Jacob Roulstone wins ASBK race 2 thriller

Former Moto3 rider takes Honda to the top step at Phillip Island in just his second superbike outing

ASBK Race 2 began in awkward conditions – the circuit mostly dry but with a couple of damp patches that were hard to pick out in the gloomy light. It was the sort of surface that rewards commitment – until it suddenly doesn’t.

Voight (McMartin Ducati) nailed the start and grabbed the holeshot, but ran wide at Southern Loop and opened the door for Waters (McMartin Ducati) to drive through and take control. In the opening laps, it was clear the grip was inconsistent and riders were having to adjust lines corner-by-corner.

Not surprisingly, Allerton (Superbike Advocates Ducati) looked most comfortable early, carving his way forward and then edging past Voight at Turn 12. The front group began to take shape, but then Roulstone (CFG Finance Honda) went for a big outbraking move into Turn 1, ran it deep, and lost positions.

As the race settled, Dunker (Blue Marlin Yamaha) began quietly picking his way forward with strong pace. Up front, Waters continued to set the tempo while Allerton hovered close enough to keep him honest, waiting to pounce on any mistake.

By Lap 4 the podium fight turned into a proper scrap. Halliday (Stop & Seal Ducati) and West (DesmoSport Ducati) forced their way into contention, and West underlined his confidence on the sketchy surface by setting the fastest lap of the race. Experience was showing: the “old guard” staying tidy and consistent in the braking zones and exits.

Allerton showed his wheel at Turn 1 and again at Southern Loop but couldn’t quite make it stick on Waters. Behind them, the battle for the final podium spot became a five-rider brawl, with Halliday, West, Dunker, Roulstone and Jones (Yamaha Racing Yamaha) trading momentum and position corner after corner. Roulstone again ran wide at Turn 1 and bled ground, but the speed was clearly there.

Mid-race, Halliday’s pace started to compress the field to make it a 7-way battle at the front. Roulstone fought back into the mix yet again, while Jones produced a clean move to get ahead of West at MG.

Late in the race, Dunker slipped past Halliday at Southern Loop to grab third, then repeated the trick on Allerton with a tight, committed line that left no room for a counter. With second secured, Dunker immediately set off after Waters, and it was clear the Yamaha had real late-race bite.

Roulstone’s recovery continued as he moved up again—past Halliday—and then the closing laps turned into an all-out war. Roulstone was throwing everything at it, using every last centimetre of ripple strip on the exit of turn 12 as he surged into contention, and putting a hard-but-fair block pass on Allerton at MG to put himself into a position to attack.

The last lap was chaos in the best way. Dunker finally made the move on Waters at Southern Loop to hit the front, but the order still wasn’t settled. Roulstone produced a full-commitment pass into Turn 11 to set up a drag to the line. It was wheel-to-wheel in slippery conditions, and Roulstone held on, just in a breathtaking finish

At the flag it was Roulstone (CFG Finance Honda) who emerged on top, winning from Dunker (Blue Marlin Yamaha). Just 0.198s behind,  Waters (McMartin Ducati) ultimately had to settle for third after leading for much of the race. Voight (McMartin Ducati) backed up his race 1 victory with fourth, while Allerton (Superbike Advocates Ducati) took fifth ahead of the fast finishing West (DesmoSport Ducati). Jones (Yamaha Racing Yamaha) took seventh just under a seconf drom the leader, Halliday (Stop & Seal Ducati) finished eighth, Nahlous (Yamaha Racing Yamaha) was ninth (+4.991s), and Favelle (Addicted to Track Yamaha) rounded out the top ten.