Vic Wreckers Victorian Interclub Road Racing 2016
Round One – Broadford – 20 March 2016
By Marty Thompson – Images courtesy of Cameron White
The weather gods shined on the first round of the Victorian Interclub Road racing series at Broadford Raceway with the sun shining all day and temps sitting in the mid to high 20’s providing almost perfect conditions for riders, officials and spectators alike. A strong field of over 70 entries made for ample fields in each race, without an overcrowded race track in the inherent problems associated with that.
As always with an interclub meeting, the day ran smoothly with few crashes to slow down events. Races ran to time and there was even time to run a consolation race at the end of the day for those who had not made the podium in their respective races. Riders covered everyone from novices through to some of the fastest A graders in the state. Although the Barry Sheene Festival of speed had attracted some of historic bikes, there was still plenty of variety from the venerable back shed builds, to exotica Like Matt Barton’s FTR Honda Moto 3 bike.
Formula 1a
Formula 1A saw the top three qualifiers being #10 Dean Archbold on a Kawasaki ZX10R, #88 Brendan Schmidt on another ZX10R and Travis Baas on his Suzuki GSXR1000.
Scott McGregor was a notable omission from the top three, with the 41 year old ex A grade MX’er using the meeting to sort his brand new Kubota sponsored 2016 Kawasaki ZX-10R, ahead of the upcoming ASBK meeting at Wakefield Park over the coming Easter Weekend. The 2014 Victorian Pro stock champion later started coming to grips with the new machine and his results improved as the day progressed. Speaking to him in the pits, he is hopeful of having the bike running well for a full assault on the Australian championships this year.
Race 1 saw Dean Archbold on his 1SRS Scaffolding/Morwell Kawasaki pull a gap and extend that out to six-seconds by race end in a convincing and comfortable win, posting a fastest lap of 58.207 around the tight and undulating Broadford Circuit. #88 Brendan Schmidt was 6 seconds back in 2nd place on his ZX10R Kawasaki, closely followed by #39 Wayne Doherty on his Yamaha YZF-R1.
Race 2 saw the top three change, with Archbold claiming a 2nd win, but only a three-second gap back to #28 Travis Baas on his Suzuki, and Wayne Doherty again filling the third step of the podium a further three seconds back.
Race three saw results mixed up again, with Travis Baas finally claiming a well earned victory, Scott McGregor now coming to grips with his new Zx-10R claimed 2nd place, with a little over a second separating the two, and the consistent Wayne Doherty again filled the last podium place, just four-tenths of a second further back.
David Buonapane on his #42 Moto National Suzuki GSX-R1000 struggled all day with braking issues, finishing 6th and 7th in the first two races but DNF’ing in the final race, despite having Allan from Moto National twirling spanners for him in the pits all day. David is hoping to have the bike sorted for the next outing and looking forward to improved results, with his pace being there when the bike is working well.
Formula 1B
Formula 1B as always saw a strong field of 600’s line up for qualifying, with 25 year old Lincoln Sutherland on his now ageing 2009 Race Center ZX-6R Super stock spec 600 dominating qualifying with a 59.549, which was later to be improved upon. Not bad for what is essentially a stock bike with a pipe and standard suspension.
The always delightful 30-year-old Irishman Brendan Wilson on his immaculately prepared and presented #4 Stainless Steel Projects supported Yamaha R6 qualified 2nd, with newcomer 48 year old Michael Conway on his #77 Powerplay race & rally Restoration Suzuki GSX-R600 completing the front row.
Michael Conway had competed in a car rally up at Eildon the day prior, not ending the day well there with an error putting his rally car into a tree. A late night ensued in getting his rally car back home and preparing for Sundays bike racing. But his bike resplendent with bright fluoro yellow wheels was turned out spectacularly and it would have been a toss up between he and Brendan Wilson’s R6 for best presented honours.
Brendan Wilson had one of his Irish compatriots, Mark Nation, riding his spare #141 YZF-R6. The 31-year-old having his first ride on the bike and his first ever run around Broadford and acquitted himself well, with an 11th in race 1, a 7th in race 2, but an unfortunate DNF in race three. He did however start to get his lap times down managing a 62′, which for the first time at the circuit, and the first time on the R6, was a commendable effort. I think we will see better things from both Mark and Brendan as the year goes on. The two bikes together certainly stood out as a professionally ran team. Credit to them.
Race one saw Michael Conway make up several spots with what was undoubtedly the best race starts of any of the 600’s for the weekend. His start technique was brilliant in all three races. But it was the very fast Lincoln Sutherland who led into turn one, and was never headed for the remainder, extending his lead lap upon lap. His pit crew didn’t bother with a board, just extending their arms further and further each lap to demonstrate the gap back to the hard charging battle for 2nd place.
Veteran 41-year-old Craig Doye, on his 2006 model Elliot Bros Honda CBR600 took 2nd place, some 10-seconds back from a flying Lincoln Sutherland.
Doye was engaged in a close battle for the entire race with the other veteran of the field, 48-year-old Michael Conway on his GSX-R600, Conway claimed 3rd after a close battle with Irishman Brendan Wilson, while 26-year-old Tim (Sandy Balls) Sandy on his Pre-modern eligible Race Center Yamaha R6 was also in the mix. Tim is returning to racing after a nasty crash at last year’s Victorian Championships, and his pace improved as the day progressed. The 26-year-old will be having a crack at the Victorian Championships for 2016, with the intention of running in the ASBK Supersport for a full season next year, 2017.
Race two again saw Lincoln Sutherland fly into turn one in first position and continually eked out his lead as the race progressed. He did however make a few errors on laps two and three, either missing a gear or missing his braking marker at the pit hairpin, producing a few heart-in-mouth moments for spectators, onlookers wondering if he was going to be able to gather it up again. Thankfully, he settled in the proceeding laps and consolidated his lead to cross the line five-seconds ahead of the now flying Brendan Wilson on his immaculate looking Stainless Steel Products R6. The Irishman now showing some of the speed we have seen from in the past. Michael Conway again took third place after a great battle with Tim Sandy and Craig Doye.
Race three was a repeat of race two. Although this time Michael Conway led off the line, only to have Lincoln Sutherland slip up the inside into turn one and take the lead. Michael’s starts were brilliant to watch all day. Again, Lincoln Sutherland appeared to be having some trouble getting the bike stopped and turned for the pit hairpin. Speaking to him later he assured me he was just trialling some different techniques, to see if he could make up some time and was not struggling as such. But for us spectators, it was again some heart-in-mouth moments wondering if he was going to be able to get it stopped and into the turn. Our adopted ex-pat Irishman Brendan Wilson again came home 2nd, only five-seconds adrift of the untouchable Lincoln Sutherland. Veteran Craig Doye on his ageing CBR600 managed to claim third, in what were the best battles of the day along with Michael Conway and Tim Sandy.
Formula 2
Wayne Doherty dominated all three races in Formula 2, the #39 Yamaha R1 mounted C grader lapping consistently around the 60′ mark in each of the three races, beating home #3 Lucas Gordon on his Sixty Degree motorcycles GSX-R1000 and closely followed home by Michael Conway, who not having enough with a car rally on the Saturday, cross entered his Suzuki GS-XR600 into Formula 2 for some more seat time. At 48, I doubt I could have managed such a marathon effort. I’m sure he slept well Sunday night.
Formula 3&4 combined
Matt Barton on his super trick full Moto 3 spec FTR Honda 250 dominated qualifying and all three races, lapping in the high 62’s for most of the day. But the three races saw some mixed results.
In race 1, Matt streaked the field, with #22 Zachary Johnson, onboard his Kawasaki Ninja 300 Production bike coming home 2nd and Keith Braddock on his #37 Vic Wreckers GSX-R250 rounding out the podium. But the two to watch were veteran 125GP racer Peter Scott on his #62 Yamaha TZ125 who failed to start the first race, and young 14-year-old Scott Nicholson on his Williams Engineering supported Honda RS125 GP bike.
In races 2 and 3, Matt barton checked out at the front, but the battle to watch was with veteran Peter Scott and the young 14 year old Scott Nicholson. In race 2, Peter got the better of the young Honda rider, but the roles were reversed in race 3, with Scott Nicholson bettering the veteran and much experienced 125 Gp rider to come home 2nd and ride a Personal best lap-time of an almost flat 64′. having only just come up from the juniors, there appears to be some real potential for the young victorian in the future.
Sidecars
The qualifying and racing didn’t alter much for the sidecars, although always spectacular to watch, the races mirrored qualifying, with pole-sitters Duncan Rogers/Rodney Bell on the #55 LCR 1000 finishing first, Ron Marten/Ron Ennis on the #60 TBN Random 600 doing a great job on a 600cc outfit to claim 2nd in front of Justin Foot/Tracey Davis on the Abacus Affordable Plumbing Loui 1000 who rounded out the podium.
Preston Club Race
Travis Baas won the Preston club race, with #57 Richard Cannatelli 2nd on his ZX10 and #23, Shane Robinson finished 3rd on his GSX-R1000.
SCRCV/Harley Newport Braybrook/Redline race
Wayne Doherty finished first on his Yamaha R1, with #42 David Buonapane 2nd on his GSXR1000 and #90, Steve Maloney bought his R6 home for a well deserved 3rd place.
Sandringham/Gippsland Centre race
Dean Archbold on his Kawasaki ZX-10R finished first in a very tight race, with Lincoln Sutherland on his tail the entire way aboard the Race Center ZX-6R and #74, veteran Scott McGregor right in his wheel tracks, still sorting his new 2016 ZX-10. All three lapped in the high 58’s and low 59’s.
Team Shield (Fastest 4 riders from each club)
The two team shield races were won by Dean Archbold on his ZX-10, with Lincoln Sutherland a further five-seconds back on his ZX-6R and Travis Baas riding well to finish 3rd a further 12-seconds back in race one, but closing the gap to only 2.5 seconds in race 2.
Club points are as follows –Â Position Club Race 1 Race two Total
- SANDRINGHAM 56 57 113
- PRESTON 51 49 100
- GIPPSLAND 28 30 58
- NEWPORT 32 25 57
- HARLEY 16 14 30
- SCRCV 12 11 23
