ASBK RD5 PHILLIP ISLAND

Here’s all the action from ASBK Rd5 Phillip Island, Vic, 7-8 September…

SUPERBIKE

Josh waters has emerged victorious from a wild and wet Australian Superbike Championship round while the next wave of talent has emerged. Maiden race wins to his younger McMartin Racing Ducati teammate Harrison Voight and Desmosport Ducati’s Broc Pearson show the future of Australian racing is in safe hands. 

Waters, who won the round overall, started the weekend by taking pole on his Ducati V4 R. Just a few laps into the opening race, the McMartin Ducatis looked to be in a class of their own. The fight was on for the remaining podium spot and a tight group of four emerged that included the factory Yamahas of Cru Halliday and Mike Jones, Glenn Allerton (GT Racing – BMW) and a resurgent Arthur Sissis (Stop & Seal – Yamaha). 

Anthony West (Addicted to Track – Yamaha) and Max Stauffer (Penrite Racing – Honda) were almost close enough to insert themselves into the action, but a run-on at turn four ended West’s charge. Halliday pulled off several audacious moves early on but by mid-race distance Sissis was showing the way, recapturing form since switching to the Stop & Seal Yamaha. 

“I’m not sure exactly what it is, but this thing is just so good every lap, really consistent and easy to ride,” Sissis said later. With the race shortened to nine laps due to an incident on the warm-up lap, there was no time for foxing and with two laps remaining Waters and Voight were over four seconds clear. Voight, with his smooth grand prix style, made his move on Waters at the Turn 4 hairpin. 

While Waters didn’t concede much, he looked well aware of the championship situation. Behind them the group of four squabbled, swapping position many times before Sissis made the decisive move exiting the ultra-fast Turn 1 for the final time. Voight held on for his maiden Superbike victory while Sissis held off the baying trio of Halliday, Allerton and Jones for his maiden podium. 

Stauffer and West were not far behind, followed by Pearson, who had suffered an electronic issue at the start of the race, with John Lytras (Caboolture Yamaha) completing the top 10. 

Later that afternoon, the gusty weather turned to rain for the second outing and the quick-start procedure was deployed. Sissis, who had started well, crashed out of third at Turn 4 to bring out the red flags. At the restart Pearson, Allerton and West soon took the initiative, while rookie Ty Lynch (YRD – Yamaha) threw caution to the wind, testing the limits of grip. Voight, who had started strongly, drifted back into the field and eventually entered the pits – not risking potential injury with a flight back to Spain the following day for World Junior Moto2 duties.

As Waters settled in, Lynch came unstuck, but Pearson looked resolute out front. Cameron Dunker (Penrite Racing – Honda) – after having mechanical issues in Race One – looked impressive inside the top 10, as did Paris Hardwick (MotoGo Yamaha). The pair were placed well ahead of Halliday and Jones as were veterans Ryan Yanko (Addicted to Track – Yamaha) and Adam Senior. 

With two laps to run there were two huge battles unfolding. Waters – who was now leading – versus Pearson for the win, and West versus Stauffer for the podium. Pearson attacked at Turn 4 on the final lap, pushing harder in the final sector to earn his maiden Superbike victory. 

“I just went for it. It was a little bit tricky to gauge how fast I had to go, it was so cold and miserable. Josh came with me, put a pass on me, but I didn’t want a repeat race from Sydney (where he claimed his maiden podium).”

Behind them, Stauffer went down, handing West a well-deserved podium for the Addicted to Track team. Allerton was fourth with Dunker and Hardwick fifth and sixth respectively.

round winner’s Words 

Josh Waters

“Congrats to Broc, he rode really well in that second race. The conditions were dodgy today but it was the same for everyone. I just had to feel my way into it. Maybe lots of dirt track when I was a wee tacker helps give me that feel, but I don’t enjoy riding in the wet. We managed to extend our championship lead, which will hopefully give us some strong momentum as we head into the last two rounds of the season.”

SUPERSPORT

The Michelin Supersport class took all of two corners for the drama to begin, with Mark Chiodo (Honda) clipping the rear of Jack Mahaffy (Stop & Seal – Yamaha) to bring the pair down. Out front the regular protagonists began to settle, with Olly Simpson (Simpson Crash – Yamaha) in the lead followed by Jonathan Nahlous (Complete AV – Yamaha), Archie McDonald (Stop and Seal – Yamaha) and Jake Farnsworth (Worth Race Developments – Yamaha). 

Championship leader Nahlous was the first to strike, moving through on Simpson. By mid-race distance Nahlous had built that gap to one and a half seconds and it was at this stage that McDonald moved past Simpson. Simpson revealed later that he was experiencing problems with his bike, saying, “I felt pretty comfortable in the first couple of laps but I noticed an issue with the handlebars and the bike didn’t want to steer. We know what the problem was so it will be right for the second race.” 

Nahlous was quickest on track, posting times close to his own lap record and not looking troubled out front to eventually win by four seconds. McDonald was second but said there’s more to come: “I’m very happy with Michelin, but I think there is more set-up to it, we have to work towards that, then we will bring home the win.” 

Behind McDonald and Simpson were Farnsworth and Favelle, the latter sticking with Farnsworth until the chequered flag to complete the top five. 

The second stanza began with more chaos, as John Quinn (IRT Motorsort – Yamaha), Luca Durning (Addicted to Track – Yamaha), Cooper Rowntree (Anytime Fitness – Yamaha) and Cameron Rende (Team BWR – Yamaha) all went down at Turn 2 for a red-flag stoppage. At the restart Nahlous attempted a tight move inside McDonald at Turn 2, losing the front and bringing them both down. Two corners later, Chiodo highsided to end his race with Hayden Nelson (Kawasaki Australia) and Favelle having to take evasive action. Out front Simpson put the hammer down to find a 3sec advantage but Farnsworth was equal to the task, taking the lead by mid-race distance. Behind them a duel was forming between Mahaffy and Tom Bramich (Apex Group – Yamaha) – the race now reduced to an eight-lap sprint. 

It all came down to the final sector of the final lap for the win, with Farnsworth drawing alongside Simpson on the run to the flag, missing out by a minuscule 0.016sec. Bramich held off Mahaffy for the podium by an even smaller 0.012sec! Favelle once again completed the top five. 

winner’s Words

Olly Simpson

“That was a really great race, good for morale. I love this track, it’s nice to be able to put in some good times and have some hard racing. I didn’t know Nahlous and Archie MacDonald had crashed until the end… I knew I was strong into Honda and MG, I had some pretty good brakes on my bike! I went a bit tight and rode defensive on the last lap, Jake was able to get right up alongside me on the straight – that’s exciting for the viewers!” 

SUPERSPORT 300

A close-quarter battle resumed in the Supersport 300 class, with Will Nassif (2 Step – Yamaha) claiming pole but by mid race of the opening event in cold and blustery conditions, that all meant nothing with 10 bikes sitting in the lead group. Points leader Josh Newman (Wet4U – Kawasaki) took his turn out front, as did Valentino Knezovic (Motocity – Yamaha) and veteran Scott Nicholson (Traction Control Motorsport – Yamaha), amongst others. 

A crash from Alexander Cody (Ricondi – Yamaha) brought a premature end to proceedings, with Newman declared the winner from Calvin Moylan (RaceDNA – Kawasaki) and Nassif. 

The second race again saw the top 10 incredibly close, with multiple riders again taking a turn at the front. Jordy Simpson (Simpson Crash – Yamaha), Casey Middleton (RaceDNA – Yamaha) and Harrison Watts (Champions Ride Days – Kawasaki) were all in the mix, but it was Nicholson – doing double duty in Supersport this weekend – who built just enough of a buffer to avoid the slipstream from Knezovic. Tara Morrison (B&L Mechanical – Kawasaki) finished in 14th place, but only 2.121sec from the lead! 

The final race was nothing short of treacherous with teeming rain and blustery winds. Newman was a casualty, taking a light tumble but remounting, while Simpson and Nassif built a gap out front. By mid-race distance the pair were still incredibly close as Lincoln Knight (Ricondi – Yamaha) crashed out of third. There were more fallers as the rain continued, with Oliver Short (Motoheaven – Kawasaki) and Tom Nicolson (Calder Auto Electrics – Kawasaki) bringing out the red flags. 

Nassif was declared the winner – his first victory in Supersport 300 – ahead of Simpson and Moylan. Newman was able to pick his way through the field to ninth to maintain his championship lead.

winner’s Words

Will Nassif

“I’m so stoked! I was praying for rain this entire weekend, I know I’m good in the wet. Two podiums and now my first race win, I’m over the moon. I had no footpeg coming out of pitlane for the first time, I came in after the first lap and had a new one screwed in. It was hectic and I’d like to thank Damo (Cudlin), JJ and Maurice (Nahlous), my dad and everyone else who have made this possible, it’s fantastic!”

SUPERBIKE MASTERS

The Superbike Masters were only able to manage two races due to bad weather on Sunday afternoon, but it was Keo Watson (C & M Motorcycles – Yamaha) who took both wins to lead the points competing for the Darren Lark Superbike Masters Cup Perpetual Trophy. Watson took the opener ahead of a sick Jack Passfield (Stay Upright Rider Training – Yamaha), with his bike prepared by Stuart Woodbury. 

Dean Oughtred (Dynoverks) completed the podium on another Yamaha FZR 1000 with Craig Ditchburn the first P5 bike home, sixth outright on a Yamaha TZ 750. In the second race the result was the same for first and second, with Passfield missing his chance after striking a neutral at turn four and running off track. Watson said the conditions were demanding. 

“The wind was making it pretty difficult out there, through Stoner Corner I was half throttle and I was being blown a mile wide.” 

Murray Clark (MCR – Suzuki) took the final podium slot.