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2006 Australian Superbike
Championship (YMF Loan) - Round Four - Queensland Raceway July 9th, 2006 - By, Trevor Hedge |
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2006 Australian Superbike
Championship (YMF Loan) - Round Four - Queensland Raceway July 9th, 2006 - By, Trevor Hedge |
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Team Report - Robern Racing (Russell Holland)
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| Robern Racing’s Russell
Holland has left the crowds gob-smacked once again at
Queensland’s Round four of the Australian Superbike
Championship after putting in a flawless performance and
taking the overall win aboard his Honda CBR1000RR. Holland now poses a real threat to current series leader Jamie Stauffer with only seven points separating the two riders. “The wins were a big deal for the team and for me as a rider. I’ve been chasing wins since I was 14 years old and to take victories against factory riders of the level we have here in Australia is very satisfying,” Holland said of his accomplishment. Holland – who only recently returned from riding overseas in Japan to test for the Suzuka 8 Hour - admitted that not everything fell into place for the race meeting. ”I was struggling in the first practice session partly due to my recent travels, and partly due to a change we made after South Australia. The team worked hard between sessions to change the settings, and once we had the gearing set, I was on the pace and comfortable straight away.” Holland was subsequently fastest in practise on Friday, and in Saturday’s qualifying sessions, he managed to put the bike on the front row in second position. “I was feeling confident and from the start of race one I found the pace comfortable and surprisingly easy. With six laps to go I pulled away in the lead. I set a new lap record in the process and won by 3.5-seconds!” he explained. Race two turned out to be a very tough battle. On lap one, Holland was in fifth place behind Daniel Stauffer and Robert Bugden, whilst Stauffer and Joe Rocket Honda’s Adam Fergusson pulled a gap up the front. “By the time I got past Robbie I had to really put my head down. I think they were just over four seconds in front because as I came onto the straight they were tipping into turn one!” “I wasn’t sure if I could do it but I managed to close the gap. I got past Krusty and then Jamie and I battled for the last lap, with my Robern Racing CBR beating his bike to the line! What a race!” “The wins are not only good for me, but also a just reward for the enormous effort and dedication that the team have put in. With a lot of blood, sweat and tears we’ve managed to win three races and two rounds, making history in the process.” Holland was also “surprised”to be offered the chance to compete in the Suzuka race this year and headed to Japan just two weeks ago. “The testing went very well. I’d done a few laps of Suzuka on Playstation but the real deal was just amazing. What a track…off camber, cambered, up hill, down hill, fast and slow turns. There’s nothing like it,” he commented. “My times were apparently the best anyone has done there first time out and the team were very impressed.” The Team will be utilising Australia’s Josh Brookes once again, however Holland hopes he will be picked up next year for riding duties. |
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2006 Australian Superbike Championship (YMF Loan) - Round Four - Queensland Raceway |
