Wayne Maxwell is the 2013 Australian Superbike Champion. Image: Andrew Gosling/TBG Sport.

Words: Russell Colvin.

The weight of the world has been lifted off the shoulders from the newly-crowned QBE Australian Superbike champion in Wayne Maxwell (Team Suzuki) after he won race one at Phillip Island this afternoon.

Maxwell won the opening 12-lap affair of the final round, beating Glenn Allerton (NextGen Motorsports/Dynotech/Maxima/BMW) and Team Volvo Group Suzuki’s Robbie Bugden.

Maxwell, 30, has been so close to winning the premier class title in previous years showed a lot of emotion once he crossed the finish line and back in parc ferme as he pulled on the new championship winner’s t-shirt that read ‘Maxwell #1 Australian Superbike Champion’.

“It’s a dream come true – to win my first championship and at my home round with a new team in my first year just goes to show how good the Suzuki GSX-R1000 is,” an ecstatic Maxwell told Cycle Online.com.au.

“I couldn’t be more happier really. We just have to keep our head down and bum up and keep going for the second race this later today.”

Phil Tainton, Suzuki’s team manger sung Maxwell’s praises following the championship victory.

“The whole Suzuki team are really happy for Wayne,” Tainton commented. “He’s worked a lot of years now for this championship and I’m just glad were a part of a team that helped him do it. Basically he has done it himself, he’s a really, really good rider and he has proven that today.

“He’s done a great job on the Suzuki GSX-R 1000 and I’m ever so happy for him.”

The race started off with Honda’s Jamie Stauffer leading the field then got into a dogfight with Bugden, who swapped the lead on many occasions. Then Allerton got by the pair and looked as if he might had played his cards right, before Maxwell got past him on the last lap and went on to win by 0.014s.

Stauffer’s teammate Josh Hook had a lonely race, crossing the line in fifth place. The first privateer home was Beau Beaton (Racers Edge Performance/Suzuki Australia/Motul/Pirelli/RK Chains).

2013 QBE Australian Superbike Championship
Round seven – Phillip Island, VIC

Superbike race one results:
1. Wayne Maxwell 18m54.184
2. Glenn Allerton +0.014
3. Robbie Bugden +1.993
4. Jamie Stauffer +2.055
5. Josh Hook +13.985
6. Beau Beaton +25.874
7. Glenn Scott +30.747
8. Ben Henry +37.703
9. Phil Lovett +39.491
10. Ben Burke +40.053

Click here for detailed results