2015

Jones makes it a QLD clean sweep

News

Cube Racing Team pilot Mike Jones has swept the Yamaha Motorcycle Insurance Superbike class at the second round of the 2015 Yamaha Motor Finance ASBK Championship presented by Motul Pirelli.

In glorious sunshine at Morgan Park in Queensland, Jones was a comfortable victor on the day, taking impressive wins in both Superbike races.

JD Racing’s Daniel Falzon finished the round in second (2^nd and 2^nd from his two races), while Ryan Hampton (Next Gen Motorsports) claimed third overall (4^th and 3^rd).

Race 1

There was an air of anticipation as the opening Superbike race got underway and it was Falzon who moved into the lead at the opening turn ahead of Jones, who was slow to get off the mark when the lights turned green.

Chaz Hern (Chaz Hern Racing) came through in third position with James Mutton (Brisbane Motorcycles) in fourth, Ben Henry (Cube Racing Team) and Phil Lovett (Cessnock Motorcycles) in fifth and sixth.

By the end of lap one Jones had moved into the lead but the race was red-flagged after a group of four kangaroos made their way across the track.

An amazing restart saw Jones, Falzon and Hern come together, and in a test of nerve it was Jones who made way dropping behind the other two riders.

Hern took the lead at turn one from Falzon, and held onto it for the whole of lap one before he was overtaken by Falzon on the outside and Jones on the inside at the first corner of lap two.

Jones took the lead and at that point it was busyness as usual, after the local posted back-to-back sub 1:16 lap times to open a gap at the front from Falzon.

Falzon in turn had pulled a full three seconds clear of Hern, while Mutton and Hampton, Henry and Lovett followed.

Mutton dropped back into seventh on lap six of the 14-lap race, pushing Hampton up to fourth and a couple of seconds clear of Lovett in fifth.

By the half way-mark of the race Jones was dominating up front – opening an eight-second lead over Falzon who had the same buffer from third-placed Hern.

Mutton entered the pits on lap nine forcing him out of top-10 contention, and with the top-three looking safe all eyes were on the battle for third, fourth and fifth.

Hampton, Lovett and Henry was the order from the half-way point of the race, and that is exactly how it stayed through the backend of the race.

Hampton rode consistently well to hang on to fourth, while Lovett ended the race nearly 12 seconds ahead of Henry in fifth.

But up front it was all about Jones, who finished 17.242 seconds ahead of Falzon, with Hern a further 13-second behind.

Race 2

Falzon took the lead into the opening turn of race two meaning Jones had to settle for second spot, with Hern following the pair in third.

It didn’t take long for Jones to claim the lead, and he began to put a gap on Falzon, while Hern, Henry, Hampton and Mutton were all bunched up behind them.

By the end of lap two there was still only a second between the top-two riders, however the gap to the field had blown out to four seconds.

Hampton moved up into fourth spot on the third lap, while Lovett, Adam Senior (Senior Engineering), Phil Czaj and Andy Fisher were all inside the top-10.

On lap six under intense pressure from Hampton, Hern came off at turn six, and by the time he re-entered the race he was back in 11^th spot.

Up the front at the halfway mark Jones had opened a 5.937 gap to Falzon who in turn was another nine seconds clear of Hampton in third.

Henry was not far behind in fourth, while Lovett was keeping Mutton at bay in fifth and sixth spots respectively.

With two laps to go Mutton was forced out of the race pushing Czaj into sixth spot, but nearly a full minute ahead of him was a possessed Jones who never looked like doing anything other than taking the race win.

In the end it was a matter of how big the gap would be – Jones finishing a comfortable 13.448 seconds ahead of Falzon in second.

Hampton held on to third place, while Henry and Lovett rounded out the top five.

Jones now holds an 18-point lead in the Championship from Falzon in second, with Hampton a further 10 points behind in third.

The next round of the Championship will be held at Barbagallo Raceway in Western Australia from 22-24 May.

ROUND RESULTS

1          Mike JONES (QLD)                (25, 25)          51
2          Daniel FALZON (SA)              (20, 20)          40
3          Ryan HAMPTON (NZ)           (17, 18)          35
4          Ben HENRY (QLD)                (15, 17)          32
5          Philip LOVETT (NSW)          (16, 16)          32
6          Chas HERN (VIC)                  (18, 13)          31
7          Philip CZAJ (VIC)                   (14, 15)          29
8          Adam SENIOR (WA) (12, 14)          26
9          Andy FISHER (NSW) (13, 12)          25
10       Joseph SALTER (QLD)          (10, 11)          21

OVERALL CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

1          Mike JONES (QLD)                87
2          Daniel FALZON (SA)              69
3          Ryan HAMPTON (NZ)           59
4          Chas HERN (VIC)                  50
5          Ben HENRY (QLD)                46
6          Troy HERFOSS (NSW)          45
7          Josh HOOK (NSW)                45
8          Philip LOVETT (NSW)          43
9          Philip CZAJ (VIC)                   41
10       Linden MAGEE (QLD)           34