Jamie Stauffer wins SBK Race Two at Phillip Island

Jamie Stauffer wins ASBK Race Two at Phillip Island

Josh Waters again got a great jump off the line but it was Brayden Elliott that took the lead as the field entered turn one. Troy Herfoss then went around both of them via a wide line through turn one to claim the race lead. Jamie Stauffer had started strongly from the second row and also then gazumped Waters, before immediately homing in on Elliott as they negotiated turn four for the first time.

MotoGP Support Races - Australian Superbike - Stauffer, Herfoss, Waters - Image by Andrew Gosling — MotoGP Support Races – Australian Superbike – Stauffer, Herfoss, Waters – Image by Andrew Gosling

By lap three it was a Honda 1-2 after Stauffer got the better of Elliott and the Kurri Kurri veteran then quickly pulled away from the Tumut youngster. Josh Waters then started to attack Elliott just as the two Honda men started pulling away at the head of the race.

By half race distance Stauffer was all over the back of Herfoss, while Waters had pulled away from Elliott and was also inching towards the Honda men, Waters was the fastest man on the circuit.

Stauffer took the race lead for the first time as they started lap six and the leading trio really closed up, the battle lines had been drawn.

As they started the penultime lap, Stauffer had built a small buffer over Herfoss, who was now coming under a concerted attack from Waters. Herfoss redoubled his efforts though and took the lead back from his teammate, the two swapped positions again at the hayshed, Stauffer had a huge slide at turn 11 but somehow gathered it up and led across the stripe and pulled away from his pursuers.

Josh Waters squeezed past Herfoss at turn for but the Honda man got him right back and stretched away from Waters around the back of the circuit. Waters though was well positioned through turn 12 and drafted past Herfoss on the line to claim second position, splitting the two Crankt Protein Honda men on the podium.

The track was pretty much completely dry for this race but the track surface still cold and wind blustery.