Mike Jones on YMF Loan ASBK pole in Tassie
By Trevor Hedge
Clouds had been gathering as the day progressed at Symmons Plains today but at the end of the opening Superbike qualifying session the darkest cloud hung over the JD Racing pit garage.
Daniel Falzon had a big off at turn three. The 21-year-old was okay, but the Caterpillar sponsored YZF-R1 was looking very much the worse for wear. Daniel remarked that it was the most violent highside he had ever suffered. The YZF-R1 quite unexpectedly and suddenly ejected him, slapping the South Australian down hard on the Tasmanian tarmac.
Falzon’s Shark helmet did its job to protect his noggin but it is only good for the bin now. The impact also leaving Falzon in a little discomfort across various other parts of his body.
Earlier in the day Mark Chiodo had dumped one of the JD Racing Supersport machines, then in the final Supersport qualifying session Nicholas Liminton threw the other YZF-R6 of the team down the road in a big way, making it an expensive trifecta for the JD Racing squad.
The team then had to busy themselves making one good bike out of Daniel’s pair of YZF-R1 machines in preparation for the second Superbike qualifying session.
Mike Jones topped the first qualifying session by a handy margin over Falzon. The second Superbike session got underway just before 1500 but only a few minutes into the session Ben Henry coasted to a stop in a dangerous position on the circuit. The session was red flagged while the Cube Racing ZX-10R was recovered. Henry took no further part in the session, the team chasing a recurring electrical gremlin.
Mike Jones was happy enough to sit out the second Superbike qualifying session comfortable in the knowledge that his 54.314 from the morning was extremely unlikely to be bested by title rival Falzon. This session of vital importance for Falzon to shake down the repaired YZF-R1 ,and also test his own physical limits to gauge any lingering effects from his hefty morning tumble. Jones was a lot more comfortable, having a cuddle with his girlfriend Carly on the pit roof.
Ashley Fleming ran on at the final hairpin and just managed to pull the Rick Gill sponsored GSX-R1000 before the tyre wall, sheep in the neighboring paddock scattered in panic in what almost a comical scene.
The top ten across the combined qualifying results from both sessions then went through to a 10-minute Superpole session to decide the final grid.
ASBK Combined Qualifying Results (Pre Superpole)
- Mike Jones 54.314 Q1
- Daniel Falzon 54.755 Q1
- Ryan Hampton 55.347 Q1
- Ben Henry 55.373 Q1
- Brett Simmonds 55.730 Q1
- Brad Wootton 56.702 Q2
- Kurt Sushames 56.783 Q2
- Adam Senior 56.917 Q1
- Quentin Blazeley 57.112 Q2
- Ashley Fleming 58.467 Q1
- Phil Czaj 58.899 Q2
- Tony Keogh 58.935 Q2
- Nathan Spiteri 59.875 Q2
- Marcus Burns 61.734 Q1
Pirelli Superpole
Mike Jones cracked out a 53.972 in the Superpole session and then stamped his dominance by backing that up with a 54.14. Jones’ pole time more than half-a-second quicker than anyone else could muster.
Mike Jones – “Been making progress in each of the sessions, and the Australian Outdoor Living / Cube Racing Team have given me a great bike. Put in a couple of quick laps and getting into the 53s is a testament to the bike and the Pirelli tyres.
“I will take it as it comes, I have a year of experience on the bike now so this season it is about pushing myself and taking things to the limit, and so far it is working out well.”
The best of the rest was Daniel Falzon who recorded a 54.522, his fastest time of the weekend and a good signal that himself, and the JD Racing YZF-R1, are in reasonable shape for tomorrow’s two 17-lap bouts. The crew still have a big night ahead of them this evening to try and get two bikes serviceable for tomorrow.
Daniel Falzon – “I would have not accepted second place quite so easily if I hadn’t had that crash, but I have to be pretty happy considering.”
New Zealand’s Ryan Hampton rounds out the front row, despite calling a premature end to his session when he suspected some sort of problem with the NextGen Motorspots BMW.
There is the possibility of rain forecast for tomorrow. Something I think Daniel Falzon will be praying to the rain gods for…
Superpole
- Mike Jones 53.972
- Daniel Falzon 54.522
- Ryan Hampton 55.144
- Ben Henry 55.323
- Brett Simmonds 55.417
- Brad Wootton 56.451
- Quentin Blazeley 56.464
- Adam Senior 57.185
- Ashley Fleming 58.201
- Kurt Sushames 61.593
Supersport
The opening qualifying session in Supersport saw series leader Elliott come out for five laps in the half hour hit-out, clocking a scorching 56.667 to continue where he left off during practice.
It wasn’t one-way traffic however, with Kane Burns (GJ Gardner Homes) registering a 56.718 late in the session, and Sam Lambert (Sam Lambert Racing) putting a 56.862 on the board on lap 16.
Aaiden Coote (Yamaha YRD) and Chris Quinn (Coopers Pale Ale) powered their Yamaha machines to fourth and fifth fastest in the session – both registering sub 58.5 second laps.
In the second session of the day, times were significantly slower – with Elliott, Burns and Lambert all failing to register sub 57-second lap times.
With a couple of minutes to go Nicholas Liminton (JD Racing) crashed at turn one leading to the session being declared and the top five remaining as they finished in session one.
Liminton is not seriously injured but is very sore and sorry for himself. His significantly damaged YZF-R6 parked up with a bike cover draped over it, the spectacle resembling a crime scene with a dropsheet covering a dead body.
It handed Elliott the Pirelli Superpole Award for the round, with Burns and Lambert rounding out the front positions on the grid.
Supersport Qualifying
- Brayden Elliott – 56.667 Q1
- Kane Burns – 56.718 Q1
- Sam Lambert – 56.862 Q1
- Aaiden Coote – 57.110 Q2
- Chris Quinn – 57.268 Q2
Honda Moto 3 / 125GP Qualifying
Matt Barton (CB Racing) took the honours in the opening qualifying session of the day – looking to claim the lead in the overall standings.
Barton posted a 1:03.277 as the fastest time of the session ahead of Victorian Bramich and Ted Collins (Magnum Welders).
Series leader Brian Houghton (K1 Racing) could only manage the fifth fastest time in the field of seven.
In the second session it was Collins who on his final lap registered a 1:03.127 to scoop pole for the opening race, while Bramich’s 1:03.160 handed him second spot on the grid.
It left Barton’s opening session time allowing him to qualify in the final spot on the front row of the grid, with Houghton moving up to fourth.
Unfortunately Barton did not make it onto the grid for the opening race – two blown engines ending his weekend prematurely.
Honda Moto 3 / 125GP Race 1
When the racing started it was Bramich who controlled the race, getting to the lead and slowly pulling away from his rivals.
Collins held second spot from Houghton for most of the race – with Houghton occasionally edging his nose in front for second.
Houghton was aware that with a good lead in the championship and his main rival Barton out for the weekend, the most important thing was to finish the race.
By the end of the 10th lap the gap from first to second was four and a half seconds, with Bramich managing to post a lap record time for the category of 1:02.716.
He cruised his way to the opening race win, while Collins held a fast finishing Houghton off for second as the pair rounded out the podium.
Production Qualifying
In the Production class Hall continued his good form from Friday’s Practice sessions – recording the fastest time of the morning with a 1:10.540.
Victorian Drew Sells (Race Centre) was the next fastest with a time of 1:11.338 ahead of Queenslander Riki Lanyon (Australian Outdoor Living – Cube Racing Team) with a 1:11.416.
Josh McHenry (Peter Stevens Motorcycles) and Ilish Ross (Chas Hern Racing) rounded out the top five, while series leader Michelle Marais (Sp Racing) had her work cut out after finishing the session with the sixth fastest time.
And did she respond in the second qualifying session! On her second last lap, Marais posted a 1:10.349 and looked to be heading for pole.
However on the last lap of the session Lanyon wowed onlookers with a 1:10.283 to pinch pole position ahead of Marais.
Hall improved on his opening session time with a 1:10.513 to round out the front row of the grid for the opening race.
Production Race 1
In the opening race Lanyon did not get the start he was after – a jump off the line leading to a 10 second-penalty being issued.
As the dust settled off the start Hall moved into the lead from Marais, with Lanyon settling into third before the penalty was applied.
On lap two of the 12-lap race Marais moved right up to the rear tyre of Hall – putting pressure on him the whole way around the track.
Behind them Lanyon was in third before the applied penalty, with Sells holding fourth from Ross.
But all eyes were on the front duo – Hall and Marais locked in the tightest of battles with less than half a second separating the pair at the conclusion of each lap.
Marais carefully calculated the best chance to make a move past Sells, and it was at the start of lap nine that it happened.
The Western Australian took the lead on the first kink on the home straight, and held the lead all the way through lap nine before Sells reclaimed it coming round back onto the home straight.
Despite trying her best, Marais could not get back in front, as Hall went on to win and set up a tantalising day of racing in the class on Sunday.
Sells finished the race in third place.
