The buzz surrounding the support classes in round one of the 2018 MOTUL FIM Superbike Championship at Phillip Island this weekend was huge – with most of that thanks to ‘Team Bayliss’.

Because not only did year nine student Oli Bayliss begin his second full season of road racing in the national supersport 300 class, but Phillip Island also heralded the return of his famous dad – 48-year-old Troy Bayliss – to the competitive road racing arena in the Australian Superbike Championship. 

In the intra-family battle, 14-year-old Oli came out on top in the bragging rights, tearing up the grand prix circuit with 1-2-1 finishes on his Kawasaki to claim the overall ahead of Yamaha pair Tom Bramich (4-1-3) and Locky Taylor (3-4-2).

Troy was fourth overall in the superbikes after 2-5-6 finishes on his Ducati, with race one a particularly stirring affair when he fell just 0.2 seconds short of victory.

“It was such a good weekend to start the season,” said Oli. “That last race was so much fun, and I did not want to be like first coming onto the straight otherwise it would have muffed everything.  But I was still pretty lucky coming from fourth.

“Dad loves racing – but he doesn’t really watch me a lot as he gets too nervous! And mum doesn’t watch me one little bit, as she’s a nervous wreck as well!”

The Australian Supersport 300 paddock put on a mega show for onlookers, with nail biting racing all the way to the checkered flag, at Round 1 of the Yamaha Motor Finance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul Pirelli (ASBK).

Race Three:

Tom Bramich (JLT, Yamaha YZF-R3) got off the line really well and led a group of six riders at the start of the Australian Supersport 300 Race Three, before making a mistake on lap two which saw him run wide and leave the door open for Hunter Ford (South Sydney Commercial, Yamaha YZF-R3), Zac Levy (Puma RV’S, Yamaha YZF-R3), Bayliss, Locky Taylor (LTR Racing, Yamaha YZF-R3), Jarred Brook (KTM Australia, RC 390) and Harry Khouri (Acid Racing, Yamaha YZF-R3) to slip past.

The lead pack only shared a gap of 0.992s from first to sixth, before Bramich made his move and rejoined the pack at lap six. The racing from lap six was a tight affair with Bayliss, Ford, Bramich and Taylor all having the lead at different stages.

The last lap saw Bayliss join the lead group, and make an unbelievable passing move finding space where there really wasn’t any room to snatch the win from Taylor, Bramich and Ford.

Bayliss was thrilled with his weekend; “That was one of the craziest finishes I’ve been involved in, I thought I was to far back to make the move, but I just went for it and it just worked out for me. I was so close to hitting the two bikes next to me but to make the pass I was so happy, it worked out perfectly. I’ve been working on my slip stream and studied it and it just came off.” 

After leading at many different stages of the race Ford settled for fourth whilst Levy was just behind him in fifth and Khouri managed sixth with only .306s separated these riders from winner Bayliss.

Brook was solid throughout Race Three to finish in seventh position whilst Ben Bramich (GOWMoto, KTM RC 390) managed eighth and Corey Briffa (KTM RC 390) and Max Stauffer (Chris Watson Motorclycles, Yamaha YZF-R3) rounded out the top ten.

Bayliss leaves Phillip Island as the points leader in the Australian Supersport 300 class with 70 points, ten points clear of Bramich on 60 points and Taylor is third overall with 55 points.

Australian Supersport 300 Provisional Race Three Results:

1 Oliver BAYLISS (Cube Racing, Kawasaki Ninja 300)

2 Locky TAYLOR (LTR Racing, Yamaha YZF-R3)

3 Tom BRAMICH (JLT, Yamaha YZF-R3)

4 Hunter FORD (South Sydney Commercial, Yamaha YZF-R3)

5 Zac LEVY (Puma RV’S, Yamaha YZF-R3)

6 Harry KHOURI (Acid Racing, Yamaha YZF-R3)

7 Jarred BROOK (KTM Australia, RC 390)

8 Ben BRAMICH (GOWMoto, KTM RC 390)

9 Corey BRIFFA (KTM RC 390)

10 Max STAUFFER (Chris Watson Motorclycles, Yamaha YZF-R3)

Photos courtesy of Andrew Gosling – TBG sport