Drane claims victory ahead of Nicholson and Thompson in titanic scrap
Sam Drane took victory in a thrilling Race 3 of the Race & Road Supersport 300 at Phillip Island, fending off fierce competition in a race filled with aggressive battles and dramatic position changes. Drane crossed the line just 0.105 seconds ahead of Scott Nicholson, with Hudson Thompson a further 0.006 seconds back in an incredibly tight podium fight.
Tara Morrison was in the podium fight early stages and briefly lead the field before a series of aggressive moves pushed her back to 12th place by the halfway point. The race saw its fair share of drama, with Tyler King retiring on Lap 5 and Josh Underwood pulling out just three laps later on Lap 3.
As the race reached its climax, Drane held firm under intense pressure, holding off Nicholson and Thompson by the narrowest of margins, while Jordy Simpson came home in 4th and Tara Morrison mounted a strong fightback to finish in the top five.
Oliver Short was disqualified by race direction, while Mitchel Carrick had a 10 second penalty imposed for a jump start.
Jordy Simpson now leads the Australian SSP300 Championship standings on 62 points from Scott Nicholson and Tara Morrison, who both sit on 56 points.
Australian SSP300 RACE 3 results
|
Pos
|
Rider
|
Machine
|
Gap
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
Sam DRANE (NSW)
|
Yamaha YZF-R3
|
–
|
|
2
|
Scott NICHOLSON (VIC)
|
Kawasaki Ninja
|
0.105
|
|
3
|
Hudson THOMPSON (NSW)
|
Yamaha YZF-R3
|
0.111
|
|
4
|
Jordy SIMPSON (SA)
|
Yamaha YZF-R3
|
0.132
|
|
5
|
Tara MORRISON (SA)
|
Kawasaki Ninja
|
0.210
|
|
6
|
Valentino KNEZOVIC (NSW)
|
Yamaha YZF-R3
|
0.223
|
|
7
|
Jake SENIOR (VIC)
|
Yamaha YZF-R3
|
0.312
|
|
8
|
Riley NAUTA (QLD)
|
Kawasaki Ninja
|
0.391
|
|
9
|
Mitch SIMPSON (SA)
|
Yamaha YZF-R3
|
0.395
|
|
10
|
Jake PAIGE (QLD)
|
Kawasaki Ninja
|
0.641
|
|
11
|
Tom NICOLSON (VIC)
|
Kawasaki Ninja
|
0.709
|
|
12
|
Toby JAMES (VIC)
|
Yamaha YZF-R3
|
0.900
|
|
13
|
Nikolas LAZOS (VIC)
|
Yamaha YZF-R3
|
1.421
|
|
14
|
Ryan LARKIN (VIC)
|
Yamaha YZF-R3
|
1.453
|
|
15
|
John PELGRAVE (QLD)
|
Yamaha YZF-R3
|
1.465
|
|
16
|
David COWARD (TAS)
|
Kawasaki Ninja
|
1.644
|
|
17
|
Jai RUSSO (NSW)
|
Yamaha YZF-R3
|
2.114
|
|
18
|
Seth DELLOW (SA)
|
Yamaha YZF-R3
|
7.224
|
|
19
|
Alexander CODEY (NSW)
|
Yamaha YZF-R3
|
10.551
|
|
20
|
Oscar LEWIS (NSW)
|
Yamaha YZF-R3
|
10.660
|
|
21
|
Mitchel CARRICK (VIC)
|
Kawasaki Ninja
|
11.281
|
|
22
|
Lincoln KNIGHT (NSW)
|
Yamaha YZF-R3
|
15.410
|
|
23
|
Matthew RITTER (VIC)
|
Yamaha YZF-R3
|
15.449
|
|
24
|
Mitchell CARTWRIGHT (NSW)
|
Yamaha YZF-R3
|
15.499
|
|
25
|
Flynn JACOBS (SA)
|
Yamaha YZF-R3
|
15.806
|
|
26
|
Hudson AIR (SA)
|
Yamaha YZF-R3
|
16.424
|
|
27
|
William HUNT (NSW)
|
Yamaha YZF-R3
|
18.063
|
|
28
|
Rossi McADAM (WA)
|
Yamaha YZF-R3
|
22.567
|
|
29
|
Zane BECKINSALE (NSW)
|
Yamaha YZF-R3
|
24.653
|
|
30
|
Ethan DELLOW (SA)
|
Yamaha YZF-R3
|
25.393
|
|
31
|
Caiden BUNWORTH (VIC)
|
Kawasaki Ninja
|
28.204
|
|
32
|
Phoenix O’BRIEN (VIC)
|
Yamaha YZF-R3
|
28.223
|
|
33
|
Tianhao ZHAO (VIC)
|
Yamaha YZF-R3
|
37.435
|
|
34
|
Alvin WU (QLD)
|
Yamaha YZF-R3
|
44.552
|
|
35
|
Zachary RUSSO (NSW)
|
Yamaha YZF-R3
|
44.575
|
|
36
|
Elijah ANDREW (NSW)
|
Yamaha YZF-R3
|
44.580
|
|
37
|
Scott McINTOSH (VIC)
|
Yamaha YZF-R3
|
1:10.084
|
|
38
|
Nixon FROST (VIC)
|
Yamaha YZF-R3
|
1:37.778
|
|
NC
|
Tyler KING (VIC)
|
Kawasaki Ninja
|
2 Laps Down
|
|
NC
|
Josh UNDERWOOD (VIC)
|
Yamaha YZF-R3
|
4 Laps Down
|
|
DSQ
|
Oliver SHORT (VIC)
|
Yamaha YZF-R3
|
Fastest Rider: Riley NAUTA – 1:48.116
Australian SSP300 Championship Points
|
Pos
|
Rider
|
Machine
|
Race 1
|
Race 2
|
Race 3
|
Total
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
Jordy SIMPSON
|
Yamaha
|
20
|
25
|
17
|
62
|
|
2
|
Scott NICHOLSON
|
Kawasaki
|
18
|
18
|
20
|
56
|
|
3
|
Tara MORRISON
|
Kawasaki
|
25
|
15
|
16
|
56
|
|
4
|
Hudson THOMPSON
|
Yamaha
|
15
|
20
|
18
|
53
|
|
5
|
Sam DRANE
|
Yamaha
|
13
|
13
|
25
|
51
|
|
6
|
Valentino KNEZOVIC
|
Yamaha
|
10
|
17
|
15
|
42
|
|
7
|
Jake SENIOR
|
Yamaha
|
16
|
7
|
14
|
37
|
|
8
|
Mitch SIMPSON
|
Yamaha
|
12
|
12
|
12
|
36
|
|
9
|
Oliver SHORT
|
Kawasaki
|
17
|
16
|
–
|
33
|
|
10
|
Jake PAIGE
|
Kawasaki
|
11
|
10
|
11
|
32
|
|
11
|
Tom NICOLSON
|
Kawasaki
|
14
|
8
|
10
|
32
|
|
12
|
Ryan LARKIN
|
Yamaha
|
8
|
11
|
7
|
27
|
|
13
|
Riley NAUTA
|
Kawasaki
|
9
|
13
|
–
|
22
|
|
14
|
Jai RUSSO
|
Yamaha
|
9
|
4
|
4
|
17
|
|
15
|
Tyler KING
|
Kawasaki
|
3
|
14
|
–
|
17
|
|
16
|
Nikolas LAZOS
|
Yamaha
|
2
|
5
|
8
|
15
|
|
17
|
David COWARD
|
Kawasaki
|
7
|
3
|
5
|
15
|
|
18
|
Nixon FROST
|
Yamaha
|
5
|
6
|
–
|
11
|
|
19
|
Toby JAMES
|
Yamaha
|
1
|
9
|
–
|
10
|
|
20
|
John PELGRAVE
|
Yamaha
|
4
|
6
|
–
|
10
|
|
21
|
Seth DELLOW
|
Yamaha
|
6
|
3
|
–
|
9
|
|
22
|
Alexander CODEY
|
Yamaha
|
2
|
–
|
–
|
2
|
|
23
|
Mitchel CARRICK
|
Kawasaki
|
2
|
–
|
–
|
2
|
|
24
|
Oscar LEWIS
|
Yamaha
|
1
|
–
|
–
|
1
|
|
25
|
Rossi McADAM
|
Yamaha
|
1
|
–
|
–
|
1
|
