Australian Superbike Championship to Staring

Australian Superbike Championship to Staring
Cougar Bourbon Honda's Wayne Staring won his first Australian Superbike Championship with an eighth place finish on a rain-sodden day at Tasmania's Symmons Plains Circuit.


Staring came into the weekend leading the championship by 18.5 points over Wayne Maxwell (Demolition Plus GAS Honda Racing) and picked up a few points by finishing one spot ahead of him, fourth to Maxwell's fifth, in Saturday's race. That set up Staring to win the championship if he finished on Sunday, regardless of Maxwell's result. Even if Staring failed to finish, Maxwell had to win or take second to steal the title.

Ducati Motologic Racing's Jamie Stauffer led momentarily before Team Suzuki's Josh Waters took over until the third of 16 laps, when Maxwell went to the front. Once in the lead he streamed away to his fourth victory of the year. Waters finished second and Stauffer third.

Staring rode conservatively in the wet conditions to finish eighth and write his name into the Australian road racing record books. The 23-year-old is the only rider to have won the 125GP, Supersport and Superbike titles.

"I feel funny about it because that last race went so terribly. I couldn't see a thing out there and it was a real battle to finish," Staring said. "I couldn't help but think about the championship in today's race, I told myself I'd race to my own agenda, but there were people passing me left, right and center a,nd it was certainly on my mind.

"I'm so glad to have raced this season with Honda and the Cougar Bourbon Honda team. We've had such a successful year and this championship has come down to the effort of so many people. This is a huge achievement for us and it will probably take a while to sink in.

"Thanks also to Wayne (Maxwell) and the other riders who have pushed me every step of the way."

Maxwell was gracious in defeat and admitted that a few errors earlier in the season cost him the chance to launch a real challenge today.

"We were a bit behind the eight ball this year and it probably did cost us the championship, but second is a great result," he said. "I'm a racer, I want to win every time, but that's the way it goes. I've had a great year with all the guys and my team has really gotten behind me. The only option for me today was to go for the win and let the rest take care of itself. Congratulations to Bryan (Staring), who absolutely deserves this championship; he's had a fantastic year."

Maxwell finished the 2010 season just 6.5 points shy of Staring after 6 rounds and a total of 12 races.

Saturday's winner, Valvoline Superbike Team rider Glenn Allerton (Honda), was third today, giving him the overall weekend victory.

Allerton rounds out a Honda 1-2- 3 in the championship.

Racer's Edge Suzuki rider Scott Charlton was the first GSX-R1000 home in 2010, building a consistent campaign to finish a credible 4th.

Ducati Motologic Racing's Jamie Stauffer rounds out the overall top 5 on the 1198R after an up-and-down season aboard an all-new bike.

Team Suzuki's Troy Herfoss added a victory on Sunday to his Saturday race win, when he'd clinched the Insure My Ride Australian Supersport Championship.

Now the former AMA Supermoto champion wants to move to the Superbike class in 2011.

"My second season in Supersport has been close to perfect aboard the GSX-R600, it's all panned out how I had planned and now I am hoping to get the chance to get on a Superbike and keep chasing my dream," Herfoss said. "The Australian championship is very competitive and I really want to get a season or two behind me on a 1000cc machine before I look towards a ride overseas."

Viking Group Australian Superbike Championship, Round 7 - Symmons Plains, Race 2

1. Wayne MAXWELL (VIC) / Demolition Plus GAS Honda Racing
2. Joshua WATERS (VIC) / Team Suzuki

3. Glenn ALLERTON (NSW) / Valvoline Superbike

4. Jamie STAUFFER (NSW) / Ducati Motologic Racing

5. Ben ATTARD (QLD) / The Natural Aprilia Racing Team

6. Scott CHARLTON (NSW) / Racers Edge Performance Suzuki

7. Robert BUGDEN (QLD) / Team Suzuki

8. Bryan STARING (QLD) / Cougar Bourbon Honda Racing
9. Kris McLAREN (VIC) / McLaren Motorsports

10. Craig COXHELL (VIC) / CJC Racing BMW

Viking Group Australian Superbike Championship Overall Standings for 2010

1. Bryan STARING (QLD), 241

2. Wayne MAXWELL (NSW), 234.5
3. Glenn ALLERTON (NSW), 192

4. Scott CHARLTON (VIC), 172

5. Jamie STAUFFER (NSW), 165

6. Robert BUGDEN (QLD), 144

7. Joshua WATERS (VIC), 143.5

8. Shawn GILES (VIC), 142.5

9. Shannon JOHNSON (VIC), 119

10. Kris McLAREN (VIC), 82

Insure My Ride Australian Supersport Championship, Round 7 - Symmons Plains, Race 2

1. Troy HERFOSS (VIC) / Team Suzuki

2. Christan CASELLA (VIC) / Aark Electrics / Peter Stevens M-cycles / Triumph

3. Aaron GOBERT (NSW) / AGR Inc / Bell Helmets / Yamaha / Dynojet

4. Nicholas WATERS (VIC) / Waters Racing
5. Brett SIMMONDS (TAS) / Simmonds Racing / Xlite Helmets / Motul / Dunlop

6. Brodie WATERS (VIC) / Waters Racing

7. Ben BURKE (NSW) Yamaha
8. Des DARBY (QLD) / Aark Electrics / Peter Stevens M-cycles / Triumph

9. Lawrence GUDE (TAS) / Tamar River Cruises

10. Andy LAWSON Jnr (QLD) / Champion's Ride Days Race Team / Palfinger Aust.

Insure My Ride Australian Supersport Championship Overall Standings for 2010

1. Troy HERFOSS (VIC), 275

2. Christan CASELLA (VIC), 233

3. Brodie WATERS (VIC), 212
4. Aaron GOBERT (NSW), 164

5. Chris QUINN (NSW), 152
6. Ben BURKE (NSW), 149
7. Ryan TAYLOR (VIC), 125
8. Des DARBY (QLD), 111

9. Andy LAWSON JNR (QLD), 100

10. Blake LEIGH-SMITH (QLD), 85