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Michael Blair leads Callum Spriggs and Paul Young at MG Hairpin

Michael Blair doubles up ASBK SS at P.I.

February 22, 2015

ASBK 2015 – Round One – Phillip Island – Supersport Race Two
By Trevor Hedge

The second and final Australian Supersport bout of the weekend was stagesd at 1015 Sunday morning in front of the World Superbike crowd at Phillip Island.

Race one winner Michael Blair was quickly into the lead from Callum Spriggs, Paul Young and Kane Burns as the 29-rider field streamed through turn one for the first time.

Young’s taller gearing for today did not pay dividends down the chute on lap two with Kane Burns slipstreaming past him for third place as they tipped into turn one for the second time.

Youngy got him back at turn four to regain that third place, then at MG Hairpin Youngy slotted right under Spriggs in determined fashion to take second place and hung on to it through turns 11 and 12 and then set about chasing down Blair, who as a result of those early tussles had gapped the field by half-a-second.

Burns got Spriggs for third place on lap three and that entire group had closed right up on to the back of Blair’s Yamaha as they wound up for the run down the chute to start lap four.

Burns sneaked past Young into turn one once again and held it through Southern Loop but Young went up the inside at turn four to regain that second position. Burns had put in a 1m37.054 on that previous lap to set the fastest lap of the race.

Burns was incredibly hot into turn one the next time around and almost took Blair for the lead but had to pull out of the move as it was a little too hot. Young lost the front at Southern Loop and tumbled out of proceedings leaving the youngsters to battle it out for the podium order.

Spriggs got the better of Burns with six laps to run. Ryan Taylor and Mitch Levy were battling for fourth place a further six-seconds behind the leading trio but Taylor went up the inside into turn one sending Levy wide, on to the grass and eventually out of the race.

Spriggs set a new fastest lap of the race with three laps to run, a 1m36.765 to now be clambering all over the back of Blair, determined to get the better of his rival this time around. The pair had now pulled away from Kane Burns and it was settling down for a two-man race to the flag.

Spriggs did everything he could to get the better of Blair but Blair held him out for the win, the winner having to put in his fastest lap of the race on the final lap to hold out Spriggs who crossed the line 0.198 of a second behind Blair. Burns eventually finished a lonely third place, 8.2-seconds behind the winner. Ryan Taylor took fourth place ahead of Thyron Van Vuuren.

Michael Blair – “Perfect start and just sort of controlled the race from there, so a great start to the year. I could see Cal show me a wheel a couple of times in the opening laps but put my head down and focussed on my race. Thanks to Yamaha, Arai and all my sponsors helping me along the way.”

Callum Spriggs – “Was trying to get Blair at the end there but he was going pretty fast and I couldn’t find my way around him. A good weekend and congratulations to Michael for the two wins. Track is a bit cooler today so the tyres are working well. Thanks to Matt and Frank for working on my bike, and of course mum and dad.”

Kane Burns – “Went a bit hard on the tyres at the start, just inexperience, the Suzuki went well though and it was great. I learned a lot following the front two, and Paul before he went down. Thanks to all my helpers and Moto National for help getting me out here.”