Josh Waters dominates opening Superbike race at SMP after rocketship start

ASBK 2025

Round Two – SMP – Superbike Race One

After non-stop rain throughout the night and the morning at Sydney Motorsports Park the precipitation had halted a couple of hours before the start of the opening 13-lap Superbike bout. Despite plenty of damp, and a few clearly wet patches, slicks were still the order of the day.  Slicks, and a big set of kahunas…

Josh Waters clearly looked to have had the pace throughout all the sessions that came before qualifying, but during the Q session he mistimed his run and ended up qualifying on the third row.

Starting from pole was Mike Jones. The YRT man had Cru Halliday and Broc Pearson alongside him on the front row. Halliday one of the few riders in the field on Michelin rubber out to challenge the dominance of Pirelli in ASBK.

Jack Favelle had been hugely impressive all weekend and in qualifying put the Addicted To Track Yamaha on the front of the second row. He was joined by Cam Dunker and Max Stauffer on that second row.

Mike Jones capitalised on his pole position to get away well, but Josh Waters then blitzed past the first two rows around the outside to take the lead at turn one in an absolutely incredible move that shocked every single person that witnessed it. Jack Favelle into second place ahead of Jones, Dunker and Pearson.

Glenn Allerton had plenty of problems earlier in the weekend but was starting strongly in this contest, quickly up to seventh place ahead of Halliday and Nahlous.  Halliday suggesting on the grid that he is counting on his late race pace to bring him back into the game late in the race.

Mike Jones was taking the battle to Waters. The YRT man the first to dip into the 30s, a 1m30.770 on the second lap to put him back in touch with Waters. Jack Favelle was still in a brilliant third place ahead of Dunker and Nahlous as they started lap three. Halliday was up to sixth, Pearson was seventh and Allerton eighth.

Waters and Jones both set 30.7s on the next lap, the gap between the two on track three-tenths. Waters then upped his pace to a 1m30.459 to stretch away a little from Jones. Waters and Jones four-seconds clear of third place after four laps.  That battle for third was hotting up; Nahlous, Favelle, Dunker and Halliday the protagonists in that war.

The leading duo continued to reel off sub 31s and pull away from the field. As the race broached the halfway mark Waters looked to have finally broke Jones. The McMartin Racing man now leading Jones by 1.3-seconds, and that pair were eight-seconds clear of third placed Jonathan Nahlous.

Cru Halliday was following Nahlous and Dunker and looked to be watching the youngsters burn up their rear tyres while biding his time. Favelle was still in that contest for third place too. As the race entered its final third that group was being closed down by Broc Pearson and Anthony West.

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Nahlous continued to resist the advances of Halliday. Cru actually ran a fraction wide on the penultimate lap while looking for an opportunity which cost him some time and allowed Dunker to sneak through and take that fourth place. Favelle was still in the mix too.

Josh Waters the clear victor. Taking the chequered flag 1.5-seconds clear of Jones despite buttoning off on the final lap. That race start deserves to be replayed again and again, as it was absolutely amazing.

Jonathan Nahlous did a brilliant job to hang on to third place. The youngster had the Complete AV Yamaha with the front wheel in the air, the back wheel in the air, the back wheel stepped out, and the whole thing shaking all about over the final couple of laps to make sure that final spot on the rostrum was his.

Cam Dunker right on the tail of Nahlous, just missing the podium, but getting the better of Halliday and Favelle.

Broc Pearson resisted a determined challenge from Anthony West to secure seventh.

Glenn Allerton finished ninth while Max Stauffer rounded out the top ten ahead of Tom Toparis, John Lytras and Tom Edwards.

Superbike Race One Results

Superbike Championship Standings

2025 Australian Superbike Championship Calendar

Round	Location	Date
1	Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, VIC	Feb 21-23
2	Sydney Motorsport Park, NSW	Mar 28-29
3	Queensland Raceway, QLD	May 2-4
4	Morgan Park Raceway, QLD	Jun 13-15
5	Queensland Raceway, QLD (Superbike Only)	Aug 8-10
6	Phillip Island GP Circuit, VIC	Sept 6-7
7	One Raceway, NSW	Oct 3-5
8	The Bend, SA	Nov 7-9