Superbike Masters had each masters and apprentices! SMP in evaluate.

ASBK 2023

Spherical Two – Sydney Motorsport Park

Sureflight Superbike Masters

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After a profitable two rounds of the Superbike Masters Cup with ASBK in 2022, this yr the idea has been expanded to a few rounds, with the primary held final weekend beneath lights at Sydney Motorsport Park, along side the second spherical of the 2023 Australian Superbike Championship.

The Masters is open to Interval 5 Forgotten Period bikes manufactured between 1 January 1973 to 31 December 1982, and Interval Six New Period for bikes manufactured between 1 January 1983 to 31 December 1990.

In flip these lessons had been divided into 4 sub-categories. In Interval 5 there was an Limitless class, and a Formulation 1 class (for GP or aftermarket bikes just like the Harris framed machines). Within the Interval Six New Period there have been Formulation 750 and Formulation 1300 to embrace all genres and to permit as many bikes as doable to enter.

The brand new addition of the previous bikes to the Australian championship rounds has been a labour of affection for the principle instigator and man behind all of it, Darren Lark.

“Large Dazza” as he’s affectionately recognized has put in a mountain of labor to get the category on the cardboard. He’s lucky now that telephone calls are free on cell units as he’s been on the telephone greater than somebody who solutions 1900 calls!

His ardour for the class and his persistence has paid off as the sector has expanded from final yr with 36 historic bikes entered for the weekend’s three races.

The garages had been behind the paddock, and it was a sight to behold with these immaculately ready maintained and liked machines. In a method it was lucky the rains got here because it coated up the puddles of drool in all places from onlooking perving on what could possibly be known as artworks. The extent of preparation and presentation was extraordinarily spectacular. Equally spectacular was how exhausting the bikes had been ridden.

The riders could also be ageing in physique, however getting out on a observe and thrashing the bejeezus out of the historic machines retains their minds younger.

On the identical time, one should preserve the unbridled enthusiasm in reserve as bikes just like the Honda RC30’s of Phil Burke, Laurie Fyffe and Phil Bevan, a Bimota YB6 1000 of Steve Harley, Rob Younger’s Ducati 888, the Yamaha TZ750 owned by Terry Mackinnon and raced by Troy Corser, Damion Davis’ Suzuki TR750, Mick Johnston’s Ducati TTF1, a plethora of Suzuki Katanas and GSX1100Rs or the Harris XR69s of Scott Webster and Paul Parlett are within the irreplaceable class. Or if not, they’re extraordinarily costly to restore.

One rider making a welcome return to the observe after a few many years away was Greg Avery on an immaculately ready and maintained Suzuki Katana 1100 that was fettled by Jim Masri. It’s one other stunning machine.

Corser was a late entry on the TZ750 after the bike he was as a consequence of journey, the Les Corish Suzuki had just a few mechanical points within the lead up and couldn’t participate, so Corser was provided the bike that John Allen has tasted success on previously 5 years.

An fascinating tid-bit was that the grandson of Laurie Fyffe, Jed was making his personal mark in his debut within the blu cru Oceania Junior Cup, with son Matt, additionally in attendance. It will’ve been an historic event if Matt had determined to race for 3 generations to be participating in a spherical of the Australian Championships. There’s nonetheless two rounds to go…

Whereas there was loads of gray hair, beards and increasing waistlines on most of the class combatants, in distinction, there was a slim and comparatively match teen using and that was 26-year-old Keo Watson on the C&M Bikes Yamaha FZR1000. Watson claimed pole from Corser with the evergreen Murray Clark on his Gixxer 1100 rounding out the entrance row.

Two of the three, six-lap races had been the final on this system with a scheduled begin time of 10pm. With such a late begin it was spectacular to see what number of spectators stayed on to witness the on-track motion and display the recognition of the Superbikes of previous.

The observe temp was nonetheless over 26 levels when Watson rocketed into the lead off the road, from Corser however who suffered some brake issues. New pads had been fitted earlier than the race, however Corser was unaware that the category doesn’t obtain a sighting lap and separate warm-up lap and was unable to mattress the pads in correctly earlier than they gridded-up. As such within the pleasure of racing they glazed over to gradual his cost however nonetheless managed second albeit seven seconds behind Watson, whereas placing on his ordinary present of high quality wheel-stands that culminated with a size of the straight stand-up mono with one foot off the peg to cross the end line!

Clark’s race didn’t final lengthy as he dropped to eighth after the primary lap, moved as much as sixth however was compelled to retired after 4 laps, whereas relative newcomer to racing, Aaron Bennett took over third place from fifth on the grid. Bennett, from the Central Coast of NSW, was using his Dad’s Gixxer and has solely began on two wheels within the final two years after he crossed over from steering a go-kart. He’s quick and clean.

Fourth quickest qualifier Brian Bolster on one other of the C&M machines bought a shocker of a begin and dropped to sixth on the primary lap however regathered to present Bennett an actual battle within the ultimate half of the race as they had been throughout one another with Bennett grabbing third by simply 0.106 second from Bolster who seems totally recovered from his accidents suffered late final yr.

Race two was simply earlier than the dinner break on Saturday afternoon and it was a completely entertaining affair. Watson led away once more however after the standard slower begin of a two-stroke machine, Corser closed him down and took the lead on the second lap to submit his quickest lap of the weekend with a 1:38.112. The pair performed a little bit of toing-and-froing however with a few laps to go, the skies had a leak so with all bikes on slicks, warning was the secret. Watson was just a little braver than Corser and took the lead. It nearly got here unstuck as he practically flipped himself over the bars at Flip Two on the ultimate lap, with Corser proper behind. That warning was sufficient for Corser who buttoned off to make sure he introduced the TZ house to complete over 5 seconds adrift.

The circumstances ensured the sector was extra strung out than regular of their efforts to convey the bikes house in a single piece, but it surely didn’t halt the duelling between Bennett and Bolster. It was one other fantastic show of shut aggressive respectful using. Bennett once more gained the drag to the road to complete third however by the bee’s dick distance of simply 0.058 sec over Bolster this time.

After that using show by many, it was no surprise many stayed for the ultimate race of this system, however the intermittent rain returned to greet them making certain all had been on moist climate tyres. Earlier than the beginning Ken Watson, who’s a really skilled and profitable rider, in addition to a long run Keep Upright teacher, gave Keo the recommendation that if he wished to study moist climate using, to comply with Troy.

Younger Watson heeded the recommendation as the sector slid and slithered across the damp structure. Watson caught proper behind Corser, but it surely wasn’t all plain crusing as he had a few moments in these circumstances. It regarded like Corser actually wished to win the race as he powered via the ultimate flip to make a little bit of a niche over the 1000cc four-stroke, however Watson was affected person as he waited till coming onto the straight earlier than he gave the FZR full fuel to tug Corser to the road and take the win by 0.034 second.

Each riders are in numerous lessons, so it was solely bragging rights for total victory, however hey who’s going to knock again the prospect to beat Troy Corser in a race?

Sadly, the duel for third between Bennett and Bolster didn’t eventuate as for Bennett his race got here to an finish at Flip One with slightly below two laps remaining whereas once more in third total, with a mechanical, whereas Bolster entered the pits after one lap, which in flip allowed Corey Glock on his Gixxer 750 to assert third.

With two races run in very sketchy circumstances it’s a credit score to all that had been out on observe that there have been no crashes in any of the three races.

The subsequent spherical will likely be alongside the ASBK spherical at Phillip Island in late October, with the third and ultimate spherical – once more with ASBK – on the Bend on the primary weekend in December.

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Sureflight Superbike Masters Spherical Factors

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2023 ASBK Calendar

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