Baird Fastest In Australian Formula Xtreme Qualifying At Eastern Creek

Baird Fastest In Australian Formula Xtreme Qualifying At Eastern Creek

© 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

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From a press release issued by the series organizers:

BAIRD TAKES FORMULA XTREME POLE.

Defending Formula Xtreme champion Robbie Baird will start from pole position for this weekend’s third round of the Yamaha Xtreme Tri-State at Sydney’s Eastern Creek Raceway after the completion of today’s two qualifying sessions.

Baird set a best lap of 1:34.083 in the first of the two sessions aboard his Radar’s Team Yamaha YZF R1, in what were very cold, but dry track
conditions. The cold track temperatures meant that all of the competitors were faced with difficult tyre choices as they battled to find a tyre suited to the conditions that would provide the level of grip that they were looking for.

“At this point in time we are quicker than we were when we were here at the opening round aborad the new 2002 model YZF R1,” said Baird. “I had a clear track during the first session and took full advantage of it. We made some changes on the front end of the bike for the second session, but that affected the steering of the bike and didn’t give us what we wanted. We’ll
try a few more things for the morning warm up tomorrow and hopefully will be right for the four races.”

Second fastest was the Bio Magnetics Yamaha YZF-R1 of Jamie Stauffer. The Kurri Kurri rider set a time of 1:34.296 and was one of the few riders who
were able to improve his time in the second session.

The front row of the grid will be completed by the Radar’s Team Yamaha pair of Kevin Curtain (1:34.316) and Craig Coxhell (1:34.378).

New Zealander Tony Rees will head Row two at this stage, but his place ontomorrow’s grid will depend on how he feels after crashing during the final qualifying session this afternoon. His time of 1:34.383 was fractionally faster than his morning time, but his highside at Turn Three on his seventh lap of qualifying has seen him suffer injuries to his right hip and leg.

Sixth fastest was Daniel Stauffer on the second Bio Magnetics Yamaha YZF-R1 with a 1:34.755, followed by Josh Brookes (Team Honda CBR954RR, 1:34.937), while Wayne Maxwell (Bob Muir Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000) will complete the second row of the grid after recording a time of 1:35.169.

Leading privateer for the weekend in Queenslander Luke Phillips. He was ninth overall aboard his RMS Competition Engines Honda CBR954RR with a best
lap of 1:35.237. Completing the top ten was the Ducati 996R of Wagga’s Craig McMartin 1:35.383.

The Formula Xtreme riders will be out of the track for four 8-lap races tomorrow with all of tomorrow action starting from 9:00am.

Along with qualifying for the Yamaha Formula Xtreme class, there were a total of nine races on today’s schedule.


YAMAHA SUPERSPORT

Bio Magnetics Yamaha YZF-R6 rider Jamie Stauffer proved to be the man to beat this afternoon, taking victory in both of today’s 6-lap supersport
races.

Starting from pole position he led each lap on his way to victory in race one, but was challenged for the lead by Radar’s Team Yamaha YZF R6 rider Kevin Curtain. Curtain was able to take the race lead on two occasions, but
Stauffer showed superior speed on his bike to slip stream past down the long main straight.

Even though Curtain was forced to settle for second in each race, he did come away with a new Supersport lap record with a time of 1:36.109 set on lap 4 of the first race.

Third and fourth races were shared between Cameron Donald (Team Brown Gouge Suzuki GSX-R600) and Russell Holland (Pirelli Tyres Suzuki GSX-R600). Donald got the nod in race one, before Holland reversed the order in race two.


BUELL NAKEDBIKES / STREETFIGHTER NK LITES
Just one Buell Nakedbike/Streetfighter NK Lites was held today and it was the unbeaten Craig Trinder aboard his Bio Magnetics Yamaha FZ1 who stretched his winning streak to nine from nine for the season.

The Queenslander was in blistering form, not only taking the race win, but also setting a new Buell NakedBike lap record with a 1:38.248 set on lap 3.

Second went to the Gulf Western Oils entry of Dave Butler (Yamaha FZ1) who trailed Trinder by 3.435 seconds at the flag. Michael Thomas (Wet 4U Racing Kawasaki ZRX 1100) held out Steven Fisher (Seaside Motorcycles Honda 900 Hornet) for third after a race long tussle.


FX PRO-TWINS
Defending champion Craig McMartin was in a determined mood today as he took out a clean sweep of the FX Pro-Twins events.

Starting from pole position, the Wagga Ducati 998S rider took victory in both 6-lap races in comprehensive style.

He won the opening race by 2.982 seconds from a battling pair of Dave Butler (BEAR’s Ducati F1 Race Team) and Mike Soderland (JSG Gowanloch Racing Aprilia RSV) and won the second by 6.286 seconds from a tremendous three-way battle between Peter Hinton (BEAR’s Ducati F1 Racing Ducati 998S), Butler and Soderland, that saw less than half a second covering the three.


EXEL APRILIA CHALLENGE
Veteran Queenslander John Allen (Aluma Lite Racing) was out to show all of his younger rivals the quick way around Eastern Creek and did so by taking out the two 6-lap EXEL Aprilia Challenge races held today.

The order was the same for both races, with Allen outpacing Dustin Goldsmith (Ian Altona & Associates) and Lachlan Elder. It was tight in the opener with Allen getting there by just 0.6 of a second, but he had a stronger advantage
in race two, taking the win by 4.12 seconds.


FORMULA OZ
Defending Formula Oz champion John Allen had a mixed day of fortune aboard his Aluma Lite Racing Honda NSR-V500 during today’s two 6-lap races.

A deflating rear tyre forced Allen to slow his pace in race one and he was unable to apply any pressure to race winner Alistair Maxwell (Kawasaki
ZX-7R). With the problems solved for race two he reversed the finishing order with Maxwell in a thrilling race that saw the existing lap record held by Allen, beaten by Maxwell who set a new mark of 1:35.477.

Third in both races was Mark Stanley aboard his Stu Avant Team MSR Honda RS250.


FORMULA XTREME
Qualifying
1. Robbie BAIRD, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:34.083
2. Jamie STAUFFER, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:34.296
3. Kevin CURTAIN, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:34.316
4. Craig COXHELL, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:34.378
5. Tony REES, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:34.383
6. Daniel STAUFFER, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:34.755
7. Josh BROOKES, Honda CBR954RR, 1:34.937
8. Wayne MAXWELL, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:35.169
9. Luke PHILLIPS, Honda CBR954RR, 1:35.237
10. Craig MC MARTIN, Ducati 996R, 1:35.383

Lap Record: Josh Brookes (Honda CBR929RR) 1:33.365 (08/07/01)

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