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Australian GP 2003 - Aussie Support Events - Supersport - Race 3 October 18th, 2003 |
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Australian GP 2003 - Aussie Support Events - Supersport - Race 3 October 18th, 2003 |
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 The final Supersport race for the weekend was expected to be a no holds barred
affair. Just look at the slightly blurry picture to the right of your screen to see how hard Josh Brookes was trying yesterday.A protest cloud still hung over this event with Dunlop and Bridgestone not happy about the particular Michelin tyres used here this weekend by the factory Honda and Kawasaki squads. This issue not likely to be settled until during the week after all appeals are heard and decided upon. Brookes was the early leader in this one and McCarthy was with him but a big crash took two riders down and brought out the red flag. Chris Galbraith one of the injured riders.The riders still standing came around again to form up on the grid for a re-started race over a reduced 7-lap distance. As the riders set out for another warm-up lap Kirk McCarthy was left stranded on the grid as his CBR600RR refused to fire for him. Holland got a good run off the line at the re-start but Brookesy quickly shot to the front. Scott Heyes came to grief on the first lap. Glenn Allerton figuring more strongly in this one as he caught on to the tail of Holland.Brookesy then set a new lap record on the second lap and then broke it again on the third lap when he put down a 1m37.33 scorcher. But Holland was not too far behind and also on the pace with a 1m37.58. Allerton and Clarke running 1m37.77 and 1m37.88 respectively on that third lap. Brookes then decided to do it again after lowering the mark to 1m37.11 on the fourth lap and this time Holland could not go with him as the Honda rider started to pull away. Allerton and Clarke having a ding-dong battle for third while a great fight for fifth was also unfolding, Aitchison and Geronomi the protagonists, 12-seconds behind the race leader and 9-seconds behind the battle for 3rd.Clarke and Allerton then started closing on Holland but a lapped rider cost them a little bit of time which allowed Holland to escape a little again. As they got the last lap board Brookes had a clear 3-second lead over Holland who was starting to come under attack again from Allerton and Clarke.Brookes takes a great win, Holland holds on for 2nd, Allerton 3rd, Clarke 4th. It was great to see most of the crowd stay around to watch these races. And why not? The Aussie support races are normally the best races of a GP or World Superbike weekend. McCarthy may not have started this race but his great results in the first two races gave him 2nd overall on points for the weekend, Brookes the overall winner. Clarke 3rd overall for the event, and Holland 4th.
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