The Chow
16th August 2012, 20:06
from nzsbk.com
New Zealand's current Superbike Champion Robbie Bugden (Team Volvo Group Suzuki) is ready for round six of the 2012 Australian Superbike Championship , hoping to improve his standing this weekend. Before leaving his Queensland home to travel to Victoria Bugden commented " I'm feeling really good. The winter break has been awesome. I Got a lot of riding in on both my mx bike and my road bike and plenty of time in the gym so am feeling strong, fit and hungrier then ever! We had a test in Sydney last week and felt right at home straight away. So the lead up couldn't have been better really and am super pumped to get back out there racing again". Bugden currently lies fifth in the points standings.
The Kiwi connection at Phillip Island also sees Christchurch Brothers Alastair and James Hoogenboezem racing for Cube Racing on Suzuki Machines. Alastair on a Prostock GSXR1000 and James on Supersport GSXR600. Alastair will also team up with Bugden in the Red Fenton's Triple R Suzuki team for the 2013 New Zealand championships on a GSXR600.
Another rider who raced in New Zealand last season with a win at the final round at Taupo , is Josh McGrath who will ride in Superstock class on a Yamaha R6.
The ASBK season started alongside the World Superbike Championship at the Island in February with Waters taking out the opening race after Maxwell was forced to retire with a mechanical glitch. Allerton was second and new Suzuki pilot, Ben Attard took third on his team debut.
Maxwell was definitely fired up for race two and there was no stopping him to take the win from Waters with Stauffer third.
From the extreme south of mainland Australia the title chase headed to the tropics of Darwin with Waters taking both wins in dominant fashion. Fellow Suzuki rider Robert Bugden was second in leg one from Maxwell while race two had Maxwell and Allerton filling the minors.
A quick haul two weeks later saw the first of two rounds of the QBE Australian Superbike Championships showcased alongside the V8 Supercars at Perth’s Barbagallo raceway.
Waters may have secured the extra point for pole position but Maxwell showed the determination to demonstrate that a major title is not too far off for the Honda rider. With the massive crowd fighting for vantage points around the undulating track, the pair staged a magnificent duel in testing conditions with Maxwell’s desperate but calculated pass on the final corner of the final lap securing the victory from Waters.
In a welcome third place was leading privateer Ben Henry (Australian Outdoor Living Suzuki). Henry who originally hails from the West showed his local knowledge in the conditions to relegate other more fancied runners to demonstrate his riding talents in front of a vast crowd.
Race 2 was shaping as more of the same as Suzuki’s Robert Bugden, was embroiled in an intense battle for the lead but it all came unstuck for him with a massive crash at the end of pit straight that brought out the red flag. The race was declared and half points awarded. Waters took the win from Allerton with Maxwell third with Waters narrowly the round victor.
Next stop was Phillip island for the second “2+4” meeting with the V8’s and again the Supercar drivers and the crowd were wanting more after the two races. The Wayne Train Maxwell and Waters continued their season long duel in both races but this time it was Maxwell with the spectacular performance. He claimed pole and took the spoils in both races to walk away with a perfect score of 51 points to close the gap on his championship threat who took two seconds while Stauffer claimed third in the opening race and Bugden taking third in leg two.
In June the championship travelled to its fourth state with Queensland Raceway hosting the fifth round. Ironically for the Sunshine state the weather was pretty miserable for the majority of the weekend but thankfully fined up for the majority of race day.
Race One will go down as one of the most sensational and surprising races seen in Australian Superbike competition for many a year – ironically due to the conditions.
With a wet track and the sun appearing for the first time it was a gamble of tyre choice and it was mercurial Scott Charlton (Racer’s Edge Suzuki) who prevailed.
With the rest of the field on wet weather tyres, Charlton started last from pit lane on his slick tyre-shod spare bike on a rapidly drying track. He steamrolled his way through the field to take the lead at half distance to motor away to take a very popular victory by over 23 seconds from Waters with Stauffer climbing the podium for third.
The second leg was raced in near perfect conditions and it was Stauffer who claimed his first win of the year (and his fourth win in six starts at the track) to give his season a huge confidence boost from Allerton and Bugden third.
Stauffer won the round from Bugden and Waters.
Get ready for some heart pounding moments as with the action we have seen in the QBE Australian Superbike Championships to date, this weekend promises to be full of interest, intrigue and action.
However one thing is certain; the racing and nature of the wickedly fast Phillip Island layout will bring out the best in all riders in Australia’s premier road racing championship.
1 21 Joshua Waters [VIC] 207.5
2 47 Wayne Maxwell [VIC] 177.0
3 27 Jamie Stauffer [NSW] 164.5
4 1 Glenn Allerton [NSW] 164.0
5 7 Robert Bugden [QLD] 150.0
6 12 Ben Attard [QLD] 148.5
7 18 Ben Henry [QLD] 134.5
8 23 Scott Charlton [VIC] 129.0
9 25 Brodie Waters [VIC] 45.0
10 26 Chris Trounson [VIC] 26.0
New Zealand's current Superbike Champion Robbie Bugden (Team Volvo Group Suzuki) is ready for round six of the 2012 Australian Superbike Championship , hoping to improve his standing this weekend. Before leaving his Queensland home to travel to Victoria Bugden commented " I'm feeling really good. The winter break has been awesome. I Got a lot of riding in on both my mx bike and my road bike and plenty of time in the gym so am feeling strong, fit and hungrier then ever! We had a test in Sydney last week and felt right at home straight away. So the lead up couldn't have been better really and am super pumped to get back out there racing again". Bugden currently lies fifth in the points standings.
The Kiwi connection at Phillip Island also sees Christchurch Brothers Alastair and James Hoogenboezem racing for Cube Racing on Suzuki Machines. Alastair on a Prostock GSXR1000 and James on Supersport GSXR600. Alastair will also team up with Bugden in the Red Fenton's Triple R Suzuki team for the 2013 New Zealand championships on a GSXR600.
Another rider who raced in New Zealand last season with a win at the final round at Taupo , is Josh McGrath who will ride in Superstock class on a Yamaha R6.
The ASBK season started alongside the World Superbike Championship at the Island in February with Waters taking out the opening race after Maxwell was forced to retire with a mechanical glitch. Allerton was second and new Suzuki pilot, Ben Attard took third on his team debut.
Maxwell was definitely fired up for race two and there was no stopping him to take the win from Waters with Stauffer third.
From the extreme south of mainland Australia the title chase headed to the tropics of Darwin with Waters taking both wins in dominant fashion. Fellow Suzuki rider Robert Bugden was second in leg one from Maxwell while race two had Maxwell and Allerton filling the minors.
A quick haul two weeks later saw the first of two rounds of the QBE Australian Superbike Championships showcased alongside the V8 Supercars at Perth’s Barbagallo raceway.
Waters may have secured the extra point for pole position but Maxwell showed the determination to demonstrate that a major title is not too far off for the Honda rider. With the massive crowd fighting for vantage points around the undulating track, the pair staged a magnificent duel in testing conditions with Maxwell’s desperate but calculated pass on the final corner of the final lap securing the victory from Waters.
In a welcome third place was leading privateer Ben Henry (Australian Outdoor Living Suzuki). Henry who originally hails from the West showed his local knowledge in the conditions to relegate other more fancied runners to demonstrate his riding talents in front of a vast crowd.
Race 2 was shaping as more of the same as Suzuki’s Robert Bugden, was embroiled in an intense battle for the lead but it all came unstuck for him with a massive crash at the end of pit straight that brought out the red flag. The race was declared and half points awarded. Waters took the win from Allerton with Maxwell third with Waters narrowly the round victor.
Next stop was Phillip island for the second “2+4” meeting with the V8’s and again the Supercar drivers and the crowd were wanting more after the two races. The Wayne Train Maxwell and Waters continued their season long duel in both races but this time it was Maxwell with the spectacular performance. He claimed pole and took the spoils in both races to walk away with a perfect score of 51 points to close the gap on his championship threat who took two seconds while Stauffer claimed third in the opening race and Bugden taking third in leg two.
In June the championship travelled to its fourth state with Queensland Raceway hosting the fifth round. Ironically for the Sunshine state the weather was pretty miserable for the majority of the weekend but thankfully fined up for the majority of race day.
Race One will go down as one of the most sensational and surprising races seen in Australian Superbike competition for many a year – ironically due to the conditions.
With a wet track and the sun appearing for the first time it was a gamble of tyre choice and it was mercurial Scott Charlton (Racer’s Edge Suzuki) who prevailed.
With the rest of the field on wet weather tyres, Charlton started last from pit lane on his slick tyre-shod spare bike on a rapidly drying track. He steamrolled his way through the field to take the lead at half distance to motor away to take a very popular victory by over 23 seconds from Waters with Stauffer climbing the podium for third.
The second leg was raced in near perfect conditions and it was Stauffer who claimed his first win of the year (and his fourth win in six starts at the track) to give his season a huge confidence boost from Allerton and Bugden third.
Stauffer won the round from Bugden and Waters.
Get ready for some heart pounding moments as with the action we have seen in the QBE Australian Superbike Championships to date, this weekend promises to be full of interest, intrigue and action.
However one thing is certain; the racing and nature of the wickedly fast Phillip Island layout will bring out the best in all riders in Australia’s premier road racing championship.
1 21 Joshua Waters [VIC] 207.5
2 47 Wayne Maxwell [VIC] 177.0
3 27 Jamie Stauffer [NSW] 164.5
4 1 Glenn Allerton [NSW] 164.0
5 7 Robert Bugden [QLD] 150.0
6 12 Ben Attard [QLD] 148.5
7 18 Ben Henry [QLD] 134.5
8 23 Scott Charlton [VIC] 129.0
9 25 Brodie Waters [VIC] 45.0
10 26 Chris Trounson [VIC] 26.0