented rider, and we look forward to seeing what he can do at his home track.”

Perry Morison, General Manager, Motorcycles, Suzuki Australia was equally excited about the opportunity for the Suzuki Superbike Young Gun, saying, “We’re really happy that the Yoshimura Racing Team has asked Josh to race at the Phillip Island World Superbike round. The 2010 season was a challenging one for Josh, but he showed what he is capable of by returning from injury to take a race win at the MotoGP Superbike support race. His opportunity with Yoshimura now lets him showcase his talent on the world stage and I can’t wait to see him race.”

In addition to his involvement with the Yoshimura Racing Team, Waters will continue as part of Team Suzuki competing in selected Australian Superbike rounds.

It was a case of “to finish first, first you must finish” for Bryan Staring who endured torrid conditions at Tasmania’s Symmons Plains circuit to win his maiden Viking Group Australian Superbike Championship title. The Cougar Bourbon Honda pilot held the advantage over fellow Honda rider Wayne Maxwell going into the race, needing simply to finish today’s 16-lap finale to take the championship.

A plume of spray rose as the field headed into the first corner and it was the wet weather warriors that reigned supreme as Staring played it safe. Ducati Motologic Racing’s Jamie Stauffer led momentarily before Team Suzuki’s Josh Waters took over, controlling proceedings until lap 3 where Maxwell made his move. The odds were stacked against Maxwell who needed to win or take second and have Staring fail to finish, and he gave himself every chance should misfortune have struck the points leader. The Demolition Plus GAS Honda rider soldiered on to take an impressive victory ahead of Waters, but the overall spoils went to Staring who survived a breath-taking moment negotiating lap traffic to finish 8th.

Staring was elated with his championship victory and said he fought hard to control his nerves during the closing stages of the race.
“I feel funny about it because that last race went so terribly. I couldn’t see a thing out there and it was a real battle to finish,” explained the 23-year-old. “I couldn’t help but think about the championship in today’s race, I told myself I’d race to my own agenda but there were people passing me left, right and center, and it was certainly on my mind.

“I’m so glad to have raced this season with Honda and the Cougar Bourbon Honda team, we’ve had such a successful year and this championship has come down to the effort of so many people. This is a huge achievement for us and it will probably take a while to sink in. Thanks also to Wayne (Maxwell) and the other riders who have pushed me every step of the way.”

The title of Australian Superbike Champion will be added to Staring’s previous achievements of Supersport and 125GP victories, making him the only rider in the history of national road race competition to achieve the elusive “triple crown.”

The Gold Coast-based rider started the 2010 season without a race victory next to his name and finished with five, an incredible feat considering his team was formed just weeks before the opening round in February.
Read more…

The late-season form of Ducati Motologic Racing’s Jamie Stauffer continued today at Symmons Plains Raceway in Tasmania, with the two-time Viking Group Australian Superbike Champion setting the pace in qualifying for the seventh and final round of the season. His best lap of the deceptively-demanding circuit was a 54.355s, .202 clear of Valvoline Superbike Team Honda rider Glenn Allerton. Stauffer made the switch to the powerful 1198R at the start of the season, and by the mid-point showed it would be a force to be reckoned with, regularly topping the timesheets. His only win in Ducati colors came at the non-championship MotoGP support event last month, and he is eager to convert today’s promising pace to points this weekend.

“It’s a good result to start off with but we’re really looking forward to converting it to a couple of race wins,” said Stauffer. “I’m confident that the bike is as good in race trim as it is as a qualifier. If I can pull off another good flying lap in Superpole then we’re in with a shot. We came here expecting wet conditions but we had a dry run for both sessions so there would be big changes to make if the rain starts falling tomorrow.”

The Newcastle-based rider will be the last of 8 out to contest tomorrow’s Motul Superpole, and will look to defend his provisional placing at the head of the field.

Two more former champions trailed Stauffer on the timesheets. 2008 titleholder Glenn Allerton delivered a typically-solid effort in second place with a 54.557s lap in the closing stages of the 20-minute qualifying session.

Following a successful return to his regular ride on the Team Suzuki GSX-R1000, 2009 champion Josh Waters was instantly on the pace, clocking the third-quickest time.

The only two riders in contention for the title had a safe day, with Demolition Plus GAS Honda’s Wayne Maxwell banking a time good enough for fourth fastest, and Cougar Bourbon Honda Racing’s Bryan Staring the last man in the 54-second bracket in fifth.

Christian Casella got the edge over Insure My Ride Australian Supersport points leader Troy Herfoss in the final stages of today’s 20 minute qualifying for the 600cc machines. The Triumph 675 rider recorded a time of 56.682s on lap 19 of 19, just .098s clear of his Suzuki rival. Today’s result could be too little, too late to stop Herfoss, who can wrap up the title a day early if he finishes in the top two tomorrow.

Local rider Brett Symonds used his intimate knowledge of the track to set the third quickest time on his Yamaha today.

Brodie Waters, the third rider in mathematical contention for the Supersport title, was fourth on his Suzuki GSX-R600.

Viking Group Australian Superbike Championship, Round 7 – Symmons Plains, Qualifying

1. Jamie STAUFFER (NSW) / Ducati Motologic Racing, 54.355
2. Glenn ALLERTON (NSW) / Valvoline Superbike Team, 54.557
3. Joshua WATERS (VIC) / Team Suzuki, 54.833
4. Wayne MAXWELL (VIC) / Demolition Plus GAS Honda Racing, 54.870
5. Bryan STARING (QLD/WA) / Cougar Bourbon Honda, 54.924
6. Robert BUGDEN (QLD) / Team Suzuki
7. Daniel STAUFFER (QLD) / The Natural Aprilia Racing Team, 55.514
8. Scott CHARLTON (NSW) / Racers Edge Performance, 55.580
9. Craig COXHELL (VIC) / CJC Racing, 56.041
10. Kris McLAREN (VIC) / McLaren Motorsports, 56.279

Insure My Ride Australian Supersport Championship, Round 7 – Symmons Plains, Qualifying

1. Christan CASELLA (VIC) / Aark Electrics / Peter Stevens M-cycles / Triumph, 56.682
2. Troy HERFOSS (VIC) / Team Suzuki, 56.780
3. Brett SIMMONDS (TAS) / Simmonds Racing / Xlite Helmets / Motul / Dunlop, 57.808
4. Brodie WATERS (VIC) / Waters Racing, 57.901
5. Chris QUINN (NSW) / The Cannon Store / Coopers Pale Ale, 57.902
6. Ben BURKE (NSW), 57.947
7. Aaron GOBERT (NSW) / AGR Inc / Bell Helmets / Yamaha / Dynojet, 58.211
8. Nicholas WATERS (VIC) / Waters Racing, 58.729
9. Andy LAWSON Jnr (QLD) / Champion’s Ride Days Race Team / Palfinger Aust., 59.502
10. Ryan TAYLOR (VIC) / Pakenham Yamaha / Monitor my Super, 59.509

Bryan Staring will draw on all of his racing experience in order to defend an 18.5-point lead and claim a maiden premier class crown when the Viking Group Australian Superbike Championship heads to Symmons Plains in Tasmania this Friday through Sunday.

Staring, 23, finds himself in a position similar to the one he faced in the closing stages of last season when he held off his fast-finishing teammate to claim overall honors in the Supersport class. Graduating to a full-time Superbike ride, the Cougar Bourbon Honda Racing pilot has built his 2010 campaign on consistency, and lightning-quick race pace. Of the 10 races contested he has won half, and finished outside the top 3 only once.

With significant championship gains and bragging rights still up for grabs at the final round, Staring is not expecting fellow competitors to allow him an easy run to the checkered flag.

“Tasmania will be a really big test. There’s a lot of guys out there who are looking to round out the year with a good result as they look towards 2011 so it will be every man for himself,” said Staring. “I’ve found myself in a pretty similar position to where I was last year, having to defend, and I learnt a lot from that experience.”

Solid preparation for the round 7 showdown has Staring quietly confident about his chances.
“I’ve been approaching the round as I have every other, I’m pretty set in my ways when it comes to training and getting ready for a race weekend so it wouldn’t make sense to start changing things now,” he said. “The MotoGP supports at Phillip Island were a bit topsy turvy for us but we came away with a bit more knowledge about the bike which we are hopeful of drawing on next week.”

Demolition Plus GAS Honda’s Wayne Maxwell is now the only rider that can come between Staring and the title. Maxwell, 28, is renowned for his Symmons Plains pace and has kept himself well in contention with a solid season to date.

The man putting the most pressure on Staring as he fought his way to last year’s Supersport title is also one of the form riders heading in to next weekend’s event. Ducati Motologic Racing’s Jamie Stauffer shook a run of bad luck to claim the outfit’s first race win, albeit in non-championship mode, at Phillip Island last month. Stauffer, a dual Superbike champion himself, has looked racy all year and will no doubt be on the pace again at the 2.41km circuit just outside of Launceston.

Team Suzuki’s Josh Waters will be eager to continue his incredible charge aboard the factory GSX-R1000 machine. Waters’ win at the Phillip Island MotoGP support round was a popular one. The 2009 ASBK champion from Mildura was sidelined mid-season after a testing crash in the United States, and despite a slower than expected recovery, has bounced back to his very best.

The Superbike and combined Superstock 1000/A&B classes will contest two 25-minute races across the course of next week’s event, again run in conjunction with the V8 Supercars.

Team Suzuki rider Troy Herfoss has extended his points lead to 31 in the Australian Supersport Championship after two hard-fought races at the penultimate round of the series at Victoria’s Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit this past weekend.

Herfoss, who started from pole position on his Team Suzuki GSX-R600, was engaged in two thrilling 10-lap races with Christan Casella and Suzuki rider Brodie Waters. The 23 year old, who is only in his second full season of Supersport racing after swapping from Supermoto at the end of 2008, went elbow-to-elbow with his two adversaries in each race at a meeting run in conjunction with a round of the V8 Supercar Championship Series.

The Team Suzuki rider recorded the fastest lap in race one on his way to a 2.340-second victory over Waters, with Casella third. Waters had led the opening two laps, but Herfoss proved too strong in the latter part of the race.

“I had a couple of scary moments in race one when I nearly hit some seagulls, but I wasn’t sure how close Brodie was behind so I didn’t want to back off,” said Herfoss.  “Then when I came around Turn 12 there was a tortoise trying to cross the track. I was pretty glad to see the checkered flag, that’s for sure.”

In race two Herfoss was engaged in another titanic battle with Casella and Waters, with Waters leading the opening four laps, then Casella the next three, before the Team Suzuki rider forced his way to the front for the next two laps. But a minor error at Turn 10 on the final lap saw Herfoss run slightly wide with Casella eventually winning a drag race to the finish line to take a 0.003sec win in a photo-finish. Waters was 0.967seconds back in third.

“I’m disappointed with my small mistake, but happy to have won the round and extended the championship lead,” said Herfoss.

With one round remaining, Herfoss leads the Australian Supersport Championship with 224pts ahead of Casella with 193 and Waters with 179.

In the Australian Superbike Championship Team Suzuki riders Shawn Giles and Robbie Bugden finished fifth and eighth overall after chasing a set-up they were comfortable with on the fast and challenging 4.45km Victorian circuit. The round was won by Wayne Maxwell from current championship leader Bryan Staring.

Giles, a three-time Australian Superbike Champion, finished fourth and seventh in each race after starting from the second row of the grid. The 40-year-old won an engaging battle with Suzuki rider Scott Charlton and Shannon Johnson in race one by just 0.770sec, but was unable to repeat the result in race two after getting away to a bad start.  Giles’ 31-point haul from the two races sees the Team Suzuki rider just 6.5pts off third overall in the championship.

Bugden, a three-time New Zealand Superbike Champion, finished sixth and eighth in the two 10-lap races in his first outing on the Phillip Island circuit in 2010. Bugden missed the opening round of this year’s Australian Superbike Championship at Phillip Island in February as he was defending his 2009 New Zealand Superbike title.

With one round remaining Bryan Staring leads the series on 211pts from Wayne Maxwell 192.5, Glenn Allerton 149, Scott Charlton (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 143 and Shawn Giles 142.5.

Missing from the grid for Round Six’s two Superbike races was the Team Suzuki GSX-R1000 of reigning Australian champion Josh Waters, the 23-year-old still recovering from an accident in early July in the USA when testing for the US Suzuki Superbike team. Waters is expected to return for the final round in November.

The series now heads to Tasmania’s Symmons Plains Circuit on November 12-14 for the final round, to be run in conjunction with the V8 Supercars.

Phil Tainton – Team Manager:
“Troy’s performance this weekend again showed maturity beyond his years. For someone in just his second full season of road racing his results have been exceptional. Pole position, a win and a second this weekend have put Troy in a strong position for the 2010 Supersport championship as we head to the final round in Tasmania in November.

“It was a challenging weekend finding a set-up for the Superbike guys, especially with the changeable weather conditions. Phillip Island is a circuit that puts big demands on the rear tires of the Superbikes, and the heat generated through the fast corners is the highest we encounter on any circuit.

Troy Herfoss:
“I’m pleased with the overall weekend result and it’s good to win the round, but I’m disappointed with the small mistake I made in race two that cost me the win. It would have been good to win in front of the big Sunday crowd, although I’ve increased my points lead so I am happy with that because our focus is the championship.

“It was a close battle between Brodie (Waters), Christan (Casella) and myself in race two and I was sitting back planning my move. I wanted the win, not just to ride for the points. But I ran wide at Turn 10, and that allowed Christan to close up and then get by. The bike was awesome and the team did a great job. I’m looking forward to Tassie.”

Shawn Giles:
“I was happy with the opening race, and winning the battle for fourth was a good result. Phillip Island is one of my favorite tracks, but it really punishes the tires because of the high speeds. It’s always a balancing act between grip and making the tires last the distance.

“We made some set-up changes for race two and I was confident of getting on the podium. But I got a bad start and got caught up in the pack in the early laps. The team worked non-stop all weekend, and kept making set-up changes until I had the confidence to push harder. I can’t thank them enough. I had one of the fastest bikes through the speed trap at 307km/h.”

Robbie Bugden:
“It was a challenging weekend for me as I haven’t raced at Phillip Island since the final round in November last year, so it was my first time here on the new control tires. Finding a good set-up on such a fast circuit is always a challenge, and losing a session on Friday because of the wet conditions didn’t help. But we made good progress every time we went out on the circuit.

“It’s just a pity the meeting wasn’t starting Sunday afternoon, as I feel I could have challenged for the podium.”

Josh Waters:
“It’s obviously disappointing not to be racing, but it’s important that I’m fully fit before I get back on the bike. Suzuki won’t let me rush my return because they are focused on my long term racing goals.  Team Suzuki and Suzuki Racesafe have been monitoring my progress and making sure I’ve been getting regular medical attention. I expect to be back on the bike for the final round at Symmons Plains in Tasmania.”

Superbike Overall Results – Round 6: 1 Wayne Maxwell; 2 Bryan Staring; 3 Glenn Allerton; 4 Scott Charlton (Suzuki GSX-R1000); 5 Shawn Giles (Suzuki GSX-R1000); 6 Jamie Stauffer; 7 Shannon Johnson; 8 Robbie Bugden (Suzuki GSX-R1000); 9 Craig McMartin; 10 Cru Halliday.

Superbike Championship Points (after 6 of 7 rounds): 1 Bryan Staring 211pts; 2 Wayne Maxwell 192.5; 3 Glenn Allerton 149; 4 Scott Charlton (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 143; 5 Shawn Giles (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 142.5; 6 Jamie Stauffer 127; 7 Shannon Johnson 119; 8 Robbie Bugden (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 115; 9 Josh Waters (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 105.5; 10 John Allen 68.5.

Supersport Overall Results – Round 6 : 1 Troy Herfoss (Suzuki GSX-R600); 2 Christan Casella; 3 Brodie Waters (Suzuki GSX-R600); 4 Ben Burke; 5 Aaron Gobert; 6 Michael Jones; 7 Dylan Mavin; 8 Ryan Taylor; 9 Blake Leigh-Smith (Suzuki GSX-R600); 10 Des Darby.

Supersport Championship Points (after 6 of 7 rounds): 1 Troy Herfoss (Suzuki GSX-R600) 224pts; 2 Christan Casella 193; 3 Brodie Waters (Suzuki GSX-R600) 179; 4 Aaron Gobert 129; 5 Chris Quinn 128; 6 Ben Burke 119; 7 Ryan Taylor 104; 8 Blake Leigh-Smith (Suzuki GSX-R600) 85; 9 Des Darby 85; 10 Sam Heath 80.

Wild weather conditions could play a significant part in deciding the podium for this weekend’s sixth round of the Viking Group Australian Superbike Championship at Phillip Island, running alongside the 500km V8 Supercar endurance race.

Predicted barreling winds and steady showers throughout the course of practice, qualifying and the two 10-lap races will keep riders and teams on their toes, with setup likely to vary by the session.

Time will tell if the storming run of Superbike points leader Bryan Staring can be stopped; the Gold Coast-based Cougar Bourbon Honda rider has won four consecutive races and enjoys a handy advantage at the top of the table. The closest challenger, fellow Honda rider Wayne Maxwell, said a number of factors would come into play this weekend.

Wayne Maxwell:
“The races are shorter, for a start, which changes strategy. There’s certainly no chance of tires overheating, but whether or not there is an advantage in sprinting an entire race or holding back until the last few laps remains to be seen.
The conditions are something we all have to manage. We are expecting it to be pretty wet and windy for most of the weekend, so hopefully the setup won’t vary too much. I definitely need to win this weekend; there is no two ways about it. The buffer Bryan (Staring) has is enough for him to be comfortable, so I need to push my hardest.
Queensland didn’t go as well as it should have and I’ve made the job harder for myself, but Phillip Island is a track I do well at and I’ve already got a couple of wins in the bag from earlier in the year.”

Staring, who is closing in on a maiden Superbike title, said he was aiming to maintain the gap over Maxwell and a fast-finishing Glenn Allerton.

Bryan Staring:
“I’ve had a few weeks to train at home and we completed a good test at Phillip Island just over a week ago, all signs were positive and the new bike is feeling very strong. We’re well prepared so there’s no reason why we can’t come away from this weekend with another good haul of points.
Wind and a wet track certainly make things difficult but these are conditions we all have to deal with. A mistake-free run will be vital, there’s only 10 laps in each race so a good start will be important as will consistent, quick laps right to the checkered flag.”

2009 champion, Team Suzuki’s Josh Waters, is on the mend following his crash at US circuit Willow Springs but will not contest this weekend’s round. Instead, he will be concentrating on a return at Symmon’s Plains for the final round rather than risking another rider’s or his own safety. Waters predicted the final two rounds, including this weekend’s Phillip Island showdown, would be a battle between Staring and Maxwell.

Josh Waters:
“I feel like I am ready to race and would love to be on track this weekend but I’m following medical advice and will not rush my return, I don’t want to put anyone at risk out there. The championship is now out of reach, but I am really focused on getting back on track for the final round at Symmon’s Plains to round out the year on a high.
I don’t like to be a spectator but the battle between Wayne and Bryan is going to be intense and great to watch,” he continued. “Wayne is unbelievable at Phillip Island and, going on history, I think he will have the edge.
Symmon’s Plains is another track he is very good at. On the other hand it has been Bryan all the way since the middle of the year, if he continues to ride the way he has then I can’t see anyone being able to get the points on him over the last 4 races.”

Following an impressive second-place finish for the round at Queensland Raceway, Ducati Motologic Racing’s Jamie Stauffer is another rider who will be in contention for a podium placing. Stauffer and Team Manager Paul Free have come to grips with the steep development curve of the Ducati 1198R which will come into its element on the sweeping Phillip Island circuit. He will be the lone Ducati pilot this weekend with teammate Jordy Burgess still sidelined after a qualifying crash last round.

BMW’s Craig Coxhell will be looking for another rocket start to Saturday and Sunday’s 10-lap races after an impressive performance at Ipswich. His CJC Racing S100R shot from the second row of the grid to lead the field into turn one in the second race of the day. Two maximum points hauls saw Coxhell close the gap even further in the Superstock 1000 A&B points race, and like the Ducati, the BMW should come into its own this weekend.

The Supersport field, bolstered by entries from the Superstock 600 class, will also contest two 10-lap races across the course of the event. Supersport action will resume with Team Suzuki’s Troy Herfoss leading the charge. Herfoss’ winning run was ended at Queensland Raceway when Yamaha’s Kevin Curtain slipped through and stole a pair of race wins. A solid effort by Triumph rider Christian Casella saw him step up as Herfoss’ closest opposition following a lackluster round for Brodie Waters.

Viking Group Australian Superbike Championship Points
1. Bryan STARING (QLD), 166 Points
2. Wayne MAXWELL (NSW), 147.5
3. Glenn ALLERTON (NSW), 115
4. Shawn GILES (VIC), 111.5
5. Scott CHARLTON (VIC), 110
6. Joshua WATERS (VIC), 105.5
7. Jamie STAUFFER (NSW), 98
8. Shannon JOHNSON (VIC), 90
9. Robert BUGDEN (QLD), 87
10. John ALLEN (QLD), 68.5

Insure My Ride Australian Supersport Championship Points
1. Troy HERFOSS (VIC), 178
2. Christan CASELLA (VIC), 150
3. Brodie WATERS (VIC), 141
4. Chris QUINN (NSW), 107
5. Aaron GOBERT (NSW), 98
6. Ben BURKE (NSW), 87
7. Ryan TAYLOR (VIC), 80
8. Kevin CURTAIN (VIC), 70
9. Mitchell CARR (NSW), 68
10. Blake LEIGH-SMITH (QLD), 63

Defending Viking Group Australian Superbike Champion Josh Waters will have the opportunity to showcase skills honed at a local level when he jets to the United States to ride for Team Rockstar Makita Suzuki at rounds 6 and 7 of the AMA Pro Superbike Championship. Waters will race the factory machine at round 6, Mid Ohio and round 7, Laguna Seca, which are separated by just a week in late July. ASBK Team Suzuki manager Phil Tainton will accompany the Aussie young gun.

Rockstar Makita Suzuki has been the dominant team in the US series, having won seven consecutive Superbike titles since 2003. The Mildura, Victoria-based talent impressed the team at a recent test following the local Queensland Raceway round and received the call up when regular rider Blake Young was injured.

“Firstly I would like to wish Blake a speedy recovery,” Waters said. “When I got the call up I was blown away that the team thought of me to fill in. I know it’s not going to be easy as the next two tracks are quite hard, but I know I have the best team behind me. I also want to thank my Team Manager, Phil Tainton, for again coming with me.”

Waters is one of three current Viking Group ASBK riders making their mark abroad.

Demolition Plus GAS Honda Racing’s Wayne Maxwell finished fifth in a recent guest ride with the Honda Dream RT team at the Suzuka 300 in Japan. He will suit up during July to take part in the challenging Suzuka 8-Hour also.

Valvoline Superbike Team star and 2008 ASBK champion Glenn Allerton is currently placed second in the premier class of the Asian Road Racing Championships with a race win and a second place among his top results.

On home soil riders will be preparing for the next round of the ASBK which will be held at Queensland Raceway from August 20-22.

Cougar Bourbon Honda Racing’s Bryan Staring is the current championship leader heading Maxwell by 4.5 points. Waters is a further 5 points adrift after three rounds.

Bryan Staring crosses the line at Queensland

Cougar Bourbon Honda Racing’s Bryan Staring has rocketed from third to first in the race for Viking Group Australian Superbike Championship honors with a clean sweep at Queensland Raceway, host of round three. This morning’s race win was a career first for the 23-year-old from the Gold Coast, but he wasn’t content to stop at one, comfortably winning the second 16-lap battle and the round in the process. Staring’s stellar starts were a key contributor; he was away well from second place on the grid and once in the lead looked unstoppable. The results cap off a weekend in which rider and team went from strength to strength.

“It’s been such an unreal weekend, we kept progressing with what we knew and the bike just kept getting better,” said Staring. “I said yesterday that Wayne (Maxwell) had a clean sweep in the first round, Josh (Waters) in the second and felt it might have been my weekend to have a go too. The team deserves this victory as much as me, they put together an awesome bike in the CBR1000RR.This is my local round now so it’s good to share this with my family and friends.”

Staring collects 50 points for the round and dislodges Demolition Plus GAS Honda’s Wayne Maxwell from the top spot after the Victorian endured a frustrating day. Maxwell finished third in both races, unable to convert yesterday’s blistering qualifying pace into a result today. A despondent Maxwell said there was lots of work to be done before the series returned to the circuit in Ipswich for its next point-scoring round.

“We’ve got a lot of work in front of us, today was a constant struggle,” he said. “We were gifted a few places in that second race when a few of the other bikes dropped out, that was the only positive to come from today. Josh (Waters) and Bryan (Staring) raced hard today and are making this a really tough battle, congratulations to both. We’ll go away and regroup. The team is strong and I have to thank them for all their efforts today.”

Though consistent, Waters’ two second-place finishes weren’t enough to hold on to second place in the title race, and the defending champion said the team would most likely revert to the setup which brought them success at Hidden Valley in April.

“We made a few changes to the bike for the second race which helped, but no one was going to beat Bryan (Staring) today,” said Waters. “The bike was great and the team worked as hard as ever but it just wasn’t our day. We come back here in August and we’ll have a much better idea of where to start with setup from the outset. I’m looking forward to improving on today’s result and most importantly, staying in the hunt for the title.”

Two eventful races changed the complexion of the 2010 championship for a number of leading riders. Problems plagued Ducati Motologic Racing’s Jamie Stauffer, with the two-time winner exiting both races early and taking zero points for the round. The outcome is a slide from fourth to eighth on the standings.

Suzuki riders put in a solid performance across the board, claiming positions 4 through 6 for the round. Brisbane-based rider Team Mack Trucks Suzuki’s Robbie Bugden excelled at his home event, and makes good inroads on his 2010 campaign after missing the opening round. Team Suzuki’s Shawn Giles finished fifth followed by Racers Edge Performance Suzuki rider Scott Charlton.

Valvoline Superbike Team rider and 2008 champion Glenn Allerton launched an attack on the leaders in race two before a mishap put him out of the running and made the final few laps a salvage operation for points.

Gold Coast rider Daniel Stauffer put in his best performance of the season on the new factory Aprilia RSV4, finishing seventh for the round.
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