Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

2003 Shell Advance Australian Superbike Championship
Round 5 – Saturday Report – Eastern Creek – August 30, 2003

By Trevor Hedge (www.mcnews.com.au)

Newcastle’s Kevin Curtain (Nikon Yamaha) took the first point in the race for the 2003 Shell Advance Australian Superbike Championship after setting pole position at Eastern Creek today. The fastest times were set in morning qualifying as strong afternoon winds prevented the riders from bettering those times in the final qualifier this afternoon.

The single point that Curtain earns for pole could prove vital to the final outcome of the Championship.

20-year-old Shepparton rider Craig Coxhell (Team Suzuki) leads the Shell sponsored Championship by 15 points over his teammate, and three-time reigning champion, Shawn Giles (Team Suzuki). Curtain’s point for pole now moves him to within three points of second-place Giles, making the battle for the Championship an even closer tussle.

Coxhell’s best result in the Australian Superbike Championship was second place in 2001. Giles has won the past thee titles, while Curtain won the production class that was part of the Australian Superbike Championship in 1998.

But another factor in the mix could be Daniel Stauffer (Nikon Yamaha). The 26-year-old Novocastrian piloted his YZF-R1 to an incredible 1:32.7 lap during Friday practice, well under the Production Superbike lap record. However, as the time was set during practice, rather than qualifying or racing, the time is not recorded as an official new lap record.

Even though Stauffer could certainly challenge for the race wins, unfortunately, he is not in the points race for the Championship title. Considering this, it seems likely that Stauffer could be under team orders tomorrow to ensure Curtain takes maximum possible points in his quest for the Australian Superbike Title.

Curtain has won a pair of Australian Supersport Championships, his first in 1996 while riding for Kawasaki before bringing Yamaha a title in 2000. This weekend the 36-year-old hopes to win another Supersport Championship for Yamaha. His second place in this afternoon’s opening encounter extended his Championship lead to 26 points over his young Nikon Yamaha teammate Brendan Clarke.

However, the star of Supersport today was Sydney’s 20-year-old Joshua Brookes (Team Honda). Brookes took pole position and then followed it up with a dominant win. Brookes and Curtain both got off the line well, but the youngster went around the outside of Curtain at turn one, and was never headed.

Very windy conditions were not conducive to fast times, but that didn’t stop Brookes managing a 1:35.3 lap, only one-tenth off the race lap record. With the 25 points that accompany the race win, and the solitary point earned for pole position, Brookes has surpassed his teammate, reigning Australian Supersport Champion Shannon Johnson, to take third place in the outright points.

Western Australia’s Peter Taplin had wrapped up the Australian 250 Grand Prix Championship at the previous round and added to his points tally today with a win in the opening 250cc GP race of the weekend.

The 125cc Grand Prix Title had also been decided prior to this round with 16-year-old Mildura rider Joshua Waters lifting the title in Queensland. But Waters was nearly chased down today by a rider even younger than himself. Jason O’Halloran, 15, put in a great performance at his home track to come back from a poor start to take second place.

Multiple Australian Champion Shane Soutar had dusted off his 500cc World Championship sidecar for this event. Under 2003 rules two-strokes are no longer allowed in Australian Sidecar events but Motorcycling Australia afforded Soutar special dispensation for this race meeting for Soutar to make a guest appearance on his two-stroke screamer. The Victorian rider showed that he has not lost the competitive spirit and won the opening race at Eastern Creek today. He didn’t have it all his own way though as he came under heavy attack from the pairing of Vince Messina and Alison Scoullar, themselves multiple time Australian Champions.

The battle for the Australian Superstock Title for ‘C’ and ‘D’ graded newcomers has been hectic with Ballarat’s Leigh McKenzie and Taree’s Alex Cudlin going hard at it all year. McKenzie holds the overall points lead but is was Cudlin who took a dominant win at Eastern Creek today in their opening encounter for the weekend.

Tomorrow is the final day of competition in the 2003 Shell Advance Australian Superbike Championship, with the premier Superbike and Supersport Titles still up for grabs at Eastern Creek.