Wet and wild second Superbike bout at Phillip Island – Report – Results – Points

ASBK 2024
Round Five – Phillip Island
Australian Superbike Race Two

Harrison Voight got the better of his McMartin Racing team-mate in the opening bout. The pair had stretched away from the field to the tune of more than half-a-second a lap. Arthur Sissis had broken through for his maiden Superbike podium after fending off late advances from Cru Halliday, Glenn Allerton and Mike Jones.

Cam Dunker missed the opening race after suffering electric problems on the warm-up lap. His Penrite Racing Team believed they had traced the problem to the ABS pump in the break before race two. The ABS pump is not used but must be retained on the bike to meet ASBK regulations.

Bryan Staring was missing from the grid after suffering engine problems that saw him retire from race one.

While race one was held in incredibly windy conditions, it had been dry. However, that was far from guaranteed for the afternoon bout as rain approached from the west in the build-up to race two.

A few specks of precipitation were apparent around the circuit as the start time drew closer, which saw officials delay the start of the afternoon race. The rain then increased enough for the circuit to be declared wet, and a rapid start procedure was set down to get things underway after a further short delay.

Team personnel and tyre technicians ran all over the place to get wets onto their charges in order to make the narrow pit exit window, before riders headed out for their single warm-up lap, before heading straight into the race start.  Conditions were now quite treacherous as the riders gingerly felt their way around the circuit.

Broc Pearson swept around the front two rows to lead the field into turn one for the first time! His closest chasers at this early juncture Arthur Sissis, Glenn Allerton and Max Stauffer. Sissis then went down on the exit of turn four to throw a very wet dampener on what had been an otherwise great weekend for the Stop & Seal rider.

The red flag then came out so medical personnel could attend to Sissis, who had smacked the ground very hard after high-siding out of turn four. He was up and walking but clearly in a world of hurt. He had raced on a bike not set up for the wet conditions and paid the price.

Riders formed back up on the grid in readiness for another warm-up lap before a shortened nine-lap race distance. Some riders beckoned their mechanics over to try and perform some quick tweaks before the race got back underway.

Harrison Voight led Broc Pearson through turn one this time around, Glenn Allerton in third and Anthony West quickly up to fourth. By the exit of Southern Loop Voight had been shuffled back to fourth and Pearson was leading Allerton, West and Ty Lynch! Cru Halliday and Mike Jones outside the top ten.

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Westy went wide at turn ten after saving a front end slide which opened the door up for Lynch to walk on through, the South Australian needed no second invitation.

As they started lap two Pearson led Allerton by half-a-second and the BMW man had Ty Lynch in close company. Also joining that party was Josh Waters and Max Stauffer.

Westy then moved up to second place around the back of the circuit, relegating Allerton to third.  On the next run around turn 11 Ty Lynch had a sizeable wobble from his rear wet but was not to be deterred, passing Allerton to take third position.

Harrison Voight returned to the pits to retire from the race, deciding that the risk versus reward was not there when he is here more for experience between the FIM Junior GP Championship that is his main goal this season, and which he races in next weekend at Jerez.

Ty Lynch was hot to trot but, unfortunately, was a little too hot at turn four, which saw him go down.

Up front Westy was hunting down Pearson…  The Addicted To Track Yamaha alongside the DesmoSport Ducati down the chute but Pearson was braver into turn one to successfully defend his race lead. Further back, Josh Waters had moved up to third, Max Stauffer was fourth, and Glenn Allerton was fifth. Young rookie Cam Dunker sixth just ahead of Paris Hardwick, Ryan Yanko and Mike Jones.

Josh Waters took second place from Anthony West as they started lap four. Westy then had Max Stauffer for company, the youngster slipping up the inside of the veteran at turn four, sideways on exit but holds Westy out on the entrance to Siberia to claim that third position.  Westy giving the 20-year-old plenty of his room.

Waters was not the fastest rider on track but had more than a second to make up before he could challenge Pearson for the lead. Four laps to run…

Westy pushed Stauffer back to fourth next time around, only for Max to then return that favour at turn ten as the race broached two-thirds race distance.  Westy then again up to third at Siberia…

As they crossed the stripe with two laps to run Pearson led Waters by four-tenths.  West and Stauffer were a further ten-seconds back, still engaged in a heady battle over that final step on the rostrum. Glenn Allerton was a further 14-seconds back in fifth.

Waters to the lead… Pearson not letting him getting away though… The gap between the two Ducati men two-tenths at the last lap board. Max Stauffer was brave enough to take third place from Westy on the final entry to turn one..

Pearson up the inside of Waters at turn four, and makes the move stick!

Max Stauffer then went down at turn four!  The Penrite Yamaha rider looked hurt which is far from ideal when he is expected to get on a plane tomorrow night to America before racing a Super Hooligan at COTA next weekend!

Pearson stretched away from Waters around the back of the circuit, not to be deterred he put it on the line and took the chequered flag for victory a handy 1.2-seconds ahead of Waters.  A great victory for Broc and one richly deserved.

Anthony West claimed third, 16-seconds further behind,  but with a massive 25-seconds over fourth place Glenn Allerton. Westy is world renowned as a wet weather master but his fastest lap was almost four-seconds slower than Broc’s.

Cam Dunker kept it together for fifth ahead of fellow youngster Paris Hardwick. A great result for both, but particularly for Hardwick. However, being almost a minute behind after nine laps, dents the celebrations somewhat…

Mike Jones finished seventh which could prove pivotal in the championship chase. Mike’s fastest lap was more than six-seconds slower than Broc’s best, which suggests the set-up for the conditions must have been way off. Or are the electronics on the Ducati that superior in sketchy conditions…? Or did YRT just get their wet set-up that wrong? A minute behind after nine laps… To be frank, that’s quite ridiculous.

Ryan Yanko finished a highly creditable eighth place just ahead of seasoned journeyman Adam Senior.

Cru Halliday salvaged a top ten after his earlier fall. Important points.

The impressive 37-point haul for Pearson this weekend sees him take second place for the round and move to within 15-points of Jones. The quiet achiever…

Round winner Josh Waters leaves here with a 29-point advantage over Jones with two rounds still to go.

Despite perhaps not fulfilling his potential here this weekend, Halliday is also still well in the championship mix. Only a few points behind Pearson, and 18 points behind team-mate Jones.

ASBK reconvenes at the new-look Wakefield Park early next month, now renamed One Raceway. The championship is not wide open, but a single mistake from Waters will dramatically tighten things up at the top…

Superbike Race Two Results

Phillip Island Round Points

ASBK Superbike Championship Points

2024 Australian Superbike Championship Calendar

• Round 1: Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, VIC Feb 23-25
• Round 2: Sydney Motorsport Park, NSW Mar 22-23
• Round 3: Queensland Raceway, QLD Apr 26-28
• Round 4: Morgan Park Raceway, QLD Jul 12-14
• Round 5: Phillip Island GP Circuit, VIC Sept 7-8
• Round 6: One Raceway, NSW Oct 4-6
• Round 7: The Bend Motorsports Park, SA Nov 8-10