Superbike Masters had both masters and apprentices! SMP in review.

ASBK 2023

Round Two – Sydney Motorsport Park

Sureflight Superbike Masters

After a successful two rounds of the Superbike Masters Cup with ASBK in 2022, this year the concept has been expanded to three rounds, with the first held last weekend under lights at Sydney Motorsport Park, in conjunction with the second round of the 2023 Australian Superbike Championship.

The Masters is open to Period 5 Forgotten Era bikes manufactured between 1 January 1973 to 31 December 1982, and Period Six New Era for bikes manufactured between 1 January 1983 to 31 December 1990.

In turn these classes were divided into four sub-categories. In Period 5 there was an Unlimited class, and a Formula 1 class (for GP or aftermarket bikes like the Harris framed machines). In the Period Six New Era there were Formula 750 and Formula 1300 to embrace all genres and to allow as many bikes as possible to enter.

The new addition of the old bikes to the Australian championship rounds has been a labour of love for the main instigator and man behind it all, Darren Lark.

“Big Dazza” as he is affectionately known has put in a mountain of work to get the class on the card. He’s fortunate now that phone calls are free on mobile devices as he’s been on the phone more than someone who answers 1900 calls!

His passion for the category and his persistence has paid off as the field has expanded from last year with 36 historic bikes entered for the weekend’s three races.

The garages were at the back of the paddock, and it was a sight to behold with these immaculately prepared maintained and loved machines. In a way it was fortunate the rains came as it covered up the puddles of drool everywhere from interested onlooking perving on what could be called works of art. The level of preparation and presentation was extremely impressive. Equally impressive was how hard the bikes were ridden.

The riders may be ageing in body, but getting out on a track and thrashing the bejeezus out of the historic machines keeps their minds young.

At the same time, one must keep the unbridled enthusiasm in reserve as bikes like the Honda RC30’s of Phil Burke, Laurie Fyffe and Phil Bevan, a Bimota YB6 1000 of Steve Harley, Rob Young’s Ducati 888, the Yamaha TZ750 owned by Terry Mackinnon and raced by Troy Corser, Damion Davis’ Suzuki TR750, Mick Johnston’s Ducati TTF1, a plethora of Suzuki Katanas and GSX1100Rs or the Harris XR69s of Scott Webster and Paul Parlett are in the irreplaceable category. Or if not, they are extremely expensive to repair.

One rider making a welcome return to the track after a couple of decades away was Greg Avery on an immaculately prepared and maintained Suzuki Katana 1100 that was fettled by Jim Masri. It’s another beautiful machine.

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Corser was a late entry on the TZ750 after the bike he was due to ride, the Les Corish Suzuki had a few mechanical issues in the lead up and couldn’t take part, so Corser was offered the bike that John Allen has tasted success on in the past five years.

An interesting tid-bit was that the grandson of Laurie Fyffe, Jed was making his own mark in his debut in the blu cru Oceania Junior Cup, with son Matt, also in attendance. It would’ve been an historic occasion if Matt had decided to race for three generations to be taking part in a round of the Australian Championships. There’s still two rounds to go…

While there was plenty of grey hair, beards and expanding waistlines on many of the class combatants, in contrast, there was a slim and relatively fit youngster riding and that was 26-year-old Keo Watson on the C&M Motorcycles Yamaha FZR1000. Watson claimed pole from Corser with the evergreen Murray Clark on his Gixxer 1100 rounding out the front row.

Two of the three, six-lap races were the last on the program with a scheduled start time of 10pm. With such a late start it was impressive to see how many spectators stayed on to witness the on-track action and demonstrate the popularity of the Superbikes of old.

The track temp was still over 26 degrees when Watson rocketed into the lead off the line, from Corser but who suffered some brake problems. New pads were fitted before the race, but Corser was unaware that the class does not receive a sighting lap and separate warm-up lap and was unable to bed the pads in properly before they gridded-up. As such in the excitement of racing they glazed over to slow his charge but still managed second albeit seven seconds behind Watson, while putting on his usual show of quality wheel-stands that culminated with a length of the straight stand-up mono with one foot off the peg to cross the finish line!

Clark’s race didn’t last long as he dropped to eighth after the first lap, moved up to sixth but was forced to retired after four laps, while relative newcomer to racing, Aaron Bennett took over third place from fifth on the grid. Bennett, from the Central Coast of NSW, was riding his Dad’s Gixxer and has only started on two wheels in the last two years after he crossed over from steering a go-kart. He’s fast and smooth.

Fourth fastest qualifier Brian Bolster on another of the C&M machines got a shocker of a start and dropped to sixth on the first lap but regathered to give Bennett a real battle in the final half of the race as they were all over each other with Bennett grabbing third by just 0.106 second from Bolster who looks fully recovered from his injuries suffered late last year.

Race two was just before the dinner break on Saturday afternoon and it was a thoroughly entertaining affair. Watson led away again but after the usual slower start of a two-stroke machine, Corser closed him down and took the lead on the second lap to post his fastest lap of the weekend with a 1:38.112. The pair played a bit of toing-and-froing but with a couple of laps to go, the skies had a leak so with all bikes on slicks, caution was the name of the game. Watson was a little braver than Corser and took the lead. It almost came unstuck as he nearly flipped himself over the bars at Turn Two on the final lap, with Corser right behind. That warning was enough for Corser who buttoned off to ensure he brought the TZ home to finish over five seconds adrift.

The conditions ensured the field was more strung out than normal in their efforts to bring the bikes home in one piece, but it didn’t halt the duelling between Bennett and Bolster. It was another fine display of close competitive respectful riding. Bennett again won the drag to the line to finish third but by the bee’s dick distance of just 0.058 sec over Bolster this time.

After that riding display by many, it was no wonder many stayed for the final race of the program, but the intermittent rain returned to greet them ensuring all were on wet weather tyres. Before the start Ken Watson, who is a very experienced and successful rider, as well as a long term Stay Upright instructor, gave Keo the advice that if he wanted to learn about wet weather riding, to follow Troy.

Young Watson heeded the advice as the field slid and slithered around the damp layout. Watson stuck right behind Corser, but it wasn’t all plain sailing as he had a couple of moments in those conditions. It looked like Corser really wanted to win the race as he powered through the final turn to make a bit of a gap over the 1000cc four-stroke, but Watson was patient as he waited until coming onto the straight before he gave the FZR full gas to drag Corser to the line and take the win by 0.034 second.

Both riders are in different classes, so it was only bragging rights for overall victory, but hey who is going to knock back the chance to beat Troy Corser in a race?

Unfortunately, the duel for third between Bennett and Bolster didn’t eventuate as for Bennett his race came to an end at Turn One with just under two laps remaining while again in third overall, with a mechanical, while Bolster entered the pits after one lap, which in turn allowed Corey Glock on his Gixxer 750 to claim third.

With two races run in very sketchy conditions it’s a credit to all that were out on track that there were no crashes in any of the three races.

The next round will be alongside the ASBK round at Phillip Island in late October, with the third and final round – again with ASBK – at the Bend on the first weekend in December.

Sureflight Superbike Masters Round Points

2023 ASBK Calendar