Recapping all the Supersport 300 action from Bend finale

ASBK 2024
Round Seven – The Bend
Race & Road Supersport 300

Race & Road Supersport 300 Race One

Returning international Cam Swain started from pole position, and alongside him on the front row was young Archie Schmidt and regular series front-runner Jordan Simpson.

Swain got a great launch off the line, but it was the diminutive Archie Schmidt who led the field through turn one for the first time in what was his first Supersport 300 race. That pair then swapped places a couple of times over the course of the opening lap before Nassif and Simpson pushed Swain back to fourth. Rikki Henry fifth and Mitch Simpson in sixth, the final combatants in that front group.

Championship leader Josh Newman eighth at this early juncture and battling with Casey Middleton, Valentino Knezovic and Oliver Short.

Cam Swain hit the lead again on the following lap after putting in a new fastest lap of the race. Once in front this time around Swain put his head down and immediately started to break away only to then be swamped again on the entry to turn one. Schmidt briefly back into the lead before Swain again hit the front.

Will Nassif took second place from Schmidt on lap four after putting in a new fastest lap of the race. Swain still in the lead of that five-rider group which also included Jordan Simpson and Rikki Henry.

The red flag then came out to retrieve a crashed bike left in a precarious position. Riders returned to the grid for what would be a full re-start over a shortened three-lap race distance.

Unfortunately Archie Schmidt’s machine then overheated on the grid and he was pushed off onto the grass, much to the disappointment of the returning international that has been learning his craft in the Asia Talent Cup this year. Countryman Rikki Henry.

Cam Swain and Will Nassif went down the main straight side by side but Swain swept into the lead at turn two as Jordy Simpson moved into third. Mitch Simpson was fourth before running in way too hot and drifted way down the field.  Championship contenders Valentino Knezovic and Josh Newman were tussling over fourth place.

Will Nassif took the lead from Swain on lap two, as along with Jordan Simpson, that trio really started to break away from the rest of the field. Knezovic had pulled away from Newman and Middleton to look fairly safe in fourth place at this juncture.

Swain then began eke out a gap over Nassif and Simpson over the latter half of the penultimate lap to take the last lap board with a full-second over Will Nassif.

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Cam Swain put in a 2m09.117 once clear to sprint away from Nassif over the course of the final lap. Swain taking the victory by a significant 1.6-seconds.

Will Nassif took second place and Jordan Simpson rounded out the podium.

Valentino Knezovic finished fourth to gain a few points over sixth placed Josh Newman in the championship chase. Newman’s lead trimmed to 30-points.  Casey Middleton had split that pair in the race to finish fifth.

Oliver Short and Tara Morrison also in that group, finishing seventh and eighth respectively.  Harrison Watts and Rikki Henry rounded out the top ten.

Race & Road Supersport 300 Race One Results

Race & Road Supersport 300 Race Two

Archie Schmidt led Jordy Simpson and Cam Swain out of turn one as the seven-lap Supersport 300 race got underway at Sunday morning at The Bend.

Schmidt and Swain started breaking away from their pursuers on lap two as Will Nassif moved up to third place and set about chasing that duo down. Coming along for that ride were the Simpson brothers and Valentino Knezovic. A little further back was championship leader Josh Newman and Rikki Henry.

Will Nassif took the lead on lap three before Swain moved to the fore, but now nothing separated what had become a leading group of six as they broached half-race distance.

Archie Schmidt moved into the lead early on lap four, Nassif then got the lead back, Schmidt into the lead again, only for Nassif to pus through again, then Swain into the lead… The order changing at almost every turn.

A huge lunge up the inside of Swain from Nassif but he had to pull out of it, but knowing that if Swain got clear air up front that it was going to be hard to stay in touch should he manage to break away…

Nassif back into the lead down the main straight only to then be passed by Schmidt and Swain at turn one, then Swain into the lead on the change of direction…

Jordy Simpson then went from fourth to the lead into the infield tight left-hander with a huge move under brakes…

Jordy kept it tidy on exit to stay in front for a couple of turns before Swain moved the fore once again and Schmidt then pushed Simpson back to third, then Nassif pushed him further back to fourth just before they completed the fifth lap. All these tussles had allowed the top eight to tighten up.

Schmidt led at the last lap board but it was four-wide into turn one, Nassif into the lead, Jordy Simpson second, Swain third, Knezovic up to fourth ahead of Schmidt…  Swain to the lead again, Jordy Simpson on his tail, Nassif third, but nothing separated the top seven….

Swain put together a clean final lap to stretch ever so slightly away from Jordy Simpson and Will Nassif.

Swain had enough of a gap to survive the run to the line, setting the fastest lap of the race on that seventh and final lap, a 2m08.815.

Jordan Simpson and Will Nassif rounded out the podium ahead of Archie Schmidt and Valentino Knezovic, that quartet all in close company.

A little further back Rikki Henry claimed sixth ahead of Mitch Simpson and Josh Newman.

While Swain won that battle, eighth place was all that Josh Newman needed to win the war.

Josh Newman was crowned 2024 Race & Road Australian Supersport 300 Champion thanks to a now unassailable lead over Valentino Knezovic.

Race & Road Supersport 300 Race Two Results

Race & Road Supersport 300 Race Three

It was again Archie Schmidt, Cam Swain and the Simpson brothers up front in the final Supersport 300 contest of the 2024 season, but with the championship now in the bag, Josh Newman also joined the party this time around.

Schmidt still in the lead as they started lap two as Josh Newman moved up to second ahead of the Simpson brothers, and Swain was demoted to fifth.  Oliver Short was just outside the top five before crashing out at turn one.

As the race wore on Schmidt and Jordan Simpson broke away from the leading group only to then be reeled in around half-race distance as the leading group was down to five, Archie Schmidt leading Cam Swain, Jordan Simpson, Mitch Simpson and Josh Newman.  Valentino Knezovic crashed out while trying to chase down that leading group.

Cam Swain moved through to the lead on lap five after setting a new fastest lap of the race.  Swain and Schmidt then started to stretch away from Jordy Simpson.

Swain dipping into the 8s, a 2m08.898 on lap five. That trio now had three-seconds over fourth placed Josh Newman who was battling with Rikki Henry and Mitch Simpson.

Archie Schmidt slotted past Swain for the lead early on the final lap but Swain took the inside run to the tight infield left-hander to take the lead once again.

Little separated the top trio over the final lap but it was Swain in front when it mattered most once again.

Schmidt got a great run onto the chute for the final time to reel Swain in and close the gap down to a slender two-hundreths of a second at the flag. Swain making it three from three.

Jordy Simpson so close yet again but having to settle for third place, more than six-seconds ahead of Josh Newman.  The newly crowned champion trailed closely to the line by Rikki Henry and Mitch Simpson.

Despite his crash Valentino Knezovic finished second in the championship with a nine-point buffer over Harrison Watts.  Jordan Simpson fourth in the championship ahead of Will Nassif.

Race & Road Supersport 300 Race Three Results

Race & Road Supersport 300 Round Points

Race & Road Supersport 300 Championship Points

Race & Road Supersport 300 Qualifying