After a break of 17 months following the closure of Barbagallo Raceway, road racing finally returned to Western Australia with the opening round of the State Road Racing Championships at the 1.6km Collie Motorplex on 20-22 April.

All five championship classes were represented – Superbike, Supersport, Sidecar, 125GP and Production – along with B-Grade and Clubman Series, guaranteeing a day packed with action.

Ben Stronach (VRT Signs Yamaha R1) was unbeatable in the Superbike class, claiming pole position and three wins to take the overall round win.

Adam Senior (Senior Engineering Yamaha R1) took second overall with two second-place finishes and a third, while Leigh Boujos (JB Racing R1) grabbed the last spot on the podoium.

Stronach now has a 17-point series lead over Senior, with Boujos three points further back.

It was a battle between siblings in the Supersport class as Leigh and Tim Boujos (JB Racing YZF-R6 and
ZX-6R respectively) shared the victories, with Leigh winning the day with two wins and a fourth. Tim won the final race and now sits two points behind his brother in the standings.

Tommy King (Yamaha YZF-R6) had a solid day, with three third-place finishes for third overall.

The Sidecar category saw six outfits enter the round but only five fronted the starter after the late withdrawal of the Stronach/Marshall outfit with engine failure.

Des Harvey/Ian Menmuir (SLW Transport LCR1000) and Graeme Evans/Jarrod Scott (RHR ZX10) battled it out at the front, with several lead changes throughout the three races before Harvey/Menmuir secured three wins.

Evans/Scott were runners-up in all three races and Mickey Robbins/Karen Dore rounded out the top three with a third and two fourths.

The 125GP class saw two winners on the day.

David Manson (Honda RS125) took out Race 1 while Tom Hatton (Hatton Racing Honda RS125) won the second and third races to claim the overall victory. Manson was runner-up in the other two races for second overall.

Scott Topping, whose family lost everything in a recent house fire, claimed a well-deserved third overall on a borrowed Honda RS125.

Callum O’Brien (Banham’s WA YZF-R3) took three unchallenged wins in the Prodcution class from Bronson Pickett (M&B Rubbish Disposal YZF-R3) and Lachlan Keogh (Team Keogh Racing Kawasaki 300).

The Clubman 600/1000 Series saw two winners over the three races.

Luke Carmona (Yamaha  YZF-R6) won the first race while Sean McHale (Razor Racing Honda CBR1000RR) fought back for victory in the second and third events to take the overall win ahead of Jessica Boujos (JB Racing Triumph 675).

Novice, Lino Mazzali (Planet Honda CBR1000RR) finished third.

Leigh Boujos (JB Racing Yamaha YZF-R1) took out the B-Grade events from Terry Teo (Yamaha R6) and David Carroll (Yamaha R6).

Round 2 of the series will be held at the same circuit on the weekend of 3-5 August.

by John Innes