ASBK

Maxwell sees red in super showdown

28-11-2009

A plea by Team Oleon Oils Motologic Honda rider Wayne Maxwell to race officials to display the red flag was heeded when the Superbike Superpole Shootout at Victoria’s Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit was halted this afternoon just seconds before the 27-year-old was due to take to the circuit.

Light drizzle drifted across the 4.45km circuit as Maxwell prepared to take to the track, the last rider to do so as the fastest eight from an earlier qualifying session took part in the one-lap Superpole run-off to decide grid positions for tomorrow’s two 12-lap races to decide the 2009 Woodstock Bourbon Australian Superbike Championship.

At that stage two-time Australian Superbike champion Jamie Stauffer sat on provisional pole on his Yamaha Racing Team YZF-R1 with a 1:34.271, but the decision by race officials to abandon the Superpole run-off gave Maxwell pole as the fastest rider from the earlier qualifying session, and with it a bonus championship point.

“The officials declared it, which was the right thing to do,” said Maxwell. “As long as it’s fair for all it’s okay, but the rain came just near the end.”

The bonus point moved Maxwell to within eight points of the championship lead, held by teammate and defending champion Glenn Allerton, with Team Joe Rocket Suzuki rider Josh Waters two points behind Allerton.

“The one extra point for pole makes no difference as I’ve got two very strong competitors,” said Maxwell. “I just have to go out and win both races tomorrow.”

Waters was completing his flying Superpole lap when the rain began to fall, and agreed with Maxwell that the session needed to be red-flagged.

“I wasn’t sure if the track was wet or not, but the rain spots on my helmet visor made things a bit dodgy,” said Waters, whose Suzuki GSX-R1000 was hitting speeds of over 300km/h along the front straight.

Maxwell is the in-form rider of the series and current lap record holder, and topped today’s regulation qualifying prior to Superpole with a best lap of 1:33.118.

With no team orders in the Team Oleon Oils Motologic Honda squad, the Victorian must win both races tomorrow in what shapes as a thrilling winner-take-all finale if he is to claim his first Australian Superbike Championship.

“I’m eight points off the championship lead so I’ve got no option but to go out and win both races and score maximum points,” said Maxwell.

Three-time Australian Superbike Champion Shawn Giles completes the front row of the grid for tomorrow’s two races on his Team Joe Rocket Suzuki GSX-R1000, and can play a part in the championship outcome if he can assist his 22-year-old teammate Waters.

“I know what I have to do,” said Waters, who is in his first season of Superbike racing. “I’ll be going out to win both races and just worry about myself – not what anyone else is doing.”

Stauffer, who led the Superpole shootout until it was red-flagged, heads row two and will start from fifth on the grid in the seventh and final round of the 2009 series.

In the Insure My Ride Australian Supersport Championship privateer Shannon Johnson (ESG / Woodstock Bourbon Honda CBR600RR) qualified fastest with a best lap of 1:35.996, a time that would have placed him eighth on the Superbike grid and ahead of front-runners Craig Coxhell (Bisley Workwear / CJC Racing Honda CBR1000RR) and Dan Stauffer (Yamaha Racing Team YZF-R1).

Championship contenders Jamie Stauffer and Bryan Staring qualified their Yamaha Racing Team YZF-R6s second and third respectively, with Troy Herfoss completing the front row on his Team Joe Rocket Suzuki GSX-R600.

In today’s support class events, Pat Medcalf (Yamaha Racing Team YZF-R1) clinched the 2009 Australian Superstock Championship with a dominant display that saw the New South Welshman claim a new lap record and lead every lap.