O’HALLORAN TAKES MAIDEN SUPERBIKE RACE WIN AT AUSTRALIAN MotoGP SUPPORT EVENT AT PHILLIP ISLAND 2008 Australian GP, Superbike Support Races Phillip Island, Victoria 3 – 5 October 2008 Fresh from competing at two rounds of the British Superbike Championship over the past three weeks, 20-year-old Wollongong rider Jason O’Halloran returned to Australia with his recent good form and put it to excellent use as he scored his maiden Superbike race win as part of the national Superbike support races held in conjunction with the Australian MotoGP event at Phillip Island over the weekend. O’Halloran was in strong form throughout the weekend having set the fastest time during the opening practice session and then qualifying. The four-race format of the weekend saw him with a third, second, first and second place finish each of which was highlighted with him being able to set the fastest lap in each race aboard his Teknic Honda CBR1000RR. The limited track time the support classes are provided with at this meeting saw his pole winning time of 1-min 34.295-secs being down on his lap record time of 1:32.921, but as he and his team worked on gaining a better set up with the bike he was rewarded with the fastest lap time set in the final race where he was able to work his way to a 1:33.545. This was a remarkable time as his rear tyre had a large section delaminate on it on lap two with his time set on the sixth lap of a shortened race. Wet weather hampered the opening race, with O’Halloran slipping to tenth on the opening lap as he fought off a strong case of wheelspin off the line and was passed by a large number of riders. He kept his composure and worked his way through the field to grab third on the final lap. The remaining three races were held in warm sunny conditions and saw O’Halloran in an epic fight for the lead with teammate Glenn Allerton in each race with the pair swapping the leading position on a number of occasions whilst giving the enormous crowd of over 50,000 spectators a thrilling toe to toe dogfight, with the margins between the pair being 0.027, 0.057 and 0.122 of a second respectively. O’Halloran will return to the British Superbike Championships this coming weekend for the final round to be held at the Brands Hatch Circuit in Kent. Jason “It’s been a solid weekend for us and it was fantastic to finally get a Superbike race win under my belt. A few of my competitors were able to test here before the event while I was in the UK, but we worked hard to get things sorted and while the times seemed down a little on what everyone had expected it’s good to see we were able to set the fastest lap times throughout the weekend where we headed the sheets in practice, qualifying and each of the four races. The dry races were especially good and had three really good dices with Glenn (Allerton). We missed out by a fraction each time, but what’s good is that I am confident in how I’m riding and can take that form with me back to the UK this week and then onto the final round of the Australian Superbike Championship at Eastern Creek the week after that.” RESULTS Qualifying: 1. J O’Halloran (Honda) 1:34.295mins, 2. G Allerton (Honda) 1:34.378, 3. S Johnson (Kawasaki) 1:35.166, 4. J Stauffer (Yamaha) 1:35.528, 5. C Coxhell (Suzuki) 1:36.093, 6. R Bugden (Suzuki) 1:36.236. Current Lap Record J O’Halloran (Honda) 1:32.921 (01/03/2008) Race 1 / 6 laps: 1. G Allerton (Honda), 2. S Charlton (Kawasaki) 0.224secs, 3. J O’Halloran (Honda) -6.551, 4. S Johnson (Kawasaki) – 7.391, 5. C Coxhell (Suzuki) – 8.060, 6. C Hern (Suzuki) – 19.831. Fastest Lap: J O’Halloran (Honda) 1:48.815 on lap 6 Race 2 / 6 laps: 1. G Allerton (Honda), 2. J O’Halloran (Honda) -0.027secs, 3. S Johnson (Kawasaki) 4.639, 4. C Coxhell (Suzuki) 4.837, 5. J Stauffer (Yamaha) -5.375, 6. D Stauffer (Yamaha) -10.673. Fastest Lap: J O’Halloran (Honda) 1:33.737 on lap 4 Race 3 / 8 laps: 1. J O’Halloran (Honda), 2. G Allerton (Honda) -0.057secs, 3. C Coxhell (Suzuki)-5.534, 4. R Bugden (Suzuki) -6.735, 5. S Johnson (Kawasaki) -7.214, 6. J Stauffer (Yamaha) -8.300. Fastest Lap: J O’Halloran (Honda) 1:33.671 on lap 4 Race 4 / 6 laps: 1. G Allerton (Honda), 2. J O’Halloran (Honda) -0.122secs, 3. S Johnson (Kawasaki) -7.567, 4. J Stauffer (Yamaha) -11.323, 5. C Trounson (Honda) -11.549, 6. S Charlton (Kawasaki) -18.492.. Fastest Lap: J O’Halloran (Honda) 1:33.545 on lap 6 Remaining events for 2009 Rd 12 (Final) British Superbike Championship, Brands Hatch (October 10 12) Rd 7 (Final) Australian Superbike Championship, Eastern Creek (October 17 19) More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki News Service: Team Joe Rocket Suzuki rider Josh Waters drew first blood in the Supersport support races at the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix at Phillip Island at the weekend. In conditions many riders described as the worst they had raced in, Waters got the better of an enthralling battle with Wayne Maxwell when he drafted by in the run to the chequered flag to take victory by just 0.041sec on his GSX-R600. The Friday race, held in front of 24,000 spectators on a wet track in darkening conditions, was the first of what should have been four races for the Supersport competitors across the MotoGP weekend. However, the second race on Friday afternoon was abandoned when storm clouds swept across the circuit, reducing visibility to a level that race officials deemed unsafe. “The wet track conditions didn’t worry me and I wanted to race, but officials made the right decision as visibility was really bad,” said Waters. “The only way I could have raced would have been with a torch taped to the side of my helmet.” Waters also added fifth and fourth placings to his weekend tally in Saturday and Sunday’s races to finish second overall on 58 points, 12 points adrift of Maxwell. With in excess of 50,000 spectators at the Victorian circuit on Sunday’s main race day – and well over 100,000 across the three days – the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix is the largest stage that Team Joe Rocket Suzuki will perform on in 2008. In addition to his on-track commitments, Waters provided spectators at the event with expert comments via his role as on-course commentator on GPTV, a role he shared with team-mate and three-times Australian Superbike Champion Shawn Giles. Giles was unable to compete in the Superbike support races at the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix as he is recovering from injuries sustained at the Queensland round of the Australian Superbike Championship in July. In Giles’ absence, Team Joe Rocket Suzuki’s Superbike responsibilities were shared by 2003 champion Craig Coxhell and reigning New Zealand champion Robbie Bugden. Coxhell finished fourth overall after carding fifth, fourth and third placings in the opening three races, but his chance of an overall podium finish was thwarted when an off-track excursion in Sunday’s Race Four dropped him down to 19th. Bugden’s meeting was one of frustration; a stone holing the radiator on his GSX-R1000 on the warm-up lap of the second race, and then a technical problem in the fourth forcing the Queenslander into retirement. A fighting fourth in the third race, just 1.201sec behind Coxhell, was small reward for a meeting which promised more for the Queenslander. The next outing for Team Joe Rocket Suzuki is the final round of the 2008 Australian Superbike Championship at Sydney’s Eastern Creek Raceway on October 17-19th. Phil Tainton – Team Manager: “Overall the meeting didn’t work out as I’d hoped, but racing can be like that sometimes. The grand prix is the biggest meeting for the year and a great opportunity to show Team Joe Rocket Suzuki to a wider audience. “Josh’s win in the opening Supersport race got the whole team off to a great start, but we struggled to maintain the momentum after that. Craig was heading in the right direction and getting faster with each outing, but then a small error dropped him out of podium contention in the final race. Robbie had a lot of bad luck – first with the holed radiator, and then having to pull out of Race Four with just a lap to run. “Our focus now is the final round of the Australian Superbike and Supersport Championships at Eastern Creek in two weeks and we’ll be looking to finish the season on a high.” Joshua Waters: “I really enjoyed that first Supersport race with Wayne, even if the track conditions were some of the worst I’ve raced in. I knew it would be touch and go in the drag to the line, but I made it – just! I was keen to do the second race on Friday too, but the officials made the correct decision by abandoning it as it was too dark to race. I would have needed the headlight re-fitted to my GSX-R600. “Although I ended the meeting second overall I was disappointed with my results in my dry races on Saturday on Sunday as I know the bike and I are better than what the results sheet showed.” Craig Coxhell: “I felt like I was in with a chance of the win in the final race as the team had been working on my set-up and getting the bike better with each race – and the results showed that. In that final race I could see Glenn Allerton and Jason O’Halloran getting away and I was getting impatient to find a way past Jamie Stauffer and Shannon Johnson. “I tried to go under Jamie at Turn One as I was getting frustrated, and then I nearly lost the front and had to pick the bike up. By the time I’d run off the track, across the gravel, and then rejoined, I was way back in the pack so it was a frustrating way to finish off the weekend, as I really thought we had the pace to challenge Glenn and Jason in that final race.” Robbie Budgen: “It hasn’t been one of my best meetings, firstly with the hole in the radiator, and then having to pull out of the final race. It was unfortunate, as we had an opportunity to showcase Australian Superbike racing for the first time on a Sunday at the GP to a massive crowd. I’m sure they liked what they saw – it was just a pity I wasn’t able to fight for a podium finish on this occasion.” Superbike Overall Results: 1 Glenn Allerton, 2 Jason O’Halloran, 3 Shannon Johnson, 4 Craig Coxhell (Suzuki GSX-R1000), 5 Chris Trounson, 6 Trent Gibson (Suzuki GSX-R1000), 7 Jamie Stauffer, 8 Scott Charlton, 9 Chas Hern (Suzuki GSX-R1000), 10 Michael Blunden (Suzuki GSX-R1000). Supersport Overall Results: 1 Wayne Maxwell, 2 Joshua Waters (Suzuki GSX-R600), 3 Scott Charlton, 4 Jamie Stauffer, 5 Jeremy Crowe, 6 Bryan Staring, 7 Chris Casella, 8 Daniel Stauffer, 9 Judd Greedy (Suzuki GSX-R600), 10 Grant Hay. More, from a press release issued by Naturally Best Racing: BRIDEWELL CRASHES OUT IN FRANCE After qualifying in a fantastic second place, any hopes that Tommy Bridewell had of rounding out an eventful season in the Suzuki GSXR750 European Cup in style vanished when he crashed heavily on the third lap of the final round held at Magny Cours in France. Continuing his great end of season form after breaking his leg at the opening round of the Italian Superbike Championship, Bridewell was just pipped to pole position by Austrian Roland Resch and in the early stages of the race, despite a poor start, the 20 year old from Devizes in Wiltshire was making ground on the leaders. However, a huge highside on lap three scuppered his chances and Bridewell was lucky to escape injury. “I was pushing a bit too hard, a little too early, as we’d made some changes to the rear of the bike and in the end, it spat me over the top. I landed on my head, which was fortunate, and not my leg as that would have been a bummer if I’d broken that again. It’s not been a particularly successful season in the Suzuki Cup but I’d like to thank Steve Booth and the rest of the team for giving me the opportunity. Now we just need to get sorted out for Brands next weekend where I need a good finish on the Centurion Honda in the British Supersport Championship” said Tommy. Tommy will be one of the guests at the final Fred & Scoop CJ Fund Charity Chat Show on Friday evening which takes place at the Brands Hatch Thistle Hotel adjacent to the circuit entrance. Most of the British Superbike Championship stars will be in attendance throughout the evening which starts at 6.45pm. Admission is £5 per adult with all proceeds going to the CJ Fund. More, from a press release issued by Fasttrax: NELSONS LEDGES, Ohio The team from Madhouse Racing riding a Yamaha R6 led the field in the final Fasttrax endurance series race of the 2008 season on Saturday to take first overall and first in the Midweight class. The Madhouse Racing team completed 123 laps of the 2.1 mile Nelson Ledges circuit in the allotted three hours. But despite the great finish Saturday, Madhouse Racing lost out to Rush Hour Racing running a Yamaha R-6 for the Midweight Season Championship. Rush Hour racing also sealed the season championship in the Heavyweight division running their big bike, a Suzuki GSX-R750, with a first place trophy in that class on Saturday. Team DAYAM’s second-place finish Saturday gave them the Lightweight season championship, edging out Racer RX by just five points. Fasttrax is a family-oriented club racing organization with its home track at Nelsons Ledges, Ohio. For information on all of Fasttrax’s events and programs visit www.Fasttraxlive.com RESULTS 30-minute Solo Mini-Endurance Heavyweight: 1. Michael Farmer (Suz GSX-R600) 24 laps; 2. Andrew Sexton (Duc 999) 24 laps; 3. Bruce Ostrander (Yam YZF-R6) 24 laps; 4. Greg Massie (SuzGSX-R1000) 24 laps; 5. Dan Shettler (Hon RC51) 22 laps; 6. Tim Kennedy (Suz GSX-R1000) 18 laps; 7. Donald Quallen (Suz GSX-R600) 13 laps. 30-minute Midweight: 1. Robert Rowles (Yam YZF-R6) 24 laps; 2. Ron Ruppert (Suz GSX-R600) 24 laps; 3. Kurt Russman (Hon F4i) 24 laps; 4. Ken Fischer (Yam YZF-R6) 23 laps; 5. David Bright (Yam YZF-R6) 23 laps; 6. Lee Barbicas (Suz GSX-R600) 23 laps; 7. Mark Gainer (Buell SB12R) 22 laps. 30-minute Lightweight: 1. Tim Batten (Suz SV650) 24 laps; 2. Randy Grove (Suz SV650) 24 laps; 3. Jeff Manley (Suz SV650) 24 laps; 4. Todd Narduzzi (Sus SV650) 24 laps; 5. Michael Gillian (Suz SV650) 23 laps; 6. Elwood Smith (Suz SV650) 23 laps; 7.Bill Smith (Buell XB9R) 23 laps; 8.Patrick Rochetti (Kaw EX500) 23 laps; 9. William Rochetti (Kaw EX500) 22 laps; Lewis Rochetti (Kaw EX500) 22 laps; 11. Daniel Missig (Suz SV650) 19 laps. 3-hour Endurance Heavyweight: 1. Rush Hour Racing (Suz GSX-R750) 122 laps; 2. Team Bones (Suz GSX-R1000) 120 laps: 3. Team T.R. Racing (Suz GSX-R750) 114 laps. 3-hour Midweight: 1. Madhouse Racing (Yam YZF-R6) 123 laps; 2. Rush Hour Racing (Yam YZF-R6) 121 laps; Team Localriders.com (Tri Daytona 675)112 laps; 4. Team Twist-It) Suz GSX-R600) 111 laps. 3-hour Lightweight: 1. Empty Pockets Racing (Duc PS1000LE) 119 laps; 2. Team DAYAM (Suz SV650) 118 laps; 3. Team Racer RX ( Suz SV650) 117 laps; Team Egan (Kaw EX500) 77 laps; TDC Racing (Suz SV650) 74 laps. More, from a press release issued by Miller Motorsports Park: Champions Crowned in Final Motorcycle Racing Weekend of the Season at Miller Motorsports Park TOOELE VALLEY, UTAH (October 6, 2008) “” The motorcycle racing season at Miller Motorsports Park wrapped up over this past weekend, October 4-5, with champions crowned in three different series: the National Championship for the United States Grand Prix Riders Union (USGPRU), the Honda Presents the Plaza Cycle Masters of the Mountains road racing series and the Plaza Cycle Utah Supermoto Championship. The USGPRU races were held in very wet conditions on Saturday, putting a premium on handling and concentration and placing even more pressure on the championship contenders. In the 250GP class, Melissa Paris edged Allen Campbell by 0.139 second to claim the victory, with Miles Thornton third. Royce McLean had an easier time of it in the 125GP class, posting a 9.294-second margin of victory over veteran Nobi Iso, while Thornton took third again. In the Moriwaki 250H Powered by Honda spec class, Jake Lewis cruised to a 29.917-second victory over newly-crowned Red Bull U.S. Rookie Cup champion Benny Solis Jr., with Thornton making it a clean sweep of thirds. Class championships went to Iso in 125GP, Adam Roberts in 250GP and Lewis in Moriwaki 250H. In the Honda Presents the Plaza Cycle Masters of the Mountains Series, championships were up for grabs in all but two of the 19 classes. The headline attraction was the battle among Shane Turpin, defending champ Aaron Clark and Josh Graham for the coveted No. 1 plate in the King of the Mountain GTO class. In the final race of the weekend on Sunday afternoon, Clark took the victory by 3.565 seconds over Turpin to claim his third consecutive class championship. “Wow, what a race! What a year!” the victorious Clark said. “Of the three KoM-O No. 1 plates I have won, this one was definitely the most satisfying, as it came down to a winner-takes-all race. Turpin and I rode our hearts out. The first few laps were pretty crazy and he definitely had me more than a little worried, but thanks to my awesome Pirelli tires and the unbelievable stopping power of my EBC Extreme Pro brakes, I knew I could run a pace fast enough to get the job done. Thanks to all the USBA crew, and to Jill Giles and her amazing team at Miller Motorsports Park, for another great year!” Clark added another victory to his weekend total with a win in the Open Superbike class. Turpin was victorious in the Formula 40 GTO and Twins GTU/Amateur GTO races. Spencer Steed took the Amateur GTO class win, as well as the overall in the Amateur GTU race. Graham picked up wins in the KOM U and Open Superstock races. Other race/class winners were Paul Avery (Super Twins), Shawn Atkinson (Novice GTU), Michael Bunds (Twins GTO), Ricky Corey (Middleweight Superbike), Christopher Coyne (Novice GTO), Oleg Pianykh (Heavyweight Superstock), Jimmy Wood (Middleweight Superstock) and David Meyer (Endurance). The competitors in the Plaza Cycle Utah Supermoto Championship also had to deal with rainy conditions on Saturday, making the track particularly treacherous and keeping the entry low. Joe Brady was the beneficiary, taking wins in five classes: Novice, Sportsman, Asphalt, Vet and Open Expert. Other class winners were Kristi Hooker (Mini Moto); Gauge Rees (Mitey 65/125); Luke Mitchell (250 Intermediate); and Tom Hooker (Open Intermediate). Only three of the 10 class championships were still up for grabs Mitey 65/125, Asphalt and Open Intermediate and those were decided in favor of Rees, Chris Curnen and Tom Hooker, respectively. The final racing weekend of the year will take place October 17-18, with the final rounds of the Miller Park Racing Association and the Rodizio Grill Utah Karting Championship presented by Valvoline. For tickets or information regarding Miller Motorsports Park, call 435-277-RACE (7223) or visit the track’s website at www.MillerMotorsportsPark.com. List of Champions: USGPRU: 125 GP Class: Nobi Iso 250GP Class: Adam Roberts Moriwaki 250H Class: Jake Lewis Honda Presents the Plaza Cycle Masters of the Mountains: Plaza Cycle King of the Mountain O: Aaron Clark Plaza Cycle King of the Mountain U: Josh Graham Wasatch Race Tire/Dunlop Open Superbike: Aaron Clark Middleweight Superbike: Josh Graham Open Superstock: Aaron Clark Fastline Racetire/Michelin Middleweight Superstock: David Lewis Honda-Suzuki of Salt Lake Heavyweight Superstock: Shannon Moham Salt Lake Motorsports Super Twins: Brian Whipple Salt Lake Motorsports Twins GTO: Michael Bunds Salt Lake Motorsports Twins GTU: Shane Turpin Endurance GTU: Michael Bunds Endurance GTO: Travis Child Endurance Overall: Michael Bunds Formula 40: Shane Turpin Amateur GTO: Spencer Steed Corporate Suspension Amateur GTU: Spencer Steed Novice GTO: Eric Jones Novice GTU: Mac Millner