The Yamaha Motor Finance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul Pirelli continued at Barbagallo Raceway over the weekend for round four of the 2016 season. CycleOnline.com.au breaks down the specifics from race day.

Superbike

Image: Russell Colvin.

Pole position: Mike JONES 55.029s (new best lap)

Race one results:
1. Mike JONES
2. Wayne MAXWELL
3. Glenn ALLERTON
4. Troy HERFOSS
5. Daniel FALZON
6. Ben BURKE
7. Cru HALLIDAY
8. Brayden ELLIOTT
9. Jamie STAUFFER
10. Ben STRONACH
11. Adam CHAMBERS
12. Sloan FROST
13. Ryan HAMPTON
14. Adam SENIOR
15. Scott PETTIT
16. Keith HARRISON
17. Tony KEOGH
18. Peter BERRY

Race time: 18m41.690s
Margin of victory: 0.307s
Laps completed: 20
Fastest lap: Daniel FALZON 55.446s (new lap record)

Race two results:
1. Wayne MAXWELL
2. Glenn ALLERTON
3. Mike JONES
4. Daniel FALZON
5. Troy HERFOSS
6. Cru HALLIDAY
7. Ben BURKE
8. Jamie STAUFFER
9. Matt WALTERS
10. Brayden ELLIOTT
11. Adam CHAMBERS
12. Sloan FROST
13. Ryan HAMPTON
14. Adam SENIOR
15. Scott PETTIT
16. Trent GIBSON
17. Keith HARRISON
18. Nathan SPITERI
19. Tony KEOGH

Race time: 18m39.883s
Margin of victory: 0.899s
Laps completed: 20
Fastest lap: Wayne MAXWELL 55.449s

Overall results:
1. Wayne MAXWELL 45
2. Mike JONES 44
3. Glenn ALLERTON 38
4. Daniel FALZON 33
5. Troy HERFOSS 33
6. Cru HALLIDAY 29
7. Ben BURKE 29
8. Jamie STAUFFER 25
9. Brayden ELLIOTT 24
10. Adam CHAMBERS 20
11. Sloan FROST 18
12. Ryan HAMPTON 16
13. Adam SENIOR 14
14. Matt WALTERS 12
15. Scott PETTIT 12
16. Ben STRONACH 11
17. Keith HARRISON 9
18. Tony KEOGH 6
19. Trent GIBSON 5
20. Nathan SPITERI 3

Championship standings:
1. Wayne MAXWELL 176
2. Glenn ALLERTON 171
3. Troy HERFOSS 158
4. Mike JONES 137
5. Ben BURKE 114
6. Cru HALLIDAY 106
7. Daniel FALZON 103
8. Brayden ELLIOTT 91
9. Jamie STAUFFER 84
10. Matt WALTERS 73
11. Sloan FROST 72
12. Michael BLAIR 66
13. Adam SENIOR 62
14. Ryan HAMPTON 56
15. Anthony WEST 40
16. Robbie BUGDEN 35
17. John HUNT 27
18. Adam CHRISTIE 26
19. Nathan SPITERI 24
20. Joel BEARD 24

Verdict:
In another breakthrough round for DesmoSport Ducati and Mike Jones, to win Superpole and the opening race was an amazing feat in their fourth appearance together on the Panigale. But while the defending champ was able to take victory in race one, new points leader Wayne Maxwell denied him a perfect round by winning race two and stealing the overall as a result. Maxwell, Jones and Glenn Allerton are beginning to establish themselves at the front of the pack if this weekend’s anything to go by, especially leaving Honda’s Troy Herfoss with a heap of work to do if he’s going to factor in the title. Aside from that, huge respect to Daniel Falzon for once again challenging – and beating some – the factory riders, picking up the race lap record in the process.

Supersport

Image: Russell Colvin.

Pole position: Sam CLARKE 57.422s

Race one results:
1. Sam CLARKE
2. Luke MITCHELL
3. Troy GUENTHER
4. Callum SPRIGGS
5. Nic LIMINTON
6. Ben BLYTH
7. Chris QUINN
8. Matt PRICE
9. Robbie MENZIES
10. Thomas BRYDEN
11. Joshua MATHERS
12. Rhys CLAY
13. Harrison COX
14. Jake PRUITI

Race time: 15:29.144
Margin of victory: 2.131s
Laps completed: 16
Fastest lap: Sam CLARKE 57.184s (new lap record)

Race two results:
1. Sam CLARKE
2. Callum SPRIGGS
3. Luke MITCHELL
4. Troy GUENTHER
5. Ted COLLINS
6. Nic LIMINTON
7. Thomas BRYDEN
8. Matt PRICE
9. Rhys CLAY
10. Joshua MATHERS
11. Jake PRUITI
12. Ben BLYTH
13. Harrison COX
14. Chris QUINN

Race time: 15m30.618s
Margin of victory: 0.116s
Laps completed: 16
Fastest lap: Troy GUENTHER 57.524s

Overall results:
1. Sam CLARKE
2. Luke MITCHELL
3. Callum SPRIGGS
4. Troy GUENTHER
5. Nic LIMINTON
6. Matt PRICE
7. Thomas BRYDEN
8. Ben BLYTH
9. Rhys CLAY
10. Joshua MATHERS
11. Chris QUINN
12. Jake PRUITI
13. Ted COLLINS
14. Harrison COX
15. Robbie MENZIES

Championship standings:
1. Sam CLARKE 162
2. Troy GUENTHER 152
3. Callum SPRIGGS 143.5
4. Luke MITCHELL 137
5. Ben BLYTH 114.5
6. Chris QUINN 92
7. Nic LIMINTON 89.5
8. Ted COLLINS 83.5
9. Robbie MENZIES 70
10. Mark CHIODO 53.5
11. Giuseppe SCARCELLA 49.5
12. Brad SHAW 47.5
13. Matt PRICE 44
14. Cambridge OLIVIER 40
15. Thomas BRYDEN 38
16. Cam RUSSELL 37.5
17. Ryan TAYLOR 35.5
18. Harrison COX 34
19. Mitch LEVY 33.5
20. Patrick LI 32

Verdict:
Western Australia’s own Sam Clarke was the standout in Supersport over the weekend, taking pole, both wins and the title lead. While the opening race was a relative snoozer, race two was far more excitable and the likes of Callum Spriggs, Luke Mitchell and Troy Guenther made the local work for the win. But with Clarke now at the head of the standings, it’s going to be important for his title challengers to start winning more races consistently if they’re to stand any chance of clawing back his advantage with two rounds remaining. Guenther and Spriggs are both from Queensland, so they’ll be expecting big things at Morgan Park, which will in turn set up a thrilling finale at Winton if all goes the plan.