Motourage

Phillip Island qualifying and race lap record holder Wayne Maxwell has put his Team Honda Racing CBR1000RR on the top of the timesheets at the conclusion of today’s first 30-minute Viking Group Australian Superbike Championship qualifying session. Maxwell’s thirteenth lap, a 1:33.442, was enough to dislodge teammate Jamie Stauffer from the top spot, a position he had maintained until the session’s closing stages. The form of the factory Honda machines is an ominous sign to their opposition, with Maxwell saying he felt there was more time to be made up in tomorrow’s second qualifying session.

Wayne Maxwell

“The team is working really well,” said Maxwell. “I started off slowly in qualifying but finished fast, and we’re making improvements in every session. The development of new parts and components are coming along great.”

A two-time Australian Superbike Champion, Stauffer is itching to go racing on the Honda and feels race wins are achievable this weekend.

“We’re still trying a few things out with the bike but today it felt really good,” said Stauffer. “It was a successful day for the team with Honda 1 and 2 on the track. We’re not at 100% but this will be sorted out in the second qualifying session tomorrow.”

Just three-tenths of a second off Stauffer’s best lap, Thursday pacesetter Glenn Allerton was again a factor aboard his Procon Racing BMW S 1000 RR. Like Stauffer, Allerton was quick early in the piece, needing just three laps to set his best time of 1:33.886.

Superbike rookie Troy Herfoss continues to trade top times with an experienced field. The factory GSX-R1000 pilot laid down a 1:34.425 lap late in the piece, and will look to close the gap to the top three with further track time tomorrow.

Team Mack Trucks Suzuki rider Robbie Bugden rounded out the top five, with the ever-reliable rider the first of five in the 1-minute-35-second bracket with a 1:35.297 lap.

Yamaha rider Cru Halliday backed up his solid Thursday effort with the quickest Prostock time today.

The eight-rider Superpole session will follow a further 20-minute final qualifier tomorrow for the Superbike/Prostock field.

Brodie Waters is another to maintain an unmatched run of results this weekend. The Team Suzuki GSX-R600 rider converted practice pace into provisional pole position after topping both Supersport qualifying sessions today. Waters’ best lap was an impressive 1.484 seconds quicker than Triumph rider Mitchell Carr, the day’s second-fastest qualifier.

“Team Suzuki did a fantastic job today,” said Waters. “I’m really looking forward to tomorrow’s Superpole and the weekend’s races. Today’s result was a team effort and I have to thank everyone involved.”

Two Yamahas round out the top four spots on tomorrow’s race 1 start grid. Yamaha Racing Team rider Kevin Curtain used his experience to set a best lap of 1:38.237, just seven-thousandths of a second shy of Carr’s time while Aaron Gobert had a solid showing and was fourth fastest on his R6.

The top-four Supersport qualifiers advance to tomorrow’s Superpole session to decide the grid for their first race.

In the Superstock ranks, Mike Jones needed just five laps today to smash his standing qualifying record, raising the bar with a 1:38.592 in the morning session. The Yamaha R6 pilot will start from pole for tomorrow’s two 8-lap races.

Zack Thackeray, Josh Hook and Mark Wilkinson all made solid improvements in the day’s second qualifying session and round out the front row of the grid in positions 2-4 respectively.

Superbike – Round 1, Qualifying 1*
1. Wayne MAXWELL (VIC) / Team Honda Racing, Honda CBR-RR, 1:33.442
2. Jamie STAUFFER (NSW) / Team Honda Racing, Honda CBR-RR
3. Glenn ALLERTON (VIC) / Procon Racing, BMW S 1000 RR
4. Troy HERFOSS (VIC) / Team Suzuki, Suzuki GSX-R1000
5. Robert BUGDEN (QLD) / Team Suzuki, GSX-R1000
6. Craig COXHELL (VIC) / Demolition Plus GAS Honda Racing, Honda CBR-RR
7. Ben ATTARD (QLD) / iStyle The Natural Aprilia Racing, Aprilia RSV4
8. Beau BEATON (NSW) / North Coast V-Twins, Ducati 1198 R
9. Kris McLAREN (VIC) / Kirk McCarthy Memorial Award, Honda CBR-RR
10. Ben HENRY (QLD) Suzuki GSX-R1000
*Full results not available at time of release.

Supersport – Round 1, Qualifying (Merged results)
1. Brodie WATERS (VIC) / Team Suzuki, Suzuki GSX-R, 1:36.746
2. Mitchell CARR (NSW) / Carr Bros. Motorsport, Triumph Daytona, 1:38.230
3. Kevin CURTAIN (VIC) / Yamaha Racing Team, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:38.237
4. Aaron GOBERT (NSW) Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:38.257
5. Nicholas WATERS (VIC) / Waters Racing, Suzuki GSX-R, 1:38.315
6. Rick OLSON (VIC) / Yamaha Racing Team, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:38.388
7. Christan CASELLA (VIC) Triumph Daytona, 1:38.437
8. Blake LEIGH-SMITH (QLD) Suzuki GSX-R, 1:39.640
9. Chris QUINN (NSW) Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:39.682
10. Ryan TAYLOR (VIC) Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:39.793

Superstock – Round 1, Qualifying (Merged results)
1. Michael JONES (QLD) / Reece Bancell Scholarship, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:38.592
2. Zach THACKERAY (NSW)    Kawasaki ZX6R, 1:40.313
3. Josh HOOK (NSW)    Honda CBRR, 1:40.328
4. Mark WILKINSON (VIC) Kawasaki ZX6, 1:40.631
5. Sean CONDON (NSW) / Swann Insurance / Bike Biz Racing, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:40.854
6. Daniel FALZON (SA) Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:41.009
7. Adrian DI GIANDOMENICO (VIC)     Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:41.043
8. Timothy McGREGOR (NSW) Kawasaki ZX6R, 1:41.312
9. Andrew KINGS (NSW) Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:41.334
10. James BECK (NSW) / Evermil Pty Ltd, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:42.344

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.

Viking Group Australian Superbike Championship racer Wayne Maxwell has secured a wild card ride in the Moto2 class with the Italian Matteoni Racing Team at the MotoGP Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix at Phillip Island October 15 – 17.

The 27-year-old Victoria-based racer will be aboard the Matteoni Moto2 machine that has a purpose built Moriwaki chassis and control Honda 600cc engine. This setup is much the same as the current series leader in Moto2, Toni Elias.

Said Maxwell of the deal:  “When the team contacted me about this ride, it was incredibly fortunate. This year the MotoGP event is a non-championship round for Australian Superbikes, so I was free to take up their offer. Not only that, the stars have aligned for me with Matteoni – I’m on a Honda, at Phillip Island, on my preferred tires, and the team really knows how to engineer a Moto2 bike. I need to thank all those who put this deal together. Now I plan to go out there and show what I am capable of.”

Maxwell is the current Australian Superbike pole and race lap record holder, having posted an incredible time of 1:32.316 at the Phillip Island MotoGP support races in 2009. This race lap was faster than a quarter of the MotoGP field at the same event and was set aboard an ASBK-spec Honda CBR1000RR. Importantly it was achieved using the same Dunlop N-Tec tires that all Moto2 bikes must use in 2010.

As well as the support of the Australian fans, Maxwell will also have the particular support of the Holden Racing Team (HRT) and Bundaberg Racing Team (BRR) V8 Supercars drivers with whom he trains. HRT V8 Supercar driver Will Davison will be in attendance in Wayne’s garage, helping him maintain focus for what may be the most important race of his career.

The opportunity to race with the Matteoni team on the Moriwaki MD60 was made possible thanks to the combined efforts of Matteoni Racing, Wayne Maxwell’s manager Dieter Kahsnitz and the major sponsors, Honda Australia, Milspec Services and Construct Concrete Services.

The Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix is on at Phillip Island from October 15 – 17, 2010.

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

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.

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The Viking Group Australian Superbike Championship points leader, Honda’s Wayne Maxwell, has identified this weekend’s ASBK round at Queensland Raceway near Brisbane as the highest hurdle in the second half of his race for title honors.

The 27-year-old Victorian hopes to have overcome a gripe with tire grip which saw him slide backwards from pole position when the series last visited the 3.12km circuit in June.

Wayne Maxwell alongside Ducati's Jamie Stauffer

The Demolition Plus GAS Honda CBR1000RR pilot left the event noting there was plenty to be done to match the pace of the riders he was battling for the points lead and has worked hard to turn around the result.

“It wasn’t our weekend, that’s for sure,” said Maxwell. “With pole position I thought I’d gotten the momentum going but we struggled with tires during both races and ended up going backwards.”

Maxwell, winner of the opening round of 2010, also identified race fitness as a factor and felt he had made good progress from the point he was at in June.

“My training had been affected by injury and I wasn’t feeling as fit as I could have. I’ve added running back into my program which seems to have helped quite a bit. The opportunity to race in the heat and humidity at the Suzuka 8 Hour where endurance is vital was another good way to keep focused and allowed me some good time on the bike.”

Trailing championship leader Bryan Staring by 4.5 points, Maxwell was hopeful of overturning a run of lackluster results in the Sunshine State.

“This needs to be a good weekend, I need to perform at every round. I’m confident I can do well at both Phillip Island and Symmon’s Plains in the final two rounds but Queensland Raceway has been a sticking point in the past. I need to be scoring consistent points at every event we go to in order to keep the pressure on Bryan (Staring, fellow Honda rider and championship leader).”

The top three contenders in the Superbike class have shared an equal spread of race and round wins in 2010 – Maxwell went two for two at Phillip Island, Josh Waters went two for two at Hidden Valley and Staring went two for two at Queensland Raceway.

Separated by just 9.5 points in total, the top three have set the bar high but are not yet clear of a handful of experienced riders ready to pounce given the opportunity.

Three-time Superbike titleholder, Team Suzuki veteran Shawn Giles is steadily closing the gap to third place and is only 22.5 points shy of teammate and defending champion Waters.

“I’m looking forward to getting back on the Superbike this weekend and feel I can really challenge the leaders for race wins,” said Giles. “Our season has been solid – it’s all about being consistent and picking up every point that’s on offer. It’s been a long break between rounds but I’ve kept up the intensity in training. Riding works best for me so I try and get out on the mountain bike or dirt bike every day to maintain fitness and strength.”

2008 champion, Valvoline Superbike Team rider Glenn Allerton is in hot pursuit, 2.5 points back, and top privateer performer Racer’s Edge Suzuki rider Scott Charlton is just a point shy of Allerton.

Local crowds will be cheering for Brisbane-based rider, Team Mack Trucks Suzuki’s Robbie Bugden, who has lapped the circuit thousands of times in his competitive career and knows every bump and braking point like the back of his hand.

Bringing two new manufacturers into the mix for 2010, KTM Superbike Team’s Shannon Johnson and The Natural Aprilia Racing’s Daniel Stauffer also cannot be discounted as they continue to make significant progress with the development of their race machines.

Two-time champion, Ducati’s Jamie Stauffer will be hoping for a better run of results after the last round where he was quickest in Friday practice but plagued by mechanical problems on race day.

The action gets underway at 9am on Saturday August 21 for qualifying and Motul Superpole, and again on Sunday August 22 for all the day’s racing action including two 16-lap Superbike races.

A host of support classes will be on show, as well as all the action of the Aussie Racing Cars and Australian Supermoto Open plus exciting freestyle motocross demos from the Showtime FMX team.

Tickets start at just $20AU, with the Family Pass ($80 for 2 adults and 3 children for 2 days) offering best value.

Visit the ASBK website or Facebook page for more details.

Viking Group ASBK Top-10 Standings
1 Bryan Staring 115pts
2 Wayne Maxwell 110.5
3. Josh Waters 104.5
4 Shawn Giles 82.5
5 Glenn Allerton 80
6 Scott Charlton 79
7 Shannon Johnson 66
8 Jamie Stauffer 60
9 Robbie Bugden 58
10 Jordan Burgess 53.5.

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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