Brookes and McCarthy led them through turn one for the first time, Holland, Clarke and Allerton close behind.

McCarthy and Brookes crossed the line side by side to start the second lap and Holland joined them at turn 1 while McCarthy took the lead off Brookes at the same turn.  Clarke was getting left a few bike lengths behind the leading trio though.

The Australian Supersport lap record at Phillip Island is one of the longest standing.  Adam Fergusson set that record early in 1999 with a 1m37.973.

But these boys were here to set new records today and both McCarthy and Brookes eclipsed that record on their third lap but Brookes was the quickest with a 1m37.5 but McCarthy still led the way.

But not for long, Brookes got McCarthy early on lap four but the young Sydney rider could not escape from his vastly more experienced team-mate.  McCarthy actually slipped back past Brookes at turn 1 on lap 6, then a corner later Holland also moved past Brookes.  The young Kawasaki pilot then took McCarthy for the lead on the run at Honda Corner.

McCarthy then slipstreamed Holland down the main straight to take the lead back on the next lap and held it to get the last lap board.  But Holland slipped through for the lead again at turn one and the trio ran nose-to-tail around the back of the track.  Then it was a drag race to the line and McCarthy pipped Holland for the win by 1-hundredth of a second with Brookes coming home third only 1-tenth further back.  Clarke was a lonely fourth another 7 seconds behind the podium finishers.

Brookes sets a new lap record with that 1m37.56.

Dunlop are protesting against the tyres used by the Honda and Kawasaki boys.  Their protest stems from a technicality in regards to homologation of the tyres.

1. McCarthy
2. Holland
3. Brookes
4. Clarke
5. Aitchison
6. Geronomi
7. Allerton
8. Coote
9. Anthony
10. G Holland
11. Seaton
12. Stanley
13. Crowe
14. Simonson
15. Charlett
16. Love

Late Braking News

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