Cube Racing press release:

Cube Racing will finish out their 2017 Australian Superbike Championship assault this weekend at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit in Victoria for the seventh and final round of the series.

In the hard-fought Supersport category Tom Toparis has his focus set on capturing the overall win to round out the season following a promising test at the fast and flowing circuit last week.

“Firstly I just want to have a safe weekend, but at the same time I just want to win the races and the overall round,” Toparis said. “Last week’s test was really positive for the team and I as we dropped so much time off compared to when we were here at the start of the year. “

Currently third overall in points, a round win would be the perfect finish to the year for the determined 17-year-old racer. He’s also recently been confirmed as a Moto3 World Championship wildcard at the upcoming Japanese and Australian rounds.

“To win the overall round this weekend would just tie up the year really,” he added. “We have had a bit of bad luck this year, so to win would obviously be a really good way to end the year. It would also give me a big confidence boost heading into Motegi for the Moto3 wildcard and then heading into Phillip Island.”

For recently-turned 14-year-old Oli Bayliss it will be much the same as he shoots for the top spot in the Supersport 300 category in a bid to advance his current fourth place championship ranking.

“I’m really looking forward to the final round at Phillip Island,” said Bayliss. “Finishing the year with a win is definitely the goal and with the help of the entire Cube Racing team I’m hopeful that we can make that happen.”

Team owner/manager Ben Henry believes both Toparis and Bayliss will display race-winning speed this weekend as both racers enter the final round with confidence and form on their side.

“I believe we are going to be pretty quick in the Supersport category,” Henry said. “Tom will be pretty close to the front, as he tested well and pretty confident heading into this weekend. That usually makes a pretty big difference, so I think we will be pretty sharp in that regard.

“In the Supersport 300 class, we are always pretty close. We are really keen to try and get one across the line first at some point across the weekend with Oli. It’s hard to predict as it will be a ‘drafting’ race, but if Oli can get his head around that in the races, I believe we’re good for the win.”

Supersport racer Aidan Hayes will continue on with Cube Racing support this weekend at Phillip Island as he moves up to 11th overall in the championship rankings with one round remaining.
The Phillip Island round of the 2017 Australian Superbike Championship will run over three days from 6-8 October.

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