Coote Conquers ASBK Supersport Class at Phillip Island
A dream return to national road racing saw Mason Coote (Mason Coote Racing YZF-R6) take out the opening round of the Motul Supersport Championship at Phillip Island, in the first stop of the 2017 Yamaha Motor Finance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul Pirelli (ASBK).
After spending more than a year on the sidelines, Victorian local Coote shocked himself and onlookers by winning Saturday’s opening race and backed up that performance with a 2-1 result today to clinch his first-ever round victory. And he wasn’t even intending to continue racing in the entire series, a decision which he’s now hoping to change.
Coote said; “Mark (Chiodo) and I were absolutely on the limit the whole way around! Our times were a little bit down and I’m sure the track went away a bit, as it was quite greasy. We both made a lot of mistakes as we tried to capitalise on one another. It was the most fun I ‘ve had for a long time on a bike and to come out on top is unbelievable.”
Motul Supersport Race 2
In this morning’s second race of the weekend, after crashing out of the lead on Saturday to remount and finish P9, Mark Chiodo (Repsol 675 R) bounced back with the second Supersport race victory in a race that was declared due to a red flag following three laps. Only half-points were awarded because it didn’t meet the scheduled race distance.
Chiodo shared his race recollection; “We went well today starting with a win. I just wish it was for full points, but it was a half race. In the second race we held the lead but I was struggling to get power down off the corners, I just over-cooked the tyers. Going forward, I’m feeling really good about the bike, my team and the championship this year.”
Opening race winner Coote and Ted Collins (Next Gen Motorsports GSX-R600) joined Chiodo on the podium, as Sam Condon (Bikebiz YZF-R6) and Ryan Taylor (Pablo’s Motorcycle Tyres YZF-R6) completed the top five, marginally ahead of Ben Burke (YZF-R6), Luke Mitchell (DPH Motorsport YZF-R6) and Jordan Carlsson (Dynojet YZF-R6) when the stoppage happened.
Motul Supersport Race 3
In the final Supersport race of the weekend, capping off an action-filled World Superbike event, Coote proved he was a deserved round winner by out-racing Chiodo by 0.147s after a 10-lap dual at the front of the field. A lonely third in race three went to Collins in another consistent result, while Burke, Condon and Taylor completed the top five in formation.
Overall for the round it was Coote (60pts) who leads the championship by 13 points, with Collins (47pts) and Chiodo (44.5pts) – despite his race one fall. If points leader Coote can scrape the funding together to continue his title challenge at Wakefield Park, NSW, on 17-19 March, the Supersport battle between he and Chiodo will be sure to intensify as the rounds roll on.
More, from another press release issued by Motorcycling Australia:
Levy and Edwards Win Supersport 300 Classes at the Island
A thrilling five-rider scrap in the third and final Australian Supersport 300 Championship race at Phillip Island this morning has resulted in the overall victories for Zac Levy (Puma RV’s YZF-R3) in the Over 300 and Tom Edwards (Steelline Ninja 300) in the Up To 300 categories.
On-track together but scored separately, the Over and Up To 300 racers put on a mega show for onlookers at round one of the Yamaha Motor Finance Australian Superbike Championship supported by Motul Pirelli.
Last year’s YMF R3 Cup winner, Levy broke through for his first combined Supersport 300 win of the weekend in today’s eight-lap affair, finishing 0.514s ahead of Jack Mahaffy (JDS Moto YZF-R3) and Edwards, who was top of the Up To 300s.
The top five – Levy, Mahaffy, Edwards, Reid Battye (IPONE Ninja 300) and Jack Passfield (Stay Upright YZF-R3) – were separated by just 0.633s as the chequered flag flew. Battye also claimed a new Supersport 300 lap record at Phillip Island after posting a flying 1m50.402s on lap eight.
Joining Levy on the Over 300 podium overall for the round was Max Croker and defending champion Brandon Demmery (Deborah Motorsports YZF-R3), while Edwards stood atop the Up to 300 podium ahead of Battye and last year’s champion Drew Sells (Race Center Ninja 300).
The consistently fast Tom Edwards was ecstatic with his podium finish; “I didn’t end up with the win today, but I did win overall this weekend and I couldn’t ask for any more really. It was such close and tight racing between the front guys and my bike was feeling amazing too! I really enjoyed racing here with these guys at Phillip Island. I can’t wait for the next round!”
Round two second place getter, Reid Battye said; “It was an early race start this morning, which was awesome. The race was so tight it was unbelievable. I scored lap record! But P2 for me is a fantastic way to start up the 2017 championship and I am just so happy with the way it all turned out today!”
Drew Sells commented on his podium placment; “It was a good race and I managed to stick it out with the boys. Unfortunately, in laps 5 or 6 I lost a little ground through Siberia. We’re stoked with how the last race went because we’ve been having troubles all weekend, but the guys have given me an awesome podium proven package that will be a really fierce contender coming into round two at Wakefield.”
With the stage set for a hard-fought season ahead, boasting a host of emerging rising stars, round two of the Australian Supersport 300 Championship will take place at Wakefield Park in New South Wales between 17-19 March.
More, from a press release issued by Cube Racing:
ASBK LEARNING CURVE CONTINUES FOR CUBE RACING DUO
Talented teenagers Tom Toparis and Oli Bayliss displayed an impressive amount of speed at Phillip Island this weekend as round one of the 2017 Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) was contested.
Making his ASBK Supersport class debut, Goulburn-based 16-year-old Toparis qualified 15th in the 35-rider field and worked his way to finish a fine fifth in Saturday’s opening race.
Come Sunday Toparis scored ninth in the red-flagged second race, which was stopped after just three laps, and then he was unfortunately taken out of contention in race three. Still, he could be proud in claiming eighth overall.
“It was a frustrating end to the weekend, not being my fault, and it’s just annoying for that to happen,” Toparis commented. “I can’t do anything about it now, so we have to move on, and aside from that I had a decent weekend. I really want to keep getting good results, so I’m going to set my sights on Wakefield now and see what we can do there! Thanks to everybody at Cube Racing for their help and all the support.”
As for 13-year-old Bayliss, the son of triple Superbike world champion Troy Bayliss, he was right on-pace in the Supersport 300 division, despite having to quickly learn the ropes in a tight 42-rider grid.
Bayliss was just 0.825s from pole in qualifying and lined up in eighth on the grid, going on to capture an 18-8-12 combined (Up to and Over 300cc) scorecard across three intense races. That put him sixth overall in the Up To 300s.
“It was really close racing and I was able to learn a lot this weekend,” Bayliss said. “To finish all three races was good and I feel like I went pretty well, so we just have to keep riding and racing to get more experience.”
Cube Racing team owner Ben Henry, who has worked with some of the country’s best emerging racers of the past few seasons, was pleased with the efforts of both Toparis and Bayliss throughout round one.
“Tommy continues to impress me and he’s really good,” Henry recalled. “The last race didn’t work out for him when he got taken out, but it is what it is. He really took it to heart and I can tell it really upset him – it means so much to him to go well, which isn’t a bad thing at all. He is a talent and I’m really happy with how he went all weekend.
“As for young Oli, he’s 13 years old and sometimes it’s easy to forget that. He also did really well and has a lot of talent – as you’d expect being Troy’s kid! It’s a lot to take in for him and I think he’s taking it all in his stride. Again, the potential is there and, as time goes on, we will see him at the front when the series settles in a bit.”
The 2017 Australian Superbike Championship season will continue with round two at Wakefield Park in New South Wales – Toparis’ home round – on 17-19 March.