Image: Russell Colvin.

Mike Jones has earned the 2019 Motul Pirelli Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) after capturing an incredible overall victory at Sydney Motorsport Park’s finale, the DesmoSport Ducati rider overcoming Troy Herfoss (Penrite Honda Racing) in a thrilling race two.

It was Wayne Maxwell (Team Suzuki Ecstar) who hit the front in the opening stages, as both Herfoss and Jones made strong starts to position all three title contenders within the top three.

Jones made his way into P1, and Hefosss followed in second. The next 11 laps consisted of the duo breaking away from the field and putting on an incredible display, where they traded the lead on numerous occasions – each making their own mistakes along the way.

It came down to the final lap with Jones in front, and just like the entire race, they each held the top spot for moments throughout the last time around. Herfoss made a costly error in the dying stages while attempting a pass, allowing Jones to ride to a 1.050s victory and the title.

Image: Russell Colvin.

Cru Halliday (Yamaha Racing Team) was able to edge his way by Maxwell for third, while Jamie Stauffer (McMartin Racing) claimed an impressive fifth.

Mark Chiodo (Penrite Honda Racing) was sixth, followed by Matt Walters (Kawasaki Connection), Glenn Allerton (Maxima BMW), Josh Waters (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and Damon Rees. Pole-sitter Daniel Falzon (Yamaha Racing Team) crashed out eight laps in, while Bryan Staring (Kawasaki BCpeformance) crashed out two laps later.

Overall, Jones claimed the round win ahead of Herfoss and Maxwell – the trio finishing the championship in that order.

Detailed results

Image: Russell Colvin.

DesmoSport Ducati’s Mike Jones has claimed a pivotal victory over Troy Herfoss (Penrite Honda Racing) in a thrilling race one at Sydney Motorsport Park’s final round of the 2019 Motul Pirelli Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK), the Queenslander now leading the points with the title to be decided in this afternoon’s race two.

It was Wayne Maxwell (Team Suzuki Ecstar) who got out to the lead at turn one, leading pole-sitter Daniel Falzon (Yamaha Racing Team) and reigning champion Herfoss.

Falzon made the pass on Maxwell as they entered lap two, while Jones progressed to third. Falzon’s time at the front was short-lived as Maxwell regained the lead on lap four, the Yamaha pilot going down one lap later.

It was at the same time Jones stole the lead from Maxwell with an excellent pass, the Ducati rider setting his sights on a pivotal victory.

Herfoss also made the pass on Maxwell during lap nine and put on an incredible charge to latch onto the back of Jones – the duo fighting right down to the very last laps, although it was Jones who had the edge to capture victory by 0.341s.

Maxwell hung on for third after significant pressure from Bryan Staring (Kawasaki BCperformance) and Cru Halliday (Yamaha Racing Team), the duo finishing fourth and fifth respectively.

Jamie Stauffer (McMartin Racing) was sixth, followed by Mark Chiodo (Penrite Honda Racing), Glenn Allerton (Maxima BMW), Josh Waters (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and Damon Rees (Honda).

Jones leads Herfoss by half a point heading into race two, while Maxwell is positioned 5.5 points behind the leader.

Detailed results

Image: Russell Colvin.

Current champion Tom Toparis (Landbridge Yamaha) has fended off WorldSSP300 regular Tom Edwards (Yamaha) in a thrilling opening Supersport encounter at Sydney Motorsport Park’s seventh round of the 2019 Motul Pirelli Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK).

Supersport race one was reduced to nine laps after the initial start was red-flagged due to a multi-rider incident at turn two.

On the restart, it was Yamaha-mounted Jack Passfield who secured the hole-shot, however ran wide into turn two, allowing Edwards to steal the lead.

It was a matter of laps before Toparis was able to find his way by Passfield as Edwards stretched his lead, although he made the manoeuvre and set his sights on the debutant out the front.

Slicing the gap, Toparis and Edwards duelled for a number of laps – Edwards fighting back every time Toparis attempted a pass. It was lap six where the 2019 champion made his move stick with a crafty outside pass, where he then went onto capture victory over Edwards by 0.753s.

There was an intense battle for third, although it was Cube Racing’s Oli Bayliss who secured the final spot on the podium, edging out Aidan Hayes (Yamaha) and Passfield. Broc Pearson (Yamaha) was sixth, followed by Jack Hyde (Yamaha), Nic Liminton (Yamaha), Callum Spriggs (Yamaha) and Rhys Belling (Yamaha).

It was another thrilling Supersport 300 outing in race two, as Luke Jhonston (Kawasaki) edged out Senna Agius (Yamaha) by a mere 0.034s for victory, while Zac Levy (Yamaha) locked out the top three. Max Stauffer (Yamaha) and Brandon Demmery (Yamaha) were fourth and fifth respectively.

In race two of the Yamaha R3 Cup, Levy emerged victorious over points leader Hunter Ford and John Lytras (Yamaha), while in the Oceania Junior Cup, Carter Thompson (Yamaha) was crowned the inaugural champion of the category, as Marianos Nikolas (Yamaha) claimed victory in race two over Tom Drane (Yamaha) and Jacob Hatch (Yamaha).

Detailed results

Image: Foremost Media.

Yamaha Racing Team’s Daniel Falzon has edged out reigning champion Troy Herfoss (Penrite Honda Racing) for pole position at Sydney Motorsport Park’s seventh and final round of the 2019 Motul Pirelli Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK).

Falzon, out of the title fight, stole the all-important championship point for the top qualifying position from all of the contenders in the mix for the crown, which currently sees Herfoss, Wayne Maxwell (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and Mike Jones (DesmoSport Ducati) separated by 4.5 points heading into tomorrow’s pair of races.

Falzon’s 1m30.039s time granted him pole as track temperatures soared to 50-plus degrees, where he topped points leader Herfoss by a slender 0.031s – the number one recording a time of 1m30.070s.

Cru Halliday (Yamaha Racing Team) completes the front row in third after setting a 1m30.298s time, while Maxwell, Mark Chiodo (Penrite Honda Racing) and Bryan Staring (Kawasaki BCperformance) will start alongside each other on row two in positions four, five and six.

Jones qualified in an uncharacteristic seventh, followed by Josh Waters (Team Suzuki Ecstar), Glenn Allerton (Maxima BMW) – who advanced via Q1 – and Matt Walters (Kawasaki Connection).

Kawasaki-mounted Senna Agius emerged victorious in race one of the Supersport 300 category, comfortably defeating Max Stauffer (Yamaha) and pole-sitter Hunter Ford (Yamaha). Zac Levy (Yamaha) and Brandon Demmery (Yamaha) were fourth and fifth respectively.

Ford took out top honours in race one of the Yamaha R3 Cup ahead of Demmery and John Lytras (Yamaha), while the opening encounter of the Oceania Junior Cup saw Tom Drane (Yamaha) clinch victory over Marianos Nikolis (Yamaha) and Archie McDonald (Yamaha).

Detailed results

Image: Russell Colvin.

Recently-crowned Supersport champion Tom Toparis has earned pole position at Sydney Motorsport Park’s seventh and final round of the 2019 Motul Pirelli Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK).

The Landbridge Yamaha rider continued his dominance by setting the fastest lap of 1m32.739s in the Q1 session, where majority of the field lodged their best times under cooler track conditions.

WorldSSP300 regular Tom Edwards (Yamaha) was second on the qualifying timesheets with a best lap of 1m33.054s, while Jack Passfield locked out the top three with a 1m33.548s time.

Rounding out the top five was Callum Spriggs (Yamaha) and Aidan Hayes (Yamaha), as positions six through to 10 were taken out by Broc Pearson (Yamaha), Nic Liminton (Yamaha), Oli Bayliss (Cube Racing), Jack Hyde (Yamaha) and Rhys Belling (Yamaha).

Hunter Ford (Yamaha) topped qualifying in the Supersport 300 category, edging out Max Stauffer (Yamaha) and Senna Agius (Kawasaki), while the Yamaha R3 Cup saw Ford once again emerge fastest over Stauffer and Zac Levy (Yamaha).

In the Oceania Junior Cup, it was Marianos Nikolis who claimed pole position over Cormac Buchanan (Yamaha) and Archie McDonald (Yamaha).

Detailed results

Image: Russell Colvin.

DesmoSport Ducati’s Mike Jones went quickest in this morning’s timed practice session at Sydney Motorsport Park’s seventh round of the 2019 Motul Pirelli Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK).

Jones will lead the Kawasaki Superbike class into qualifying this afternoon, the top nine from practice transferring directly through to Q2. The rest will head to Q1.

Jones was the first rider of the weekend to dip beneath the 1m30s bracket with a 1m29.893s, firing a certain warning shot to his rivals ahead of qualifying this afternoon, where he is targeting a fifth-straight pole position.

Behind him was yesterday’s pace-setter Cru Halliday (Yamaha Racing Team), 0.294s back, and he was in turn ahead of Wayne Maxwell (Yamaha Racing Team), Troy Herfoss (Penrite Honda Racing), his teammate Mark Chiodo and Daniel Falzon (Yamaha Racing Team) – all in the 1m30s.

Positions seven through nine included Josh Waters (Team Suzuki Ecstar), Matt Walters (Kawasaki) and Bryan Staring (Kawasaki BCperformance), with Lachlan Epis (Kawasaki) just missing out on going straight into Q2.

Image: Russell Colvin.

The opening Motorsports TV Australian Supersport Championship qualifying session was led by Tom Toparis (Yamaha), his 1m32.739s a couple of tenths clear of Tom Edwards (Yamaha) and Jack Passfield (Yamaha).

While the top three replicated Friday’s time-sheets, in fourth was Callum Spriggs (Yamaha) ahead of Aidan Hayes (Yamaha), Nic Liminton (Yamaha), Broc Pearson (Yamaha), Jack Hyde (Yamaha), Oli Bayliss (Yamaha) and Rhys Belling (Yamaha).

Leading the way in the YMI Supersport 300 field this morning was Max Stauffer (Yamaha), as Hunter Ford (Yamaha) proved quickest in the YMF R3 Cup and Marianos Nikolis (Yamaha) topped this morning’s bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup session.

Detailed results