Callum Spriggs is Phillip Island Supersport Champion
The second race for the Australian Supersport competitors saw Cube Racing’s Callum Spriggs shine under the beaming Phillip Island sun today, as he took both the race two win by 5.694 seconds, and walked away with the Phillip Island Supersport Championship at the 2016 Michelin Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix.
A dry Phillip Island Grand Prix circuit offered the perfect setting for what was set to be an enjoyable yet intense Supersport race, and that is exactly how the race played out in front of thousands of spectators this morning.
Getting the jump off the start was pole position’s Sam Clarke followed by a hard charging Callum Spriggs hugging his rear wheel. Eager to start race two in a good position Spriggs quickly made his move for the lead only a few corners in to the race. Second placed Clarke was followed by Next Gen Motorsports’ Ted Collins, battling with JNL’s Luke Mitchell and Cube Racing’s Robbie Menzies.
On the second lap all eyes were concentrated on Cube Racing’s Tom Toparis as he wrangled his way to sixth position after starting 11th on the grid in his debut Superport ride. Battling with Menzies (5th) and Mark Chiodo (7th) for positions.
With the top four positions remaining the same and all eyes on the battle for fifth, sixth and seventh, it was on the third lap that Chiodo made a tight move in to Honda Corner overtaking both Menzies and Toparis in one great move relegating both of them.
Chiodo was now eager to chase the rear wheel of Collins still sitting in fourth behind first placed Spriggs who had pulled a 1.145 second gap on Clarke and Mitchell.
By the half way mark in the race Menzies had snatched back fifth position from Chiodo. However, with a swift change of events Toparis got the drive to overtake both Menzies and Chiodo, while Mitchell closed the gap between Clark and himself, applying the pressure.
Neck and Neck down the front straight it was Mitchell who had the speed over Clarke, and with two laps to go shone through to take Clarke’s second position. Mitchell eager to run away with it sped off on Clarke developing just under a one second gap.
Spriggs well and truly out in the lead had developed a 5.050 second gap from second placed Mitchell, needing him now to just stay consistent and cross the finish line to take victory.
At the showing of the last lap board, Spriggs led from Mitchell and Clarke, while Collins remained in fourth position. Fifth was Toparis managing to hold off both Menzies and Chiodo around the final lap of Phillip Island Grand Prix circuit.
And as they came across the finish line for the final time this weekend this is how positions remained, with Spriggs taking the race victory and cementing his fate as the 2016 Phillip Island Supersport Champion.
Spriggs shared his chase for glory in the final race, mentioning that he was happy to finally get on the top step of the podium at Phillip Island.
“I got a good start, and then it was kind of hard to go fast because none of us have had a dry session yet this weekend,” Spriggs shared.
“I was feeling pretty good, and I just tried to go fast straight away. I was hitting all my lines and managed to pull a few seconds on the first three or four laps.
“I didn’t have a pit board or a lap timer to see how I was going but I looked across on the straight and seen that I had a gap and just kept going.
“I am just really happy to get my first win at Phillip Island and finally get the top step of the podium. The bike worked great and the tyres weren’t spinning too much, so it finished off as a good day,” he concluded.
The Australian Supersport competitors have now completed all their races at the 2016 Michelin Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, and will now be focusing their attention on the 2017 season ahead.
For a full list of results head to www.computime.com.au.
To stay up to date with the latest news from this weekend’s Moto GP event head to www.asbk.com.au, like the ASBK Facebook page and follow @ASBK on Instagram.
Images courtesy of Andrew Gosling/tbgsport – pictured: Callum Spriggs
