Stop & Seal Racing
The second round of the Michelin Australian Supersport Championship was contested under lights recently at Sydney Motorsport Park.
The event was a great proving ground for Michelin’s range of tyres and the Stop and Seal Racing Team, led by two-times Australian Supersport champion, Tom Toparis, who demonstrated the amazing attributes of the latest version of Michelin Power Performance Slick 2 tyres.
The two Michelin Australian Supersport Championship races were held in contrasting conditions. The first race in hot, dry conditions while the second race unfolded under threatening skies with rain starting to fall towards the latter half of the 11-lap contest. This produced extremely challenging conditions for the field on slick race compound tyres of various brands.
Toparis won both races in dominant fashion and, in the process, absolutely obliterated the Supersport lap record that has stood for over 16 years.
Yes, it’s amazing that the record has stood for 16 years. Still, it’s all in a day’s work for Toparis as he took over a second off the lap record on what was his first flying lap of the opening leg of the Michelin Australian Supersport Championship at SMP.
An outstanding feat that proved how rapidly the Michelin Power Performance Slick 2 tyres rise to optimum performance levels.
Tom won the race by over three-seconds and backed it up in the second leg with another dominant win, proving the worth of the Power Performance Slick 2 product. On the second lap, Tom was again under the old lap record as he repeated his race-one effort to establish an unassailable lead.
Naturally, the team is over the moon with Tom’s performance, who is a world-class rider, the Stop and Seal Yamaha R6, and, more importantly, the attributes of the Michelin Power Performance Slick 2 in variable conditions.
The effort of the team and the tyres is best summed up by Stop and Seal Team Owner, Robbie Bolger.
Bolger is an old hand at racing – both on two and four wheels – and is fully aware of the package that is needed for success.
“We have the riders, the bikes, and the tyres required for championship success, and the Michelin tyres are the final ingredient in the recipe,” explained Bolger.
“We all know that tyres are probably the most important item in a bike-rider combination, and the Michelin Power Performance Slick 2 has answered that requirement in spades.
“When we first decided to run with the Michelin tyres, there were many who thought we were heading down the wrong path, but I had faith in the product that Michelin would supply, and this was confirmed at Sydney Motorsport Park.
“We all know that Tommy is a world class rider that can hold his own in any championship, but the Michelin tyres have more than proven their worth.
“What else can be said. We won both races in resounding fashion and we smashed the longest standing lap record in Australian road racing. That was backed up by one of our other riders with young 17-year-old, Archie McDonald – who is a novice compared to Tom – managed his best result in the championship with fourth place in the opening race.
“I think those on the outside who may have doubted the strength and performance of the Michelin tyres may have had their eyes opened to just how good these tyres are.”
The next outing for the Stop and Seal Race Team is just a few weeks away, when they contest the third round of the Michelin Australian Supersport Championship at Queensland Raceway on the 26-28 April.
2024 Australian Superbike Championship Calendar
Round 1: Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, VIC Feb 23-25Round 2: Sydney Motorsport Park, NSW Mar 22-23- Round 3: Queensland Raceway, QLD Apr 26-28
- Round 4: Morgan Park Raceway, QLD Jul 12-14
- Round 5: Phillip Island GP Circuit, VIC Sept 7-8
- Round 6: One Raceway, NSW Oct 4-6
- Round 7: The Bend Motorsports Park, SA Nov 8-10
