Oli Bayliss takes the Phillip Island Supersport 300 win
Bramich and Taylor complete overall podium
A determined line-up of Australian Supersport 300 Championship riders did battle on Friday at Phillip Island during Round 1 of the 2018 ASBK Championship, with Harry Khouri (Yamaha Acid Racing, YZ-R3) collecting pole position, his first in the Australian Supersport 300 Championship.
Khouri stormed to the top of the timesheets with a 1:50.907, ahead of Tom Bramich (Yamaha JLT, YZ-R3) who recorded a 1:51.007 to qualify second. Hunter Ford (Yamaha South Sydney Commercial, YZ-R3) slotted into third overall with a time of 1:51.846.
Seth Crump (KTM Rock Oil, RC 390) impressed in tricky conditions to finish fourth clocking a time of 1:52.152, ahead of Zac Levy (Yamaha Puma RV, YZ-R3), who completed a tight top-five stopping the clock at 1:52.211.
The top 10 was rounded out by Locky Taylor (Yamaha LTR Racing, YZ-R3), Oliver Bayliss (Kawasaki Cube Racing, Ninja 300), Max Stauffer (Yamaha Chris Watson M-cycles, YZ-R3), Ben Bramich (KTM GOWMoto, RC 390) and Benjamin Baker (Kawasaki BCPerformance Junior Team, Ninja 300).
With these riders securing their place on the grid, it sets up an exciting eight-lap opening race on Saturday.
Australian Supersport 300 Qualifying
- Harry KHOURI (Yamaha Acid Racing, YZ-R3) 1:50.907
- Tom BRAMICH (Yamaha JLT, YZ-R3) 1:51.007
- Hunter FORD (Yamaha South Sydney Commercial, YZ-R3) 1:51.846
- Seth CRUMP (KTM Rock Oil,RC 390) 1:52.152
- Zac LEVY (Yamaha Puma RV, YZ-R3) 1:52.211
Australian Supersport 300 Race 1
Two tightly-contested Australian Supersport 300 Championship races had spectators on the edge of their seats on Saturday at Phillip Island. Harry Khouri (Yamaha, Acid Racing) started both races from pole position. Race 1 was taken out by Oliver Bayliss (Kawasaki,Cube Racing) who look set to take out Race 2 before Tom Bramich (Yamaha,JLT) passed him on the last lap to take the win.
In the opening affair, Oli Bayliss (Cube Racing, Kawasaki Ninja 300) inched to an incredible .356s victory over Khouri. The battle for the front running positions were immense with five riders finishing within .611s of each other as they crossed the finish line down Gardner Straight.
Zac Levy (Puma RV’S, YZF-R3 ) attempted to challenge Bayliss for the lead, but lost the front coming down Lukey Heights in a last-ditch effort to take the victory.
Bayliss took the checkered flag, followed by Khouri, Locky Taylor (Yamaha, LTR Racing), Tom Bramich (Yamaha, JLT, YZF-R3), Hunter Ford (Yamaha South Sydney Commercial, YZ-R3) and Levy who managed to remount to collect valuable points.
Bayliss was cool and methodical, managing to strike at the right moment on the final lap.
Oli Bayliss
“I’m very happy to have won that race after yesterday’s terrible day. It all came down to the start and making my way through the pack.”
Race One Australian Supersport 300 Result
- Oliver BAYLISS (Kawasaki,Cube Racing) Ninja 300
- Harry KHOURI (Yamaha, Acid Racing) YZF-R3
- Locky TAYLOR (Yamaha, LTR Racing) YZF-R3
- Tom BRAMICH (Yamaha, JLT) YZF-R3
- Hunter FORD (Yamaha South Sydney Commercial, YZ-R3)
- Zac LEVY (Yamaha, Puma RV’S) YZF-R3
- Seth CRUMP (KTM Rock Oil,RC 390) 1:52.152
- Jarred BROOK (KTM Australia) KTM RC 390
- Ben BRAMICH (KTM, GOWMoto) KTM RC 390
- Laura BROWN (Yamaha, WNR) YZF-R3
Australian Supersport 300 Race 2
Race 2 saw Bramich take victory, in an epic battle with Bayliss that saw the pair go back and fourth in the lead, before Bramich made his move with only meters to spare on the final straight.
It looked set for a copy of race one with an intense battle occurring at the front. However, Seth Crump (KTM Rock Oil, RC 390), Ford and Levy went down at Lukey Heights halfway through the race (Crump failing to rejoin the race) causing the race to stagnate at the front. That left Bramich and Bayliss to duke it out between the two with a significant gap behind them.
It looked on the last lap that Bayliss had the advantage leading until Gardner Straight. Bramich managed to bide his time however and overtake Bayliss on the last lap, with only .020s separating the two at the finish line.
Tom Bramich
“Really great race, it took me awhile to even realise that Oli and I had such a gap on third place. The battle with Oli was great! I was just trying to watch my tachometer to make sure I didn’t over rev the bike or change gear too early. Luckily we managed to pull off the overtake.”
Bayliss was still optimistic despite missing out on the Race Two victory.
Oli Bayliss
“It’s still a great result. Considering how bad our Friday went, we really managed to turn it around. I knew Tom was behind me heading into Gardner straight and he managed to get the slipstream right. It bothers me to miss out on the win but Tom deserved it with that ride.”
Completing the top five was Khouri, Taylor and Levy.
Race Two Results Supersport 300
- Tom BRAMICH (Yamaha, JLT) YZF-R3
- Oliver BAYLISS (Kawasaki,Cube Racing) Ninja 300
- Harry KHOURI (Yamaha, Acid Racing) YZF-R3
- Locky TAYLOR (Yamaha, LTR Racing) YZF-R3
- Zac LEVY (Yamaha, Puma RV’S) YZF-R3
- Jarred BROOK (KTM Australia) KTM RC 390
- Ben BRAMICH (KTM, GOWMoto) KTM RC 390
- Corey BRIFFA (KTM RC 390)
- Callum O’BRIEN (Yamaha, BANHAMS WA) YZF-R3
- Dylan WHITESIDE (Urban Kawasaki) Ninja 300
Australian Supersport 300 Race 3
A thrilling six-rider scrap in the third and final Australian Supersport 300 Championship race on Sunday afternoon has resulted in the overall victory for Oli Bayliss (Cube Racing, Kawasaki Ninja 300).
The Australian Supersport 300 paddock put on a mega show for onlookers, with nail biting racing all the way to the checkered flag, at Round 1 of the Australian Superbike Championship.
Tom Bramich (JLT, Yamaha YZF-R3) got off the line really well and led a group of six riders at the start, before making a mistake on lap two which saw him run wide and leave the door open for Hunter Ford (South Sydney Commercial, Yamaha YZF-R3), Zac Levy (Puma RV’S, Yamaha YZF-R3), Bayliss, Locky Taylor (LTR Racing, Yamaha YZF-R3), Jarred Brook (KTM Australia, RC 390) and Harry Khouri (Acid Racing, Yamaha YZF-R3) to slip past.
The lead pack only shared a gap of 0.992s from first to sixth, before Bramich made his move and rejoined the pack at lap six. The racing from lap six was a tight affair with Bayliss, Ford, Bramich and Taylor all having the lead at different stages.
The last lap saw Bayliss join the lead group, and make an unbelievable passing move finding space where there really wasn’t any room to snatch the win from Taylor, Bramich and Ford.
Oli Bayliss
“That was one of the craziest finishes I’ve been involved in, I thought I was to far back to make the move, but I just went for it and it just worked out for me. I was so close to hitting the two bikes next to me but to make the pass I was so happy, it worked out perfectly. I’ve been working on my slip stream and studied it and it just came off.”
After leading at many different stages of the race Ford settled for fourth whilst Levy was just behind him in fifth and Khouri managed sixth, with only .306s separated these riders from winner Bayliss.
Brook was solid throughout Race Three to finish in seventh position whilst Ben Bramich (GOWMoto, KTM RC 390) managed eighth and Corey Briffa (KTM RC 390) and Max Stauffer (Chris Watson Motorclycles, Yamaha YZF-R3) rounded out the top ten.
Bayliss leaves Phillip Island as the points leader in the Australian Supersport 300 class with 70 points, ten points clear of Bramich on 60 points, and Taylor is third overall with 55 points.
Race Three Results Supersport 300
- Oliver BAYLISS (QLD) Kawasaki
- Locky TAYLOR (QLD) Yamaha +.053
- Tom BRAMICH (VIC) Yamaha +.120
- Hunter FORD (NSW) Yamaha +.152
- Zac LEVY (QLD) Yamaha +.233
- Harry KHOURI (NSW) Yamaha +.306
- Jarred BROOK (QLD) KTM +1.082
- Ben BRAMICH (VIC) KTM +14.682
- Corey BRIFFA (NSW) KTM +14.868
- Max STAUFFER (NSW) Yamaha +15.206
Australian Supersport 300 – Round 1 Provisional Points
- Oliver BAYLISS (QLD) Kawasaki 70
- Tom BRAMICH (VIC) Yamaha 60
- Locky TAYLOR (QLD) Yamaha 55
- Harry KHOURI (NSW) Yamaha 54
- Zac LEVY (QLD) Yamaha 47
- Jarred BROOK (QLD) KTM 42
- Hunter FORD (NSW) Yamaha 40
- Ben BRAMICH (VIC) KTM 39
- Corey BRIFFA (NSW) KTM 32
- Max STAUFFER (NSW) Yamaha 25
- Luke POWER (VIC) Kawasaki 25
- Laura BROWN (NSW) Yamaha 23
- Callum O’BRIEN (WA) Yamaha 21
- Seth CRUMP (QLD) KTM 19
- Dylan WHITESIDE (VIC) Kawasaki 17
- Benjamin BAKER (NSW) Kawasaki 17
- Tayla RELPH (QLD) Yamaha 16
- John LYTRAS (QLD) Yamaha 12
- Troy RYAN (NSW) Yamaha 12
- Travis HALL (QLD) Kawasaki 7
- Ross BEAMES (QLD) Yamaha 6
- Mitch KUHNE (QLD) Yamaha 4
- Peter NERLICH (VIC) Kawasaki 4
- Boyd HOCKING (VIC) KTM 1
- Andrew EDSER (NSW) Kawasaki 1
2018 ASBK Calendar
- Round 2- Wakefield Park Raceway, Goulburn NSW March 16 – 18
- Official ASBK Test, The Bend Motorsport Park, Tailem Bend, SA April 3-4
- Round 3- The Bend Motorsport Park, Tailem Bend, SA April 19 – 22
- Round 4- Hidden Valley Raceway, Darwin NT June 28 – 1 July
- Round 5- Morgan Park Raceway, Warwick QLD August 17 – 19
- Round 6- Winton Motor Raceway, Benalla, VIC September 7 – 9
- Round 7- Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, VIC October 12 – 14
