More, from a press release issued by ASBK:
Pearson sizzles to Morgan Park pole position
Ducati rider Broc Pearson has claimed the Saturday spoils in round four of the 2024 mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul (ASBK) at Morgan Park Raceway in Queensland.
On a brisk day at the 2.96km circuit where ambient and track temperatures remained very low, the 23-year-old secured his second career pole position in the Alpinestars Superbike class after the final qualifying session was cut short following two red-flag stoppages.
That wasn’t to the detriment of the Gold Coast-based realtor though, who had already laid down the fastest marker which will position him at the pointy end of the grid for tomorrow’s two 16-lap races.
It was also qualifying in the other four ASBK Championship classes today – Michelin Supersport, Race and Road Supersport 300, ShopYamaha R3 Cup and the bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup – and all but Supersport kicked off their race programs.
That sets the scene for Sunday: 10 races at a circuit where exceptionally close racing is a staple. Off-track activities on Sunday will include pit walks, ‘Mini Moto come and try’ sessions for the kids, the ASBK Trade Alley and autograph sessions with riders and ASBK ambassadors Garry McCoy, Chris Vermeulen and Steve Martin.
There’s also a big screen in the heart of the ASBK Fan Zone at turn three displaying all the on-track action, with a bevy of food trucks in the vicinity.
To purchase tickets for the Southern Downs Regional Council-supported event, click here. Tickets will also be available at the gate.
Alpinestars Superbike
Pearson stopped the clock at 1m12.830sec on his Panigale V4 R, with Max Stauffer (Penrite Racing Yamaha) and Mike Jones (Yamaha Racing Team) to start alongside him.
The two red-flag stoppages in qualifying came after near identical crashes for Stauffer and Glenn Allerton (GT Racing BMW) at turn three – both riders okay – but the former was fortunate that he had already locked in a sharp time.
Meanwhile, Allerton qualified sixth behind championship leader Josh Waters (McMartin Racing Ducati) in fourth and Cru Halliday (Yamaha Racing Team) in fifth.
Arthur Sissis (Stop and Seal Yamaha), Anthony West (Addicted to Track Yamaha), Bryan Staring (MotoGP Yamaha) and Cameron Dunker (Penrite Racing Yamaha) rounded out the top 10 qualifiers in the 18-rider field.
Race one is at 11:25am tomorrow.
Michelin Supersport
Jonathan Nahlous has secured his second Michelin Supersport pole position of the season – and he’ll be hoping it’s a portent of things to come after converting his first one at Phillip Island into a clean sweep!
Nahlous, the current championship leader, will have fellow Yamaha riders Tom Toparis and Tom Bramich alongside him for tomorrow’s two 14-lap races.
Nahlous only pipped Toparis by 0.003 seconds, while it’s extremely tight between Bramich, Hayden Nelson (Kawasaki), Jack Favelle (Yamaha), Archie McDonald (Yamaha) and Olly Simpson (Yamaha).
All sixteen riders qualified for the two 14-lap races.
Race and Road Supersport 300
Valentino Knezovic (Yamaha) has been in the Race and Road Supersport 300 hot zone since he arrived at Morgan Park, and it showed in race one as he bolted from pole position and cruised to a four-second victory – his third of the season after previous successes at Sydney Motorsport Park and Queensland Raceway.
While the imperious Knezovic made the 10-lapper his own, the battle for second was a five-way doozy and eventually fell the way of Casey Middelton (Yamaha) ahead of Josh Newman (Kawasaki), Will Nassif (Yamaha), Harrison Watts (Kawasaki) and Jordan Simpson (Yamaha).
New Zealander Jesse Stroud (Yamaha) was in the early mix as well before crashing at turn six – the same piece of tarmac that also claimed Georgia Stephens (Yamaha) a few laps later. They were the only two DNFs in the 17-rider field.
The championship battle has now tightened appreciably, with Newman 6pts (189 to 183) in front of Watts, followed by the charging Knezovic (182).
Races two and three will be held tomorrow.
ShopYamaha R3 Cup
What a breathtaking way to start the new ShopYamaha R3 Cup season, with Valentino Knezovic outlasting Jesse Stroud by a miniscule 0.032 seconds after a race full of punching and counter-punching.
They were glued together the whole way as Knezovic continued his rich vein of form and Stroud hit back hard after a crash in the earlier Supersport 300 opener.
The battle for third was also eye-catching, with Will Nassif securing the last spot on the podium from Jordan Simpson, John Pelgrave and Ryder Gilbert.
bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup
Hunter Corney’s spectacular bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup season has continued, with the 13-year-old Toowoomba rider winning his sixth race of the season in front of Ethan Johnson, Elijah Andrew, Nicolas Lazos, William Strugnell and Jed Louis.
The race was red-flagged early after an incident involving front runners Hunter Charlett and Ross McAdam, after what been another breathtaking battle between the Yamaha YZF-R15 brigade.
Corney’s lead has now ballooned to 43pts over Johnson, who takes over second from McAdam.
There are two more races tomorrow.
