The Bend ASBK finale support class Saturday report

2021 ASBK Finale
Saturday Support Class Wrap

Motorsports TV Supersport

With 13 points separating the top three riders in the Championship, today’s Motorsports TV Supersport qualifying session not only provided Broc Pearson with pole and an extra point to his Championship lead, but also provided him with psychological advantage over his opposition heading into tomorrow’s first race.

Tom Edwards came out on top in qualifying session 1 with a lap record time ahead of Broc Pearson, Luke Power and Max Stauffer. But it was Pearson aboard the Yamaha who fired in the fastest time on lap 4 of qualifying session 2, with a 1:54.672 before he returned to the garage for the rest of the session.

Pearson’s blistering record lap time will give him plenty of confidence going into tomorrow’s first race as he chases his first Championship title before he steps up to Superbike next year.

Edwards in the final ten minutes attempted to better his time and nearly lost his Yamaha from underneath him on the back section of the track, as his rear tyre swung around before the traction control kicked in. He was faster in sectors 1 and 2 than Pearson on several laps but lost valuable time in the third sector on each lap, and will start tomorrow’s race from 2nd place on the front row.

Moto3 Junior World Championship rider and former ASBK Supersport Champion Senna Agius – the sole Honda rider in the field – was consistently in the top ten all weekend and fired in 1:55.492 snatching 3rd in his first ever Supersport qualifying session.

2021 Supersport debutant Kawasaki shod Luke Power will start from 4th despite not being able to improve his time in the second session and will be one to watch tomorrow.

Max Stauffer suffered in the second qualifying session slipping back in the pack and will start tomorrow’s race in 5th on his Yamaha. Stauffer’s pace earlier in the weekend was at record pace and he is guaranteed to come out firing in race 1.

Also in his debut season, John Lytras has been consistent throughout the weekend and will start from 6th with Tom Bramich from 7th, who seems to have finally found a setting he can work with.

Returning Australian international riders back to the ASBK paddock Billy Van Eerde, who had MotoGP star Jack Miller turning spanners for him in the pits during qualifying, will start from 8th and Harrison Voight who had been struggling to find the right settings on his machine was 9th fastest, with Scott Nicholson rounding out the top ten.  Van Eerde and Voight are not on latest spec’ Yamaha machinery but with a strong set-up tomorrow could provide a few surprises. Billy’s bike is a 2014 model.

Broc Pearson

“I was pretty happy to get that done in the second session, we managed to make some changes and it come together. I put out my time early and that was as much as I could have done, so the ball was in their court for the rest of the session, so I got to sit back and watch but to be honest it was pretty nerve wracking 15 minutes. Now we start from pole tomorrow so I’m pretty happy.”

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Motorsports TV Supersport Combined Qualifying times

Yamaha Finance R3 CUP

Archie McDonald took out race one of the Yamaha Finance R3 Cup after a sensational four rider photo finish to the last race of the day at the Grand Finale of ASBK.

It was McDonald’s first R3 Cup win and his second of the day having earlier won the Supersport 300 race 1.

The six lap R3 Cup provided plenty of action, slip streaming, and dive bombing into corners as riders battled for the win.

Carter Thompson led from the green light, with Glenn Nelson, Ben Baker, Archie McDonald, and Angus Grenfell were the front runners after lap one with the top 20 riders covered by less than a second.

Laura Brown had issues on lap one and was forced back to the pits.

The lead would swap several times between Thompson and Baker on lap 2, as Nelson and McDonald stayed glued to their rear wheels.

Lead and position changes were happening at rapid fire pace with Baker, Nelson, Thompson and McDonald in the final laps of the race.

On the last lap McDonald lead into the first corner, but it was short lived as Nelson jumped in front at turn 14 before McDonald regained the lead again.

At Turn 17 Nelson was in the lead but coming onto the main straight he swung to the inside of the track while, McDonald, Thompson and Baker stayed close to the wall.

In a photo finish across the line McDonald took the win by .030 of a second to Nelson with Baker in 3rd and Thompson finishing 4th.

Baker admitted after the race he wasn’t prepared to risk it all for the Championship win today and was happy with the points haul, while McDonald was ecstatic.

Archie McDonald

“Much better this time, last time was annoying because two riders crash and this time they didn’t and I could be happier.“

Yamaha Finance R3 Cup Race One

Yamaha Finance R3 CUP Combined Qualifying Times

Yamaha Finance R3 Cup Points

Dunlop Supersport 300

Archie McDonald has taken his maiden Dunlop Supersport 300 victory in what was a dramatic filled first race of the mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship, presented by Motul.

Pole man, Ben Baker lost the lead on the first corner as Carter Thompson hit the front with Archie McDonald, Glenn Nelson, Angus Grenfell and Tom Drane close behind as Baker slipped back to 6th place.

Thompson cleared out early and managed to gain a handy lead mid-way through the race when riders started pushing their machines to the limits.

Nelson was battling McDonald before losing his front wheel crashing and only moments later the leader Thompson, crashed out of the race leaving McDonald in the lead.

McDonald wasted no time in gapping the charging riders behind who were duelling in every corner, with Grenfell divebombing into corners to try and make up ground.

Grenfell ran deep and wide on several corners attempting to overtake Drane who was in second place, and eventually ran off the track ending his battle with the front runners.

Kawasaki shod riders James Jacobs and Zac Johnson joined the front running pack for the final laps of the race with Johnson desperate to finish ahead of Baker to claw back crucial Championship points.

McDonald celebrated his victory from the last corner to the chequered flag as Drane, Baker, Johnson, Jacobs battled for the final positions in the last two corners.

Drane would hold off the charging pack for 2nd place with Baker coming home in 3rd further extending his Championship points lead, with Jacobs 4th and Johnson finishing in 5th place.

Baker extends his lead to 154 points, with Zac Johnson on 117, Reece Oughtred 3rd with 112, Cameron Dunker on 99, and Brandon Demmery on 86 points rounding at the top 5.

McDonald was happy with the win, but disappointed Thompson and Nelson crashed in front of him during the race.

Archie McDonald

“It’s actually great to finally get that win and the team did it as well as we’ve be aiming for it for a couple of years.”

Dunlop Supersport 300 Championship Race One

Dunlop Supersport 300 Championship Combined Qualifying

Dunlop Supersport 300 Championship Standings

bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup

Queenslander Cameron Swain in only his second year has taken out the 2021 bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup title at the first of 3 races this weekend at the ASBK Grand Finale.

The quietly spoken 13-year-old absolutely dominated 2021 in the OJC class, despite finishing second to Ryan Larkin at race 1 today.

This weekend during every session he topped the timing sheets during practice and qualifying riding on his own without the tow of riders and in today’s first race of 5 laps he had a monumental battle with Ryan Larkin, Nate O’Neill, Hayden Nelson and Levi Russo.

Russo got a great start leading into turn 1, but it wasn’t long before Swain snatched the lead back before getting into a battle with Larkin and O’Neill on lap 2 with the top ten covered by only two-seconds.

Hudson Thompson joined the leading 4 riders on lap 3, as they all tussled for position.

But it was Larkin who would eventually get to the front holding off the challenges from Swain, O’Neill, Nelson and Thompson.

In the final two laps Larkin, Swain, and O’Neill jostled for position, with Swain and O’Neill looking for ways to slip stream Larkin, but Larkin managed to hold them off on the final corner of the last lap for his maiden victory.  Swain was emotional after his title win.

Cameron Swain

“I’m lost for words. I just want to thank everyone, Ricondi, Yamaha, TCX, Motul, and a good job to Ryan on his first win. I’m just so happy to take out the Championship on the first race of the weekend.  A lot of work has gone into it, it’s crazy, I didn’t think I would do it.”

bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup Race One

bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup Combined Qualifying

bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup Championship Standings

The Bend ASBK Schedule

ASBK TV and LiveStream Schedule

For fans unable to make it to The Bend this weekend (and there’s still time, tickets and championships-to-be-decided reasons to go!), we have options…

ASBK fans from all over the world can enjoy all the live racing action from the comfort of their own home this weekend from the mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship, presented by Motul Grand Finale at The Bend Motorsport Park.

ASBK TV official Free-to-Air broadcast partner SBS have stepped up to provide ASBK fans the opportunity to catch the livestream action from Saturday via their exclusive broadcast platform SBS On-Demand.

SBS has long been the home of great motorsport and in 2021 they have again provided ASBK race fans with both Live Free-to-Air coverage and the opportunity to catch all the action via SBS On-Demand after each round. At no cost to join, ASBK fans simply need to jump on and subscribe to SBS On-Demand.

The ASBK Championship comes to massive conclusion on Sunday and ASBK TV have all the angles covered with Free-to-Air coverage on SBS HD, SBS On-Demand or via Fox Sports Australia from 12.30pm – 3.30pm (Australian Central Daylight Times).

New Zealand race fans can catch the action on Sky Sport NZ who continue to broadcast every round of ASBK to fans across the ditch.

From the comfort of home, or on mobile devices, SBS will provide free to air coverage, and Fox Sports Australia and Sky Sport NZ will ensure pay TV viewers won’t miss a minute of the action.

Live race coverage will include the Alpinestars Superbike, Motorsports TV Supersport, Dunlop Supersport 300, Yamaha Finance R3 Cup and the bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup, plus race fans will get no shortage of behind the scenes features.

Fans across the nation and around the world can also go to www.asbk.com.au and watch up to the live ASBK TV Live Stream on Sunday.

Exclusive Live telecast of the Grand Finale of the mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship, presented by Motul, can be seen:

Sunday 5th December
ASBK Live TV Telecast 12.30pm – 3.30pm (ACDT = SA time)

• SBS HD
• Fox Sports Australia
• Sky Sport NZ
• SBS On-Demand

Sunday 5th December
ASBK Livestream Telecast 9.30am – 4.00pm (ACDT = SA time)

• ASBK Facebook
• ASBK Website

Check your local guides for times and more information.

Keep up to date with the latest news on the mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship, presented by Motul via www.asbk.com.au and following ASBK on Facebook and Instagram.