Brookes goes the double at sensational Phillip Island finale Honda maestro Josh Brookes has signed off on a sensational year with a double triumph in the YMF Loan Australian Superbike Championship at Phillip Island on November 13. The 22-year-old, who rides for the factory Joe Rocket Honda team, not only cantered to a second Supersport championship on his CBR600RR, but he also chimed in to win the premier Superbike class in the most breathtaking of circumstances. After winning the second 11-lap Superbike race over Jamie Stauffer (Kawasaki Racing Team ZX-10R) and teammate Adam Fergusson (Joe Rocket Honda CBR1000RR), Brookes (CBR1000RR) finished the seven-round championship on the same number of points as Team Suzuki’s Shawn Giles (GSX-R1000) 279. However, Brookes was crowned Superbike champion on a countback, courtesy of more chequered flags during the year. Brookes’ win in race two was his fourth in 14 races, vis-à-vis to Giles’ three. “This is an unbelievable feeling,” said Brookes. “I didn’t know until I got back into the pits that I had won the championship, so I’m stoked. “The guys who race in Australia are world-class, and today was much harder work than when I won the world Supersport race here in 2004. “I’d especially like to thank my mechanic, who hasn’t put a foot wrong all year the only mistakes made have been by me.” Brookes will now head overseas in 2006, and is expected to make an announcement on his plans very soon. The factory Honda collaboration has now won both major Australian Superbike Championship (ASC) classes for the second year in succession, after Fergusson claimed the exalted double in 2004. Meanwhile, Giles, who completed his season with 3-4 finishes, was magnanimous in defeat, although coming so agonisingly close to a fourth championship was a bitter pill to swallow. “Firstly, congratulations to Joe Rocket Honda and Josh for taking his first championship,” said Giles, who claimed a hat-trick of titles from 2000-2002. “I couldn’t do anything more than I was doing today. I thought that Jamie (Stauffer) may have got in front of Josh again in race two, but it didn’t happen. “I also want to thank Suzuki for all its help this year. This has been the closest, toughest championship I’ve raced in, and everyone has worked together to achieve a great result. Suzuki is now going to be hungrier than ever to get back the championship crown in 2006.” Giles’ fourth place in race two was the first time in 16 ASC races at Phillip Island that he has failed to finish on the rostrum, allowing Brookes to eradicate the 7pt lead he held after the opening stoush. Giles finished third in that one, behind Stauffer and Brookes, while Fergusson limped home in 15th after problems with his Michelin rear tyre. Russell Holland (Shoei/RK Chains CBR1000RR) was also a leading light in the early stages before highsiding on lap six. That left Glenn Allerton to finish fourth on the second Team Suzuki GSX-R1000, ahead of privateer Shannon Etheridge (Nova Honda CBR1000RR). In race two, Stauffer, Brookes and Fergusson turned it into a three-way shootout, while Giles had a fight on his hands to keep Anthony Gobert (Redwing Honda CBR1000RR) and a slow-starting Holland in check. Brookes’ sheer willpower got him over the line by 0.834sec from Stauffer, while Fergusson, with his own championship hopes dashed in race one, was third from Giles and Holland. Gobert was troubled by cramp in the closing stages, but still finished sixth. Stauffer’s late championship flourish saw him finish third on 254pts, ahead of Fergusson (252pts) and Queensland Robbie Bugden (Northstar Yamaha YZF-R1, 252pts), who again finished another year as leading privateer. In Supersport, Brookes was always in the box seat to add to his previous title in 2001, and that’s how it panned out. In a reprisal of their brilliant finish in a support race at last month’s Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix, Brookes defeated Mark Aitchison (Fraser Motorcycles YZF-R6) by just 0.015sec in the opening Supersport hitout, while Josh Waters (Kawasaki Racing Team ZX-6RR) was a lonely third from outgoing champion Fergusson (Joe Rocket Honda CBR600RR) and Chris Seaton (Ewington Racing ZX-6RR). There were 20 finishers, with West Aussie Bryan Staring (Allect Racing CBR600RR) not one of them after crashing out of second place on lap five. With 19pts up his sleeve over Fergusson, Brookes completed this year’s Supersport harvest with a safe third place, behind runaway winner Aitchison and Staring. After finishing on the rostrum in 12 of the 15 races, including a bank of seven wins, Brookes completed the year on 310pts. Fergusson (288pts) held onto a secure second, ahead of round winner Aitchison (254pts), Waters (235pts) and Staring (221pts). More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki: In the closest finish the Australian Superbike Championship has ever seen, Team Suzuki’s Shawn Giles tied on points with arch rival Josh Brookes at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit today but lost out on a tie-break. After an exciting season-long battle between three-time champion Giles and Brookes, the result came down to a count of both riders’ race victories throughout the 2005 season, with three wins to four going in favour of Brookes. Heading into the final event with a ten-point lead over Brookes, the GSX-R-mounted rider needed strong results to secure victory. He qualified in seventh and had his work cut out, placing third and fourth in Sunday’s two 11-lap races which tied him with Brookes on 279 points. Said Giles: “Firstly, congratulations to the Joe Rocket Honda Team and Josh for taking his first championship. “I have to thank everyone at Team Suzuki: 2005 has been the closest, toughest championship I’ve raced and everyone has worked so hard together to achieve a top result. “Even though we didn’t take the title, we finished on equal points so obviously the Suzuki GSX-R1000 has the horsepower and pace to win the Australian Championship. This was a brand new bike for 2005 and now with a year of development under our belts, I’m looking forward to making a strong challenge for next season. Coming this close to the title, Suzuki is going to be even hungrier than ever for the championship crown.” Under the leadership of master tuner Phil Tainton, the Suzuki Team has claimed four Australian titles – three of those with Giles in the saddle. “Winning three of seven rounds, Shawn has come so close to winning this championship for Suzuki,” said Tainton. “Shawn is an incredible talent and a born champion and with the GSX-R1000 he’s been a dominant force in the Australian Superbike Championship yet again.” Giles’ team-mate Glenn Allerton finished the season on a high note finishing in sixth for the year and was awarded the Rookie of the Year title. Final Championship Points: 1. Josh Brookes (Honda) 279, 2. Shawn Giles (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 279, 3. Jamie Stauffer (Kawasaki) 254, 4. Adam Fergusson (Honda) 252, 5. Robert Bugden (Yamaha) 209, 6. Glenn Allerton (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 208, 7.Scott Charlton (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 159, 8. Shannon Johnson (Yamaha) 142, 9. Tony Rees (Yamaha) 142, 10. Daniel Stauffer (Yamaha) 133.