Dunker breaks through at The Bend

First time ASBK winner Cameron Dunker stars in South Australia, while Josh Waters answers in race two and Harrison Voight maintains championship lead

Cameron Dunker claimed his first ASBK Superbike race win in a dramatic opening contest at The Bend, surviving an intense late battle after Harrison Voight had controlled much of the race from the front.

Voight launched straight into the lead and quickly established a four rider lead group with Josh Waters, Cru Halliday and Dunker, while Glenn Allerton worked hard to close the gap from just behind. Dunker was a standout throughout the middle stages, repeatedly attacking Halliday and showing strong turning performance as the Yamaha came alive deeper into the race.

The complexion changed when Waters began to fade badly with tyre wear, dropping out of the fight and leaving Voight, Halliday, Dunker and then Allerton to settle the podium places. Dunker’s pace in the closing laps was decisive, and on the final lap he forced his way through when Voight outbraked himself and slipped back.

Dunker took the chequered flag 0.427s clear of Halliday, with Allerton completing the podium after a strong late charge. Voight had to settle for fourth after leading for much of the race, while Jonathan Nahlous and Mike Jones completed the top six. Waters salvaged seventh ahead of Jacob Roulstone, Jack Favelle and Olly Simpson.

Josh Waters hit back in race two with a dominant win, making the most of a revised tyre choice after struggling in the opener and turning the tables on championship leader Harrison Voight.

Voight again featured strongly in the early laps, with Glenn Allerton making a much better start and running near the front, while Dunker quickly forced his way into contention after being buried slightly deeper in the pack off the line. Halliday was also right there in the opening phase, and the lead group remained tightly packed before Waters began to stamp his authority on the race.

As the laps wore on, Waters’ pace and consistency began to stretch the field. He started peeling off the fastest laps of the race while several of his rivals began to lose ground. Allerton dropped back as his softer tyre faded, and that opened the door for Jonathan Nahlous to come forward late, while Dunker fought hard to stay in the podium battle.

At the flag, it was Waters by 3.375s from Voight, with Nahlous taking third after a strong late surge. Dunker narrowly missed another podium in fourth, followed by Jacob Roulstone and Cru Halliday. Allerton slipped to seventh, while Olly Simpson capped an impressive debut weekend in eighth ahead of Jack Favelle and John Lytras

After three rounds, Harrison Voight continues to lead the ASBK Superbike championship with 147 points, but his margin has been cut as Josh Waters moves to 136. Jacob Roulstone holds third on 124, while Cameron Dunker’s breakout weekend lifts him to fourth on 113. Cru Halliday rounds out the top five on 108, keeping the title race tightly packed heading to the next round.

Cameron Dunker — Race 1 Winner
“Not only is it first win here at this track, but also in the Superbike class. I’m really happy with how today has went, and obviously a big turnaround yesterday from a not so good Friday. I can’t be happier. The guys have worked unreal in the last few weeks, since coming from a crash at Sydney, getting everything back together and working the best it can. They’ve gave me a great bike and I was able to show the pace I have and what I can do aboard this R1. To be honest, that’s the one thing we’ve been working on, for us to be able to arrive at a track with a setting and be somewhere close. We struggled in the first two sessions yesterday. I sat the first one out, and the first session, which was FP2 for us, we were not so far off. So that was real positive. Then just chipping away and getting everything better each session. The conditions here have been pretty tough. The track is not a lot of grip, and chewing tyres, and also very windy. It’s been not only difficult for me but for the team as well, to be able to give me the best bike possible.”

Josh Waters — Race 2 Winner
“A very tough race. I’m sure it was great to watch. Harry rode fantastic like he has all year. Huge thanks to my team, all my sponsors, the team sponsors. We couldn’t do it without them. How things can change from one race to another!”

ASBK ROUND 3 THE BEND SUPERBIKE RACE 1

ASBK ROUND 3 THE BEND SUPERBIKE RACE 2

ASBK SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS AFTER ROUND 3