ASBK classes last-gasp affairs at The Bend
It was a super Sunday at The Bend (SA) on November 10 as the 2024 mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul (ASBK) wrapped up, with the Michelin Supersport, Race and Road Supersport 300, ShopYamaha R3 Cup and Nolan Superbike Masters classes all crowning new champions under sensational spring sunshine.
An FIM Oceania title was also decided today, so let’s wrap it all up.
Michelin Supersport
The news we were all expecting in Michelin Supersport came to fruition on Sunday morning when Jonathan Nahlous played it smart to wrap up the championship after a trouble-free ride into sixth position.
The 18-year-old has produced a magnificent 2024 campaign, which began with a clean sweep at round one way back in February. He then continued to rack up the podiums and points with plenty of front-running zeal, despite being challenged from all directions in a crack field of emerging superstars.
“I can’t thank my whole team enough for what it has done all year,” said Nahlous. “To be in this position today is quite amazing. I’m just over the moon and, for everyone who has supported me during the season, thank you very much.”
Nahlous finished fifth overall at The Bend with his 4-6-5 scorecard, behind Stop and Seal Yamaha teammates Archie McDonald (1-1-3) and Jack Mahaffy (3-2-1), Olly Simpson (Yamaha, 2-4-2) and Tom Bramich (Yamaha, 6-4-4).
The gregarious McDonald was the big championship improver, leapfrogging from fifth to second at The Bend (28pts behind Nahlous), while Simpson dropped back to third (2pts behind McDonald).
Meanwhile, Mahaffy lifted his intensity throughout, and in the final race he cleared off to win by over three seconds.
Mahaffy also won the three-round FIM Oceania Circuit Racing Championship, where points were accrued at three rounds of the Michelin Supersport title in the second half of the season. That period corresponded with a purple patch of form for Mahaffy, who claimed the Oceania spoils from Simpson and McDonald.
Race and Road Supersport 300/Shop Yamaha R3 Cup
An enthralling day in the Race and Road Supersport 300 and ShopYamaha R3 Cup classes, with Josh Newman (Kawasaki) wrapping up the former in race two and Valentino Knezovic (Yamaha) only getting peace of mind in the last race of the day!
While returning international Cameron Swain (Yamaha) was the undisputed master across the weekend – six wins from as many starts in his one-round cameo – it was Newman who kicked off the major celebrations when he finished a solid eighth in Supersport 300 race two to win the crown.
“It is very surreal at the moment, but I’d like just like to thank everyone for all the hard work that they have put in.
“In race two, I really gave my all but I also wanted to stay out of trouble. In the last few laps I lost the lead group, so I just cruised home and on the last lap I knew it was a done deal.”
Newman finished the championship ahead of Knezovic (379 to 335pts) and Harrison Watts (Kawasaki, 326), while Swain won the round from Jordan Simpson (Yamaha) and Newman.
The R3 Cup was even more of a thriller, with Knezovic outlasting a fast-finishing Will Nassif by 2pts, with Simpson another 2pts back in third.
Swain won the round from Nassif and Simpson.
Nolan Superbike Masters
A quite extraordinary set of circumstances in the Nolan Superbike Masters finale, with the two hitherto dominant figures – Yamaha pilots Keo Watson and Jack Passfield – both out with injury and mechanical woes respectively, which opened the door for Ryan Taylor to come from the clouds to win the title.
Taylor was third in all three races at The Bend behind fellow Suzuki pilots Alex Phillis and David Johnson, which was enough to win the title on 123pts from Watson (115) and Passfield (110).
Phillis, who was a class above in the finale, finished on a fast-finishing 98.5pts behind Michael Berti Mendez (Ducati, 109).
The class winners are Mendez (Period 5 F1), Ross Dobson (Suzuki, Period 5 Unlimited), (Taylor, Period 6 Formula 1300) and Phillip Burke (Honda, Period 6 Formula 750cc).
