Perfect Supersport Weekend at Winton for Collins
Race One of the Spokes.com.au presents Round 3 of the tightly contested Motul Supersport class of the Yamaha Motor Finance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul Pirelli, was dominated by Ted Collins (NextGen Motorsports, Suzuki GSX-R) who once again proved his pace around Winton after the Suzuki mounted rider managed to pass the formidable Mark Chiodo (Repsol Gas Racing, Triumph 675 R) and cruise home to victory.
Collins attempted to establish his dominance early on, managing to slingshot his way into turn one and two, just as a red flag came out with an incident between Rhys Belling (LXI Racing, Yamaha YZF-R6), Aidan Hayes (Hayes Johnston Pty Ltd, Yamaha YZF-R6) and John Quinn (Phillip Island Off-Track Accommodation, Kawasaki ZX6R) ensued, requiring a race restart.
After the race restart, Collins once again set off the line in a flash, however, Chiodo managed to squeeze past and take the lead. Both Collins and Chiodo pulled away from the field at a rate of knots, clearly the class riders of the day.
The newly restarted race distance was reduced by a lap and saw Chiodo take the lead with Sam Muldoon (Proworx Racing, Kawasaki ZX6R) in third. Meanwhile, New Zealander Damon Rees (Tony Rees Motorcycles, Honda CBR RR) managed to work his way up to fifth from 11th position in no time at all.
Eventually, on lap two, Collins made his move and diced up the inside of Chiodo. As soon as Collins got a sniff of clean air with no traffic, he was unstoppable, even topping his own best qualifying time in yesterday’s session.
In the closing stages of the race, Collins had formed a massive gap but Chiodo was being chased down by Sam Lambert (Addicted to Track, Yamaha YZF-R6) Chiodo had a particularly slow last couple of laps and was nearly hunted down by Lambert. Chiodo managed to hold on to second in front of Lambert.
Lambert was so determined around the circuit that he actually begun to reel in the leaders and caught up to Chiodo, but it was too little too late. As Collins and Chiodo crossed the line before him.
Motul Spupersport Race 1 Top 10
1 Ted COLLINS (NextGen Motorsports, Suzuki GSX-R)
2 Mark CHIODO (Repsol Gas Racing, Triumph 675 R)
3 Sam LAMBERT (Addicted to Track, Yamaha YZF-R6)
4 Nic LIMINTON (Race Center, Yamaha YZF-R6)
5 Sam MULDOON (Proworx Racing, Kawasaki ZX6R)
6 Damon REES (Tony Rees Motorcycles, Honda CBR RR)
7 Tom TOPARIS (Cube Racing, Kawasaki ZX6R)
8 Cambridge OLIVIER (Sydney West Riders, Yamaha YZF-R6)
9 Mason COOTE (Aark Racing, Yamaha YZF-R6)
10 Ryan TAYLOR (RTR, Yamaha YZF-R6)
Motul Supersport Race 2
A total of 26 competitors lined up on the grid at Winton Motor Raceway for Race 2 of the Motul Supersport class. When the lights turned green, it was all business for Ted Collins, who again pulled away from the field, who all had a clean start. Sam Lambert was sitting in second with Mark Chiodo at his heels. The trio ever expanding their gap from the pack.
The battle that raged mid pack was spectacular, with overtakes aplenty, the fiercely contested Motul Supersport category lived up to its name as a tough category. The competition is tight but was made even tighter due to recent resurfacing works allowing faster cornering speeds. Lap nine saw Giuseppe Scarcella (Scarcella Watchmakers Leichhardt, Kawasaki ZX6R) forced off track by Jake Pruiti (Flashpoint Motorsport, Triumph 675 R) when he ran out of road into a corner. Damon Rees and Chriss Quinn (Coopers HXR, Yamaha YZF-R6) were looking smooth and consistent, as they were locked in close battle the whole way.
It was all eyes on the intense game of cat and mouse between Lambert and Chiodo in second and third respectively that captured spectators attention. But, just as Chiodo starts to make his move to steal second place on lap 11 from Lambert, Sam Condon went down in a corner after washing out the front end. Tom Toparis (Cube Racing, Kawasaki ZX6R) narrowly escaped being a victim of the drama. Collins was so far out in front at the chequered flag, that it took a full three and a half seconds for Chiodo to join him with Lambert a second off the Triumph’s pace.
The remainder of the pack begun to cross the line an incredible plus ten seconds behind Lambert. In a fairy tale ending, 17 year old Collins took the Race 2 win, the second of the weekend and second of his career.
Words from the riders:
Ted Collins
“Through testing, practice, qualifying and racing at Winton Raceway we have had great times. So we were confident coming into today. The Pirelli’s lasted full race distance with no troubles at all. We just managed the pace and watched the gap. From there on I just watched the good signals coming from the pit boards and made sure that the others weren’t gaining. The gap I had built meant that I could back right off in the last two laps and bring it home comfortably. It was a bit lonely out the front where it’s easy to slack off and make mistakes. I just had to keep cool and calm and bring it home across the line.”
Mark Chiodo
“It was a really great battle I had going with Sam the whole time, and I was just staying behind him waiting for a mistake, but he just wasn’t making any. I couldn’t out-break him anywhere, so I was thinking of waiting until late in the race to make my move. As soon he made a slight error I just got right up on the inside and held it.
I had a squiggle through the back section near the water tower, but I was happy that we had pace in the dry and it’s great that we could capitalise on it.”
Sam Lambert
“I have never raced at Winton before and I certainly never expected to be on the podium here, I thought I’d be a strong chance and it’s been a great weekend for me. I ran off out at turn one when I got a bit too greedy, but Chiodo was just unstoppable this weekend and he raced really well. I am excited for the next round of the ASBK at Hidden Valley in the Northern Territory, as it’s my home track and far more familiar!”
Motul Supersport Race 2 Top 10
1 Ted COLLINS (NextGen Motorsports Suzuki GSX-R)
2 Mark CHIODO (Repsol Gas Racing, Triumph 675 R)
3 Sam LAMBERT (Addicted to Track, Yamaha YZF-R6)
4 Sam MULDOON (Proworx Racing, Kawasaki ZX6R)
5 Damon REES (Tony Rees Motorcycles, Honda CBR RR)
6 Chris QUINN (Coopers HXR, Yamaha YZF-R6)
7 Mason COOTE (Aark Racing Yamaha YZF-R6)
8 Jake PRUITI (Flashpoint Motorsport, Triumph 675 R)
9 Tom TOPARIS (Cube Racing, Kawasaki ZX6R)
10 John HUNT (Suzuki GSX-R)
