Mike Jones wins kangeroo interrupted Morgan Park ASBK R1 by 17-seconds
By Trevor Hedge
Daniel Falzon fired off the line aboard the new Yamaha YZF-R1 and holeshotted the opening Yamaha Motor Finance ASBK Superbike race at Morgan Park, which got underway at 1143 this morning. A minute later however riders were backing off the throttle and putting their hands up after seeing a number of kangaroos around the back section of the circuit. The red flag was duly produced.
MotoGP practice might have been stopped by a dog on Friday, but this is Australia, we stop for kangaroos….
Only a couple of minutes later the race successfully got underway. Chas Hern got the holeshot on the EBR and led the fiedl through turn one as Jones tried to push up the inside of Falzon for second place, but the Yamaha man shut the door and held his line, thus Jones had to keep his powder dry.
Hern continued to lead the field around the back of the circuit but heading into turn one the next time around, Jones slotted up the inside and Falzon swept around the outside, both men firing past Hern on either side under brakes into turn one, pushing the Victorian back to third place.
As soon as Jones got some clear air the full potential of the Crazy Dogs ZX-10R was unleashed on the Morgan Park circuit with ferocity. Straight down to 1m15s.
Daniel Falzon appeared to have found another gear in his efforts to try and go with the Queenslander, his second flying lap over half-a-second faster than he had managed during qualifying.
The pecking order was quickly established however. Jones in a league of his own and pulling away from Falzon to the tune of a full second or more every lap.
Chas Hern’s scintillating start excited onlookers but the EBR rider could not keep pace with the early combatants as they got down to a race pace. Hern still impressive, but his pace more than a second slower than second-placed Falzon. By half race distance Hern was more than ten seconds behind the leading duo.
James Mutton, riding a virtually standard 1199 Ducati Panigale, was fourth in the early laps before being overhauled by Ryan Hampton, Ben Henry and Phil Lovett. His pace slowed markedly as the race wore on, the Brisbne Motorcycles rider eventually pulling into the pits with five laps to run.
Jones total domination had continued unabated up front, every lap in the 15s and under his own previous race lap record. Only four laps from the end, did Jones back the pace off into the low 16s.
After his impressive early 1m16.443 Falzon quickly dropped back into the 17s, eventually finishing 17-seconds behind Jones when the chequered flag signalled the conclusion of the opening 14-lap opening bout.
A good battle had been waged over fourth place between Ryan Hampton, Phil Lovett and Ben Henry. Ryan Hampton eventually getting that fourth place finish and in the closing laps the Kiwi managed to get within two-seconds off third placed Chas Hern. Phil Lovett two-seconds further behind, but with a comfortable eight-second buffer over sixth placed Ben Henry.Â
Phil Czaj brought his Aprilia home in seventh place, 55-seconds behind Falzon, but two-seconds clear of Ballina BMW rider Andy Fisher. Perth’s Adam Senior was ninth while Ashley Fleming rounded out the top ten. Only the top ten finished on the same lap as the race leader.
ASBK 2015 Round Two Morgan Park Yamaha Motor Finance Superbike Race One Results
- Mike Jones
- Daniel Falzon +17.24
- Chas Hern +30.837
- Ryan Hampton +32.26
- Phil Lovett +34.79
- Ben Henry +46.26
- Phil Czaj +55.33
- Andy Fisher +57.63
- Adam Senior +61.79
- Ashley Fleming +77.71
Yamaha Motor Finance 2015 ASBK Championship Standings after Morgan Park Race One
- Mike Jones 62
- Daniel Falzon 49
- Troy Herfoss 45
- Josh Hook 45
- Ryan Hampton 41
- Chas Hern 37
- Linden Magee 34
- Sloan Frost 31
