Image: Russell Colvin.

Fresh from earning the Supersport crown following race one, Landbridge Yamaha’s Tom Toparis went onto claim the overall victory with a pair of wins at Phillip Island’s sixth round of the 2019 Motul Pirelli Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK).

In challenging and windy conditions, Toparis pushed on to capture top honours in the opening outing of the day, with the New South Welshman only needing to finish sixth the secure his maiden Supersport crown.

Nic Liminton (Yamaha) was an early challenger for the top spot, however crashed out in the closing stages, allowing Aiden Hayes (Yamaha) and Jack Passfield (Yamaha) to complete the top three. Broc Pearson (Yamaha) and Ty Lynch (Yamaha) locked out the top five.

In race two, it was another Toparis show as the newly-crowned champion stormed to a 5.684s victory over Liminton, the South Australian comfortably earning runner-up honours. Hayes was third followed by Passfield and Richie Dibben (Suzuki), while overall it was Toparis from Hayes and Passfield.

In the Supersport 300 category, Senna Agius (Kawasaki) emerged with the overall win after recording a 1-2-1 scorecard across the weekend, defeating Luke Jhonston (Yamaha) and Yannis Shaw (Kawasaki), while the Yamaha R3 Cup was topped by Hunter Ford (Yamaha) followed by Max Stauffer (Yamaha) and Locky Taylor (Yamaha).

Championship leader Carter Thompson took out top honours in the bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup, defeating Angus Grenfell and Max Gibbons.

The ASBK now heads to Sydney Motorsport Park on 1-3 November for the seventh and final round of the series.

Detailed results

Image: TDJ Media.

The 2019 Motul Pirelli Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) was thrown into chaos during race two of Phillip Island’s penultimate round, as the encounter saw three title contenders crash out as Troy Herfoss broke through to claim the race and overall win, while also inheriting the points lead.

It was once again Mike Jones (DesmoSport Ducati) and race one winner Wayne Maxwell (Team Suzuki Ecstar) who the hit front, as the chaos commenced early with title challenger Cru Halliday (Yamaha Racing Team) crashing out on lap two.

The battle between Jones and Maxwell ensued over the opening half of the race, the duo trading positions on numerous occasions and making a number of close calls before Herfoss joined the party.

The championship erupted on lap seven when Maxwell snuck underneath Jones, bumping him in the process before the Ducati pilot hit the ground and was ruled out the race – ultimately relinquishing the points lead. The incident went under investigation by Race Direction, however no further action was deemed post-race.

Drama within the points chase didn’t stop there as championship contender Bryan Staring (Kawasaki BCperformance) crashed out moments later, making it three title challengers with zero-point scores.

While the mayhem continued, Maxwell and Herfoss maintained their battle for the lead, the victory coming down to the final turns as the reigning champion edged his rival by just 0.028s for the top spot.

Josh Waters (Team Suzuki Ecstar) locked out the podium in third, while the top five was completed by Daniel Falzon (Yamaha Racing Team) and Matt Walters (Kawasaki Connection).

Glenn Allerton (Maxima BMW) was sixth followed by Damon Rees, as Alex Phillis (Team Suzuki Ecstar), Lachlan Epis (Kawasaki) and Sloan Frost (Suzuki) made up positions eight, nine and 10. Overall, it was Herfoss who captured the win ahead of Maxwell and Waters. Herfoss leads Maxwell by three points in the championship standings.

The ASBK now heads to Sydney Motorsport Park on 1-3 November for the seventh and final round of the series.

Detailed results

Image: Foremost Media.

Landbridge Yamaha’s Tom Toparis has been crowned the 2019 Supersport champion in the Motul Pirell Australian Superbike Championship after securing victory during the opening encounter at Phillip Island’s sixth round.

The New South Welshman rode dominantly to the title this season, winning every race bar one in his campaign so far, as one round still remains on the calendar.

“I’m wrapped to win the championship – it’s my first time winning an Australian title,” Toparis explained. “I can’t thank my team and family enough – the Landbridge Yamaha team has done such a good job all year and we’ve won so many races.

“I’m so happy – after last year, we worked so hard to beat Cru, and now to do it here on the new Yamaha – it’s an awesome bike to ride. I’m grateful for everyone that’s given me the opportunity to win the championship.”

The newly-crowned champion will head out for Supersport race two this afternoon, scheduled for 2:20pm AEDT.

Image: Russell Colvin.

Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Wayne Maxwell earned a dominant race one victory at Phillip Island’s penultimate round of the 2019 Motul Pirelli Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK), while the fight for podium positions unfolded behind him.

The number 47 quickly moved by pole-sitter and championship leader Mike Jones (DesmoSport Ducati) in the opening corners, and that was the last the field saw of him as he lodged a 1.653s victory.

Reigning champion Troy Herfoss (Penrite Honda Racing) challenged Jones for second amongst a group of riders that included Matt Walters (Kawasaki Connection), Josh Waters (Team Suzuki Ecstar), and Yamaha Racing Team duo Cru Halliday and Daniel Falzon.

Herfoss eventually got the better of Jones, however an error with just one lap to spare saw the number one drop to third. It wasn’t the end though, as Herfoss pushed on to make an aggressive pass in the dying stages, managing to fend off Jones’ evidently faster Ducati down the final straight to claim runner-up honours by a slender 0.114s

Waters, who remained very much in the fight for the podium, was a further 0.070s behind Jones, as Halliday was a fraction off to complete the top five.

Falzon was sixth ahead of Walters, as Bryan Staring (Kawasaki BCperformance), Mark Chiodo (Penrite Honda Racing) and Glenn Allerton (Maxima BMW) concluded the top 10.

Detailed results

Image: Russell Colvin.

Kawasaki independent Matt Walters stole the show in Motul Pirelli Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) qualifying on Saturday at Phillip Island after slotting his Ninja ZX-10RR onto the front row of the grid.

Walters, 26, will start third in both of today’s Kawasaki Superbike races in Victoria after posting a PB lap of 1m32.545s in Q2 on Saturday afternoon.

“It was a really good lap and I had a lot of fun doing it,” Walters told CycleOnline.com.au. “It’s the best lap I’ve ever done here, so it’s really confidence inspiring – we’ll keep chipping away and trying to move forward.

“We’ve had two or three really hard years, not with the bike, but just things that haven’t gone our way. We’re turning it around though, so to be on the front row is great for a small, family-run outfit.”

With a pair of 12-lap races on the agenda for Sunday, Walters knows that the real challenge is ahead as he starts alongside pole-setter Mike Jones (DesmoSport Ducati) and Wayne Maxwell (Team Suzuki Ecstar).

“One lap’s alright, but I’ve gotta do it for two races on Sunday…” he added. “That’s when it counts, so I’m really looking forward to getting the elbows out and getting involved.”

Image: Russell Colvin.

Yamaha-mounted Tom Toparis has claimed the Motorsports TV Australian Supersport Championship pole position at Phillip Island’s sixth round of the 2019 season.

Toparis, who can potentially clinch the title tomorrow, was a full second clear of the field with a 1m35.449s lap-time, leading Nic Liminton (Yamaha) and Jack Passfield (Yamaha).

The second row features Oli Bayliss (Yamaha), Ty Lynch (Yamaha) and Broc Pearson (Yamaha), with seventh to 10th featuring Aidan Hayes (Yamaha), Richie Dibben (Suzuki), Jack Hyde (Yamaha) and Rhys Belling (Yamaha).

Winning race one of the YMI Supersport 300s was Senna Agius (Kawasaki), leading Yannis Shaw (Kawasaki) by 0.043s, with Seth Crump (KTM) completing the podium. The top 11 bikes finished within a second in a freight-train thriller.

This afternoon’s opening YMF R3 Cup race was even closer in the fight for victory as Locky Taylor edged out Max Stauffer by just 0.084s. John Lytras was third, this time with the top eight Yamahas all crossing the line in formation.

The tight racing didn’t end there, however, because Max Gibbons managed to take victory in the Oceania Junior Cup by 0.035s, ahead of Carter Thompson and Angus Grenfell. Again, 11 riders were within one second at only 0.624s.

Detailed results

Image: Foremost Media.

DesmoSport Ducati’s Mike Jones has qualified on pole position for round six of the 2019 Motul Pirelli Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) at Phillip Island.

Jones set a scorching time of 1m31.995s in Q2, which was a new best lap for ASBK at the Victorian venue, and a fourth-straight pole for the current points-leader.

Joining Jones on the front row was Wayne Maxwell (Team Suzuki Ecstar), 0.326s in arrears, and privateer standout Matt Walters (Kawasaki) in a popular result for the New South Welshman.

Walters jumped to the top of the order in the late stages of the session with his personal best lap, however, Jones retaliated with two minutes remaining and that’s where he would remain.

Fourth and fifth places featured Daniel Falzon (Yamaha Racing Team) and defending champion Troy Herfoss (Penrite Honda Racing) respectively, the final pair in the 1m32s during qualifying this afternoon.

Starting out of P6 will be Cru Halliday (Yamaha Racing Team) after transferring through Q1, as Josh Waters (Team Suzuki Ecstar), Glenn Allerton (Maxima BMW), Bryan Staring (Kawasaki BCperformance) and Mark Chiodo (Penrite Honda Racing) were in positions seven through 10.

Detailed results

Image: Russell Colvin.

Triple world champion Troy Bayliss made a surprise return to the Motul Pirelli Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) on Friday at Phillip Island, continuing to develop the Panigale V4 R.

The DesmoSport Ducati co-owner was scheduled to contest the full season in 2019 until injuries sustained at the opening round prompted the team to draft in current points-leader Mike Jones.

Bayliss, 50, recently lined up in a Victorian state title round at Phillip Island with a strong performance alongside Jones – who continues to pilot the 1299 Panigale FE – and will be a starter in the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix support races later this month.

“It was nice to do a few laps on the V4 because I wanted to get a bit more time on it before the GP,” Bayliss told CycleOnline. “I’m still not going as well as I’d like to be on that, but honestly, we’re really focused on what we need to do with Mike to finish the job off this year – we have to concentrate on him.

“It’ll be nice to put the bike on track with a lot of people down here, in front of our sponsors and fans during the GP weekend. It’s going to be a really good event for us because we’ve got a hospitality down here as well, so it’ll be nice.”

At the conclusion of Friday’s ASBK sessions Bayliss was ninth quickest on combined times, his 1m34.116s coming in the morning’s first practice session. He wasn’t the lone V4 on track this weekend, with multiple ASBK champion Jamie Stauffer joining Craig McMartin Racing for the round.

Image: Russell Colvin.

Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Wayne Maxwell topped this morning’s timed practice session, leading into qualifying at Phillip Island’s penultimate round of the 2019 Motul Pirelli Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK).

Maxwell recorded a 1m32.727s lap-time in Kawasaki Superbike final practice, edging points-leader Mike Jones (DesmoSport Ducati) by 0.008s – the lone two riders beneath the 33s bracket today.

Defending champion Troy Herfoss (Penrite Honda Racing), who set a PB lap of the grand prix circuit on Friday, was third on the time-sheets, with the top five filled by top independent Matt Walters (Kawasaki) and Bryan Staring (Kawasaki BCperformance).

Also transferring directly through to Q2 this afternoon, the top nine riders included Josh Waters (Team Suzuki Ecstar), Daniel Falzon (Yamaha Racing Team), Mark Chiodo (Penrite Honda Racing) and Glenn Allerton (Maxima BMW).

Title challenger Cru Halliday (Yamaha Racing Team) was 10th on the charts at the conclusion of timed practice, meaning he will be forced to take part in Q1 this afternoon.

Fastest in Motorsports TV Supersport qualifying was Tom Toparis (Yamaha) at 1m35.613s ahead of Nic Liminton (Yamaha) and Jack Passfield (Yamaha), as Max Stauffer (Yamaha) led YMI Supersport 300 and the YMF R3 Cup.

Detailed results