Broc Pearson takes pole position at Phillip Island

ASBK 2023
Round Six – Phillip Island

Very little separated Mike Jones and Josh Waters in Timed Practice this morning but from what we have seen thus far this weekend it appears as though the YRT man might actually have the upper hand come Sunday. The defending champ’s pace fast and consistent and unlike Waters, he has no injuries to contend with.

One man flying under the radar though was Cru Halliday. It was Halliday that ran Waters closest here at the opening round but was content to leave his powder dry this morning and instead work on evaluating the tyre strategy for tomorrow’s 12-lap races.

Another yet to really strut his stuff was Glenn Allerton. A series of small glitches had prevented the BMW rider from fulfilling his potential but the team had been steadily working through those problems and had their fingers crossed that it would all come together this afternoon.

If the Supersport final qualifying session was anything to go by the track might actually prove to be a little slower this afternoon.

Max Stauffer was doing really well this morning and he continued that form through to qualifying. Max hot out of the blocks when Q1 got underway, the youngster’s first flying lap a 1m32.832 to go P1 early on, he then immediately backed that up with a 1m32.902 before returning to the pits.

Max stayed on top until more than five-minutes had passed, only then to be usurped by Mike Jones and Josh Waters. Their markers 1m32.306 and 1m32.435 respectively on their first flying laps before they both also returned to the pits.

Cru Halliday pushed Max Stauffer down to fourth halfway through the 20-minute session.   Only Jones, Waters, Halliday and Stauffer had dipped into the 1m32s at this stage of proceedings. Troy Herfoss was fifth on 1m33.001 ahead of Bryan Staring, Anthony West and Glenn Allerton.

There was very little action happening on track during the second half of the session. Once safely secure in the top 12, as it is the top 12 that progresses to Q2, riders prefer to do as few laps as possible in order to preserve their tyre.

In the late stages of the session it was only the likes of Ted Collins, Jed Metcher, Mark Chiodo and Arthur Sissis out on track as they tried to secure their berths in Q2.  Metcher went down at turn seven late in the session while ranked 11th. Mark Chiodo a late crasher also, going down at turn one while in the final transfer spot. Tom Toparis had a problem in that session and actually failed to go quicker than the time he set in the earlier Supersport session.

Superbike Qualifying 1 Results

Superbike Qualifying 2

The session had only been running for just over three-minutes when it was red flagged due to signage left over from the MotoGP round blowing across the track at turn three.  Mike Jones, Ted Collins and Mark Chiodo had not even set a time while Broc Pearson was leading the way on the back of an early 1m33.330.  That timing was far from ideal as it was just when most riders were winding up towards their first flying lap to bank a time. Tyres being heat cycled also problematic.

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There was actually quite a lengthy delay before we got going again and with such limited time most riders would only have the chance for one run at it.  A brief seven-minutes were left in the session by the time riders started to record their first flying lap times. Max Stauffer the first to drop in a hot one, the youngster on provisional pole on the back of a 1m32.355, a second quicker than any other rider at this halfway point of the 15-minute session.

With five-minutes remaining Mike Jones was tenth, Cru Halliday 11th and Josh Waters dead last in 12th…  Any technical hiccup or interruption would be costly…

Broc Pearson then dropped in a 1m32.156 to go top!  Mike Jones had led the DesmoSport Ducati man around but the defending champion’s 1m32.336 was slower than Pearson.  That pair demoted Max Stauffer to third.  Cru Halliday up to fourth with four-minutes left in the session but not for long as Waters then pushed him back to fifth.

With two-minutes left on the shot-clock Bryan Staring went sixth. Waters up to second ahead of Jones and Halliday. Pearson still on top…

Troy Herfoss was on course to go from seventh to potentally P1 after the first three sectors but lost time in the final sector which saw him cross the line sixth, the Penrite Honda man then ran on at turn one to add further insult.

Broc Pearson’s time stands! The Queenslander takes his maiden pole position. His 1m32.156 good enough for pole.

Completing the front row is Josh Waters and Mike Jones.

Cru Halliday heads the second row alongside Max Stauffer. Championship leader Troy Herfoss starts from sixth.

Bryan Staring heads a third row that is completed by Glenn Allerton and Anthony West.

Sunday’s opening 12-lap contest is slated for 1130 with the second and final bout set to start at 1515.

Superbike Qualifying 2 Results

Supersport Qualifying

Tom Toparis set a 1m35.495 in Q1 and backed that up with more 1m35s in Q2 but failed to better his morning marker. Still, that was plenty good enough for pole position.

Championship leader Olly Simpson will start from P2 alongside Cameron Dunker while Jonathan Nahlous heads row two.

Ty Lynch was looking to improving his fifth place standing late in Q2 but went down at turn six.

Supersport Qualifying Results

Superbike Championship Points

ASBK 2023 Calendar