2020 mi-bike Australian Superbike Championship
Round One – Phillip Island
Australian Supersport 300 Qualifying
With Chris Plumridge
Kawasaki rider Harry Khouri will start the 2020 YMI Supersport 300 season from pole position at Phillip Island for Round 1 of the 2020 mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship. Khouri will start on the front row alongside Yamaha riders Jacob Hatch and Ben Baker.
Free Practice 2
Free Practice 2 this morning took place in greasy conditions, with overnight rain leaving the track damp and patchy and making it difficult for the riders to gauge the grip level. Times therefore would not really be representative of the performance to come later in the day. Khouri would top the session, (Addicted to Track Kawasaki, 1:49.117) ahead of Luke Jhonston (Proworx Kawasaki, 1:51.275) and Luke Power (Proworx Kawasaki, 1:51.275).
Qualifying
Riders in Supersport 300 would have to be patient to get their qualifying session today, after a red flag interrupted practice session for the World Supersport riders led to the qualifying being delayed until 5:45. When the field did get up and running it was Harry Khouri (Addicted to Track, Kawasaki) who picked up from where he left off in this morning’s Free Practice 2, a 1:48.490 reflective of the improvement in conditions over the day. Ben Baker (WNR, Yamaha) was second with a 1:49.312 and then Laura Brown (The Bare Bird, Yamaha) putting in a great performance only two tenths further back.
With 2 minutes to go Jacob Hatch levered his way into second spot with a 1:49.161, before crashing at Turn 2 on the next lap. Tayla Relph also found herself with problems on her return to the championship, stopping near the start/finish line with mechanical issues.
At the chequered flag it stayed Khouri on pole, ahead of Hatch, and Baker. Brown will head up the second row ahead of Angus Grenfell (Abu Engineering Yamaha, 1:49.512), and Luke Jhonston (Proworx Kawasaki 1:49.781).
Round 1 of the 2020 mi-bike Motorcycle Insurace Australian Superbike Championship continues until Sunday (1 March) from Phillip Island as part of the Motul FIM Superbike World Championship weekend.
Australian Supersport 300 Qualifying Results
| Pos | Name | Bike | Time/Gap | Speed |
| 1 | Harry KHOURI | Ninja | +1m48.490 | 191 |
| 2 | Jacob HATCH | YZF-R3 | +0.671 | 195 |
| 3 | Ben BAKER | YZF-R3 | +0.822 | 194 |
| 4 | Laura BROWN | YZF-R3 | +1.013 | 197 |
| 5 | Angus GRENFELL | YZF-R3 | +1.022 | 196 |
| 6 | Luke JHONSTON | Ninja | +1.291 | 198 |
| 7 | Zylas BUNTING | Ninja | +1.428 | 199 |
| 8 | Brandon DEMMERY | YZF-R3 | +1.434 | 196 |
| 9 | Olly SIMPSON | YZF-R3 | +1.472 | 195 |
| 10 | Peter NERLICH | Ninja | +1.516 | 200 |
| 11 | Archie McDONALD | YZF-R3 | +1.568 | 194 |
| 12 | John LYTRAS | YZF-R3 | +1.747 | 194 |
| 13 | Caleb GILMORE | YZF-R3 | +1.757 | 193 |
| 14 | Luke POWER | Ninja | +1.794 | 186 |
| 15 | James JACOBS | Ninja | +1.967 | 201 |
| 16 | Yannis SHAW | Ninja | +2.152 | 197 |
| 17 | Jake SENIOR | Ninja | +2.300 | 199 |
| 18 | Reece OUGHTRED | YZF-R3 | +2.366 | 201 |
| 19 | Joseph MARINIELLO | Ninja | +2.379 | 196 |
| 20 | Filippo ROVELLI | Ninja | +2.514 | 187 |
| 21 | Matthew RINDEL | YZF-R3 | +3.029 | 194 |
| 22 | Jake FARNSWORTH | YZF-R3 | +3.124 | 196 |
| 23 | Kyle O’CONNELL | YZF-R3 | +3.774 | 191 |
| 24 | Luca DURNING | YZF-R3 | +3.857 | 193 |
| 25 | Josh NODEN | YZF-R3 | +3.909 | 194 |
| 26 | Zak PETTENDY | YZF-R3 | +4.288 | 196 |
| 27 | Zachary JOHNSON | YZF-R3 | +4.431 | 194 |
| 28 | Tom DRANE | YZF-R3 | +4.697 | 196 |
| 29 | Jesse WOODS | YZF-R3 | +4.787 | 194 |
| 30 | Patrick BOGNAR | YZF-R3 | +4.861 | 193 |
| 31 | Ryan SMITH | YZF-R3 | +4.894 | 190 |
| 32 | Stephany K JAMES | YZF-R3 | +4.963 | 190 |
| 33 | Mitchell SIMPSON | YZF-R3 | +4.967 | 185 |
| 34 | Tayla RELPH | YZF-R3 | +6.151 | 194 |
| 35 | Jamie PORT | YZF-R3 | +6.227 | 191 |
| 36 | Keegan PICKERING | YZF-R3 | +6.870 | 188 |
| 37 | Adam COX | RC390 | +7.165 | 182 |
| 38 | Olly SHORT | YZF-R3 | +7.233 | 183 |
| 39 | Tristan VERCOE | Ninja | +7.662 | 187 |
| 40 | Hannah STEWART | YZF-R3 | +8.261 | 182 |
| 41 | Jordy SIMPSON | YZF-R3 | +8.442 | 182 |
| DNQ | Dominic FLETCHER | YZF-R3 | +13.365 | 180 |
| DNQ | Lindsay RUSSELL | Ninja | +16.312 | 176 |
Source: MCNews.com.au