Max Stauffer (Yamaha, Yamaha R3) may have missed out on going three wins from three this weekend, but he still claimed overall victory in Yamaha Motor Insurance Supersport 300, capping off Round 1 of the 2019 Motul Pirelli Australian Superbike Championship with the overall win.
Max Stauffer taking an emotional round victory with Jamie Stauffer – Australian Supersport 300 – Round 1 Phillip Island – Image by Rob Mott
John Lytras (Caboolture Yamaha, Yamaha R3) claimed the Race 3 win to break Stauffer’s streak and banked 56 points for the weekend, leaving him in second place behind Stauffer’s 67. Luke Power’s (RTR Yamaha R3) pair of podiums helped him to third overall with 55 points.
Australian Supersport 300 Race 3
Lytras came from row two to to lead the pack off the line before Seth Crump (Rockoil, KTM RC 390) snuck through. But Power carved around the outside into turn two to take the lead and Lytras was bundled back to fifth behind Stauffer and Locky Taylor (YRD, Yamaha R3).
Luke Power, John Lytras, Seth Crump – Australian Supersport 300 – Round 1 Phillip Island – Image by Rob Mott
A four-way battle through the Hayshed between Stauffer, Crump and Power ensued with Stauffer leading across the line to begin lap two from Lytras and Crump. Ben Baker (Jekyl & Hyde, Yamaha R3) was judged to have jumped the start and awarded a 10 second penalty.
With two laps compete Hunter Ford (Yamaha, Yamaha R3) and Yannis Shaw (WRP Bridgestone, Kawasaki EX400) decided they would like to run at the front for a while, briefly popping up amongst the lead group.
Australian Supersport 300 – Round 1 Phillip Island – Image by TBG
As the race progressed Stauffer, Power and Senna Agius (Kawasaki EX400) seemed to be trying to break away off the front of the pack but the pursuing group of Ford, Crump, Harry Khouri (Excite Motorsports, Yamaha R3), Lytras and Dylan Whiteside (Mark Lamont, Kawasaki EX300) wouldn’t let them.
Seth Crump, Senna Agius, John Lytras – Australian Supersport 300 – Round 1 Phillip Island – Image by Rob Mott
Crossing the Start/Finish for the last lap it was Agius in the lead, Power and Stauffer following closely and the rest of the field a little further behind. Crump brought the pursuing group across to the leaders and bridged the gap, making a bunch sprint towards the chequered flag.
Sena Agius – Australian Supersport 300 – Round 1 Phillip Island – Image by Rob Mott
At the finish it was Lytras who timed his slipstream the best, coming from behind to get the win ahead of Agius and Power, with eventual round winner Stauffer in fourth.
Max Stauffer
“The 2019 season couldn’t really have gotten off to a better start, could it? I would have liked to have won that last race, but it wasn’t meant to be.”
Max Stauffer – Australian Supersport 300 – Round 1 Phillip Island – Image by Rob Mott
Lytras was full of praise for his opponents, after a hard-fought win in race three and second place for the round.
John Lytras
“It was awesome fun, there was lots and lots of battles. I actually went back to 10th at one point, the action was that thick through there, it was really hard. We eventually got back, it was a really fun race.”
John Lytras – Australian Supersport 300 – Round 1 Phillip Island – Image by Rob Mott
Round 2 of the 2019 Motul Pirelli Australian Superbike Championship heads to Wakefield Park in Goulburn (March 22-24). For information and tickets, head to www.asbk.com.au.
ASBK Supersport 300 Race Three Results
John LYTRAS (Caboolture Yamaha, YamahaR3)
Senna AGIUS (Kawasaki EX 400)
Luke POWER (RTR Yamaha R3)
Max STAUFFER (Yamaha, Yamaha R3)
Hunter FORD (Yamaha, Yamaha R3)
Harry KHOURI (Excite M-sports, Yamaha R3)
Yannis SHAW (WRP Bridgestone, Kawasaki EX400)
Dylan WHITESIDE, (Mark Lamont, Kawasaki EX300
Seth CRUMP (Rockoil, KTM RC 390)
Travis HALL (Stitchsmith, Yamaha R3)
Luke Power, Max Stauffer, John Lytras – Australian Supersport 300 Overall Podium – Round 1 Phillip Island – Image by TBG
2019 ASBK Supersport 300 YMF R3 Cup Oceanic Juniors Cup
With Mark Bracks Images by TBG and Rob Mott
Mark Bracks gives MCNews.com.au the inside scoop on the Supersport 300, R3 Cup and Oceania Juniors Cup categories, following their appearances at the official ASBK test at Phillip Island last weekend.
Seth Crump topped the weekend’s testing on his KTM
YMI Supersport 300 & YMF R3 Cup
Early signs at the test for the Supersport 300 and R3 Cup were that there hasn’t been too many departures from the ranks in 2019.
24 riders participated at the test, but by the time the race action happens in a few weeks the grids will swell to have nearly 40 riders vying for position.
Tom Bramich was in attendence, but testing his WSBK machinery and not counted in the official time sheets
Two that did leave are Tom Bramich who is off to compete in the Supersport 300 World Championship in Europe, while Oli Bayliss steps up to the Supersport 600 class. Apart from these two, the class will have a lot of the same players for the year racing with the same insane intensity that we have become accustomed to.
Seth Crump
Honestly, no. It will probably be more intense and competitive, as each year the action rises to another level. Casting an eye over the entry list there is no doubt it will be a dynamite season.
Harry Khouri
This year also oversees the introduction of the Kawasaki Ninja 400 to the category, albeit with some limitations, primarily of which are the restrictions on suspension changes for the 400, compared to the more extensive hardware based suspension tuning allowed for the smaller capacity Yamaha YZF-R3, Ninja 300 and KTM 390.
Locky Taylor
Tom Bramich was at the test but was not included in the official times as he was testing a Ninja 400 that he will use in the Supersport 300 World Championship in Europe this year. The bike he will race for Carl Cox Motorsports is allowed a lot more extras than what is allowed in the corresponding category here, so Tom was out getting accustomed to a Kawasaki and the extras that come with it.
Tom Bramich
The ever improving Seth Crump was fastest over the two days, but again, testing times mean little as every one of them are contantly improving their riding skill. His usual combatants were there in attendance including 2018 GP Juniors Cup Champion Max Stauffer, Locky Taylor and Harry Khouri.
Max Stauffer
One interesting note is that BCPerformance Kawasaki have drafted in one of Australia’s fastest lady racers in Tayla Relph, who joins the team alongside West Australian Callum O’Brien. Relph is one of the most determined and gutsy competitors you’ll find and has deepened her intensity and determination since joining the ranks of the 300s after a number of years racing a Moto3 machine.
Tayla Relph
O’Brien, another one of the graduates of the GP Juniors meanwhile is a very quiet unassuming young kid who knows what he wants and goes about the task with a minimum of fuss but a truckload of determination. Watch him come of age as a rider under the tutelage of the BCPerformance Team.
Callum O’Brien
As for Tayla now that she has a professional team environment around her, she may well take that little extra step to be a regular on the podium.
With Ninja 400’s allowed in the class, limitations include having to use standard suspension
Adding spice to this already ultra-competitive line-up will be Senna Agius and Ben Baker, who both competed in the Asia Talent Cup last year. Their seasons were compromised by injury but both will gleefully jump into this cauldron of young talent and no doubt put to use their experiences of the competition with the best youngsters of Asia last year.
Senna Agius
Supersport 300 & R3 Cup combined testing
Seth CRUMP (QLD) KTM RC 390 1:49.249
Locky TAYLOR (QLD) Yamaha R3 321 1:49.429
Senna AGIUS (NSW) Kawasaki Ninja 400 1:49.581
Max STAUFFER (NSW) Yamaha R3 321 1:49.617
Callum O’BRIEN (WA) Kawasaki Ninja 400 1:49.939
Luke POWER (VIC) Yamaha R3 321 1:49.939
Zac LEVY (QLD) Yamaha R3 321 1:50.109
Ben BAKER (NSW) Kawasaki Ninja 300 1:50.823
Harry KHOURI (NSW) Yamaha R3 321 1:50.829
Zylas BUNTING (NSW) Yamaha R3 321 1:50.917
Kyle O’CONNELL (QLD) Yamaha R3 321 1:51.117
Peter NERLICH (VIC) Kawasaki Ninja 400 1:51.179
Bronson PICKETT (WA) Yamaha R3 321 1:52.840
Tayla RELPH (QLD) Kawasaki Ninja 400 1:52.952
Jesse WOODS (TAS) Yamaha R3 321 1:53.055
Cameron AGOSTINI (NT) Honda CBR 300 1:54.575
Joseph MARINIELLO (VIC) Yamaha R3 321 1:55.758
Jeremy CZMOK (VIC) KTM RC 390 1:57.141
Hayden STIFF (NSW) Kawasaki Ninja 300 1:57.247
Kristian AGOSTINI (NT) Yamaha R3 321 1:57.706
Lachlan O’BRIEN (NT) Yamaha R3 321 2:00.319
Ben ANGELIDIS (ACT) Yamaha R3 321 2:00.537
Andrew DE KUYPER (VIC) Kawasaki Ninja 300 2:04.298
Carter Thompson
bLU cRU Oceania Juniors Cup
bLU cRU Oceania Juniors Cup
The weekend also saw the debut of the Oceania Juniors Cup for the young tackers. All on Yamaha YZF-R15s, the series is a step forward from the GP Juniors Cup with Motorcycling Australia taking over the running, and already it has shown great promise with over 25 riders turning up for the turn-key competition series.
bLU cRU Oceania Juniors Cup
It harps back to the very early days of production racing where a rider (or families in this case) pay an amount for the year which includes bike, riding gear, bike transport and all the rest, with the bikes being transported by MA and Yamaha.
Max Gibbons
Turn up. Pick an ignition key. Go race.
It’s going to be hard to recognise the young racers as all bikes and leathers are identical so it will be subtle markings like numbers – that normally are hard to decipher at the distance, as well as helmet design that will identify them to the masses of onlookers that will witness their antics during the year.
bLU cRU Oceania Juniors Cup
Keep an eye out for names like Glenn Nelson, Angus Grenfell, Max Gibbons, Cros Francis, Reece Oughtred, Marianos Nikolis, Tom Drane, Zak Pettendy and Jamie Port. All will no doubt become part of an ever growing list of, ‘Names for the Future’.
The first session of the Supersport class on Saturday saw Tom Toparis getting his year off to a good start, in what serves as a warm up for his racing season, which now also includes a wildcard entry in Round 1 of the FIM World Supersport Championship at the end of the month.
Toparis was in intimidating form as he set fastest time of the day on the Yamaha R6, his first outing for the marque after moving over from Kawasaki.
Tom Toparis – Image by TBG
Right behind Toparis was Nicholas Liminton (Yamaha Motor Aust., Yamaha YZF-R6) in second and Aidan Hayes (Hayes Johnston Pty Ltd Chartered Accountants, Yamaha YZF-R6) in third place.
Oli Bayliss (Yamaha YZF-R6) was knocking on the door of the top group but couldn’t catch third placed Pearson, ending up fourth with a 1.37.840. Behind him was Reid Battye (Suzuki, Suzuki GSX-R), seemingly getting more comfortable on the bike after a slow first session to finish fifth fastest.
If Tom Toparis was in intimidating form on Day 1, then on Sunday he proved he was untouchable. Already down into the 1:35’s by lunchtime, Toparis (1:35.295) pushed his Landbridge Yamaha almost two seconds clear of second placed Nic Liminton (1:37.273) who despite improving as the weekend progressed still didn’t have the pace to catch the World Supersport wild card rider.
Tom Toparis – Image by Rob Mott
After a weekend’s worth of trying, Oli Bayliss finally managed to crack the top three for the second and third sessions of the day despite reportedly clipping a stray bird whilst out on track. He finished the weekend in third position behind Liminton and Toparis in what was a superb improvement from yesterday.
Fighting it out for best of the rest all weekend was Broc Pearson and Reid Battye, who were consistently in the top five runners all weekend. Pearson ended the weekend on a 1:37.588 to leave him in fourth, while Battye could only manage a 1:38.142 which left him fifth.
Aidan Hayes and Territorian Sam Lambert managed to dip into the top five in the morning however couldn’t seem to match the top three for pace on a consistent basis. Pearson (1:37.588) ended up fifth and Lambert (1:38.134) ended the weekend in sixth.
Fastest Overall Top 10 Results
Tom TOPARIS (Landbridge Yamaha, Yamaha YZF-R6) 1:35.295
Nicholas LIMINTON (Yamaha Motor Aust. Yamaha YZF-R6) 1:37.273
Oli BAYLISS (Yamaha YZF-R6) 1:37.492
Broc PEARSON (Yamaha YZF-R6) 1:37.588
Reid BATTYE (Suzuki, Suzuki GSX-R) 1:38.134
Sam LAMBERT (Mv Agusta Aus-NZ, MV Agusta F3) 1:38.142
Scott NICHOLSON (Traction Control Motorsport, Suzuki GSX-R) 1:39.013
Ty LYNCH (Australian Outdoor Living, Yamaha YZF-R6) 1:39.136
Ryan TAYLOR (Arden Homes, Yamaha YZF-R6) 1:39.182
YMI Supersport 300 / YMF R3 Cup
He’s new to the team and the bike, but nothing could stop Locky Taylor in taking out the fastest overall lap time in the YMI Supersport 300 and YMF R3 Cup classes on Saturday. Taylor clocked in a fastest time of 1:49.429, ahead of Seth Crump (Rockoil, KTM RC 390) who finishes Day One with the second fastest overall time of 1:49.768.
Locky Taylor – Image by TBG
Third fastest overall was Callum O’Brien (BC Performance, Kawasaki Ninja 400), who featured consistently at the top of the leader board throughout the day. O’Brien finished Day One of the Official ASBK Test with a top lap time of 1:49.939.
Hot on the heels of O’Brien was Zac Levy (Demmery Motorsport, Yamaha R3 321), who clocked in a speedy time of 1:50.109. Rounding out the top five for the day was Luke Power (RTR, Yamaha R3 321) with a best time of 1:50.423.
On Day Two, coming out of the pits like a demon behind the handlebars, Seth Crump (Rockoil, KTM RC 390) took out the fastest lap time for the YMI Supersport 300 and YMF R3 Cup classes.
Seth Crump – Image by TBG
Crump clocked in a best time of 1:49.249, sitting pretty ahead of second place holder Locky Taylor (YRD, Yamaha R3 321) with a 1:49.429. Taylor continued his fantastic form from Saturday’s practice sessions, maintaining a cool head into today’s rising temperatures.
Third fastest for Sunday was Senna Agius (Kawasaki Ninja 400) with a time of 1:49.581. Agius has been riding comfortably with the leading pack all day, appearing in the top three places for each of his four practice sessions. Breathing down Agius’ neck and trailing by a mere .36 seconds was Max Stauffer (Yamaha, Yamaha R3 321), with the fourth fastest time of 1:49.617.
Rounding out the top five for Day Two was Callum O’Brien (BC Performance, Kawasaki Ninja 400) with a time of 1:49.939.
The first ever practice session for the bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup kicked off on Saturday as the first time Motorcycling Australia’s Junior Road Race Academy program had ever taken to the track.
bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup – Image by TBG
Damien Cudlin led the field out for their first two supervised laps before waving the field past and unleashing the 25 youngsters onto the Phillip Island circuit for the very first of their practice sessions.
The first untimed session gave the kids the chance to feel their way around the circuit and the bikes at their own pace, before the timing started and the young riders started to come to grips with how the bikes handled.
Fastest time of the day went to Lucas Quinn (2:15.668), ahead of Grenfell and Carter Thompson.
As the pitlane opened on Sunday and the sessions began the youngsters would crank the throttle wide open and swarm out of pit exit, anxious to make the most of every second of their fifteen minutes on track.
The action was akin to a mini Moto3 race, with bunches of six and seven riders having five lap long drafting chains exciting enough to draw a few of the top class riders out of the pit garages for a look at the action.
By the time the weekend finished it was Queensland’s Max Gibbons who came out on top, setting a impressive 2:14.375 to take fastest of the day, followed by Carter Thompson (2:14.835), Archie McDonald (2:14.897), New Zealand’s Cormac Buchanan (2:14.957), and Angus Grenfell (2:15.082).
Rider coach Damien Cudlin was thrilled with the performance of the bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup riders.
Damien Cudlin
“So far it’s been a really positive test, I think the kids have all really enjoyed themselves, they’ve learnt a whole lot. “They’ve really surprised me and I think a lot of people in the pitlane with how professional they’ve been and how well they’re riding already, so I’m even more excited to see them in their first race.”
The young racers’ next outing is at Wakefield Park, where the Junior Road Race Academy will go racing for real with the first-ever Oceania Junior Cup round joining Round 2 of ASBK. If this weekend’s performance is anything to go by, these young talented riders will be itching to be the first to stamp their name on the series and will be providing us with some absolutely thrilling racing.
Overall Fastest Top 10 Results
Max GIBBONS bLU cRU Yamaha Yamaha YZF-R15 (2:14.735)
Carter THOMPSON bLU cRU Yamaha Yamaha YZF-R15 (2:14.835)
Cros FRANCIS bLU cRU Yamaha Yamaha YZF-R15 (2:15.202)
Glenn NELSON bLU cRU Yamaha Yamaha YZF-R15 (2:15.486)
Lucas QUINN bLU cRU Yamaha Yamaha YZF-R15 (2:15.668)
Jamie PORT bLU cRU Yamaha Yamaha YZF-R15 (2:15.681)
Alex KENWORTHY-JONES bLU cRU Yamaha YZF-R15 (2:15.890)
The end of official testing sees the beginning of the countdown to Round 1 of the season, when we return to Phillip Island on 21-24 February 2019. Make sure you don’t miss it as the Australians join the world’s best Superbike racers for a thrilling weekend of superbike action for Round 1 of the FIM World Superbike Championship. Get your tickets now!
2019 ASBK Calendar
Official ASBK Test – Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, VIC February 2 – 3
Round 1- WSBK – Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, VIC February 21 – 24
Round 2- Wakefield Park Raceway – Goulburn NSW March 22 – 24
Round 3- The Bend Motorsport Park – Tailem Bend, SA April 26 – 28
Round 4- Morgan Park Raceway – Warwick, QLD July 5 – 7
Round 5- Winton Motor Raceway – Benalla, VIC September 6 – 8
Round 6- Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, VIC October 4 – 6
Round 7- Sydney Motorsport Park – Eastern Creek, NSW November 1 – 3
