2023 Australian Superbike Championship: Round Two - Sydney Motorsport Park

WHERE LEGENDS ARE BORN

Greetings from Motorcycling Australia (MA)!

On behalf of MA, I would like to extend a very warm welcome to all the fans, riders, and officials attending the 2023 mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship, presented by Motul.

This year’s championship will feature seven rounds across Australia including Phillip Island, Queensland Raceway, Hidden Valley Raceway, Morgan Park Raceway, a return to Phillip Island and again wrapping up at The Bend Motorsport Park.

We are excited to offer you an exhilarating program of racing at each and every round of the Championship in 2023. For our Australian and international fans, you won’t miss a moment of the race action with our exclusive television coverage through our TV partners SBS, Stan Sport Australia, and ASBK TV Live Stream.

WELCOME FROM MA

I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to all those involved in this weekend’s event, including our fantastic volunteer marshals, the ASBK Senior Officials, and staff, for their hard work in planning and executing the event. We also extend our thanks to our riders, teams, crew, and sponsors for their continued support of the Championship.

We are eagerly anticipating the crowning of Motorcycling Australia’s ASBK 2023 Champion. MA wishes everyone a safe and enjoyable event.

Remember

to always; Ride. Race. Enjoy!

Peter Doyle CEO Motorcycling Australia

Mi-Bike

We are incredibly pleased to deepen our partnership with Motorcycling Australia and continue as naming rights sponsors for the ASBK Championship 2023 season.

With this sponsorship renewal, we’re demonstrating the great trust and respect we’ve built over the years, as well as our shared commitment to supporting motorcycle sports and promoting our brand values

WELCOME

FROM

MI-BIKE MOTORCYCLE INSURANCE

through the Australian Superbike Championship racing series.

We are also looking forward to continuing our collaboration with MA, through the MA Member Benefits Program.

Mark Bradley General Manager  mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance

Motorcycle Insurance is delighted to return as naming rights sponsor for the 2023 ASBK Championship season.

WELCOME FROM THE NSW GOVERNMENT

Welcome from the NSW Government – Australian Superbike Championship (Sydney)

The NSW Government welcomes you to Sydney Motorsport Park in Western Sydney for Round 2 of the Australian Superbike Championship, proudly supported by our tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.

We are delighted to see the return of this exciting event to Western Sydney’s famed 3.93km Grand Prix circuit for the first time since 2019, which will also be the first Australian Superbike Championship round ever held under lights!

The NSW Government’s investment in permanent lighting at Sydney Motorsport Park has created a stateof-the-art, world-class racing venue for all disciplines

of motor sports, providing a unique opportunity for motorbike fans to experience the thrill of night-time racing at this showpiece event of the Australian Superbike Championship season.

The NSW Government supports major events like the Australian Superbike Championship for the vital social and economic contribution it makes to our city. It attracts thousands of fans, teams and officials to the Greater Sydney area, who stay in our hotels, visit our attractions and spend in our retail stores, restaurants, bars, and cafes, supporting jobs throughout our visitor economy.

We hope you enjoy this unique evening of thrilling highspeed action and encourage visitors to explore the many natural attractions and cultural experiences Greater Sydney has to offer.

ROUND 2 SCHEDULE

FRIDAY24THMARCH

SATURDAY25THMARCH

This schedule is approximate; and all starting times, length of sessions and races are subject to change; and may be changed in the event of an incident or delay in operations.

All Times Listed are Australian Eastern Daylight Savings Time (NSW local time) * ASBK

SYDNEY MOTOSPORT PARK

TRACK INFORMATION

LIVETIMING

COMPUTIME Race Timing Systems has been the providing timing services to the ASBK at selected rounds since 1990, and has been the series timekeeper since 2004. Live timing and results services can be accessed as follows:

In pit lane and parts of the pits (local wireless network):

· Connect to the RACETIMING wire less network

· Open your web browser and type www.localtiming.com as the web address

· Follow the links to live timing, results, or other pages

NOTE: The RACETIMING network does not provide internet access

Anywhere else at the venue or anywhere else in the world:

· Ensure you have internet connectivity

· Open your web browser and type www.computime.com.au as the web address

· Follow the links to live timing, results, or other pages for this event

For all your live timing results please go to Computime http://www.computime.com.au/Default.aspx and follow the links to ASBK Live Timing.

Go

Protect your entire body on every ride.

WHAT IS AN ASBK SPEC SUPERBIKE?

They’re fast, they’re spectacular and they sound awesome, but they’re also very accessible.

The Australian Superbike Championship Alpinestars Superbike class features bikes that are not only fast, spectacular and sound amazing but are also easily accessible to the general public as they are very similar to those available for purchase off the showroom floor.

Engine capacities for ASBK bikes are capped at 1,000cc and 168kg for four-cylinder bikes, and 1,300cc and 172kg for two and three-cylinder machines. That said, it’s worth noting that in 2023, Matt Walters Aprilia 1200; a 4-cylinder machine has also been homologated for the Alpinestars Superbike class.

While engine modifications for race versions are limited, Yamaha Racing Team Manager, John Redding, explains that the engine is not a primary focus for performance gains in the Superbike class.

“To get a performance improvement of 10 per cent over the standard output is about as much as you can expect,” Redding said.

“You can increase the compression ratio, fine-tune the degrees on the valve seats and adjust the cam timing for different tracks, but that’s about it.

“One of the advantages of keeping the engines relatively standard is they are cheap to maintain and last a while between rebuilds.”

In recent years, significant innovation has taken place in the electronic systems of race bikes. These systems have been adapted to provide functions such as fuelling, traction control, engine braking, and antiwheelie control.

There’s little doubt that the electronics sphere has provided both the biggest challenge- and opportunity - to teams and riders.

“Electronics are one of the most important areas of development and something that has become a critical factor in determining the speed that can be achieved by different bikes,” Redding said.

“There are significant advantages to be gained in having the best electronic set-up.”

With the engine and gearbox both being close to standard, teams have turned to other aspects of the Superbikes to improve their performance.

“Suspension has been a major area of development on the race-spec bikes,” Redding said.

“The suspension on a street bike is compromised for ride comfort, but on a racetrack, comfort isn’t a factor – it’s all about optimising the handling and the corner speeds that can be achieved.

“Compared to the street version of the bike, the race bike will have different shock absorbers and fork internals, providing a much more adjustable setup.”

The brakes on racing bikes are also upgraded, with items such as the master cylinder, brake lines, pads and discs all being replaced with race-specific items.

“In a race situation, maximum stopping power is a priority, but brake wear is much less of a consideration than it would be on a road bike, because components can be changed

after every session,” Redding said.

According to Redding, the bikes competing in the mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship, presented by Motul, are more similar to road bikes than those in other Superbike championships globally.

“The permitted modifications are much more limited here in Australia, which has the advantage of containing costs,” Redding said.

At Phillip Island, the 2023 ASBK-spec bikes demonstrate their impressive speed when compared to other classes. For instance, Josh Waters set a new race lap record of 1:31.075, which was significantly faster than Valentino Rossi’s lap time of 1:32.233 during the 2002 MotoGP first-of-the-four-strokes race. Moreover, if Waters had competed in the WSBK class at the recent Phillip Island round, he would have secured a position among the top 8.

Not bad for a lightly modified road bike..!

ROUND1 24-26FEB

PHILLIP ISLAND GP CIRCUIT, VIC

ROUND5 14-16JUL

MORGAN PARK RACEWAY, QLD

ROUND2 24-25MAR

SYDNEY MOTORSPORT PARK, NSW

ROUND6 27-29OCT

PHILLIP ISLAND GP CIRCUIT, VIC

ROUND3 28-30APR

QUEENSLAND RACEWAY, QLD

ROUND7 1-3DEC

THE BEND MOTORSPORT PARK, SA

ROUND4 16-18JUN

HIDDEN VALLEY RACEWAY, NT

ASBK SEASON RECAP

After

Round One - Phillip Island, Victoria Friday

Phillip Island was off to a flyer with bright sun, light easterly breezes all languidly lulling us into that sweet little bubble of belief that this is how it will be all weekend.

So yeah, straight into talking about the weather.

But we’re not truly here to talk weather- there’s time for that later- it’s round one of the mi-bike Motorcycling Insurance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul, on a shared weekend with round one of the World Superbikes (also Motul sponsored!).

weekend.

This happened not long after we just published that Waters was unlikely to repeat the crashes of his predecessor Wayne Maxwell. Stay out of the prediction caper.

Waters shook off the incident, though made it clear that there was a bike issue and he had not thrown it away carelessly in the first practice session. He was also keen to note that he really doesn’t care which of his two bikes he rides. The McMartin Racing team were not working on his nominal #1 bike, so the #2 bike is the one for Friday.

After lunch, the Supersport 300s were back out for a fairly frantic qualifying session. Cameron Swain made the unusual (for the 300 class anyway) decision to ride alone without any riders nearby. It paid off as he was the only rider to dip into the 1:49s for much of the session, and the 2021 Oceania Junior Cup Champion held that spot right to the completion of qualifying, with Brodie Gawith able to claw to within .015 of pole. Jai Russo was third while Henry Snell and Casey Middleton were fourth and fifth, respectively.

In Supersport qualifying, no one had any answers to the dominance of Harrison Voight. Some .802 up for much of the session over second-placed Tom Bramich, the overseasbound Voight was lapping in the equivalent of 15th place in World SSP, on a much lower spec machine. Olly Simpson was third and Jack Passfield crashed mid-session but was still fourth with Dallas Skeer in fifth.

The 300s hit the track first and Cameron Swain was clearly keen to put his hand up for the role of titular favourite with Jai Russo second, Luke Jhonston third, Brodie Gawith and a girl in a hurry- Tara Morrison in fifth.

Michelin Supersport early practice saw the expected result early with Voight leading from Bramich and various others including Olly Simpson, Jack Passfield and 2022 champion John Lytras. Simpson and Passfield were both able to sit atop the table for a time until Harry Voight just settled down to business and reeled off fast lap after fastest lap. The box seat; he was in it.

In Alpinestars Superbike, what should have been a classic Josh Waters situation – go out, bank a few in P1 and then tweak, repeat, became a different caper utterly when he went down at turn two with 20 minutes to go, placing himself and McMartin Racing Team under pressure out of the gate for the

The much-anticipated arrival of Sean Condon full time in 2023 failed to ignite with the Wakefield round winner from 2022 down in eighth with 2022 Supersport champion John Lytras in ninth.

pre-season testing, it was all about Wayne Maxwell and his Ducati Panigale V4S - the question at this point was: could he be beaten.. at all?

While many would be happy to know that Voight won’t be in the championship full-time in 2023, all will be striving to narrow the gap come race time.

The final ASBK practice session of the day was practice two for Alpinestars Superbike and it was Josh Waters in p1, neatly bouncing back from his crash in the first session. He had earlier noted he could lap the same on his #2 bike as he could his #1 bike and that was the truth. The team must have shared that confidence as they were in no hurry to even work on the crashed machine, focusing their attention on the remaining bike that was running.

The last on track event for the day saw the Supersport 300s first race for the weekend. Cameron Swain didn’t convert his pole and slipped down to as low as eleventh but kept contact with the leading group. Luke Jhonston, Casey Middleton, and Jai Russo diced up front with Brandon Demmery and recent OJC graduate Ryan Larkin inside the top five at times.

Peter Nerlich showed his Phillip Island form hasn’t diminished and took the lead with four laps to go. Of course, others offered an opinion on Nerlich’s lead and he was soon shuffled back to third as the biggest lead group we have seen in recent years headed down the Phillip Island straight once more.

Shuffle, Shuffle. Russo up to the lead with three to go. Tara Morrison into the top ten and… it was hectic.

presented by Motul opening round was set to be frantic from the get-go. Alpinestars Superbike qualifying first up, followed by Supersport races of both flavors, then a Superbike race –all before the lunch break.

A longer break with WSS and WSBK as fillers (JK guys!) followed and then we round off the day with a second Supersport race.

ALPINESTARS SUPERBIKE QUALIFYING

There was some speculation that the dominance Josh Waters enjoyed in the heat would be negated by the earlier-thannormal 8:50 am Alpinestars Superbike qualifying time.

What wasn’t discussed was the idea that he would not head out when pit lane opened. Yamaha Racing’s Cru Halliday and Mike Jones also elected to sit and watch for a bit as the 30 minute session got underway.

Nerlich was now down in ninth, Middleton back into the lead and we still had two laps left. Nerlich and Larkin crashed at turn one and that alone shuffled the field once more. Tara Morrison crashed at turn nine after what had been an outstanding run- and start to her first full season of Supersport 300.

Into the last lap and Jhonston lead the leading 11 or so until Russo, Middleton and Demmery monstered him. Jhonston fought back into the lead but at the line it was Russo from Demmery and Middleton for the podium.

Jhonston had fought on for fourth with Snell (6th), Brodie Gawith (6th), Lincoln Knight (7th) pole sitter Cameron Swain (8th), Marcus Hamod (9th) and Cooper Rowntree rounding out the top ten.

After the flag, race direction noted that they would be considering a few issues from passing under yellow situation to investigating the five crashes during the race.

…and it wasn’t even the weekend yet.

Saturday

Saturday at the mi-bike Australian Superbike Championship

At 20 minutes to go, the full field were out with Penrite Honda’s Herfoss in P1. It’s been a signature of his form in 2023, when the bike is right, he’s fast into his first flyer and holds there. Max Stauffer showed his significant off-season forward steps with P2 and MotoGO’s new signing Bryan Staring made a welcome return to the paddock in P3.

Of course, once the big guns of Waters, Halliday and Jones hit the circuit proper the order began to alter radically. First, Halliday posted P2 on his first flyer, Then Jones went P1 on his first full lap. Then Halliday returned serve and went to P1.

Josh Waters had a gentle first full lap and then dropped the hammer, reeling off two mid 1:31s in a row and casually knocking the qualifying record off with a 1:31.100 – that time would have placed him second in World Superbike’s (admittedly much hotter) session yesterday.

With 10 to go, most pitted for a breath and to think about just what Waters had done and was continuing to do.

As the clock wind down, most headed out again. Ted Collins crashed without injury at Turn 9 and Halliday leapt over teammate Jones with an incredible 1:31.337

Bryan Staring showed he’s got plenty to offer in 2023 and was fourth in what was an outstanding result.

The checkered flag came out to end the session – the fastest qualifying session in ASBK history. While the session confirmed Josh Waters’ outstanding form, just witnessing the top three achieving personal bests and world-class results was superb and a moment to savor and celebrate.

Josh Waters 1:31.100 (new qualifying record)

Cru Halliday 1:31.337

Mike Jones 1:31.649

RACE ONE

The weather ahead of the race played nicely and despite rain interrupting the session prior (WSBK Practice 3), the race started under overcast skies and a dry track.

Pole sitter Josh Waters took the lead into turn one, however, the crowd’s attention was on Arthur Sissis from the third row of the grid who launched like he was in a different sport… let’s say top fuel drags. He was second by turn two and third after Herfoss snuck past. Herfoss had stated beforehand –and was now showing us- that letting Josh Waters go off alone would be the ball game.

On lap two, into turn three, Arthur Sissis bike was struck with a brief electrical gremlin. Mike Jones had to check up while Arthur ran wide. Cru Halliday arrived at full attack and narrowly avoided hitting the back of both Jones and Sissis bikes only to run off onto the gravel at about 170km/h. Try as

he might, he could not pull up before the fence, and chose instead to jump off his R1 rather late which proceeded to hit the fence and land on him. Mercifully, Halliday got up and walked away.

While this was happening, Waters had reeled off a 1:31.075 and gapped the field. Jones was through Herfoss but still 4 seconds in arrears.

Stauffer was fourth from Allerton in fifth, while Staring had a poor start and was back in sixth and then had a moment at turn four and ran wide.

At eight laps to go, Waters was comfortably in front, and the only person lapping in the 31s, putting nearly a second a lap in to the field. In sprinkling rain, Waters put his hand up into turn nine. The “warning; low adhesion” white flag came out. Down the main straight Waters had his hand up, Herfoss was back into second and was now the fastest man on circuit.

…and then the red flag came out to end the race due to the increasing rain. Oh dear sweet Phillip Island, you do know how to mess with us.

The riders entered the regular pit lane (at this round we use turn four for exiting the circuit) and grouped together at the end of the lane. With plenty of time until the next World Supersport session, we continued to ponder the skies. The ground was damp, but it wasn’t raining in earnest.

Yet.

The siren blew signaling three minutes until pit lane opened, Race Direction posted “One warm up lap, five lap race” and we waited to see what tyre choices would be made. On the face of it, a wet tyre would be a mistake, but a slick would be

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ASBK SEASON RECAPCONT.

downright scary. Pit lane opened and some stayed put, Arthur Sissis literally sat on the fence. Mark Chiodo stood and stared down pit lane and then seemingly reluctantly headed out. We all waited.

Staring exited on wets. So too Stauffer, Epis and Pearson. Keeping up with who was on what was nigh impossible.

As they arrived at the grid, Sissis exited after a stall and then the bike failed to fire. He would start from pit lane.

At the restart it was Herfoss with the early lead, Allerton was brave and went around both Waters and Herfoss in one turn for the lead. Herfoss got back inside him while Max Stauffer went down and took Jack Davis out. Both were unhurt.

Waters picked off Allerton with four to go, but Allerton went around him again. Herfoss joined the party and took the lead again. Jones clawed his way onto the back of the train they went down the main chute three wide to give the fans something else to enjoy. Allerton was rudely unseated twice, but just stayed in the hunt as he’s Glenn-freakin-Allerton.

The track was drying so Waters jumped to the front and tried to get a gap. With three to go, he had .5 of a second on Allerton. The wrestle between Allerton, Herfoss and Jones let Waters do the very thing they were afraid of, The Great Escape. He was now two seconds off the front and barring incident, he was gone.

Perhaps realising this fact, the trailing trio called a ceasefire and tries to chase Waters. But Waters was still lapping in the 31s while they were all in the 33s. The only thing left to do was to fight for second place.

The finish line saw a cautious and slowing Josh Waters safely in first with 1.6 seconds back to Penrite Honda’s Troy Herfoss, then Glenn Allerton on the BMW.

In fourth was Mike Jones and fifth was an outstanding Mark Chiodo for his best finish in recent times. Ted Collins would be happy with sixth in his first outing in ASBK with Livson Racing, while Matt Walters would also be pleased with the debut of the new Aprilia in seventh.

Scott Allars on and R1 scored some good points in eighth while perennial racer and SBK paddock favourite Michael Kemp was ninth. Broc Pearson was down in tenth, leading home the riders who elected for the wet tyre. It didn’t pay off this time, but at The Island, you can never be sure.

It was a frankly ludicrous race and it was absolutely riveting.

MICHELIN SUPERSPORT RACE ONE

Under overcast skies the first Michelin Supersport race of the day got underway at 10:15 am. With Harrison Voight aboard his R6 in pole, the drag race to turn one saw Voight hold the lead from Olly Simpson with the always-good-at-The-Island Jack Passfield in third.

The baby-faced assassin that is Cameron Dunker was up from Supersport 300 as champion and up into fourth in his first ASBK Supersport race. Tom Bramich had fluffed the start somewhat, allowing a few riders from the second row of the grid through and making life hard for himself. The 2022 category champion Lytras was pushing past a broken bone in his foot and a general dislike for The Island and was up to fifth.

Meanwhile, Harry Voight was off… the front. After two laps he had an incredible near five-second lead and was looking to be back in the pits in a ice bath with a recovery drink before the field were at half distance.

On lap three he broke the lap record to keep it fun. He was now at a 6.3-second lead from Tom Bramich who had skillfully worked his way up from as low as fifth.

At half distance, it was Voight from Bramich and Simpson with Passfield also staying in touch. Dunker was a few seconds further adrift and had Skeer, Farnsworth, Lytras, Nicholson, Lynch and Condon for company.

Rain appeared on the lens of the camera at turn one and the pit lane looked anxiously to the western sky to see what it would mean for the race.

With three to go, Voight basically had a 10-second lead from Bramich, while Passfield was now third. An indication of the weather/rain status was via Voight’s lap time – he had slowed into the 1:36s, despite having reeled off a lap record 1:34.979 on lap two.

The last lap was upon us and Harrison Voight was set to salute for his first win of 2023 and a back-to-back win after sweeping the final round of 2022 at The Bend. But the rain was indeed upon us, and race direction called a halt via a red flag. Voight stuck a leg out to indicate he was done for now and the race was wound back a lap, with Voight the winner by some 13 seconds to Bramich was who now becomes the nominal leader of the Michelin Supersport class once Voight is safely on his flight to Europe.

Away! Bramich once again was caught napping and Voight gapped them immediately. Olly Simpson slipped into second place and then slipped off art turn two taking two riders into the gravel.

Riders were running wide and huge gaps opened after the completion of the first lap. Any hope of a closer race in the wet was lost in the mist.

Ty Lynch was up from the fourth row of the grid into second, but four seconds adrift. Sean Condon went down on the exit of turn four. Mitch Simpson was finding the damp very much to his liking and was third and two seconds a lap faster than those behind.

At the front, Harrison Voight was still the fastest on track and reeled off the fastest lap of the race – some three seconds faster than Ty Lynch in P2.

Tom Bramich crashed at turn eight with seven laps to go and the nominal championship leader was out. But more was to come when leader Harrison Voight also went down on the same lap.

Ty Lynch was now the leader with Lytras 16 seconds behind. Luke Sanders was hot on Lytras’ tail with a small gap back to Mitch Simpson.

The race had been so frantic that event commentator Mark Bracks noted “the timing monitors can’t keep up…” No one could.

With four to go, the race settled a little, with Luke Sanders past Lytras for second. The 2022 champion Lytras could easily be forgiven for letting Sanders go. With Bramich out, the points were now valuable, even if they weren’t the full 25.

Noel Mahon went down on the exit of turn four, dropping out of contention for the podium.

Lynch maintained his lead at about 15 very comfortable seconds and Sanders eked out a 2 second gap to Lytras. Jake Farnsworth was fourth with Mitch Simpson in fifth. The 2021 Supersport 300 champion Ben Baker was up to sixth.

RACE TWO

The Phillip Island weather did the thing and we started Race Two for the weekend as the final on-track activity for Saturday in drizzling rain and fading light.

It was mercifully still bright enough for top-level racing and the riders started their warm-up lap a little after 5:30 pm with the track declared wet and all riders on wets.

Harrison Voight was on pole and his earlier dominant performance was front of mind- but could he repeat in the rain?

Two to go and Scott Nicholson lost a host of spots after an issue while Ty Lynch just held his nerve, reeling off 1:51s lap after lap to stay at 14 seconds in front.

And so it was to the finish line, with fourth-row-starting Ty Lynch back in the game in a big way taking the win by 12 seconds to Luke Sanders with John Lytras in third.

In this race of attrition, Lynch was the deserved winner.

Jack Passfield was third with Olly Simpson fifth.

ASBK SEASON RECAPCONT.

SUPERSPORT 300

In case the Supersport 300 class of ’23 were not nervous enough, a technical glitch with the starting lights resulted in a complete restart – and a reduction of laps to seven. It was an interesting way to start the weekend for the Supersport 300 crew.

After the restart, it was pole-sitter Cameron Swain out front briefly before the shenanigans began. A smaller group of nine broke away on lap two and they traded the lead in a manner that defies a written description. Swain was a good example. Variously leading – but also down in eighth – Swain knew he needed to keep challenging for the front as even a small gap could see the leading group splinter.

The leading nine were: Swain, Henry Snell, Brandon Demmery, Brodie Gawith, Jai Russo, Luke Jhonston, Casey Middleton, Cooper Rowntree and Marcus Hamod. And let us state very clearly; that group is presented in no particular order.

It was Phillip Island at her saucy best. Or was it? The cloud descended mid-morning and the *rain?* question was asked here and there, but no one can ever possibly pretend to know what is going to happen.

Phillip Island does what it wants, and you best remember that.

…and for the record, it did rain. But it was also mostly sunny.

ALPINESTARS SUPERBIKE RACE TWO

Josh Waters lead the field into turn one and beyond as the Ducati Panigale V4R flexed in front of the 17 riders behind it. Glenn Allerton was up to second from the third row of the grid, denying Arthur Sissis his typical rocket launch.

Immediately, Josh Waters set about gapping the field, and gap he did, getting out to a 1.7-second lead and then…

The Race was red-flagged.

Not for rain. Not for a crash, but for the ol’ Cape Barren Geese who had decided to take a much closer look at proceedings at turn 12. #JustPhillipIslandThings

The restart (Original grid placings resumed) was rough on riders like Allerton who had previously moved from seventh into the top three, but after the restart, Allerton was up there again with Herfoss and Jones for company. Sissis also found the big launch button and was well in contention.

Chiodo high-sided at turn two and his Honda Fireblade cartwheeled for far too long. Chiodo took a moment in the gravel trap to gather himself. With a single bike to ride, his weekend was sadly over. Stauffer then went down on the exit of turn four – as he had in race one.

With three laps to go, the leading group of nine had six seconds over the smaller chase group. Russo had taken the win last evening and was working his way to the front and testing the field for his all-important run to the line.

But at the line, it was the experience and cunning of Brandom Demmery that shone through, taking the win by .148 to Snell with Russo in third. Pole sitter Swain found himself outmuscled in ninth.

Sunday

The wind was up but the sky was clear and the horrors and terrors of the weather the day before were hopefully behind us.

Meanwhile, Herfoss ran wide at turn one after out-braking himself and was now down in sixth, Allerton was as aggressive as he can be and overtook Jones who returned serve almost immediately.

We still had eight laps to go, and Halliday was in front of Allerton. At this point, the running order was Waters, 1.5-second gap, Jones, Halliday, Allerton and Sissis in fifth. Then came Herfoss with Staring, Ted Collins, Broc Pearson and Lachlan Epis in tenth.

Halliday got past teammate Jones at half distance and they diced hammer and tong to the delight of the crowd and the horror of the Yamaha Racing Team.

Herfoss was on the tail of Sissis fighting for fifth. Epis slid off on the exit of turn four, in a manner similar to Stauffer a

ASBK SEASON RECAPCONT.

little earlier. Herfoss was behind Allerton for just two corners before making his move and moving up into fourth.

Halliday was the now fastest man on the circuit and was off Waters, despite the apparent futility. It was now a race of time trialists, with second-plus gaps between first, second and third.

With two laps remaining, Waters had a 3.1-second lead and was content to just manage it. His fastest lap of the race had been on lap two, confirming his early desire to get away from the field. He was now content to lap in the mid-32s with Halliday .4 slower.

And it remained that way to the finish. Josh Waters took his second win of the weekend from a crash-recovered-andvaliant Cru Halliday with 2022 Champion Mike Jones in third, Troy Herfoss disappointed fourth and Arthur Sissis a terrific fifth.

With just one race remaining, a Waters clean sweep, complete with the bonus point for pole had gone from a dream to an inevitable reality.

RACE THREE

All the sunshine! Away! The final race of three for the weekend under the Phillip Island sun and it was Waters as usual… but also Sissis from the third row as usual. Allerton was his aggressive best, but Sissis stood firm until turn four. Halliday tried to follow Allerton but was briefly unseated and lost a spot.

Up front, Waters was evidently keen to get home to Mildura as he was already a second up thanks to a 1:37.713 standing lap.

Mike Jones was in second place on lap two with Allerton and Herfoss in tow. Halliday was waiting to pounce with Sissis just behind him. Staring was a second back in seventh with Max

Nine to go, and Waters was comfortably on his way to the three-peat with the bonus pole point, while 2022 champion Mike Jones gave chase. Waters was lapping half a second that the next fastest rider in Halliday, so the maths was against everyone but the #21-plated McMartin Racing Panigale V4R.

Herfoss in third was at the head of a group of five and had the faster Halliday right on his wheel. While Halliday’s pass felt inevitable, the 2023 edition of Troy Herfoss has been

“Will Cru catch YRT teammate Jones?” The last time they diced in race two it was of a manner most unbecoming- but very entertaining. The gap was less than a second between the blue R1Ms, and with half the race to come… it was on.

Staring in fifth tried a neat move on Herfoss into turn four but ran wide and effectively took a long lap penalty. Halliday was all over Jones and looking for a polite time to pass. He found it via some clever work that started at turn three and he got it done by turn four and dared to look ahead to Waters.

But that was no longer a realistic possibility as Waters was some 4.4 seconds ahead. Halliday would not give up, putting down the fastest lap of the race and dropping the margin to just under four seconds. Allerton, Herfoss and a watchful Bryan Staring continued a battle that has existed between them in one form or another for over 10 years. Clean, hard, gentlemanly racing and it was a sight to behold.

Waters looked at his pit board and when he saw the gap drop to under four seconds, just neatly banged out a few fast laps to get the gap back to five seconds. Halliday was now lapping in the low 1:34s to Waters mid 1:33s and with a lap to go, here were the three races in a row that Waters had dreamed of. Home in second was a valiant Cru Halliday who had DNF-2-2 to his name and Mike Jones in third to ensure that even here at a bogey track, he walks away with second for the round.

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ASBK SEASON RECAPCONT.

A late error from Herfoss at turn four gave Allerton a big enough gap to hold on to fourth, Herfoss brought it home in fifth with Starting a little way back in sixth.

Overall for the weekend, it was Josh Waters with a perfect 76 points thanks to pole-1-1-1 with reigning champion Mike Jones a very handy second with a hungry and slightly disappointed Troy Herfoss in third.

With just four weeks until round two, the much-anticipated return of the mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul to Sydney Motorsport Park under lights and the season is already taking

With eight laps to go it was Voight from a determined Olly Simpson, a rejuvenated Ty Lynch, a very loose Mitch Simpson and the ever-present Jack Passfield. The gap to Voight had dropped to four seconds.

The fastest lap was with Olly Simpson; a 1:49, then Voight noted the drying track and was down to a 1:47. But for the fact that all riders were on an intermediate tyre, the lap times could have dropped even further.

With the track drying, Tom Bramich- who was down the order early- was able to get up to seventh and set off after the front group. Jack Passfield tried passing three riders into turn four, but had to settle for just two. He was now up to fourth. Declan Carberry had worked his way up to third through cunning and skill and was looking to cement his podium spot.

Voight now had 4.76 seconds back to Olly Simpson who had six seconds to the chase group consisting of Lynch, Passfield, Hayden Nelson, Carberry, Lytras, Mitch Simpson, Bramich and Glenn Nelson.

That shape is the ominous outline of Josh Waters aboard a McMartin Racing Ducati.

MICHELIN SUPERSPORT

On a pretty damp track with the sun shining, the final Supersport race got underway and immediately, Harrison Voight was away, but not off the front as he is want to do.

Olly Simpson was all over the shop, variously up close but also quite far from the apexes (“I was just chasing dry track!” he said later). Jake Farnsworth had been showing serious damp weather speed and was up to second and trying to chase only to have a scary low-side on the way to The Hayshed, skidding down the middle of the track and then mercifully exiting the track quickly and safely.

This goings-on gave Voight all he needed to get a gap and he was soon out to 6 seconds. Behind Voight it was frantic. A single-bike-width dry line was appearing, but the riders were nevertheless three-wide down the straight and tipping into turn one in a manner that caused breath to be held.

The chase group were fighting at every opportunity for third. No one held down third spot for more than half a lap and while Lytras seemed the most likely to hang on, Passfield and Lynch refused to let go.

Voight continued on his merry solo way and by the end of the final lap, he took a 3.5-second victory over an equally lonely Olly Simpson. Some four seconds later, John Lytras crossed the line for a very handy third place at a circuit where he wanted to limit his losses.

The overall points situation was quite the surprise. With

various riders racking DNFs it was the still-returning-fromsurgery Ty Lynch who was thereabouts all weekend and took the win from two-wins-and-a-DNF Harry Voight and The Phillip Island specialist Jack Passfield.

Voight indicated that he will not be at Sydney Motorsport Park for Round Two but would be keen to return to the championship potentially for the final round.

We now resume normal transmission…

SUPERSPORT 300

The Supersport 300 crew rolled out in the bright sun early on Sunday to open proceedings for the day and Cameron Swain lead them away at the jump. Swain had said before the race he was keen to see if he could break away and get a gap, his preferred racing situation.

Opening a .6 gap mid-lap made it seem a possibility and the immediate chasers; Henry Snell, Jai Russo and Cooper Rowntree were perhaps a little too busy fighting amongst themselves for the right to chase Swain.

But The Island- especially when it is windy- is a tough place to get away in this class against the class of this field.

But Swain just kept his head down and reeled off fastest laps and while he had one of the lowest top speeds down the straight, he was working elsewhere to make up the deficit.

Chasing the lead group solo was Brandon Demmery who had inexplicably missed the front group and found himself six seconds behind the leaders in no man’s land. A two-point leader in the championship pre-race, the new on-the-road leader was Jai Russo.

Tara Morrison went down with three laps to go at turn four and would be rightly disappointed with two DNFs on a weekend that promised so much.

Meanwhile, out front, Swain was gone. He was now at 3 seconds and there were just the crumbs left to scrap for. He was still lapping around half a second a lap faster than the chasers. While we have seen riders in this class ride away from the field, the nature of the 300s – where the drafting is so important – makes Swain’s effort even more admirable.

Into the final lap, Swain held a 7.5-second lead from the chasers in Russo, Luke Jhonston, Brodie Gawith, Casey Middleton and Cooper Rowntree.

Pole sitter Cameron Swain took the win from Brodie Gawith and Luke Jhonston with Snell fourth and Marcus Hamod in fifth.

Overall, Jai Russo took the weekend by a single point over Brandon Demmery with Henry Snell third, Swain in fourth and Luke Johnston in fifth.

A close season of Supersport 300 awaits us. (Is there any other type?)

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ALPINESTARS SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP

The 2023 Alpinestars Superbike Championship kicked off with three races at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit. Josh Waters on a McMartin Racing Ducati V4R dominated the weekend, winning all three races and taking pole position. Waters was clearly in a class of his own, comfortably leading each race and setting the fastest lap times. He finished the weekend with a perfect score of 76 points, taking a significant lead in the championship standings.

Behind Waters, there was an intense battle for the remaining podium positions. Troy Herfoss on a Honda and defending champion Mike Jones on a Yamaha both finished the weekend with 53 points, but Herfoss took second place by virtue of finishing ahead of Jones in two of the three races. Glenn Allerton on a BMW finished fourth with 50 points.

Cru Halliday on a Yamaha and Arthur Sissis on another Yamaha both finished the weekend with 40 points, but Halliday took fifth place in the standings by virtue of finishing ahead of Sissis in two of the three races. Ted Collins on a BMW was also on 40 points, while Bryan Staring on a Yamaha was in eighth place with 38 points. Matt Walters on an Aprilia and Broc Pearson on a Ducati rounded out the top ten with 34 and 33 points, respectively.

Looking ahead to the rest of the season, it seems that Waters is the clear favourite to win the championship. He looked untouchable at Phillip Island and has started the season in fine form. However, Herfoss and Jones are both experienced riders who have won championships in the past and will no doubt be pushing hard to challenge Waters for the title.

Allerton, Halliday, Sissis, Collins, and Staring all showed good pace at Phillip Island and will likely be in the mix for podium finishes throughout the season. It remains to be seen whether Walters and Pearson can consistently challenge for top positions, but they will surely be looking to improve on their performances from the opening round.

Overall, the Alpinestars Superbike Championship promises to be an exciting season of racing with multiple riders capable of challenging for the title. Waters has made an early statement of intent with his dominant performance at Phillip Island, but there is still a long way to go in the championship and anything can happen in motorcycle racing.

ROUND 2 SUPERBIKE RIDER LIST

Delivering race-winning pace lap after lap!

easy to control

Developed to suit amateur to experienced riders and all types of motorbikes.

Warm-up

The tyre provides the grip needed from the first laps. The materials used allow the rubber to warm up quickly. It benefits from the latest technologies developed in MotoGP™.

Performance made to last

The tyre delivers consistent performance, stint after stint*. Consistence achieved thanks to a footprint that is uniform over the various camber phases.

Warm-up

Michelin

The tyre provides the grip needed from the first lap. The materials used allow the rubber to warm up quickly. It benefits from the latest technologies developed in MotoGP™.

Performance made to last

The tyre delivers consistent performance, lap after lap. Consistence achieved thanks to a footprint that is uniform over the various camber phases.

Driving ease

Treaded version of the MICHELIN Power Performance Slick, developed to suit both amateur and experienced riders and all motorbikes. The tyre is optimized for Supersport 600cc bikes riding in national and international championships.

Extreme grip even in the rain!

Specially designed so that your track days and races can go ahead even in the rain! The compound has been developed for maximum wet grip and its grooved tread ensures optimum water drainage.

MICHELIN SUPERSPORT CHAMPIONSHIP

In recent times, top finishers in Michelin Supersport have eagerly progressed into Superbike, or even overseas.

In 2023, we’ve bucked that trend and the top three of 2022- and indeed most of the top 10- have returned.

Reigning Champion John Lytras is back alongside Ty Lynch (second in 2022) and Tom Bramich (third). Other regulars in the Supersport class in 2023 will include Olly Simpson, Jack Passfield, Dalla Skeer, Scott Nicholson, Mitch Simpson and 2022 round winner Sean Condon who is set for a full season this year.

Also along for the ride is 2022 Supersport 300 Champion Cameron Dunker (aka the baby-faced assassin) with 2021 Supersport 300 champion Ben Baker making a welcome return in 2023 alongside fellow Supersport 300 alumnae Glenn Nelson.

Round One of 2023 has given us only a rough sketch of what’s to come due to many variables in play creating a lot of distracting white noise: the weather (of course!), a fast rider who will not be there for the

season (Voight), riders who don’t do as well at The Island (Lytras), riders who are at their best at The Island (Passfield) and then some accidental hero stuff from Ty Lynch.

Overall, Ty Lynch emerged as the surprise winner of the weekend, coming eighth in race one, but backing it up with a win in race two and fifth in the final race. Voight’s two wins and a DNF earned him second place in the overall standings, while Jack Passfield, who finished sixth in the final race, took third place overall.

Will Round Two offer more clarity?

ROUND 2 SUPERSPORT RIDER LIST

# FIRST SURNAME STATE MAKE MODEL ENTRANT SPONSOR

Yamaha, Sol Invictus Motorcycles, AGV, TCX, RK, Pirelli, Motul, BMC

RS&C, Doctor Mak, YRD, Link, Pirelli, Motul, RK

TF Moto, BucciMotoAU, PZ Racing, Maselli Suspension, Sydney West Riders, Wellsprung Motorcycle Suspension, Sydney Dyno, Singleton Moore Signs, Sms Laser Cutting

interiors, Boyers, Luxe Hair Lab, YRD, Bolton MC

Aust, Daytona Boots, Made In Germany, Sport cycles Dyno Tune, Full Metal Sheds, All Terrain Metal Roof & Guttering, Michelin, WellSprung Suspension

Racing, Dunlop Australia, Race and Road, XXX Suspension, All Spa Repairs, FORM

Group, AGV, TCX, Plug a Lug, Always

SCK, Designd, Sydney Dyno, Utech, Beta Tools,

Motorsports, Unitech, Webb plastics, YRD, Michelin, Caloundra Motorcycle Centre, Underground designs

Penrite, Pirelli, Stef's Transport, Shoei, ATR, Baker Group, Gas Imports, Plus Racing

Peter Stevens, Snoop Media

Sports Group, Dynoverks, C&S Light Weight, Motogc, Ls2 Helmets, Ricondi, The Jags, Motobits

JC Performance Motorcycle Service, Underground Designs , Webb Plastics, The Royal Family Hotel,Sa Motorcycles, Water Front Holiday Park, Traegers Earthmoving, DMS Landscaping

Taree Motorcycles, Gow Moto, Global Factory Maintenance, Tanks2Go, PirelliMoto, KYT Helmets Australia, YRD, Knight Designs, Motul, Ricondi, RK Takasago Chain Global

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New Diavel V4: Unmistakeable design. Unique personality.

SUPERSPORT 300 CHAMPIONSHIP

The Supersport 300cc class allows single or twincylinder four-stroke machines with a capacity limit of 500cc from any brand, with the Kawasaki Ninja 400 and Yamaha R3 currently competing. To ensure fairness between the 400cc Kawasaki and 320cc Yamaha, different performance parameters have been put in place. Riders aged 13 and over can participate, making it a great option for older riders who want to race on even machinery without a large budget or experience.

The 2023 Supersport 300 season got underway with one of the three-race rounds of the year at Phillip Island. The championship always delivers on unpredictability and this year will surely be no exception, with riders battling hard for points in each race.

In Race One, Cameron Swain took pole position but it was Jai Russo who took the win, holding off a strong challenge from the returning Brandon Demmery in

second and Casey Middleton in third. Swain finished down in 8th place, putting him on the back foot for the rest of the weekend.

Race Two saw Cameron Swain led briefly before a smaller group of nine riders broke away on lap two. The group traded the lead in a manner that defies description, with Swain leading and dropping back to eighth position at various points. The leading group of nine had a six-second lead over the smaller chase group with three laps to go. In the end, it was the experience and cunning of Brandon Demmery that shone through, taking the win by .148 seconds from Snell with Russo in third.

Race Three saw Swain take the lead from the start, opening up a 0.6-second gap mid-lap. The chasers, including Henry Snell, Jai Russo, and Cooper Rowntree, were too busy fighting amongst themselves to chase down Swain. Swain kept his head down, reeling off fastest laps and working hard elsewhere to make up the deficit. Meanwhile, Brandon Demmery found himself six seconds behind the leaders in no man’s land. In the end, Swain took the win, with Gawith and Jhonston in second and third, respectively.

Overall, Jai Russo took the weekend by a single point over Brandon Demmery with Henry Snell in third, Swain in fourth, and Jhonston in fifth. The season promises to be a close one, with riders battling hard for points and the championship up for grabs.

YAMAHA FINANCE R3 CUP

The Yamaha R3 Cup is all about the little 320cc R3 machines - they may be small, but they’re mighty! And don’t be fooled by the name, these competitors aren’t just racing each other. They’re also cross-entered into the Supersport 300, where they’ll face off against other manufacturers like Kawasaki and KTM.

But the R3 Cup is where the real action is. With three races per weekend, these mostly teenage riders get plenty of track time to hone their skills and test their race fitness.

Of course, with all that racing comes some serious competition. Every rider needs to be consistent if they want to succeed, and one slip-up can spell disaster. But with such tight racing, you can always count on a nail-biting finish. In fact, it’s rare to see a race decided before the final turn of the final lap. It all comes down to that last-lap slipstreaming drag to the finish linemay the best rider win!

ROUND 2 SUPERSPORT 300 / YMF R3 CUP RIDER LIST

The Bike Vault Castlemaine, Track Sliders, RBT Services, AGV Helmets, The Grinning Dingo, Lux Hair Lab ,Well Sprung Suspension

Megacycle Racing,HLM,Race and Road Ricondi,Link International,SHAS Projects,Whitsunday Regional Council,Tassal,Snell Racing,Whitsunday Sands Resort

R3 Motocity, Link International, Jekyl & Hyde, AGV, Pirelli, Motul, Macna, Suncoast Powerhouse

TeamBWR/RBM Racing, Dunlop Australia, RaceDNA, Race and Road, Ricondi

RaceDNA Motorsports, XXXRatedSuspension, RawHide Co, Kawasaki, Race Art Australia, Dunlop

GCE Australia, Wet4U Race Fairings,GASD, Portbike Sydney, Arai helmets, Ixon, Gaerne boots

RaceDNA.com.au, RaceDNA Motorsports, XXXRatedSuspension, RawHide Co, Kawasaki, Race Art Australia, Dunlop

Race Team, Sproutwell , Ricondi, Race and Road, AGV, TCX, Link International

Caboolture Yamaha, Impeller Museum & Event Services, IDM Global, Ricondi, Forcite, Draper Motorsport, Aspley Bike Shop, UBX Australia, Diesel Power Systems, ART - Advanced Rider Training, OPRacing

RaceDNA.com.au, RaceDNA Motorsports, XXXRatedSuspension, RawHide Co, Kawasaki, KTY, Dunlop, Hydro-Pneumatics, Metal West Recycling, RS36, Trackdayz, Race Art Australia,

YRD, Yamaha Australia,SBS Brakes, Kenma Australia, Race Bike Services, AMX Superstores, Alpinestars, Simpson Crash, Simpson Signs

Platinum Security Systems, Knight Designs, Project 46, Sydney City Motorcycles, Suspension by Frank Pons

JC Performance Motorcycle Service, Underground Designs , Webb Plastics, The Royal Family Hotel,Sa Motorcycles, Water Front Holiday Park, Traegers Earthmoving, DMS Landscaping

Taree Motorcycles, Gow Moto, Global Factory Maintenance, Tanks2Go, PirelliMoto, KYT Helmets Australia, YRD, Knight Designs, Motul, Ricondi, RK Takasago Chain Global

Since its inception in 2019, the FIM Oceania and Dorna Sports-supported bLU cRU - Oceania Junior Cup (OJC) has provided a nurturing environment for young riders to experience road racing at a national level, learn, improve, and showcase their talents.

The OJC has become a firmly established stepping-stone to the international racing arena and is recognised as a Road to MotoGP category. The most outstanding OJC riders have a clear pathway to progress to other international categories such as the Asia Talent Cup and Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup.

Even though it is only in its fifth season, OJC has already earned a formidable reputation as a breeding ground for future stars. The 2023 season will see eleven new riders debuting with the return of nine riders from bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup season 2022. Furthermore, some OJC graduates and current riders will race overseas in 2023.

The OJC formula is simple but effective: competitors aged from 11 up to under 16 (as of January 1, 2023) compete against each other on identical Yamaha YZF-R15 raceprepped motorcycles, equipped with control Dunlop tyres, Öhlins suspension, Yamalube, and DID chains.

• Unique YZ-inspired Dual Twin aluminium frame

• RockShox 160mm front and 150mm rear travel suspension

• Four piston Magura MT5 brakes

• Shimano XT drivetrain

Multi-mode lightweight PW-X3 motor with 85Nm of torque

ROUND 2 OJC RIDER LIST

# FIRST SURNAME STATE MAKE MODEL SPONSOR

11 Nikolas LAZOS VIC YAMAHA YZF-R15 bLU cRU Yamaha / FIM Oceania / MA / Ricondi / Yamalube / Dunlop / Shark Helmets / Speedangle

16 Rossi MCADAM WA YAMAHA YZF-R15 bLU cRU Yamaha / FIM Oceania / MA / Ricondi / Yamalube / Dunlop / Shark Helmets / Speedangle

17 Haydn FORDYCE VIC YAMAHA YZF-R15 bLU cRU Yamaha / FIM Oceania / MA / Ricondi / Yamalube / Dunlop / Shark Helmets / Speedangle

18 Elijah ANDREW NSW YAMAHA YZF-R15 bLU cRU Yamaha / FIM Oceania / MA / Ricondi / Yamalube / Dunlop / Shark Helmets / Speedangle

20 Isaac AYAD NSW YAMAHA YZF-R15 bLU cRU Yamaha / FIM Oceania / MA / Ricondi / Yamalube / Dunlop / Shark Helmets / Speedangle

23 Jed FYFFE NSW YAMAHA YZF-R15 bLU cRU Yamaha / FIM Oceania / MA / Ricondi / Yamalube / Dunlop / Shark Helmets / Speedangle

26 Oscar LEWIS NSW

SUREFLIGHT SUPERBIKE MASTERS

By ASBK Trackside Commentator Mark Bracks

For the second round of season 2023 of the mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championships presented by Motul, the popular “Superbike Masters“ returns for another hit out.

the track. The first Australian Superbike Championship took place in 1987, and since then, the list of champions includes names such as Robbie Phillis, Troy Corser, Shaun Giles, and Anthony Gobert. The Superbike Masters category offers a full field of 40 bikes across four classes, catering to a range of motorcycles from the bygone era.

The P5 ‘Unlimited Forgotten Era’ class features bikes produced between 1973 and 1982 and is split into two subclasses: P5 Unlimited and P5F1 for aftermarket framed bikes, including the Harris, Spondon, and the GPspec Yamaha TZ750 two-strokes. The P6 ‘New Era’ class welcomes machines from 1983 to 1990, with Formula 750 bikes such as the Honda RC30 and P6 Formula 1300 - featuring motorcycles such as the Yamaha FZR1000 and the aforementioned CB1100R.

The “Superbike Masters” category takes us back to the days when big-bore racing attracted large crowds to the tracks to watch races with machinery similar to what they rode to

With a full field of competitors, the Superbike Masters is sure to provide intense and entertaining battles among riders and their classic machines.

ROUND 2 SUPERBIKE MASTERS RIDER LIST

The MA RACESAFE Medical Team launches into a new Australian Superbike Championship season, all thanks to the support of our major sponsorsMotorcycling Australia, Motul Pirelli and Thor.

The highly trained & dedicated team of Medical Professionals includes Doctors, Surgeons, Intensive Care Paramedics, Emergency Nurses and Physiotherapists. The team will continue to fulfil the critical role as the Official Medical Team for the 2022 mi-bike Australian Superbike Championships, presented by Motul.

The 2021 RACESAFE season was full of thrills and spills which kept the RACESAFE Medical Team busy at every event. Emergency Medical & Sports Medicine treatments were provided to competitors, with the RACESAFE Medical Team again spearheading exciting new developments in its well established rider care program.

The expertise of the MA RACESAFE Medical Team is in hot demand, with this team now providing the Official Medical Service for the 2022 Australian Motocross Championships - MX Nationals, 2022 Australasian Supercross Series and Troy Bayliss Classic, just to name a few.

Thanks to a shared vision for rider safety with their sponsors, the MA RACESAFE Medical Team has continued to pioneer new levels of rider care across Australia. Without their dedicated sponsors the MA RACESAFE Medical Team would never make it to track to provide this crucial role.

“Motorcycling Australia is very pleased to come on board as the major sponsor of RACESAFE Australia for 2022 and beyond. The RACESAFE team will be key component of the 2022 mi-bike Australian Superbike Championships, presented by Motul, as well as at the MX Nationals, Australian Supercross Championship and other major MA national events throughout the year.

The level of medical service and support provided to these events and our motorcycling community as a whole is unrivalled, and that is why we had no hesitation partnering up together for the good of all of our stakeholders.

We are looking forward to working together with RACESAFE to support and enhance the range of services they can offer, which will no doubt benefit our MA membership in many ways.” Quoted Motorcycling Australia CEO Peter Boyle.

Exclusive to the Motorcycling Australia’s national motorcycle championships, is the MA RACESAFE Mobile Medical Unit. This world class facility will travel to each round of the ASBK series and will provide an onsite Emergency Medical centre, Physiotherapy facility, plus Mobile Command Unit for the MA RACESAFE Medical Team.

Equipped with the most modern advance life support medical and sports medicine equipment, this unit is a first for Australian Motorsport. The project rivals any unit worldwide.

MA RACESAFE Mobile Medical Unit includes:

• Philips Critical Care Monitors with ECG, SP02, NIBP, etC02

• Philips MRx Heart Defibrillator

• BOC Medical - Oxygen Systems

• BOC Medical - Suction Unit

• I.V systems

• Intubation / Airway Management Unit

• Sphygmomanometers

• Otoscope & Ophthalmoscope

• X-Ray Viewer

• Trauma Beds

• Ultrasound Unit

• Portable Interferential Unit

• Arm Pump Treatment Unit

• Simoco Two-way Radio Systems

MA RACESAFE Medical Team will include for the 2021 Australian Superbike Championships :

• Motul RACESAFE Medical

• Chase Cars - Fully equipped with

• Advanced Life Support Equipment

• MA RACESAFE Medical Team including,

- Emergency Director

- Series Chief Medical Officer

- Intensive Care Paramedics

- Emergency Nurses

- Sports Physiotherapists

- High Speed Chase Driver

- Technical Support Officer

- Orthopaedic Surgeons

- Emergency Doctors

www.racesafe.com.au CELEBRATING

RACE FLAGS

YELLOW FLAG

Waved - danger ahead Riders must slow down and be prepared to stop. Overtaking is forbidden.

BLUE FLAG

Waved - flag indicate a rider that they are about to be overtaken.

CHEQUERED FLAG

Waved - race or practice session is over.

BLACK FLAG

Riders whose number is shown with the flag must stop at the pits on the next lap.

RED FLAG

Waved - race or practice interrupted. Riders must return to the pits.

YELLOW & RED STRIPED FLAG

Deterioration of adhesion to the track.

GREEN FLAG

The track is clear.

WHITE FLAG

Waved – slow moving intervention vehicle on track

ASBK SERIES OFFICIALS

Tom WILLIAMS ASBK Race Director

Simon MAAS ASBK Series Safety Officer

Peter GODDARD ASBK Deputy Safety Officer

Peter BLACK ASBK Clerk of Course

Gary BLEAZBY ASBK Deputy Clerk of Course

Phil REINEN ASBK Assistant Clerk of Course

Denise STRONACH ASBK Race Secretary

Evon STEWART ASBK Deputy Race Secretary

Rob SCOTT ASBK Chief Technical Officer

Ian REDDIN ASBK Deputy Chief Technical Officer

Sam PHILLIPS ASBK Chief Pit Lane Marshal

Jan HIGGINS ASBK Series Tyre Scrutineer

Scott LAING ASBK Chief Timekeeper

Mark ARNOLD ASBK Deputy Chief Timekeeper

Andrew MCCALLUM ASBK Deputy Chief Timekeeper

Brendan FERRARI ASBK Official Starter

Shelley THOMPSON ASBK Chief Communicator

MOTORCYCLING AUSTRALIA WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK ALL THE ASBK VOLUNTEER OFFICIALS!

COMPUTIME SERIES OFFICIALS

Scott LAING

Mark ARNOLD

Andrew MCCALLUM