2023 Australian Superbike Championship - Round 5, Morgan Park (QLD)

WHERE LEGENDS ARE BORN

OFFICIAL EVENT PROGRAM

ROUND1 24-26FEB

PHILLIP ISLAND GP CIRCUIT, VIC

ROUND2 24-25MAR

SYDNEY MOTORSPORT PARK, NSW

ROUND3 28-30APR

QUEENSLAND RACEWAY, QLD

ROUND4 16-18JUN

HIDDEN VALLEY RACEWAY, NT

ROUND5 14-16JUL

MORGAN PARK RACEWAY, QLD

ROUND6 27-29OCT

PHILLIP ISLAND GP CIRCUIT, VIC

ROUND7 1-3DEC

THE BEND MOTORSPORT PARK, SA

WHERE LEGENDS ARE BORN

Greetings from Motorcycling Australia (MA)!

On behalf of MA, I would like to extend a very warm welcome to all the fans, riders, and officials attending the 2023 mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship, presented by Motul.

This year’s championship will feature seven rounds across Australia including Phillip Island, Queensland Raceway, Hidden Valley Raceway, Morgan Park Raceway, a return to Phillip Island and again wrapping up at The Bend Motorsport Park.

We are excited to offer you an exhilarating program of racing at each and every round of the Championship in 2023. For our Australian and international fans, you won’t miss a moment of the race action with our exclusive television coverage through our TV partners SBS, Stan Sport Australia, and ASBK TV Live Stream.

WELCOME FROM MA

I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to all those involved in this weekend’s event, including our fantastic volunteer marshals, the ASBK Senior Officials, and staff, for their hard work in planning and executing the event. We also extend our thanks to our riders, teams, crew, and sponsors for their continued support of the Championship.

We are eagerly anticipating the crowning of Motorcycling Australia’s ASBK 2023 Champion. MA wishes everyone a safe and enjoyable event.

Remember

to always; Ride. Race. Enjoy!

Peter Doyle CEO Motorcycling Australia

Mi-Bike

We are incredibly pleased to deepen our partnership with Motorcycling Australia and continue as naming rights sponsors for the ASBK Championship 2023 season.

With this sponsorship renewal, we’re demonstrating the great trust and respect we’ve built over the years, as well as our shared commitment to supporting motorcycle sports and promoting our brand values

WELCOME

FROM

MI-BIKE MOTORCYCLE INSURANCE

through the Australian Superbike Championship racing series.

We are also looking forward to continuing our collaboration with MA, through the MA Member Benefits Program.

Mark Bradley General Manager  mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance

Motorcycle Insurance is delighted to return as naming rights sponsor for the 2023 ASBK Championship season.

FRIDAY14THJULY

ROUND 5 SCHEDULE

SUNDAY16THJULY

SATURDAY 15THJULY

This schedule is approximate; and all starting times, length of sessions and races are subject to change; and may be changed in the event of an incident or delay in operations.

All Times Listed are Australian Eastern Standard Time (QLD local time) * ASBK Live TV coverage ^ ASBKTV Live Stream Key:

MORGAN PARK RACEWAY

TRACK INFORMATION

LIVETIMING

COMPUTIME Race Timing Systems has been the providing timing services to the ASBK at selected rounds since 1990, and has been the series timekeeper since 2004. Live timing and results services can be accessed as follows:

In pit lane and parts of the pits (local wireless network):

· Connect to the RACETIMING wire less network

· Open your web browser and type www.localtiming.com as the web address

· Follow the links to live timing, results, or other pages

NOTE: The RACETIMING network does not provide internet access

Anywhere else at the venue or anywhere else in the world:

· Ensure you have internet connectivity

· Open your web browser and type www.computime.com.au as the web address

· Follow the links to live timing, results, or other pages for this event

For all your live timing results please go to Computime http://www.computime.com.au/Default.aspx and follow the links to ASBK Live Timing.

Go

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WHAT IS AN ASBK SPEC SUPERBIKE?

They’re fast, they’re spectacular and they sound awesome, but they’re also very accessible.

The Australian Superbike Championship Alpinestars Superbike class features bikes that are not only fast, spectacular and sound amazing but are also easily accessible to the general public as they are very similar to those available for purchase off the showroom floor.

Engine capacities for ASBK bikes are capped at 1,000cc and 168kg for four-cylinder bikes, and 1,300cc and 172kg for two and three-cylinder machines. That said, it’s worth noting that in 2023, Matt Walters Aprilia 1200; a 4-cylinder machine has also been homologated for the Alpinestars Superbike class.

While engine modifications for race versions are limited, Yamaha Racing Team Manager, John Redding, explains that the engine is not a primary focus for performance gains in the Superbike class.

“To get a performance improvement of 10 per cent over the standard output is about as much as you can expect,” Redding said.

“You can increase the compression ratio, fine-tune the degrees on the valve seats and adjust the cam timing for different tracks, but that’s about it.

“One of the advantages of keeping the engines relatively standard is they are cheap to maintain and last a while between rebuilds.”

In recent years, significant innovation has taken place in the electronic systems of race bikes. These systems have been adapted to provide functions such as fuelling, traction control, engine braking, and antiwheelie control.

There’s little doubt that the electronics sphere has provided both the biggest challenge- and opportunity - to teams and riders.

“Electronics are one of the most important areas of development and something that has become a critical factor in determining the speed that can be achieved by different bikes,” Redding said.

“There are significant advantages to be gained in having the best electronic set-up.”

With the engine and gearbox both being close to standard, teams have turned to other aspects of the Superbikes to improve their performance.

“Suspension has been a major area of development on the race-spec bikes,” Redding said.

“The suspension on a street bike is compromised for ride comfort, but on a racetrack, comfort isn’t a factor – it’s all about optimising the handling and the corner speeds that can be achieved.

“Compared to the street version of the bike, the race bike will have different shock absorbers and fork internals, providing a much more adjustable setup.”

The brakes on racing bikes are also upgraded, with items such as the master cylinder, brake lines, pads and discs all being replaced with race-specific items.

“In a race situation, maximum stopping power is a priority, but brake wear is much less of a consideration than it would be on a road bike, because components can be changed

after every session,” Redding said.

According to Redding, the bikes competing in the mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship, presented by Motul, are more similar to road bikes than those in other Superbike championships globally.

“The permitted modifications are much more limited here in Australia, which has the advantage of containing costs,” Redding said.

At Phillip Island, the 2023 ASBK-spec bikes demonstrate their impressive speed when compared to other classes. For instance, Josh Waters set a new race lap record of 1:31.075, which was significantly faster than Valentino Rossi’s lap time of 1:32.233 during the 2002 MotoGP first-of-the-four-strokes race. Moreover, if Waters had competed in the WSBK class at the recent Phillip Island round, he would have secured a position among the top 8.

Not bad for a lightly modified road bike..!

ROUND1 24-26FEB

PHILLIP ISLAND GP CIRCUIT, VIC

ROUND5 14-16JUL

MORGAN PARK RACEWAY, QLD

ROUND2 24-25MAR

SYDNEY MOTORSPORT PARK, NSW

ROUND6 27-29OCT

PHILLIP ISLAND GP CIRCUIT, VIC

ROUND3 28-30APR

QUEENSLAND RACEWAY, QLD

ROUND7 1-3DEC

THE BEND MOTORSPORT PARK, SA

ROUND4 16-18JUN

HIDDEN VALLEY RACEWAY, NT

LAST TIME OUT

Round Four - Hidden Valley, Darwin

ALPINESTARS SUPERBIKE

After the annual northern trek to Hidden Valley Raceway (NT), for the previous round of the mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship, presented by Motul, the memories of the brilliant on-track duels, and the controversy have all but subsided, but it has setup a salivating prospect of what lies ahead.

The events of Darwin have ensured the fifth round of the premier Alpinestars Superbike class at the tight, twisty and demanding Morgan Park layout, this weekend (14-16 July) will be chock full of drama, intrigue and more intense ontrack shenanigans, and maybe even off-track dramas!

Adding to the action, after nearly the mid-year break, all the support classes are eager to be let off the chain and head out on track. Leading the way of the support acts will be the Michelin Supersport category, with the Supersport 300s, the Yamaha Finance R3 Cup and the bLU-cRU Oceania Junior Cup set to provide plenty of entertainment.

championship leader, Josh Waters (McMartin Racing Ducati). In the practice and qualifying session. he looked really strong: In the top three of all the practice sessions, he led the way in both qualifying sessions to take pole position and missed out on an outright lap record by a blink of the eye.

Waters led the way from Herfoss in second fastest, with defending ASBK Champion, Mike Jones (Yamaha Racing Team) rounding out the front row.

RACE ONE

Waters did what everyone feared. He grabbed the lead from the start and by the end of the opening lap had a three- bike length lead over Glenn Allerton, Herfoss and defending champion, Mike Jones. Josh ran away with the race and at one stage had a lead over 2.5 seconds from Herfoss Allerton and Jones. Herfoss grabbed second spot from Allerton and Jones in fourth with the trio separated by just over half a second.

Waters had gained six points to push his lead out to 24 points.

Immediately after his win, the McMartin Racing Team lodged a protest against the Penrite Honda Team for what they believed was an illegal part in the rear end of the Honda. After the investigation, the protest was dismissed but it had escalated tensions between the two teams and gave the rest of the paddock plenty to talk about!

There was certainly some feeling in the paddock that had been simmering overnight and thus it was expected to be fireworks on track, the tension could be felt on the grid before the start.

A full program with two races for the Supersport and three races each for the other classes ensures there will be plenty of on-track activity to have fans flocking to the fences.

Tensions were cranked up a notch or two in Darwin with protests and counter protests in the pits while the action on track was red-hot. The drama on and off the track has set the scene for a tantalisingly exciting climax to the season with six races to go over three rounds.

Darwin has often proved to be a turning point in the season and Troy Herfoss (Penrite Honda) did his utmost to turn the series on its head. With a second place and two wins, he certainly is consolidating his second position as he closes in for his third ASBK title.

Conversely, it ended up being a frustrating weekend for

From ‘’lights-out” in the second race on Saturday morning, Waters replicated his start from race one and look for all money to be settling into the groove that he had the day before, but things went awry at the start of the second lap when he uncharacteristically made an error under brakes heading into Turn One.

Waters was forced to stand the bike up to avoid crashing and had to run off the track. He rejoined at the back of the field. It was a spirited ride from the three-times Superbike champ, as he charged his way back to fifth position and in the process, took a chunk out of his own lap record that he set less than 24 hours before.

But it was what was happening at the front that had the crowd even more emotional. Allerton, Jones and Herfoss had the box seat to see Waters exit stage right, so they quickly realised that he was an opportunity not to be missed. Unfortunately, for Allerton his threat diminished as the race went on, suffering front brake problems and as such suffered a bit of arm pump. Allerton faded to a distant third but Jones and Herfoss went at it trying to find a way through in some enthralling action as Herfoss claimed the win from Jones .

It was an emotional podium as Herfoss claimed his first win at Hidden Valley since that fateful Saturday morning, two years ago. With the results, Waters’ title lead was now down to 15 points.

We didn’t have to wait long for the expected counter protest from the Penrite Honda Team and that was submitted

struggled and lost some of that noted power Waters took advantage of during the first leg.

Did the off-track drama influence Waters mindset or was it just coincidence?

Heading to Warwick, the Alpinestars Superbike class is on a knife edge – on and off the track – with just eight points now separating title leader Waters and the rejuvenated Herfoss, with defending champion, Jones now in third place after leap frogging Glenn Allerton and Cru Halliday after his strong showing in Darwin.

immediately after the race, the Penrite Team claiming there was something amiss with the front end of the McMartin Ducati.

That protest was dismissed but still there were words spoken in the technical area post-race that only added to the lustre of the intrigue of the final race.

In the final race as Herfoss and Jones brawled for the victory over the 16 laps, Waters could only look on from a close, but far, third place. As for Allerton his threat evaporated at Turn Five on the opening lap as he lost the front end and crashed but he remounted to claw his way back to 12th. Strangely, for Waters he just wasn’t in the hunt to use the usual advantage of the Ducati’s power on the long front straight.

In the extreme heat of the afternoon tropics the Ducati

After dominating the opening pair of rounds, Waters looked to be in complete control of the series but the previous two meetings have seen Herfoss win four of the last five races (and claim second in the other) to claw his way back from a 35-point deficit after the second round at Sydney Motorsport Park to now be only eight points adrift from Waters heading to a track that Herfoss has thrived on the past.

Herfoss is on a roll, and he has no aims of backing off, especially at Morgan Park. Morgan Park has similar features to his old home track of Wakefield Park, where he thrives on the tight bumpy nature of the track, and it brings out the best in him. At Darwin he proved that he could win from the front when normally he likes to follow and put the pressure on. With added zest in his attitude, Herfoss will be extremely determined to take the lead in the title.

Out of the current riders he is the most successful at Morgan Park with a brace of pole positions, four wins and three podium placings from 10 starts. A man with a similar record is Wayne Maxwell, but unfortunately, he’s retired! With his double win last year Maxwell took his tally to four wins, four podiums and a pole position but he is on the sidelines overseeing his old team that now has Waters in the saddle.

Morgan Park hasn’t been kind to Waters and out of six starts there, he has only been on the podium once. Last year he didn’t compete in the corresponding round, but this year he

LAST TIME OUTCONT.

is in the box seat to replicate what his good mate and team member Maxwell did last year, and consolidate his lead in the championship. This will be a weekend where Waters will be aiming to do what Maxwell did last year.

For defending champion Jones, this is his home track having done circles around this piece of blacktop since he was a prepubescent teenager. He can lay claim to a pair of pole positions, three wins and a further three podium finishes from six starts and now that he has found form to jump back on the podium, he will be aiming to grab his first win since the final race of at Tailem Bend, last year to claw his way up the championship points-table in his title defence as he – like Waters and Allerton – aims for his fourth ASBK title.

The angriest of them all will be Jones team-mate in the YRT outfit, Cru Halliday. Up until Darwin, Cru hadn’t been off the podium since being an innocent party in a first lap incident of the first race of the year at Phillip Island in February.

In Darwin, his charge unravelled after 8-4-DNF results. He was a dejected and battered man after the round. In the final race, at half race distance he had a coming together with Arthur Sissis in a typical racing incident in their battle for fifth position, coming off the worst. Sissis stayed upright but the luckless Halliday tumbled out of the race and to add to his woes copped a knock from the bike.

Halliday has scored a win, three podiums and a pole position at Morgan Park and will have the mongrel on for the weekend. Cru’s biggest downfall is his very mediocre starts. If he can nail a couple of flyers on the weekend, there’s no reason to think he won’t move right back into championship contention, from his present fifth position, after being in third place overall heading to the previous round. .

There are plenty of others to watch out for in the hunt to be in the leading pack.

Allerton with be there for sure on the GT Racing BMW. Presently he sits in fourth spot overall a solitary point behind Jones. He had a frustrating start to the season with plenty of unfulfilled promises. Thankfully he has plenty of supporters and good backers that has seen him return to the BMW that has garnered two of his three ASBK titles.

Bryan Staring on the MotoGo Yamaha, is getting more competitive as he gets more and more out of his steed. He has something to prove too as he grabbed is first podium finish in the second leg last year and was in front of the man who was his teammate for half a season in 2022, Broc Pearson. Since being released from the Desmo Sport Ducati Team Staring has been using that disappointment as extra motivation.

Arthur Sissis, (UniTech Racing Yamaha) should be almost

back to full fitness after recovering from his broken left wrist that he injured before the round at Queensland Raceway back in April. He battled through the pain barrier in Darwin and scored 7-8-7 results but was right in the battles of the second bunch.

Max Stauffer on the GMT MotoStars Yamaha was up to fourth place in Darwin in one race and is gaining more confidence and speed at every outing. He has certainly proved to be a chip off the block, and at Darwin managed to claim the family bragging rights after setting a faster lap time that his multi-Australian Champion father, Jamie.

Broc Pearson on the Desmo Sport Ducati will be keen to improve on is performance at Darwin and is another one that calls Morgan Park his home track. Pearson also produced his best results of the year in Darwin and there is no doubt some pressure on him to perform this weekend in front of home fans.

One never to be discounted is Anthony West. Over the years he’s had more gigs than the Rolling Stones and like the legendary rockers, he just keeps on keeping on. He seems to have settled into the Addicted to Track Team in Darwin and gelling well with the team. If it is wet Westy is your man.

MICHELIN SUPERSPORT

The 2023 Michelin Supersport Championship is the most competitive it has been for some years with a raft of talented riders adding to the depth of the class, but the revelation this year has been teenager, Cameron Dunker.

A rookie in the class, the lad from Kurri Kurri in the Hunter Valley of NSW, won the Supersport 300 and Yamaha Finance R3 Cup last year in dominant fashion and showed in the at two rounds that he has the talent and race craft to transfer that success to the middleweight class.

He proved his worth at the second round at Sydney

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LAST TIME OUTCONT.

Motorsport Park. In the second race that was run in very sketchy conditions, Dunker grabbed the lead at half distance after sustained pressure on Ollie Simpson forced him into an error to allow Dunker through. Cameron won the race from Simpson to grab his first win. In doing so he created history by becoming the youngest winner of an Australian Supersport Championship race.

At the last round in April at Queensland Raceway, he won the opening race in an absolutely thrilling race from Ollie Simpson by 0.011 sec after a very brave move finale as Dunker went around the outside in the final turn that saw him hit the grass on the drag to the finish line. South Australian Ty Lynch was third to maintain the title lead.

SUPERSPORT 300

At the halfway point of the Australian Supersport 300 Championship season, Brandon Demmery leads the way by 25 points over Brodie Gawith, with Marcus Hamod third, but there are any number of other riders that are aiming to encroach on their title aspirations at Morgan Park this weekend.

Demmery may have a healthy buffer of points but there is only 29 points separating second to eighth place and as we know, the possibilities are limitless to how a race will unfold.

Out of the nine races this year, five riders have shared the wins; Demmery has won three, Cameron Swain and Marcus Hamod two each, with Brodie Gawith and Jai Russo rounding out the quintet and as such occupy the top five spots in the points.

Hamod and Gawith broke through for their maiden wins in the class at the last round at Willowback with Hamod nailing a double to claim his first overall round victory to jump well up in the points to sit third from Swain and Russo, 12 points separating the trio.

Simpson turned the tables on Dunker in race two by just twotenths of a second, from the ever-improving Tom Bramich in third while Lynch’s fifth place behind Nicholson saw the championship lead swing to Simpson, from Lynch now three points adrift. Dunker’s consistent results has moved him into third place overall to be just 10 points off the lead.

Heading into the meeting some had competed in a recent round of the local titles with Dunker winning the round and going within a couple of tenths of a second of claiming a new lap record. Unfortunately for Michelin Supersport race winner Sean Condon, he crashed at the same meeting and broke his tibia and fibula, so will be out for the year. His absence will detract from the action a little but there are plenty of others like Jack Passfield, Jake Farnsworth, Nicholson, Bramich, defending champion John Lytras, Dallas Skeer and another class rookie, Hayden Nelson that will ensure that the Supersport class battles will continue to entertain.

What is for sure - is the Michelin Supersport will be close racing and action packed at Morgan Park so it will be fascinating to see who comes out as the winner of Round 5.

In sixth place is Casey Middleton, the leading Kawasaki rider in the field with his best finish a third place in the opening race at Phillip Island. In the previous round at Queensland Raceway, he finished in the leading group of eight riders with less than a second covering them in two of the three races and missed out on another podium by a tenth of a second!

Filling out the Top Ten are Henry Snell, Cooper Rowntree and Josh Newman with every one of those riders having their own story to tell of how close they have come to being on the podium.

In the production classes that taste of victory can be so tantalising close but just out of the reach in that final mad

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LAST TIME OUTCONT.

blast to the chequered flag that often sees the top three covered by a few hundredths of a second.

The absence of Wakefield Park from this year’s calendar, means that Morgan Park is the tightest track for the year. Success will not be focused on outright speed, but racecraft, with the strategy all about corner speed and momentum to take advantage of the nature of the Southern Downs circuit.

Swain is another that has been a consistent front runner, but he is extremely hard on himself when it comes to results. After winning the OJC in 2021 he has been on an upward trajectory. Morgan Park is his home track so knows his way around there and is sure to be aiming to increase his victory tally this weekend.

The opening race of the R3 Cup at Queensland Raceway witnessed another slice of history as Marcus Hamod claimed his very first win in the senior ranks in the first race of the weekend. It was the breakthrough he had been searching for as his level of confidence and faith in himself has lifted dramatically. Hamod scored a further two wins and a second place in the SS300 during the course of the weekend to take bis first overall round win as well. With his recent run and the confidence, it has instilled expected Hamod to be right in the leading bunch all weekend.

All riders will have to be fully switched on as one lapse in thought or timing will see a quick demotion in positions. If the race craft is well thought out during the race and executed as planned in the final few hundred metres, fortunes can change in milli-seconds.

In reality, as usual, it will be a mad dash of slip streaming and guile, as they bounce off each other for the duration of every race!

YAMAHA FINANCE R3 CUP

The Yamaha Finance R3 Cup has completed two rounds of their battle with three remaining. The class was not on the card at the opening round of the championship at Phillip Island alongside the Superbike World Championship, while the opening round was run at Sydney Motorsport Park in conjunction with the Supersport 300 class at the historic day/ night meeting.

As with the 300s, Brandon Demmery is the leader of the series but does not have the same comfortable buffer as he is just two points ahead of Cameron Swain with another of this year’s revelation, Brodie Gawith (pronounced “Gorth”) in third, with 24 points cover the Top Five riders.

Demmery has only missed out on a podium finish twice in the two classes, so far this year and no doubt will be keen to increase that statistic.

Another one to break through for a well-deserved first victory of 2023 was Sam Pezzetta from South Australia. Sam has had a confronting year recovering from an injury that he suffered before the season commenced. Although he was still in some discomfort at QR, the teenager blocked it all out to win an amazing second R3 Cup race with the top three separated by 0.058sec. It’s almost impossible to blink that fast! The leading eight riders were covered by less than a second, which is basically situation normal in the smaller classes. Pezzetta should be back to full fitness this weekend and no doubt will be another that will rise to the occasion now he has tasted victory a couple of times in the class.

It is a common occurrence in these classes that a rider may be leading coming onto the straight but by the finish line could be shuffled back down the order to be within a few metres of the leading bike but be lucky to remain in the Top Ten such is the intensity of the competition.

Make a mistake in the closing stages of the last lap by running slightly wide, or an error under brakes, you will pay the price and your race is run. Precision is the key, and these kids are rapid learners.

The added attraction for spectators is that these battles happen throughout the field and to witness the level of racecraft displayed by such young pupils of the trade from the fence is extremely impressive.

The nature of Morgan Park will ensure that the intensity will increase as the tightness of the track will allow those with the corner speed to shine as the track is basically one corner after another as slipstreaming is not as pronounced as other layouts like Phillip Island.

BLU CRU OCEANIA JUNIOR CUP

It is quite possible that every adjective in the dictionary has been used to describe the action in the blu cru Oceania Junior Cup. Like all junior racing the action out on track is best described as “mental”.

Three wins give a false impression of how close the racing was, with Paige taking the victories by a combined time of 0.129 sec! Yep, you read it correctly! That was the gap for three races!

In the first race Paige crossed the line 0.026 second in front of Archie Schmidt with Riley Nauta on the OJC podium for the first time 0.211sec away in third.

The next chapter saw Knezovic 0.029 second off the win with South Australian Rikki Henry a further tenth of a second away with the top five covered by less than half a second.

In the final race, Paige managed to increase the winning gap to a massive 0.074 of a second from Henry! Third place went to Schmidt a further 0.411 behind.

At Morgan Park we can expect more of the same and the lead will change numerous times between each corner let alone every lap!

The outright speed may be slow compared to the other classes but as can be read in the results the action is spectacular with hardly time to take a breath between all the “ooohhhs” and “ahhhs” that seem to fill the air during every race.

Make sure you do yourself a favour and take the time to have a look at them on track, then wander the pits and be amazed at how young and diminutive these baby faces assassins are as they chase their dreams of , one day being a national and world champion.

As with the Yamaha Finance R3 Cup the OJC class for kids aged from 11-15-years old, there has been two rounds this year with two different winners.

In Round One at Sydney Motorsport Park, it was young New Zealander, Haydn Fordyce who led the way with two victories, and a seventh place, from Valentino Knezovic and riley Nauta who were second and third overall respectively.

Bodie Paige was the other race winner at SMSP, but it could’ve been more except for an incident during the first race that was under lights. In a battle for the lead with Knezovic and his younger brother, Jake there was a coming together and the Paige boys went down and out of the race, so left the round in fifth position, 21 points behind the leader. A hard learning curve but it is all part of the game.

At Queensland raceway, multiple dirt track champion, Bodie Page made up for his drop in points in Sydney to clean sweep the three races to leapfrog up the points table to now be leading the Cup chase by 10 points from Knezovic with Fordyce now third a further three points adrift in third place.

For some the future is so bright that they will need quite a few pairs of shades!

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The tyre provides the grip needed from the first lap. The materials used allow the rubber to warm up quickly. It benefits from the latest technologies developed in MotoGP™.

Performance made to last

The tyre delivers consistent performance, lap after lap. Consistence achieved thanks to a footprint that is uniform over the various camber phases.

Driving ease

Treaded version of the MICHELIN Power Performance Slick, developed to suit both amateur and experienced riders and all motorbikes. The tyre is optimized for Supersport 600cc bikes riding in national and international championships.

Extreme grip even in the rain!

Specially designed so that your track days and races can go ahead even in the rain! The compound has been developed for maximum wet grip and its grooved tread ensures optimum water drainage.

Dare to be Bold

Muscle-cruiser with supersport personality

Muscular, powerful and elegant at the same time – the Diavel V4 is able to draw attention in any context. Blending seemingly distant technical, dynamic and stylistic features, such as those of sport nakeds and muscle cruisers, the exhilarating performance of the V4 Granturismo engine is combined with surprising agility and dynamics for this type of motorcycle.

New Diavel V4: Unmistakeable design. Unique personality.

ROUND 5 SUPERSPORT RIDER LIST

International Freight Forwarders, Beta Tools, SCK, Utech, Designd, Unipac, Shark Leathers, Cube Performance, The Grinning Dingo

Unitech, Webb plastics, YRD, Michelin, Caloundra Motorcycle Centre, Underground designs

YRD, Penrite, Pirelli, Stef's Transport, Shoei, ATR, Baker Group, Gas Imports, Plus Racing

Evolution Sports Group, Dynoverks, C&S Light Weight, Motogc, Ls2 Helmets, Ricondi, The Jags, Motobits, Sign Pro & Big John

JC Performance Motorcycle Service, Underground Designs , Webb Plastics, The Royal Family Hotel, SA Motorcycles, Water Front Holiday Park, Traegers Earthmoving, DMS Landscaping

Taree Motorcycles, Gow Moto, Pirelli, Global Factory Maintenance, KYT Helmets Australia, Ricondi, YRD Yamaha Racing Development, Tanks2Go, Knight Designs, Motul, RK Takasago Chain Global,

SureFlight, Surface Clean Australia, Motocity, Activ Brand Management

Megacycle Racing, HLM,SHAS,Ricondi,Link International,Whitsunday Regional Council, Whitsunday Sands Resort.

Motocity/Pirelli/Macna/Jekyle&Hyde/AGV/Suncoast Power House/ WD Racing/ TCX Boots/ Link International

TeamBWR/RBM Racing, Dunlop Australia, RaceDNA, Race and Road, Ricondi

RaceDNA.com.au, RaceDNA Motorsports, XXXRatedSuspension, RawHide Co, Kawasaki, Race Art Australia, Dunlop 17

Wet4U race fairings GCE Australia GASD Portbike Sydney Arai helmets Ixon Gaerne Cassons Australia motorcycle SBS brakes NG brakes Venhill engineering DMK designs

RaceDNA.com.au, RaceDNA Motorsports, XXXRatedSuspension, RawHide Co, Kawasaki, Race Art Australia, Dunlop

Megacycle Race Team, Ricondi, YRD, AGV, TCX, Motul, SproutWell Greenhouses, Race and Road, Pirelli, Fleetwood

Caboolture Yamaha, Impeller Museum & Event Services, IDM Global, Ricondi, Forcite, Draper Motorsport, Aspley Bike Shop, UBX Australia, ARTAdvanced Rider Training, OPRacing, Dux Moto

RaceDNA.com.au, RaceDNA Motorsports, XXXRatedSuspension, RawHide Co, Kawasaki, Race Art Australia, Dunlop

YRD, Yamaha Australia,SBS Brakes, Kenma Australia, Race Bike Services, AMX Superstores, Alpinestars, Simpson Crash, Simpson Signs

RaceDNA Motorsports, XXXRatedSuspension, RawHide Co, Kawasaki, Race Art Australia, Dunlop

Planet Nutrients, WHG, Drysdales Chaff Mill, Academy Graphics

eagle drones, gilbert design and construct, the insurance office, routleys plumbing, smeegle creations, southern sparks

RaceDNA.com.au, RaceDNA Motorsports, XXXRatedSuspension, RawHide Co, Kawasaki, Race Art Australia, Dunlop, THR Developments, Ink Obsession, Fusport

B&L Mechanical Air Services, Eurofast, Fearless Motorcycles, Alpinestars, Stop & Seal, MotoHeaven, Nightmare Designs

Knights Fencing, Excite Motorsports, Ricondi Race & Road, Link International, Pirelli, AGV, Knight Designs, YRD

YAMAHA FINANCE R3 CUP

The Yamaha R3 Cup is all about the little 320cc R3 machines - they may be small, but they’re mighty! And don’t be fooled by the name, these competitors aren’t just racing each other. They’re also cross-entered into the Supersport 300, where they’ll face off against other manufacturers like Kawasaki and KTM.

But the R3 Cup is where the real action is. With three races per weekend, these mostly teenage riders get plenty of track time to hone their skills and test their race fitness.

Of course, with all that racing comes some serious competition. Every rider needs to be consistent if they want to succeed, and one slip-up can spell disaster. But with such tight racing, you can always count on a nail-biting finish. In fact, it’s rare to see a race decided before the final turn of the final lap. It all comes down to that last-lap slipstreaming drag to the finish linemay the best rider win!

Racing, HLM,SHAS,Ricondi,Link International,Whitsunday Regional Council,Whitsunday Sands Resort

Power House/ WD Racing/ TCX Boots/ Link International

Race Team, Ricondi, YRD, AGV, TCX, Motul, SproutWell Greenhouses, Race and Road, Pirelli, Fleetwood

Yamaha, Impeller Museum & Event Services, IDM Global, Ricondi, Forcite, Draper Motorsport, Aspley Bike Shop, UBX Australia, ARTAdvanced Rider Training, OPRacing

Australia,

Since its inception in 2019, the FIM Oceania and Dorna Sports-supported bLU cRU - Oceania Junior Cup (OJC) has provided a nurturing environment for young riders to experience road racing at a national level, learn, improve, and showcase their talents.

The OJC has become a firmly established stepping-stone to the international racing arena and is recognised as a Road to MotoGP category. The most outstanding OJC riders have a clear pathway to progress to other international categories such as the Asia Talent Cup and Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup.

Even though it is only in its fifth season, OJC has already earned a formidable reputation as a breeding ground for future stars. The 2023 season will see eleven new riders debuting with the return of nine riders from bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup season 2022. Furthermore, some OJC graduates and current riders will race overseas in 2023.

The OJC formula is simple but effective: competitors aged from 11 up to under 16 (as of January 1, 2023) compete against each other on identical Yamaha YZF-R15 raceprepped motorcycles, equipped with control Dunlop tyres, Öhlins suspension, Yamalube, and DID chains.

• Unique YZ-inspired Dual Twin aluminium frame

• RockShox 160mm front and 150mm rear travel suspension

• Four piston Magura MT5 brakes

• Shimano XT drivetrain

Multi-mode lightweight PW-X3 motor with 85Nm of torque

RIDERS’

ROUND 5 OJC RIDER LIST # FIRST SURNAME STATE MAKE MODEL SPONSOR

11 Nikolas LAZOS VIC YAMAHA YZF-R15 bLU cRU Yamaha / FIM Oceania / MA / Ricondi / Yamalube / Dunlop / Shark Helmets / Speedangle

16 Rossi MCADAM WA YAMAHA YZF-R15 bLU cRU Yamaha / FIM Oceania / MA / Ricondi / Yamalube / Dunlop / Shark Helmets / Speedangle

17 Haydn FORDYCE VIC YAMAHA YZF-R15 bLU cRU Yamaha / FIM Oceania / MA / Ricondi / Yamalube / Dunlop / Shark Helmets / Speedangle

18 Elijah ANDREW NSW YAMAHA YZF-R15 bLU cRU Yamaha / FIM Oceania / MA / Ricondi / Yamalube / Dunlop / Shark Helmets / Speedangle

20 Isaac AYAD NSW YAMAHA YZF-R15 bLU cRU Yamaha / FIM Oceania / MA / Ricondi / Yamalube / Dunlop / Shark Helmets / Speedangle 23 Jed FYFFE NSW YAMAHA YZF-R15 bLU cRU Yamaha / FIM Oceania / MA / Ricondi / Yamalube / Dunlop / Shark Helmets / Speedangle 26 Oscar LEWIS NSW

bLU cRU Yamaha / FIM Oceania / MA / Ricondi / Yamalube / Dunlop / Shark Helmets / Speedangle

43 John PELGRAVE QLD YAMAHA YZF-R15 bLU cRU Yamaha / FIM Oceania / MA / Ricondi / Yamalube / Dunlop / Shark Helmets / Speedangle

55 Jake PAIGE QLD YAMAHA YZF-R15 bLU cRU Yamaha / FIM Oceania / MA / Ricondi / Yamalube / Dunlop

The MA RACESAFE Medical Team launches into a new Australian Superbike Championship season, all thanks to the support of our major sponsorsMotorcycling Australia, Motul Pirelli and Thor.

The highly trained & dedicated team of Medical Professionals includes Doctors, Surgeons, Intensive Care Paramedics, Emergency Nurses and Physiotherapists. The team will continue to fulfil the critical role as the Official Medical Team for the 2022 mi-bike Australian Superbike Championships, presented by Motul.

The 2021 RACESAFE season was full of thrills and spills which kept the RACESAFE Medical Team busy at every event. Emergency Medical & Sports Medicine treatments were provided to competitors, with the RACESAFE Medical Team again spearheading exciting new developments in its well established rider care program.

The expertise of the MA RACESAFE Medical Team is in hot demand, with this team now providing the Official Medical Service for the 2022 Australian Motocross Championships - MX Nationals, 2022 Australasian Supercross Series and Troy Bayliss Classic, just to name a few.

Thanks to a shared vision for rider safety with their sponsors, the MA RACESAFE Medical Team has continued to pioneer new levels of rider care across Australia. Without their dedicated sponsors the MA RACESAFE Medical Team would never make it to track to provide this crucial role.

“Motorcycling Australia is very pleased to come on board as the major sponsor of RACESAFE Australia for 2022 and beyond. The RACESAFE team will be key component of the 2022 mi-bike Australian Superbike Championships, presented by Motul, as well as at the MX Nationals, Australian Supercross Championship and other major MA national events throughout the year.

The level of medical service and support provided to these events and our motorcycling community as a whole is unrivalled, and that is why we had no hesitation partnering up together for the good of all of our stakeholders.

We are looking forward to working together with RACESAFE to support and enhance the range of services they can offer, which will no doubt benefit our MA membership in many ways.” Quoted Motorcycling Australia CEO Peter Boyle.

Exclusive to the Motorcycling Australia’s national motorcycle championships, is the MA RACESAFE Mobile Medical Unit. This world class facility will travel to each round of the ASBK series and will provide an onsite Emergency Medical centre, Physiotherapy facility, plus Mobile Command Unit for the MA RACESAFE Medical Team.

Equipped with the most modern advance life support medical and sports medicine equipment, this unit is a first for Australian Motorsport. The project rivals any unit worldwide.

MA RACESAFE Mobile Medical Unit includes:

• Philips Critical Care Monitors with ECG, SP02, NIBP, etC02

• Philips MRx Heart Defibrillator

• BOC Medical - Oxygen Systems

• BOC Medical - Suction Unit

• I.V systems

• Intubation / Airway Management Unit

• Sphygmomanometers

• Otoscope & Ophthalmoscope

• X-Ray Viewer

• Trauma Beds

• Ultrasound Unit

• Portable Interferential Unit

• Arm Pump Treatment Unit

• Simoco Two-way Radio Systems

MA RACESAFE Medical Team will include for the 2021 Australian Superbike Championships :

• Motul RACESAFE Medical

• Chase Cars - Fully equipped with

• Advanced Life Support Equipment

• MA RACESAFE Medical Team including,

- Emergency Director

- Series Chief Medical Officer

- Intensive Care Paramedics

- Emergency Nurses

- Sports Physiotherapists

- High Speed Chase Driver

- Technical Support Officer

- Orthopaedic Surgeons

- Emergency Doctors

www.racesafe.com.au CELEBRATING

RACE FLAGS

YELLOW FLAG

Waved - danger ahead Riders must slow down and be prepared to stop. Overtaking is forbidden.

BLUE FLAG

Waved - flag indicate a rider that they are about to be overtaken.

CHEQUERED FLAG

Waved - race or practice session is over.

BLACK FLAG

Riders whose number is shown with the flag must stop at the pits on the next lap.

RED FLAG

Waved - race or practice interrupted. Riders must return to the pits.

YELLOW & RED STRIPED FLAG

Deterioration of adhesion to the track.

GREEN FLAG

The track is clear.

WHITE FLAG

Waved – slow moving intervention vehicle on track

ASBK SERIES OFFICIALS

Peter SMITH MA Series Steward

Tom WILLIAMS ASBK Series Race Director

Simon MAAS ASBK Series Safety Officer

Paul HINDS ASBK Clerk of Course

Peter BLACK ASBK Deputy Clerk of Course

Peter HALL ASBK Deputy Clerk of Course

Brendan FERRARI ASBK Series Starter & Finisher

Rob SCOTT ASBK Series Chief Technical

Ian REDDIN ASBK Deputy Chief Technical

Paul DAWSON ASBK Deputy Chief Technical

Scott LAING ASBK Series Chief Timekeeper

Mark ARNOLD ASBK Deputy Chief Timekeeper

Evon STEWARD ASBK Series Race Secretary

Sam PHILLIPS ASBK Series Chief Pit Lane

Shelley THOMPSON ASBK Chief Communicator

MOTORCYCLING AUSTRALIA WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK ALL THE ASBK VOLUNTEER OFFICIALS!

SERIES MEDICAL TEAM

Dr David KINGSBURY Chief Medical Officer

Dr Catherine GODDARD

Dr Markus SCHMIDT

Peter MONKS

Ben LYNCH

Alex YOUNG

Bettina WESTENFELDER

Mark BACKWAY

Daryl MCHUGH

Paul VAN DEN AKKER

Michael MURRAY

COMPUTIME SERIES OFFICIALS

Scott LAING

Mark ARNOLD