Motourage

Team Suzuki raced to a one/two finish in the 8 Hour Australian Endurance Championship at the Phillip Island Circuit this weekend.

Superbike team riders Josh Waters, Troy Herfoss and Robbie Bugden claimed the outright and class honors aboard the Phil Tainton Racing-prepared GSX-R1000 with a total of 279 laps and 1241 kilometers completed. Coming in five laps behind them and second outright for the event was Suzuki’s Supersport effort of Brodie Waters, Ben Attard and Mitchell Carr aboard the GSX-R600.

Team Suzuki’s assault proved flawless, with both teams taking out their respective category pole positions on Saturday in the Super Qualifying sessions. Josh Waters was top Superbike and outright qualifier with a time of 1:33.164, while younger brother Brodie set the pace for the Supersport class on 1:36.285, which was good enough for fourth outright.

Team Suzuki dominated Sunday’s endurance event from the outset, with Waters leading the field away in the Le Mans-style start, in which riders sprinted to their bikes to begin the race. From there it was a team effort between Waters, Herfoss, Bugden and the pit crew to lead the race’s entirety to the checkered flag.

Waters claimed the fastest lap of the race on lap 154, posting a 1:34.805-second time to confirm both the speed and the reliability of the Suzuki GSX-R1000 in competition trim.

“My teammates were fantastic and we worked really well together,” Waters explained. “Everybody put in 100 percent and it was a great way to wrap up the 2011 season. It was good fun working with the other riders and I was lucky that I had team mates on my side who are fast and consistent. My experience in the Suzuka 8 Hours this year in Japan with Yoshimura Suzuki played a big part in my preparation for the race and I really enjoy endurance racing. It was definitely an advantage for me and I’m proud to win along with Team Suzuki.”

“We had a great weekend and I felt comfortable working alongside both Mitch and Ben on the team,” added Team Suzuki’s Supersport class rider Brodie Waters. “We pushed hard at the start and then settled into a rhythm, which is important in endurance racing. It is a great reward to win the Supersport class for Suzuki and go one/two outright.”

Read more…

Team Honda Racing Australia came away from another QBE Australian Superbike Championship round satisfied after Jamie Stauffer took the overall round win and Wayne Maxwell claimed fourth overall at this weekend’s event at Symmons Plains Raceway in Tasmania. The championship title was decided today after Team BMW  Motorrad Australia’s Glenn Allerton clinched the coveted based on available points remaining. With one round to go, Team Honda Racing is focused on retaining their second place with Stauffer and moving Maxwell onto the podium to take third.

Race 2 today was equally as exciting as the first with Stauffer getting off the line strongly from his P7 start to move into second by the mid-way point of the race. There he remained to the checkered flag behind ultimate race winner Josh Waters.

From P1 on the grid Maxwell battled with Troy Herfoss for third, but had to settle for fourth place at the line.

“I would have liked to convert my P1 position into a race win today, but I wasn’t able to so,” said Maxwell. “I just have to focus on Phillip Island next weekend to finish the season strongly and possibly move into a podium position for the championship. We will make a few changes to the set-up of the CBR1000RR in the days we have before the final round to suit the Phillip Island circuit, it is a circuit I am strong at so I am really determined to get a place on the podium in 2011. Congratulations to Glenn on the championship title.”

Stauffer is really pleased to take the overall round win for the penultimate round of the championship and appears to have found the momentum he needs on his CBR1000RR to finish the season impressively and retain his current second-place ranking.

“Congratulations to Glenn taking the championship today; that was a great effort,” said Stauffer. “I’m really happy to take my second round win of the season, and I would like to thank Team Honda Racing for their hard work this weekend. We had a couple of dramas in qualifying which the team responded to quickly and clearly sorted for me to go out confidently in the races. Next weekend is the final one for the year and I am planning to hold onto to my second place for the championship, so I’m not taking my eye off the goal with such a strong field.”

With many strong competitors emerging through the season, the final round of the QBE Australian Superbike Championship will be a fantastic spectacle to decide the remaining championship positions. Team Honda Racing’s Team Principle Paul Free is proud of his team’s effort this weekend.

“The team have put in 110 percent this weekend, as with every event, and I’m really proud of them,” said Free. “It was fantastic for Jamie to win the overall for Round 7, and we are looking forward to getting to Phillip Island next weekend for the final round. I would like to congratulate Glenn on his championship title on behalf of all the team. It was disappointing for Wayne to have crashed in race 1 as he was looking very strong from his P1 start. Still, we will move into next weekend with a clear goal for our final round, to consolidate second place for Jamie and get Wayne into third.”

ASBK round 8 will be held at Phillip Island November 18-20.

Team Mack Trucks Suzuki’s Robbie Bugden topped today’s Superbike practice sessions at Tasmania’s Symmons Plains Raceway. The Queenslander led today’s combined QBE Australian Superbike Championship practice sessions, shooting up the timesheets as the clock ticked down during this afternoon’s final 20-minute session.

With the Superbikes book-ending the day’s proceedings, it looked like the early morning mark of Wayne Maxwell may have stood until a barrage of quick laps came in the closing minutes. But, on lap 13 of practice 2, Bugden set an unanswered best of 54.153” on his GSX-R1000, finding more than half a second since the opening session.

It’s a promising start to the penultimate round for Bugden, 29, who is hopeful of improving the pace of his Team Mack Trucks Suzuki even further tomorrow.

“I’m happy with today’s results but I think there’s still lots more to come from the bike,” said Bugden. “It’s a circuit I really like, very technical, and I knew if we chipped away at it this morning we could sharpen the bike up for this afternoon’s session. I’m just looking forward to getting out there and racing. If it’s dry it’s going to be a fierce, close race, the times today tell that story.”

Positions 1-7 on the overall timesheets were separated by just 0.332”, setting up a thrilling qualifying and opening race tomorrow.

Symmons Plains’ quickest-ever Superbike qualifier, Jamie Stauffer, finished second today, and is doing everything he can to stay in the hunt for the 2011 title. The winner of three of the past four Superbike races will need to keep his eye on the prize if he and his factory Team Honda are to hold off Glenn Allerton, who was a comfortable fifth.

“To be honest the pace wasn’t what I thought it would be, it’s slower than I expected and I think there will be a lot more we can do overnight to get a quicker bike for qualifying,” said Stauffer. “If the weather closes in it changes things. It looks like we will spend at least some of our time this weekend riding in the wet, if it has to be in the races then we’d really like to be able to get a setup tomorrow morning during qualifying. We’re going in the right direction and where we need to be at the moment.”

Josh Waters put his Team Suzuki GSX-R1000 into the top 3, edging out Honda’s Wayne Maxwell by just over one-hundredth of a second.

The difference between the times of Craig Coxhell and Troy Herfoss in sixth and seventh illustrated the evenly-matched affair – there was none. Both riders rounded out the day with a best time of 54.48”, unable to be split on the timesheets.

Brodie Waters was the fastest of the Prostock competitors today, lapping his Team Suzuki machine in 55.862 seconds. Again it’s a case of must-win in this class for Waters, with current leader Linden Magee streets ahead on the points table.

The field will contest two 20-minute qualifying sessions tomorrow morning to determine the order for the eight-rider Superpole shootout.

Grid placings will carry over into the opening 16-lap race, to be held at 1:50PM local time.

Combined Practice Results, Symmons Plains:

1. Robert BUGDEN (QLD) / Team Mack Trucks Suzuki, 54.153
2. Jamie STAUFFER (NSW) / Team Honda Racing, 54.192
3. Joshua WATERS (VIC) / Team Suzuki, 54.209
4. Wayne MAXWELL (NSW) / Team Honda Racing, 54.222
5. Glenn ALLERTON (NSW) / Procon Maxima, 54.336
6. Troy HERFOSS (NSW) / Team Suzuki, 54.485
7. Craig COXHELL (VIC) / GAS Honda / Demolition Plus, 54.485
8. Ben HENRY (QLD) / CUBE Racing / Australian Outdoor Living / Weld West, 55.772
9. Brodie WATERS (VIC) / Team Suzuki, 55.862
10. Linden MAGEE (QLD) / Coastline Motorrad Racing, 55.928

Troy Herfoss

Rookie Superbike racer Troy Herfoss believes second place in the QBE Australian Superbike Championship is within reach, but he knows he will face a titanic battle in the next two weeks to steal it, starting this weekend in Tasmania. The Team Suzuki rider heads to Symmons Plains in fourth place, a commendable result in itself given his limited time to adapt to the 1000cc machine after stepping up as Supersport 600 champion. Herfoss, 24, admits a mid-season loss of direction was disappointing, but is confident that recent form, including two strong results at the Phillip Island MotoGP supports, has him well-placed to challenge for the runner-up position. Given the pace of rival riders at the 2.4km circuit earlier this year, he knows the task will be anything but easy.

“The race at Symmons Plains in February was unreal, it was probably the closest race I have ever been involved in,” said Herfoss. “I expect the pace will be just as quick, if not quicker, this weekend. I’ve added some strength training along with interval work to make sure I can run at the front and don’t fade in the final few laps. When you’ve done a good lap around Symmons Plains, you know it. There’s no rest, despite the long 280km/h straight – it’s a wrestle from start to finish. I lost my way a bit at the mid-point but I think we’ve turned a corner. Wet or dry, I love the track and can’t wait to put in two strong races.”

Herfoss is 11 points shy of his goal of runner-up in the 2011 championship.

Current second-placed rider Jamie Stauffer will face the challenge of attack and defense this weekend. The Team Honda rider can still snatch the title from runaway leader Glenn Allerton, but will need a perfect run of race results in the final stages of the eight-round season. Stauffer, a two-time ASBK champion, will also have to keep a close guard on second, with the likes of Herfoss, Craig Coxhell, Wayne Maxwell and Josh Waters all within striking distance.

“At this stage what happens in the championship is ultimately up to Glenn,” said Stauffer. “I can’t change what happens, all I can do is go out there and try and get the pole and race wins. At the same time I have to be thinking about second. Wayne and Troy were both really strong at the Island, and Josh set the lap record at Symmons Plains earlier this year so I know he will be fast. I’ve got no doubt Team Honda will be up there at both Symmons Plains and Phillip Island, everyone is determined to round out this year on a high note.”

Read more…

Viking Group Australian Superbike Championship frontrunners have Glenn Allerton in their sights as the points leader guns for his fourth round win in succession at Darwin’s Hidden Valley Raceway this weekend.

The Sydney native has taken the series by storm on his Procon Maxima BMW, managing the transition to a vastly-different bike with relative ease over the off-season. Allerton recorded the final round victory of 2010, and has notched up two more round wins from two starts at Phillip Island and Symmons Plains. Allerton enjoys a 23-point advantage at the lead of the Superbike field after two rounds.

The 2.87km Hidden Valley circuit’s front straight will demonstrate the blistering speed of the BMW S 1000 R, an advantage that Allerton hopes will keep him ahead of the field.

“The bike is coming along in leaps and bounds,” said Allerton. “We’ve tried a few new settings with forks and brakes which we feel will make it a complete package. It comes off the corners well and will really come into its own down the long front straight.”

The series’ second visit to the “Top End” will be crucial to the championship chances of a number of riders; none more so than Wayne Maxwell who is desperate to convert pace to points. The Team Honda rider has headed both QBE Superpole sessions so far, but a race win has eluded him.

“We’ve been working hard on bridging the gap to Glenn (Allerton),” said the fifth-placed rider.  “It’s time to start winning races if we’re going to reel him in and the team has been working hard on developing some new parts to give us the best chance.

One of the championship’s fittest riders, Maxwell has approached the challenge of the Territory’s taxing heat with a strategy.

“The key is to train hard in the lead-up and keep something in reserve for the races – you don’t want to be spent by the time the weekend comes around.”

iStyle The Natural Aprilia Racing’s Ben Attard is another rider who has put in the hard yards prior to Hidden Valley. Attard impressed with a second place during the wet Phillip Island opener and hoped there was more to come from the powerful Italian machine.

“I think we’ll be strong whether it’s wet or dry,” said Attard. “We’ve got some new fork kits for the bike this round and the development as a whole has come on strong since Phillip Island. I’d consider myself a pretty fit racer and I’ve been competing in a few running races between rounds to keep that competitive edge.”

The Queensland-based rider sits fourth on the Superbike standings on 65 points.

2010 Australian Supersport Championship victor Troy Herfoss heads to Hidden Valley with few expectations, pointing out the vast differences between the Team Suzuki Supersport machine he won on last year and his current ride, the GSXR-1000.

“My goal this year has been to finish every race, and so far I’m on track,” said Herfoss.  “I haven’t ridden on a 1000cc bike at Hidden Valley and it’s going to be very different to last year. All I can do is hope to be competitive and improve on my results from Tasmania.”

A two-wheel enthusiast, Herfoss has kept himself busy on other forms of cycle to keep his eye in.

“I’ve been doing as much as I can, my training is primarily bike-related, so I’ve been on my mountain bike, my dirt bike and road bike at every opportunity.”

Herfoss’ strong season start has him placed second on 70 points after two rounds.

2010 Hidden Valley victor, Team Suzuki’s Josh Waters will be another one to watch this weekend. Waters won the opening race in Tasmania with lap record pace, and is showing no signs of slowing.

Riders will get two practice sessions on Friday to find a suitable setup ahead of Saturday’s qualifying sessions. QBE Superpole will follow to determine the top 8 places for Sunday’s grid. Sunday’s race will consist of two 17-lap races.

The bumper event also features action from the QBE Supersport, Honda Prostock, Suzuki Superstock and Motul Superlites classes plus the new sidecar class, Superside.
Read more…

Team Suzuki’s Troy Herfoss claimed the number-one plate with victory in both races at the final round of the Australian Supersport Championship at Tasmania’s Symmons Plains International Raceway this past weekend.

The event was held in conjunction with the V8 Supercar Championship, a large crowd braving changeable and squally weather across the weekend to witness the first “2 plus 4” national championship meeting held at the venue since 1998.

Herfoss, who started from the front row of the grid on his Team Suzuki GSX-R600, clinched the championship in the opening 14-lap race on Saturday with a thrilling 0.135sec victory over championship contender Christan Casella, while Suzuki rider Brodie Waters completed the race one podium in third.

With the championship decided, race officials allowed the 23-year-old to swap from his regular #18 plate to #1 for Sunday’s second race, held over 16 laps in wet and slippery conditions at the 2.4km Launceston circuit. Herfoss was again victorious, this time by 3.725sec over Casella with Aaron Gobert third.

Sunday’s race wasn’t without drama for Herfoss, who had to withstand a last-corner lunge from Irishman Des Darby, the latter falling victim to the slippery circuit when within sight of the finishing line and ending up in the muddy outfield.

For Herfoss, victory in front of the large V8 Supercar crowd on Sunday while wearing the #1 plate was a perfect end to what has been a breakthrough year for the ex-Supermoto champion.

Swapping to Supersport racing after winning the US Supermoto Championship in 2008, Herfoss has now added the Australian Supersport Championship to his trophy cabinet in only his second full season in his new discipline. It was the first Australian Supersport Championship for Team Suzuki.

“I was able to watch the race on the big Super screen every time I went down the main straight, so I knew what sort of gap I had and where the other guys were,” said Herfoss. “It was a good feeling seeing that number one plate on the big screen.”

Herfoss finished the season with 274 points, 40 points clear of Casella (234) with Brodie Waters third on 212 points.

In the Australian Superbike Championship Team Suzuki rider Josh Waters marked a successful return to the national series with third overall for the round from second and third placings in the two Superbike races.

The 23-year-old missed the previous two rounds of the series while he recovered from injuries sustained in an accident in early July in the USA when testing for the US Suzuki Superbike team.

Waters, the defending Australian Superbike Champion, qualified on the front row of the grid after posting the third-fastest time in Superpole.

He finished third in Saturday’s 14-lap race, held on a dry track, behind race winner Glenn Allerton and Jamie Stauffer, then backed up with a close second on Sunday’s 16-lap wet race behind race winner Wayne Maxwell.

Allerton finished third in Sunday’s race to claim the overall round win, with the 2010 Australian Superbike Championship going to Bryan Staring.

Three-time New Zealand Superbike Champion Robbie Bugden recorded sixth and seventh placings on his Team Suzuki Mack Trucks GSX-R1000 for sixth overall for the round.

Bugden was engaged in an entertaining battle with the Suzuki GSX-R1000 of Scott Charlton in race one, eventually getting the better of Charlton by 0.212sec. In race two, Bugden again found himself in a close battle with Charlton, although this time the finishing order was reversed.

Missing from the grid at Symmons Plains for the final round of the 2010 series was three-time Australian Superbike Champion Shawn Giles, the Team Suzuki rider recovering from a fractured collarbone suffered in the Superbike support category event at the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix at Phillip Island in mid-October.

Giles expects to be back to race fitness in time for the Australian Endurance Championship 6-hour event at Phillip Island on December 4-5th where he will co-ride a Team Suzuki GSX-R1000 with Waters.
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

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.

After all but counting himself out, Cougar Bourbon Honda Racing pilot Bryan Staring was able to produce a near perfect lap to claim pole position for the fifth round of the Viking Australian Superbike Championship at Queensland Raceway.

Staring struggled in today’s two 30-minute qualifying sessions and was hopeful of simply securing a front-row start. Midway through Motul Superpole, Staring’s split time suggested he had found some extra pace, and it was confirmed as he stopped the clock with a 1:10.379 lap of the 3.12km circuit, the fastest lap of the day.

Wayne Maxwell came agonizingly close to knocking Staring from the top spot, lapping just nine-hundredths of a second slower than his fellow Honda rider. The Demolition Plus GAS Honda pilot claimed provisional pole after a solid showing in this afternoon’s second qualifying session, and was encouraged despite missing out by such a small margin.

KTM Superbike Team rider Shannon Johnson enjoyed a welcome return to form, qualifying his RC8R in third position with a tidy Superpole lap.
“Qualifying has been a dream run in comparison to the last round, last time we were here we only did 3 laps in qualifying – this time I find myself in third,” said Johnson. “It’s the first time all year we’ve made Superpole and we improved a handful of positions on top of qualifying. It’s a huge credit to all involved in the outfit including KTM and ESG (Evolution Sports Group).
After the last round I was really questioning myself but we worked hard, tried a few things at a test which yielded positive result and here we are.
This is the best the bike has felt all year; it feels good in the turns, which was its weak point in the past. Over race distance this will be a strong point, too.
I’ve already exceeded my goal for the weekend and – who knows – we might just be in a position to take a podium which would be amazing.”

The Valvoline-backed entry of Glenn Allerton made it three Honda CBR1000RR racers on the front row, with the 2008 champ recording a 1:11.300.

CJC Racing Superstock entrant Craig Coxhell made it in to Superpole for the second round in a row and showed the might of the 1000cc BMW machine on Queensland Raceway’s two long straights. He was fifth quickest and heads up the second row of the grid, followed by The Natural Aprilia Racing’s Dan Stauffer, Team Mack Trucks Suzuki’s Robbie Bugden and Ducati Motologic’s Jamie Stauffer who made a small mistake on his flying lap.

Read more…

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.
Read more…