Image: Keith Muir.

Kawasaki Connection Repsol’s Matt Walters has won the opening round of the 2016 Australian FX-Superbike Championship at Sydney Motorsport Park, taking out both races in mixed conditions.

Walters won the opening race of the day in dry, but drizzling conditions, by 0.207s over the resurgent Ben Burke (SA Kawasaki BCperformance) – the pair sprinting away from the field in the process.

Burke’s incoming teammate Robbie Bugden got the better of Michael Blair (IPONE Blairbuild Yamaha) and Beau Beaton (Racers Edge Performance Craig McMartin Racing Ducati) for third position.

In race two after a reasonable downpour during the mid-stages of the day, Walters was again the class of the field on wet tyres in drying conditions, again winning over Burke by 0.326s and Bugden. The top five was completed by Paul Byrne (LTR Honda) and Blair.

Overall it was Walters the victor from Burke and Bugden, the brand new 2016 Ninja ZX-10R sweeping the overall podium on debut in the Superbike class. The round results from today will also decide the grid for Sunday’s Swann Insurance Australasian Superbike Championship races.

Image: Keith Muir.

The Supersport overall round win for Friday went to Kyle Buckley (Kawasaki) after he won both races despite qualifying fifth, topping the podium over Mitch Levy (Yamaha) and pole-setter Cambridge Olivier (Yamaha).

In the Kawasaki Insurances FX300 Ninja Cup category a 1-2 result for Jimmy Broadbent secured him the overall from pole position holder Sam Condon, while Douglas Bloomer rounded out the podium. Fourth overall was race two winner Jack Dawes.

Additional round winners of today included Dominic De Leon (Formula Xtreme), Michael McMillan (Pro-Twins), Richard Wilkinson (Nakedbike) and Steve McLeod (Formula Oz), the overalls of those classes setting the grids for Sunday’s on-track action to begin from 9:00am.