From a press release issued by Yamaha Racing Australia:

2003 SKYY Vodka Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix
Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, Victoria

Australian Superbike and Supersport support races.

SUPERBIKE AND SUPERSPORT PODIUMS FOR STAUFFER AND CLARKE AT AUSTRALIAN GP

The final national road race meeting of the 2003 season took place at Phillip Island last weekend with competitors in the Superbike and Supersport categories taking part in the support action to the Australian Grand Prix.

It proved to be another strong weekend for Yamaha riders in both categories with Nikon Yamaha riders Daniel Stauffer and Brendan Clarke scoring podium finishes in each class. Stauffer placed second overall in Superbike aboard his R1, while Clarke brought his R6 home in third place in the hotly contested Supersport event.

The GP weekend always proves difficult for those competing in the support categories as they have limited track time for practice and qualifying before taking to the circuit for their three scheduled races late on Friday and Saturday afternoon. A stark contrast to their regular race formats.

In the absence of Kevin Curtain (who is still recovering from an injured hip), Stauffer upheld the Yamaha challenge and battled for the lead in each of the three 8 lap races. He was the first to cross the line in the opening 8-lapper, but was adjudged to have jumped the start and was given a twenty-second penalty which dropped him down the result sheet to sixth. He responded in the remaining two races, finishing second and third, with a final overall placing of second behind Shawn Giles.

“I was really happy with how the Nikon Yamaha performed this weekend,” said Stauffer. “The first two races were very good, just a shame that I got pinged for a jump start otherwise we may have had a win there as well. The last race was hard as the hot track conditions made the tyres work very hard, but the Dunlop’s came through with the goods in the end though. I’m happy with how I’ve ridden in recent weeks and all I can say now is bring on the new R1 in 2004.”

Victorian veteran Stephen Tozer (Stafford Yamaha) also had a strong end to his season, completing the weekend with a pair of eighths and a sixth in the final race of the weekend to place him eighth overall on points.

As always, the Supersport competitors were in the thick of the action both on and off the track. The competition between teams and riders has definitely stepped up a gear in recent meetings and Phillip Island was no different.

Yamaha riders featured strongly in the Supersport action with five YZF R6’s placing in the top ten, with Clarke leading the way on his Nikon Yamaha machine with a consistent weekend of results that netted him third overall.

“I would have liked to have tried some different gearing on the bike, but with the limited sessions we didn’t have time, so we stuck with what we knew,” said Clarke. “The last race was quite difficult as we were kept on the start line for a long time before the race was restarted and everyone’s bikes were getting hot and I think that may have cost us a bit of power from the engine when we did get going. I did what I could under the circumstances and brought it home. I’m happy to have finished second overall, but it wasn’t quite the way I had planned for the weekend to run.”

Highlighting the depth of Yamaha’s privateer rider support were Glenn Allerton who finished fifth overall, Shaun Geronimi (Procycles Yamaha) seventh, Deon Coote (Gary O’Brien Yamaha) eighth and David Anthony (Deniliquin Yamaha) ninth.


Denso Australian Superbikes (Points after three legs):
1 Shawn Giles (Suzuki) 75; 2. Daniel Stauffer (Yamaha) 46; 3. Brent George (Honda) 36; 4. Josh Brookes (Honda) 36; 5. Craig Coxhell (Suzuki) 33; 6. Scott Charlton (Honda) 29; 7. Kirk McCarthy (Honda) 27; 8. Stephen Tozer (Yamaha) 26; 9. Nick Henderson (Honda) 20; 10. Ewan McClure (Suzuki) 18.

Denso Australian Supersports (Points after three legs):
1. Josh Brookes (Honda) 66; 2. Kirk McCarthy (Honda) 45; 3. Brendan Clarke (Yamaha) 42; 4. Russell Holland (Kawasaki) 40; 5. Glenn Allerton (Yamaha) 38; 6. Mark Aitchison (Honda) 33; 7. Shaun Geronimi (Yamaha) 30; 8. Deon Coote (Yamaha) 24; 9. David Anthony (Yamaha) 24;10. Chris Seaton (Kawasaki) 20.