From a press release:

2003 Flexirider Australasian Formula Xtreme Championship
Eastern Creek Raceway, NSW
Race Report


STAUFFER TAKES INAUGURAL AUSTRALASIAN FORMULA XTREME CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE


Sydney’s Eastern Creek Raceway played host to the inaugural Flexirider Australasian Formula Xtreme Championship with Nikon Yamaha rider Daniel Stauffer being the first to etch his name on the winner’s trophy.

The weekend was full of excitement and anticipation coupled with wildly varying track temperatures and weather conditions as it brought together the Australasian Championships and the NSW Championship round.

Two victories, a second and a third, helped Stauffer score top points for the meeting.

“It was disappointing about Kev (Curtain) not being there as it would have been a hell of a lot closer, but it proved to be good experience for us in the wet,” said Stauffer. “It’s a good way to end the season for the team with another championship win. It’s good to have my name first on the trophy as you never know how big or important this event may evolve into in the future. I’m glad to have won it.”

Teammate and season long arch rival Kevin Curtain took victory in the opening Formula Xtreme race on Saturday afternoon, but a fall during the opening Supersport race on Sunday morning, left the multiple champion with a small fracture to his right hip and out of action for the remainder of the day. His participation in the support races at the upcoming Australian Grand Prix will depend on how well he can recover in the short period of time before the team heads to Phillip Island in less than two weeks.

While Curtain’s withdrawal made life a little easier for Stauffer, he was greatly missed in the Flexirider NSW Supersport Championship races. Being the top placed Supersport rider in Australia this year, Curtain was the pre-race favourite, but in his absence Nikon Yamaha teammate Brendan Clarke continued to wave the flag and with consistent results in varying weather and track conditions emerged as the runner-up in the championship to Honda’s Josh Brookes.

“The weekend turned out better than I initially thought it would,” said Clarke. “After Saturday’s qualifying we thought we were in a bit of trouble, but with the consistency of the Yamaha and Dunlop’s we were able to claw our way up to second and show that you have to be there both in the dry and the wet. I was a little disappointed with the dry weather results but not with the times we were doing, so overall with a second place finish has turned it into a good weekend.”

A wet final Supersport race saw Sydney Yamaha privateer, Glenn Allerton storm away to an astonishing victory in very difficult conditions. Clarke came in second, while Mark Stanley made it an all-Yamaha podium in the final as he brought his Lismore Motorcycles Yamaha R6 home in third place.

“I don’t particularly like riding in the wet and I was looking forward to that race,” said Allerton. “I seemed to deal with it OK, just about every race this year where it’s rained I’ve pulled out and won by a long way. I guess it’s not a bad thing when it rains. I think it’s my motocross background where it doesn’t stress me out when the bike starts sliding around.”

In other event, Taree teenager Alex Cudlin (Fineline Motorcycles Yamaha) continued to show his great potential as he left the round with two titles after claiming the Australasian Formula Oz crown (run in conjunction with Formula Xtreme) aboard his Yamaha YZF R1, before switching to his R6 to take victory in the NSW Superstock Championship (run in conjunction with the Supersport event). This was yet another great result in changing conditions and machines that highlighted that he is one of the young guns to watch for the future.

Queenslander Jon Cartwright (Caboolture Yamaha) became the first rider to win the Liam Magee Memorial Trophy awarded to the top placed runner in the two-part Formula X Unlimited feature race for C&D Grade competitors.

After finishing second to Alex Cudlin in the opening race, Cartwright made the most of the difficult late afternoon conditions to take the race win and the trophy after Cudlin slid from his machine while holding second on the track and mounting a challenge to the race leader. Cudlin’s win the day before gave him sufficient points to finish third overall, while Victorian Andrew McNay made it an all-Yamaha podium after picking up the runner-up position.

The contingent of Yamaha riders will prepare for the final major meeting of the Australian calendar as they head to Phillip Island to take part in the support program at the Australian GP on October 16 – 19.

RESULTS

2003 Flexirider Australasian Formula Xtreme Championship

(Incorporating the NSW Formula Xtreme Championship) Overall points

1. Daniel Stauffer (Yamaha) 86, 2. Nick Henderson (Honda) 71, 3. Craig McMartin (Ducati) 55, 4. Luke Wicks (Yamaha) 49, 5. Denis Charlett (Suzuki) 48, 6. Benn Archibald (Yamaha) 47, 7. Andrew McNay (Yamaha) 29, 8. Tony Mihaljevic (Suzuki) 26, 9. Kevin Curtain (Yamaha) 25, 10. Jeffery Hill (Yamaha) 16.


2003 Flexirider Australasian Formula Oz Championship Overall points

1. Alex Cudlin (Yamaha) 90, 2. Jon Cartwright (Yamaha) 70, 3. Dave Coop (Suzuki) 32.


Flexirider NSW Supersport Championship Overall points

1. Josh Brookes (Honda) 86, 2. Brendan Clarke (Yamaha) 65, 3. Russell Holland (Kawasaki) 60, 4. Kirk McCarthy (Honda) 52, 5. Glenn Allerton (Yamaha) 47, 6. David Anthony (Yamaha) 43, 7. Mark Stanley (Yamaha) 41, 8. Glen Kelleher (Honda) 24, 9. Alan Hoare (Yamaha) 22, 10. Matthew O’Shea (Suzuki) 19.

Flexirider NSW Superstock Championship Overall points
1. Alex Cudlin (Yamaha) 95, 2. Alex Tomassetti (Kawasaki) 85, 3. Bill McConnell (Suzuki) 48.

Liam Magee Memorial Trophy – Australasian Formula X Unlimited Overall points

1. Jon Cartwright (Yamaha) 45, Andrew McNay (Yamaha) 30, Alex Cudlin (Yamaha) 25.