Farnsworth and Edwards crowned in dramatic wet Supersport/Next gen finale

Queensland Raceway dished up rain, a red flag and a late twist, with Jake Farnsworth and Tom Edwards emerging as champions

Queensland Raceway delivered a chaotic and emotional finish to the 2026 ASBK Supersport and Next Gen season as changing weather, a shortened race and a red flag combined to decide both championships in extraordinary fashion.

The final race was reduced from 14 laps to 10 as rain arrived on the grid and teams scrambled to swap to wet tyres and adjust their setups. Conditions remained treacherous throughout, with several riders skating off line even before the start. The race was then red flagged after a crash for Valentino Knezovic at Turn 5, with the result declared once the leader had completed enough distance.

At the front, Olly Simpson took the race win for DesmoSport Ducati after another assured performance in the wet. Tom Toparis finished second after showing strong pace despite an earlier mistake in race one, while Hayden Nelson completed the podium and capped a highly competitive season in the new Next Gen class.

The biggest championship swing came in Supersport. Farnsworth started the final race needing a near-perfect outcome to overturn Knezovic’s advantage, and the wet conditions opened the door. Farnsworth put himself in the fight immediately, charging to the front group while Knezovic slipped down the order before crashing out. With the red flag ending the race, Farnsworth was confirmed as 2026 Supersport champion on 219 points ahead of Knezovic on 204.

It completed a remarkable title comeback for the Yamaha rider, who had fought through setbacks earlier in the season and delivered when it mattered most. Jordy Simpson finished the year third on 168 points, ahead of Josh Soderland on 157 and Ghage Plowman on 154.

In Next Gen, Tom Edwards wrapped up the inaugural title after a season-long fight with BC Performance Racing teammate Hayden Nelson. Edwards entered the final race with a narrow lead and did enough in the tricky conditions to secure the championship with 226 points to Nelson’s 220. Simpson’s race win elevated him to third in the final standings on 184, with Toparis fourth on 151 and Eddie Leeson fifth on 66.

Toparis et the fastest lap of the race at 1:20.625, but in the end the headlines belonged to Farnsworth and Edwards. One claimed the Supersport crown in the most unlikely circumstances, the other completed a measured and consistent campaign to become the first Next Gen champion.

The Australian Supersport 300 finale delivered plenty of pressure at the sharp end, with the title fight carrying through to the last race. In the final championship standings, Tyler King secured the 2026 title for Kawasaki on 260 points, finishing ahead of Nauta on 252, with Tara Morrison third on 220. Jordy Simpson was fourth on 199 and Orlando Peovitis completed the top five on 185.

The Yamaha Blu Cru R3 Cup finished with another tightly contested Queensland Raceway race. The final event featured a close fight through the field, with Krue Knight, Oscar Lewis, Rossi McAdam, Ethan Dellow, Jordy Simpson and Matthew Ritter all prominent. Lewis claimed the 2026 crown on 168 points, with Simpson second on 161 and McAdam third on 148. Ritter finished fourth on 143, while Connor Lewis and Seth Dellow rounded out the next positions on 126 points apiece.

Jake Farnsworth
“I don’t know where to start, I’m losing my voice. I can’t believe it. Going into that last race there was no chance. If he finished fifth where he was and I won, he was still going to win. To get this sort of fortune, if one thing went right this year, I’m glad it’s this. We put so much time, effort and energy into this. My whole life is dedicated to this, and so is my family’s and everyone around me. I’m so appreciative. It makes all the hard work worthwhile when you get a result like this. I can’t thank everyone enough. I can’t thank my sponsors enough, ASBK, Motorcycling Australia, all the people at home, my training partners and everyone I know. I love you guys. A special mention to my grandparents who are watching.”

Tom Edwards
“Taking out the Kawasaki Supersport Next Gen class on the Kawasaki is awesome. It’s my first year on the bike as well. Massive thanks to the whole BC Performance team on both sides of the box. We had an amazing year, and for it to come down to the last race between Hayden and me is a real credit to everyone in the team and to Hayden’s riding through the season. For us both to finish all the races takes every single person involved in our team. Great to be back in Australia after a few years of World Supersport and take out the championship in my first year back. I’m stoked with how it’s going and can’t wait for the future. Massive thanks to all of my sponsors who have helped me this season and in the past. Everyone who donated at the end of financial year, all those little bits help. Thank you for getting us here. A massive thanks to Kelvin for putting me on this year. I’m loving being part of the BC Performance team and I can’t wait for the future.”

Hayden Nelson
“That was super tricky to read, especially at the start of the race. There was nothing there. This track is so slippery in the rain and on brand new wets, so I really struggled at the start. I actually thought I was coming into a really great rhythm before the red flag, so who knows if I would have had something for the two front guys. Nevertheless, what a championship. Thanks to Tom, a great competitor. It’s been a really consistent season, so I’m proud of myself. Also thanks to the efforts of the BC Performance team and Kawasaki, we put together a great package. Thanks to all the team sponsors and my personal sponsors who help me get to every round and perform at my best. I appreciate it. Let’s see what’s to come next year. I’m looking forward to whatever comes.”

Tom Toparis
“I did have good speed. This morning was a mistake on my part. We had the pace to lead that race and it makes it even harder when you do the fastest lap of the race after an incident like that. It’s been a tough year. It’s nice to end it on a high note in a way. After a couple of laps, Ollie was the only one there, so you sit up, watch each other a little bit and wait until the last lap. Unfortunately the red flag ended that and killed what would have been an exciting race. At the end of the day, I’m grateful to my team, Stop and Seal Racing, and all the guys. We’re like a little family at Stop and Seal. We have so much fun and it’s been a hard year with me on different bikes and whatnot, but I’m happy to still be in the fight at the end. Congratulations to BC Performance on the win.”

2026 ASBK SUPERSPORT FINAL CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

2026 ASBK NEXT GEN CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL STANDINGS

2026 ASBK SUPERSPORT 300 CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

2026 Yamaha Blu Cru 300 Cup Standings