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Australian GP 2003 - Aussie Support Events - Superbike - Race 2 October 18th, 2003 |
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Australian GP 2003 - Aussie Support Events - Superbike - Race 2 October 18th, 2003 |
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Craig Coxhell was out in this one to try and make amends for the electrical gremlins yesterday that struck his machine yesterday. The wind had shifted slightly
before this race with the breeze blowing a little more south-westerly which will make it hard for the boys to hold their big superbikes on line through the fast left hander which leads them on to
the main straight. Coxhell got the jump off the line again today, the young Shepparton rider always seems to be able to get off the line more cleanly than the others at most tracks this year. Josh Brookes took the advantage on the run to Honda Corner though and moved past Coxhell for the lead. As they came around on to the straight to start lap two it was Brookes, Coxhell, Stauffer, Giles. Then in one of the most absolutely amazing moves I have ever witnessed at Phillip Island Daniel Stauffer went around the whole lot of them on the outside between turns 1 and 2, how he pulled that off I will never know. The rider shuffle then put Brookes at the back of the leading quartet and Giles then put the bit between his teeth to take the lead from Stauffer. This race was rapidly unfolding to be an absolute corker.Giles then went under the lap record with a 1m35.24 with Stauffer right behind him on a 1m35.37. This duo pulled a full second out of Coxhell and Brookes on that lap. A little down the order a titanic battle was being waged over fifth place with McCarthy, George, Tozer and Charlton the chief protagonists. Giles and Stauffer continued to set a cracking pace out in front with both riders continuing in the 1m35 bracket and leaving Brookes and Coxhell in their wake. The two younger riders having their own serious tussle over that 3rd position which was allowing Giles and Stauffer to escape even further.By the time the leading pair got the last lap board they had opened up a 5-second gap over Coxhell and Brookes. Giles and Stauffer went hammer and tong on the final lap to duke it out and it was Shawn Giles who took the win by 1-tenth of a second. Brookes just managed to pip Coxhell for the final podium spot.
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