Jack Mahaffy Takes Race One Win for YMF R3 Cup

Round 5 Morgan Park Raceway set the scene for a welcome return for the YMF R3 Cup to the Yamaha Motor Finance Australian Superbike Championship Presented by Motul Pirelli (ASBK). Securing pole position for the YMF R3 Cup was Jack Mahaffy (JDS Moto, Yamaha YZF-R3). Mahaffy setting his fastest qualifying lap early on in the second session. Locky Taylor (Locky Taylor Racing,  Yamaha YZF-R3) managed to get within .276s of Mahaffy, with Hunter Ford (O Fox, Yamaha YZF-R3) in third.           

Race One featured a skirmish between Mahaffy, Tommy Edwards (Alpinestars, Yamaha YZF-R3), Ford and Taylor for the victory. Mahaffy managed to gain the ascendency quite early on, leading the race for the opening laps. However his rival Edwards managed to take the lead at the half way mark of the race.

Mahaffy and Edwards would trade places on just about every lap for the remainder of the race. By this time the top four were beginning to build a significant gap to fifth place getter Ben Bramich (Ron Angel Classic Racing, Yamaha YZF-R3).

The race came down to the wire as Edwards took the lead on the penultimate lap. However, Mahaffy managed to overtake Edwards on the final lap for victory. Edwards mentioned that he attempted to overtake Mahaffy on the final lap, but a scare with losing traction caused him to think championship and maintain the second place.

Ford and Taylor finished close behind the pair in third and fourth positions. Six tenths of a second covered the top four as they crossed the finish. Taylor managed to set the fastest lap of the race, which was also a new race lap record for the class.

Ross Beames (Jennifer Beames, Yamaha YZF-R3) and Matt O’Connell (AMCN, Yamaha YZF-R3) were imposed 10 second penalties for jump starts.

Quotes from the Riders 
Jack Mahaffy: 
It was a great race! I had sun glare in my eyes the whole time but I tried to not let it affect my performance. I tried to play it stratiegely, even sitting behind Tommy at times to see which parts of the track he was at his strongest. It all came down to the last lap and I managed to complete the overtake. I could even see Tommy’s shadow as he tried to pass me on the last lap but I saw he almost had a moment. Overall great race!

Tommy Edwards
After Jack overtook me in the inside, I tried to retake my position and then the front end and the back lost traction and the bike did a bit of a skid. From there I thought championship and followed Jack to the finish. It was a close race and Jack was really fast. I’m getting a lot of experience racing in Australia and the boys in all the classes are really fast, road racing is looking really strong at the moment.

Hunter Ford
Third is a great start to the weekend, I didn’t have a great race in the Hi-Tec Batteries Supersport 300 race but its great to be up near the front in the YMF R3 Cup. We are using last year’s suspension but I’m just trying my hardest to stay near the front.

Tomorrow’s YMF R3 Cup races will be taking place at 12:20pm and 13:40pm.

Provisional YMF R3 Cup Race One Results
1 Jack MAHAFFY (JDS Moto, Yamaha YZF-R3)
2 Tommy EDWARDS (Alpinestars, Yamaha YZF-R3)
3 Hunter FORD (O Fox, Yamaha YZF-R3)
4 Locky TAYLOR (Locky Taylor Racing,  Yamaha YZF-R3)
5 Ben BRAMICH (Ron Angel Classic Racing,  Yamaha YZF-R3)
6 Mitch KUHNE (Shark Leathers, Yamaha YZF-R3)
7 Tayla RELPH (Motorcycle Sportsmen, Yamaha YZF-R3)
8 Boyd HOCKING (Boyd HOCKING (DPH Motorsport Yamaha, YZF-R3)
9 Jonah SITA (Flashpoint Motosport, Yamaha YZF-R3)
10 Troy RYAN (Taree Motorcycles, Yamaha YZF-R3)

                                Round 5 Morgan Park Raceway Program

To access the digital program, simply click on the photo below. If you wish to download the program to take it on the go, sign up and create an ISSUU account.

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Can’t make it to the track? Then make sure you watch the ASBK, this Sunday on channel SBS at 1pm AEST or Live Stream from 9:30am on asbk.com.au.

Tickets for Morgan Park Raceway in Queensland are now available for purchase online. Snap up your tickets for Round 5 today by clicking here!

2017 Yamaha Motor Finance Australian Superbike Championship Presented by Motul Pirelli Calendar:
Round 5                                           Morgan Park Raceway,      QLD 25-27 August
Round 6                                           SMSP Eastern Creek,        NSW  8-10 September  
Round 7    Spokes.com.au presents Phillip Island Circuit,    VIC 6-8  October

Pictured: Jack Mahaffy
Courtesy Andrew Gosling TBG Photography