This press release just in from Steve Reeves:

Formula Xtreme Promotions – Media Information
For immediate release
19 August 2001

BAIRD SECURES N.S.W. FORMULA X UNLIMITED TITLE

Queenslander Robbie Baird secured his second major title in as many months when he took out the 2001 Yamaha NSW Formula X Unlimited Championship at Sydney’s Oran Park Raceway today.

After taking victory in the first of three 7-lap legs that made up the Championship, Baird followed with a pair of second places to give him a total of 65 and another title along with the 2001 Yamaha Formula Xtreme Tri-State title that he secured in July.

Baird, along with his Radar’s Team Yamaha teammates Craig Coxhell and Jamie Stauffer, proved to be the dominant force in each race, with the pair taking out the minor placings and giving the Sydney-based Yamaha team a clean sweep
of the top positions.

“It’s a great feeling to have won another title,” said Baird. “The team has worked extremely hard all year and it’s a credit to everyone that we can not only get the win, but also get all three of us up on the podium.”

The three Yamaha riders shred a win apiece with Coxhell and Stauffer taking victory in races two and three. In finishing second overall, 18-year-old Coxhell scored a second, first and third, while Stauffer completed his day with two thirds and a win.

With the Yamahas in such dominant form, Wollongong’s Wayne Maxwell did well to keep the trio in sight aboard his NorthVac Kawasaki ZX-9R. The 18-year-old was consistent, finishing the day with three fourth places in the feature event, but made up for that with overall victory in the 2001 Honda NSW Supersport Championship.

Maxwell chased home Baird in the first of today’s two 7-lap Supersport legs before taking his Kawasaki ZX-6R to victory in race two and clinching the Championship in the process.

“It’s only the second full weekend of racing that I’ve competed on the 600, so it’s definitely a great result,” said Maxwell. “I chased Robbie (Baird) hard in the first race, but couldn’t get within striking distance at the end. In the second I just kept calm and didn’t make any mistakes.”

Maxwell led race two in a dominant flag to flag win as Baird was joined by Bringelly’s Josh Brookes (Geoff’s Auto Spares Honda CBR600F4i) and Queensland’s Ben Attard (Brisbane Motorcycles Honda CBR600F4i) in the battle for second. Brookes passed Baird on the penultimate lap to move into second, before Baird made an uncharacteristic mistake at Turn Four on the final lap, allowing Attard to slip by into third.

Queensland’s Robert Bugden (Netstar Aprilia RS250) was the most consistent of those competing in the Aprilia NSW 250 Production Championship and took out the Championship honors by finishing with a total of 58 points after finishing second, first and fourth in the three legs. Finishing second overall was Glenn Allerton (Terry Hay’s Shock Treatment Aprilia RS250) who after taking victory in races one and three, crashed out of the lead in race two, ruining any chance he had of taking the overall victory.

Honors for the 2001 NSW 250cc Grand Prix Championship saw Queensland veteran John Allen (Aluma Lite Racing Honda RS250) tied on points with Wollongong’s Chris Wilkie (Daytona M/C Painting Honda RS250) after the pair shared a win
and a second place in each of the two six lap races. Allen getting the decision by virtue of his better placing in race two which he won.

Defending Australian 125cc Grand Prix Champion Jay Taylor (Taylor Racing Honda RS125) added a NSW 125 GP title to his mantelpiece after two dominating wins in the smallest of the GP classes. With the 125cc and 250cc GP classes combined, Taylor was mixing it with Allen and Wilkie at the front of the field, displaying his 125’s exceptional speed.

The meeting also hosted the opening round of the 2001 LAZER Helmets Australian Sidecar Championship. The close-knit sidecar community was saddened yesterday when sidecar passenger Russell White was fatally injured during qualifying for the event, but the competitors rallied together to compete in today’s events.

Taking part in the first qualifying session for the opening round of the Lazer Helmets Australian Sidecar Championship (run in conjunction with this
weekend’s NSW title event) two sidecar outfits were involved in an incident at the end or Oran Parks main straight.

As a result of the incident White, who was a passenger in one of the sidecars, was fatally injured. Driver Robin McGregor escaped uninjured but was treated by medical staff for shock after the incident.

The driver and passenger on the second outfit were transported to hospital with driver Warren Bruce suffering a fractured arm and ribs, while passenger Mark Patterson suffered a broken hand.

The circumstances relating to the accident are currently under investigation.

The incident halted further qualifying sessions and opening races while investigations into the accident took place.

Formula Xtreme Promotions, the promoters of this weekend’s meeting, wish to pass on their condolences to Russell White’s family and friends.

Ray Spence and Jon Winders showed why they are the defending Australian Sidecar Champions, as they dominated today’s two races and took an early lead in the Championship. Second overall was the pairing of Vince Messina/Alison Scoullar who chased Spence and Winders home in each race.

The only non-championship event of the weekend was that of the combined Michelin Pro-Twins and Buell Nakedbike. With three 6-lap races conducted Suzuki TLR1000-mounted Chris Houghton emerged as the overall winner of the Michelin Pro-Twins after finishing with a win a two second placings, while Evan Jones (All Sun Motorcycles Suzuki Bandit) took out the honours as the highest placed rider in the Buell Nakedbikes.

2001 Yamaha NSW Formula X Unlimited Championship
(Overall points)

1. Robbie Baird, Radar’s Team Yamaha YZF-R1, 65 points
2. Craig Coxhell, Radar’s Team Yamaha YZF-R1, 61
3. Jamie Stauffer, Radar’s Team Yamaha YZF-R1, 57
4. Wayne Maxwell, NorthVac Kawasaki ZX-9R, 39
5. Alistair Maxwell, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 30
6. Alex Gobert, Redwing Honda CBR929RR, 29
7. Jay Normoyle, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 27
8. Stephen Fisher, Seaside Motorcycles Honda CBR929RR, 26
9. Roland Kruck, Doin’ Bikes Honda CBR929RR, 22
10. Clayton Landells, Williamstown Tech Services Suzuki GSX-R1000, 19

2001 Honda NSW Supersport Championship
(Overall points)
1. Wayne Maxwell, NorthVac Kawasaki ZX-6R, 41 points
2. Josh Brookes, Geoff’s Auto Spares Honda CBR600F4i, 40
3. Robert Baird, Radar’s Team Yamaha YZF-R6 38
4. Ben Attard, Brisbane Motorcycles Honda CBR600F4i, 29
5. Alex Gobert, Redwing Honda CBR600F4i, 22
6. Jay Taylor, Taylor Racing Kawasaki ZX-6R, 19
7. Mark Aitchison, Suzuki GSX-R600, 17
8. Simon Rattenbury,Team Tasforce Security Kawasaki ZX-6R, 15
9. Daniel Breen, Yamaha YZF-R6, 13
10. Rory Rock, Rock Motorcycles Honda CBR600F4i, 3



2001 Yamaha NSW Formula X Unlimited Championship

Race 1, 7 laps
1. Robbie Baird, Yamaha YZF-R1,8:32.017
2. Craig Coxhell, Yamaha YZF-R1, +0.058 secs
3. Jamie Stauffer, Yamaha YZF-R1, +0.148
4. Wayne Maxwell, Kawasaki ZX-9R, +0.484
5. Alex Gobert, Honda CBR929RR, +8.934
6. Alistair Maxwell, Suzuki GSX-R1000, +13.944
7. Stephen Fisher, Honda CBR929RR, +14.123
8. Jay Normoyle, Suzuki GSX-R1000, +14.296
9. Clayton Landells, Suzuki GSX-R1000, +20.880
10. Roland Kruck, Honda CBR929RR, +21.145
Fastest lap: Robbie Baird, 1:11.941 on lap 5

Race 2, 7 Laps
1. Coxhell, 8:28.877
2. Baird, +1.063 secs
3. Stauffer, +1.285
4. Wayne Maxwell, +1.435
5. Gobert, +15.417
6. Normoyle, +15.668
7. Alistair Maxwell, +15.884
8. Kruck, +16.149
9. Fisher, +18.237
10. Landells, +22.211
Fastest Lap: Craig Coxhell, 1:11.257 on lap 7

Race 3, 7 Laps
1. Stauffer, 8:28.780 mins
2. Baird, +0.040 secs
3. Coxhell, +0.324
4. Wayne Maxwell, +6.012
5. Alistair Maxwell, +15.466
6. Fisher, +15.706
7. Normoyle, +16.048
8. Kruck, +17.653
9. Gobert, +18.293
10. Landells, +22.263
Fastest Lap: Robbie Baird, 1:11.304 on lap 4