From a press release issued by Nikon Yamaha Factory Racing Team:

Nikon Yamaha Factory Racing Team

Ready For Final Fling

After seven months of trekking around the vast continent of Australia to compete, the season comes down to the final round of the 2004 Shell Advance Australian Superbike Championship as the series returns to Victoria at the picturesque Phillip Island circuit this weekend (September 10-12)

After scooping the awards at the last round in Queensland, the Nikon Yamaha Factory Racing Team is determined to finish the season on a high and again claim the honours in the Superbike class.

It will be a tall order this weekend, as the Nikon Yamaha Factory Racing Team will have only one representative in the Superbike class with Shannon Johnson the lone entrant after the forced withdrawal of his teammate, Daniel Stauffer.

Novocastrian Stauffer – who claimed the outright round victory with two wins and a second place in Queensland – was forced to undergo further surgery to his injured shoulder as the original operation did not unite the bones. So in reality Stauffer was still riding with a broken shoulder for the previous three rounds, a testament to the man’s courage and determination.

With his absence it will be up to Johnson to fly the Nikon Yamaha flag high and he will assuredly be in a focused mood to finish the domestic season the best way he can and with Johnson, anything bar victory will be unacceptable.

In his first full year on a Superbike Johnson has re-established himself as one of the top riders in Australia. No doubt this weekend the Victorian will thrive on his home track with the added responsibility of being the lone rider for the team.

“We’ve had an up and down year,” explained Nikon Yamaha Factory Racing Team Manager, Steve Trinder. “We started off on fire, had a lean patch through the middle but in the last three rounds both riders have shown the talent and commitment necessary to run at the top and we have started to claim the majority of race wins. It may be too late to win the championship but at least we can show the opposition of what might have been had old Lady Luck shined on us as much as some others!

“I was stunned to learn of the adversity that Daniel has been soldiering on as he has been nowhere near 100% fit to ride. With the performance and power of the Nikon Yamaha YZF-R1 and the condition that Daniel has ridden in demonstrates what a tough and uncompromising competitor he is.

“It’s unfortunate that he can’t take his place in the team but I know Shannon will be able to do an impressive job and give the Nikon Yamaha Factory Racing team success with more race wins.

“Shannon has now really shown what he can do on a 1000cc Superbike and his performances in the last few rounds reflect the faith I showed in signing him to the Nikon Yamaha Factory Racing Team. We all knew that he would take time to come to terms with the bike, the team and the tyres but he has shown how good a rider he is and what he can develop into.

“The championship may be a very tall order to claim but at least we can hopefully finish the championship season with a few more wins.”

In the 600cc Supersport category, Brendan Clarke appears to have extricated himself from the black cloud that has hovered over him for the majority of the year after he finished third overall in Queensland. Admittedly it was his home track but his performances have certainly given him a boost of confidence to do well at a track that he has tasted success at in the past.

2004 Shell Advance Australian Superbike Championships after six (of seven) rounds:

1 A Fergusson (Honda) 316pts; 2 Shannon Johnson (Nikon Yamaha YZF-R1) 250; 3 S Giles (Suzuki) 242; 4 Daniel Stauffer (Nikon Yamaha YZF-R1) 215. 5 J Stauffer (Kawasaki) 175.