Bugden victorious on home soil Brisbane rider Robbie Bugden has won the third round of the QBE Australian Superbike Championship at Queensland Raceway today. The Volvo Trucks Suzuki rider won the dramatic final 17-lap Superbike race ahead of teammate Wayne Maxwell and Team Honda Racing’s Josh Hook. The round win is Bugden’s first in the premier class and he said he was thrilled to achieve it at his home event. “The weekend turned out better than I had hoped to be honest,” Bugden said. “We have been building momentum ever since the test and today we proved the Suzuki is every bit as good as any bike out there. “To take the race and round win at my home track, in front of my friends and family is something I will remember for a long time.” Championship leader Glenn Allerton won the opening race of the day but a problem [with] the ECU on the #14 HP4 saw him start the race on his spare bike and from the rear of the grid. The NextGen Motorsports rider, who stormed through the field to sit fourth at the end of the opening lap, looked poised to strike the top three but was forced to back off when he ran out of front brake. Allerton finished the round second, tied on points with Bugden and retains his lead in the QBE Australian Superbike Championship. “That is the one that got away,” Allerton said. I had a problem with the ECU on the warm-up lap which couldn’t be fixed in the five minute window that you have so I had to go to the spare bike, “I had such a big go at the start, I ended up over doing it on the front brake so in the end I had to give the boys some room as I didn’t want to run into the back of them. “We have the best package going at the moment and I am going to go to Eastern Creek like a bull at a gate as it is my home event,” he added. Team Honda Racing’s Jamie Stauffer put in a stoic effort to finish fifth overall while Cube Racing’s Ben Henry was left rueing a tough weekend after walking away from a spectacular crash in the final race. Michael Blair took a clean sweep of the Motul Supersport races and claimed the round win ahead of Ryan Taylor and championship leader Daniel Falzon. “It was a good weekend the bike was really strong in both races today,” Blair said. “I started from the inside which played to my advantage. I could get the inside starts and try and get out there and control the race for as long as I could. “A couple of times the boys got in front of me but I was able to out brake them and get back in front,” Blair explained. Polesitter Chris Quinn finished just off the podium in fourth and sits third in the champsionship standings 6 points ahead of Blair. Matt Walters took his second consecutive Prostock round victory after winning today’s two 10-lap races. Kawasaki rider Ben Bourke and NextGen Motorsports Ben Nicolson rounded out the podium. Walters extended his lead in the 2013 Championship and now sits 33 points ahead of Nicolson in the standings. Over 350 riders took part in the inaugural ASBK Charity ride and collectively raised over $8000.00 for the Starlight Children’s The next event will see the QBE Australian Superbike Championship return to Sydney Motorsport Park on August 1-4. QBE Australian Superbike Championship Round 2 Results 1. Robert BUGDEN (QLD), 43 2. Glenn ALLERTON (NSW), 43 3. Wayne MAXWELL (VIC), 40 4. Josh HOOK (NSW), 35 5. Jamie STAUFFER (NSW), 32 6. Chas HERN (VIC), 29 7. Linden MAGEE (QLD), 28 8. Glenn SCOTT (NSW), 27 9. Sloan FROST (NZ), 23 10. Beau BEATON (NSW), 23 QBE Australian Superbike Championship Championship Standings 1. Glenn ALLERTON (NSW), 94 2. Wayne MAXWELL (VIC) , 80 3. Robert BUGDEN (QLD), 79 4. Josh HOOK (NSW) , 67 5. Jamie STAUFFER (NSW), 66 6. Glenn SCOTT (NSW), 54 7. Beau BEATON (NSW) , 49 8. Linden MAGEE (QLD), 43 9. Phil LOVETT (NSW), 38 10. Ben HENRY (QLD), 34 Motul Supersport Round 3 Results 1. Michael BLAIR (NSW), 50pts 2. Ryan TAYLOR (VIC), 38pts 3. Daniel FALZON (SA), 37pts 4. Chris QUINN (NSW), 31pts 5. Aaron MORRIS (NSW), 31pts 6. Kyle BUCKLEY (QLD), 29pts 7. Luke BURGESS (QLD), 26pts 8. Brendan CLARKE (QLD), 25pts 9. Alastair HOOGENBOEZEM (NZ) 24pts 10. Callum SPRIGGS (QLD) 22pts Motul Supersport Championship Standings 1. Daniel FALZON (SA), 80pts 2. Ryan TAYLOR (VIC), 72pts 3. Chris QUINN (NSW) , 71pts 4. Michael BLAIR (NSW), 65pts 5. Aaron MORRIS (NSW), 57pts 6. Aiden WAGNER (QLD), 52pts 7. Callum SPRIGGS (QLD) , 51pts 8. Alastair HOOGENBOEZEM (NZ), 45pts 9. Luke BURGESS (QLD), 44pts 10. Brendan CLARKE (QLD), 43pts More, from a press release issued by Team Honda Racing: The Strength of the Honda Riders Shines at Round 3 ASBK 16th June 2013 – Team Honda Racing riders, #34 Josh Hook and #27 Jamie Stauffer delighted fans this weekend with a display of strength and determination at Round 3 of the Australian Superbike Championship at Queensland Raceway. The challenge was set for both Honda riders going into the weekend with Stauffer only beginning to recover from an injury to his pelvis sustained in testing the week before and Hook, new to the Superbike category this season, determined to make his mark at the front of the field. Both Team Honda Racing riders rose to the challenge. Hook took his first podium on a Superbike when he placed 3rd in Race 2 today to finish the event 4th overall. Stauffer took to the motorcycle like the professional he is and rode through the obvious pain to finish both races in 5th place and take 5th overall for the Round. In Qualifying on Saturday it was evident that Hook had his eye on the front row of the grid, recording the 2nd fastest lap time of the session, a 1:09.201 sec. Hook went on to record a flying lap of the Queensland circuit of 1:08.839 sec in the Superpole shootout, just .129 sec off Pole position to take P4 on the grid for both races. The injured Stauffer was not far behind his team mate, recording the 5th fastest lap time of the Qualifying session, a 1:09.720 sec and also the final Superpole shootout to secure a very respectable P5 on the grid. In Race 1 today, Hook took 4th place with a lap time of 1:09.131 sec and once Race 2 had started, it became clear that Josh Hook means to move quickly through the ranks of the Superbike field to challenge the front runners in his maiden season. Hook spent much of Race 2 in 2nd position on the track and hung on until the final few laps, eventually taking 3rd place, his first podium in the Superbike category. #34 Josh Hook Hook: “It’s fantastic to take my first podium in the Superbike class and I’m really happy with the weekend. My lap times are improving all the time and to be able to start from the front row in just our 2nd event on the Superbike this year is great. Thank you to the team for all the hard work they have been putting in with testing and at the event, they have given me a terrific motorbike and I am really enjoying racing on the CBR1000RR. I am looking forward to more testing and seeing what we can bring to the next race event.” Stauffer’s plan for the race event was re-written after being injured in testing, but the main goal remained; to get as many points as possible from the event. It was clear that the multiple Australian Champion was struggling with the injury, yet he still took 5th place in both races to finish the event in 5th overall. Stauffer now sits in 5th place in the points standings going into the next event at Sydney Motorsport Park. Stauffer: “It was a tough weekend for sure, but I did everything I could to ensure I didn’t waste the opportunity to gain more points for the championship. The team have clearly given me a good motorcycle as my strength just wasn’t there as much as usual so to come 5th in both races shows the strength of the Honda CBR1000RR and Team Honda Racing. I am looking forward to recovering properly and getting back out there for the double-header in Sydney.” #27 Jamie Stauffer Team Honda Racing Team Principle, Paul Free, is proud of the effort put in by both his riders this weekend and will be looking to the double-header at Sydney Motorsport Park in August to secure maximum points. Free: “Josh rode exceptionally well this weekend and I couldn’t be more pleased with the progress he is making. He can be proud of his first podium this weekend, just the 2nd event this year and he has taken 3rd place. His lap times are impressive and I am really looking forward to seeing him in action in Sydney. Jamie showed what he is made of this weekend. To finish 5th was a solid effort as anyone who has had a pelvic injury would attest to. His focus now has to be on recovery so that he is in top form going into the next event, particularly being a double-header. A big thanks to our team partners, Honda and Oleon Oils for coming out to the track and to all our supporters this weekend.”