2006 Australian Superbike Championship (YMF Loan)

Report (Shaun Geronimi)

Mallala 250 Grand Prix lap record holder Shaun Geronimi sits second overall after a consistent performance at Adelaide’s Mallala Motor Sport Park during round three of the 2006 YMF Loan Australian Supersport Championship last weekend June 2 - 4.

Shaun recorded fourth and sixth in the two Supersport legs, and cemented his position as the number one Supersport privateer in the championship opening a 24 point lead over Sydney Mesh & Steel Team mate Jeremy Crowe.

Patchy conditions during practice hampered the team in finding a good set-up for the Sydney Mesh and Steel Yamaha YZF-R6; however their knowledge came to the fore enabling Shaun to post consistent results.

Shaun now sits second overall in the YMF Loan Australian Supersport championship behind the unstoppable Jamie Stauffer (Yamaha Racing Team – YZF R6).

Feeling confident with the team’s adjustments between practice and qualifying Shaun was up with the leaders during the first qualifying session before finishing fifth, 0.9 of a second from provisional pole position.

Shaun continued to post lap times comparable to the leading factory riders during second qualifying before he was pushed back to eighth late in the session.

For the second meeting in succession an inside position on the second row of the grid was a good position and left Shaun confident for Sunday’s two 19-lap races.

“We made some changes for the second qualifying session and we were right up there with the leaders, but then we got pushed back to eighth late in the session – over all I’m pretty happy my position, again I’m on the inside”.

Unfortunately I couldn’t quite get down to the times we did here in testing – I went 0.3 quicker then” noted Shaun.

For the third round in a row Yamaha’s new YZF-R6 filled five positions on the first two rows of the Supersport grid, led by Yamaha Racing Team’s Jamie Stauffer who claimed his third successive pole position.

Careful use of the allocated Dunlop tyres during practice and qualifying left Shaun confident of performing well late in each of the races on the demanding Mallala layout.

“We’ve got our good tyres in now so we’ll be right, I think everyone has done about the same amount of laps – I’m ready” said Shaun prior to the start of race one.

Once again the first race of the day was red flagged, this time after 16 hard laps, resulting in a restart.

Prior to the red flag, usual good starter Shaun got a bad launch off the line, and was stuck further back in the pack than he wanted to be.

“Sometimes red flags are a bad thing but this one worked in my favor a bit, in the first leg I got away badly – I did a wheelie and couldn’t get the front down, the second start I was away with the leaders”.

The second leg of race one was a titanic struggle between Shaun and Factory Honda rider Glenn Allerton for third position.

The battle decided when Shaun over shot the tight corner at the end of the long back straight, recovering for fourth position on combined times.

“That was a great race, I’d pass him and then he’s pass me – then I out-braked myself – still I’m happy with fourth”.

After making another average start in the second race Shaun was stuck back in sixth position, scything his was forward as the race progressed his progress eventually halted by dual-Australian champion Adam Fergusson, a competitor who is notoriously hard to pass.

Third place outright and first privateer once again was a great result for the team.

“I got a bit of a horrid start but recovered from that – then I got stuck behind Adam Ferguson and my rear tyre went off – I’d done a few more laps in qualifying on that one”

Shaun now lies second overall in the YMF Loan Australian Supersport Championship, and leads the Privateers’ Championship by 24 points heading into the next round.

“Radar and my wife Jo have been supporting me all the way, I cant ask for anymore, I cant wait to get to Queensland Raceway - a track I’ve had good results at in the past, were going to do a test day there and be right on the money”

Shaun would like to thank all his sponsors that have made this weekend possible; Yamaha, Dunlop, Sydney Mesh and Steel, Dunlop Sportsbike tyre warmers, Radar’s shock service & Dyno, Penske, Elaine’s world of lights, Procycles, Motul, RK Chains and Racers Edge.

2006 YMF Loan Australian Supersport Championship Series Points (after round 3): 1 J Stauffer (Yamaha) 153, 2 S Geronimi (Yamaha) 94, 3 G Allerton (Honda) 90 4 J O’Halloran (Yamaha) 89, 5 M Aitchison (Yamaha) 78.

2006 YMF Loans Australian Supersport Championship Series Points (after round 2 – Privateers): 1 J S Geronimi (Yamaha) 135, 2 J Crowe (Yamaha) 111, 3 C Seaton 95.