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2005 Australian Superbike
Championship - Round Four - Mallala Team Report - Bugden June 5th, 2005
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2005 Australian Superbike
Championship - Round Four - Mallala Team Report - Bugden June 5th, 2005
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| Round 4 of the YMF Loans
Australian Superbike Championship at Mallala Motorsport Park in
South Australia provided some of the most action packed and
exciting Superbike racing seen for years in Australia. Lap
records, red flags and re-starts the order of the weekend. It has to be said that the quality in this field could hold there own in any domestic championship throughout the globe. Robert continued to display pace and improvement through out the weekend and left Mallala with another Trophy and a bag full of points. Practice One – Having had some pretty serious gearbox troubles over in Perth. Robert’s North Star Yamaha R1 required a complete rebuild and a new bottom end. With the limited amount of time available it was a miracle that Robert made it on to the track for practice one. Using the morning session to bed down the engine rebuild, Robert did not push his North Star Yamaha R1 and still managed to run a faster time than his 04 qualifying time with a 1.09.101 on lap 20 of 21. Placing him 7th fastest overall for the session. Practice Two- Going out in the afternoon session, with the gearbox problems resolved, Robert used this session to get the bike handling and dialled in to the Mallala circuit. Setting a time of 108.008 on lap 11 of 21. Robert said “ I used session one just to make sure the bike was running ok and I picked up the pace in session two but I didn’t feel like I chopped a second out of my time as I wasn’t pushing too hard” Qualifying One – With the factory riders all getting into the 1.07’s in the practice sessions Robert was aware that he had to be there to, to ensure a good starting position. Robert achieved this midway through the session with a 1.07.961 making him 7th fastest for the session. Qualifying Two – An action packed second session saw more drama unfold with fluid and debris at the exit of turn five claiming a rider and the session being stopped. Robert had just been finding a rhythm and was about to pit to change to a softer tyre to push for a faster qualifying time when the red flag was produced. Upon resumption of the session Robert left pit lane to get the last couple of laps out of his old tyre. With 10 mins of the session left Robert went out on fresh rubber to post a time better than the morning session and got caught in traffic. With only 7 mins of the session remaining Robert set about on a flying lap and lost the front end at low speed exiting turn five. Picking the bike up and riding back round to the pits to check the bike was OK and with 5 mins remaining Robert went out and managed to post two flying laps of 1.07.730 and 1.07.731 placing him 7th on the grid for the third round in a row. Robert said “ It was a good session but a little disrupted and certainly falling of the bike didn’t help. I just had to get back to the pits check the bike and get on with it. I’m pretty happy about getting down to the 1.07’s again though. Race One – Robert got a good start and picked up a spot and moved into sixth place holding this position until lap 9 when his rear tyre started to go off and was lacking drive of the turns, allowing factory Suzuki rider Glenn Allerton, to pass on the inside at turn 5. Moving back up to sixth because Adam Fergusson had to run through the pits as a penalty for outbreaking himself at turn one. Robert tried to stay in touch with Glenn and ahead of the rest with a hard charging Adam Fergusson finally relegating Robert to 7th on lap 18 of the 19 lap race. Race Two – Part One Robert got a dreadful start and finally got of the line in 10th place dropping 3 places. Having to bang a couple of fairings going through turn 2, Robert found some space and got on the charge moving to 9th after 2 laps. Then into 8th settling into the race Robert then started to chase down the pack in front and then the race was red flagged due to debris on the track. Race Two – Part Two Again bombing the start Robert failed to gain any places and spent the next 2 laps running 7th chasing down Anthony Gobert finally getting underneath him at turn six as Gobert ran wide. Finishing the second part of the race 6th running out of laps to challenge those in front. Overall a solid weekend with some good and bad. Robert said “I’m furious I got two poor starts in race two as I really felt on the pace but to give up a couple of seconds off the line is to much to make up in a competition as fierce as this. I am really please about getting into the 1.07s during the race though my North Star Yamaha R1 didn’t miss a bit all weekend and I can’t wait for Winton” |
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