Post-race updates from round four of the 2017 Yamaha Motor Finance Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) presented by Motul Pirelli direct from Darwin, Northern Territory, on race-day Sunday.

Image: Keith Muir.

Motul Supersport race one:
Cube Racing’s Tom Toparis (Kawasaki) rocketed to the early lead, going onto take a convincing 1.610s victory over Next Gen Motorsport Suzuki’s Ted Collins. The pair maintained their positions for the duration of the race as Mark Chiodo (Triumph) held third until an issue on the final lap saw him drop down the order. Damon Rees (Honda) took advantage to claim third ahead of Mason Coote (Yamaha) and Cambridge Oliver (Yamaha), followed by Sam Lambert (Yamaha) who initially crossed the line in third before being penalised, then it was Chris Quinn (Yamaha), Mick Hefferan (Kawasaki), Nic Liminton (Yamaha) and Jordan Carlsson (Yamaha).

1. Tom TOPARIS
2. Ted COLLINS
3. Damon REES
4. Mason COOTE
5. Cambridge OLIVIER
6. Sam LAMBERT
7. Chris QUINN
8. Mick HEFFERAN
9. Nic LIMINTON
10. Jordan CARLSSON
11. Sam CONDON
12. Sam MULDOON
13. Rhys BELLING
14. Aidan HAYES
15. Patrick LI
16. Jimmy BROADBENT
17. Jake PRUITI
18. Warren GIBB
19. Graeme SMITH
20. Mark CHIODO

Yamaha Motor Insurance Superbike race one:
Pole sitter Daniel Falzon (Caterpillar JD Racing Yamaha) led the field in the early stages, lodging a new lap record of 1m06.097s before a crash on lap five saw him relegated down the order, allowing Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Josh Waters to secure the lead. Just laps later a multi-rider incident involving Falzon saw the race red-flagged, as Kyle Buckley (BCperformance Kawasaki) was attended to by the Racesafe Medical crew. On the restart, Waters controlled the race with eight laps to go, taking his first win of the season with 0.453s margin over Troy Herfoss (Crankt Protein Honda Racing) and Wayne Maxwell (Yamaha Racing Team). Bryan Staring (Crankt Protein Honda Racing) initially held third, but settled for fourth over Robbie Bugden (BCperformance Kawasaki), followed by Corey Turner (Yamaha), Matt Walters (Kawasaki), Mitch Levy (Yamaha) Cru Halliday (IPONE/YMF/YMI Yamaha) and Troy Guenther (Next Gen Motorsports BMW). Falzon started from the rear of the grid and charged to sixth, only to be disqualified later after it was deemed he was at fault in the Buckley incident.

1. Josh WATERS
2. Troy HERFOSS
3. Wayne MAXWELL
4. Bryan STARING
5. Robert BUGDEN
6. Corey TURNER
7. Matt WALTERS
8. Mitch LEVY
9. Cru HALLIDAY
10. Troy GÜNTHER
11. Sloan FROST
12. Aaiden COOTE
13. Callum SPRIGGS
14. Beau BEATON
15. Ben STRONACH
16. Stan WHITING

Motul Supersport race two:
Fastest qualifier Chiodo started strong in race two, although a crash in the opening stages ultimately saw him retire from the race. Collins took the reigns and went onto win by 1.728s despite being pressured by Toparis for much of the race. Coote had a firm grip on third until the final turn where he endeavoured to pass Toparis, making contact with the race one winner before suffering a nasty high-side and costly DNF result. Local hero Hefferan capitalised to take third, followed by Sam Muldoon (Kawasaki) and Lambert, with Liminton, Quinn, Olivier, Carlsson and Jake Pruiti (Kawasaki) completing the top 10. The overall podium saw Collins tie for victory with Toparis, who was P2 overall on count-back, then it was Hefferan in third.

1. Ted COLLINS
2. Tom TOPARIS
3. Mick HEFFERAN
4. Sam MULDOON
5. Sam LAMBERT
6. Nic LIMINTON
7. Chris QUINN
8. Cambridge OLIVIER
9. Jordan CARLSSON
10. Jake PRUITI
11. Damon REES
12. Aidan HAYES
13. Sam CONDON
14. Rhys BELLING
15. Patrick LI
16. Jimmy BROADBENT
17. Thomas BRYDEN
18. Justin CASE
19. Warren GIBB
20. Graeme SMITH

Yamaha Motor Insurance Superbike race two:
Falzon once again shot through to the lead, but it was race one winner Waters who stole the number one spot in the opening laps, setting a new lap record of 1m05.986s in the process. The race was red-flagged for the second-consecutive time on lap 16 due to a track obstruction, declaring Waters as the winner with a 2.868s advantage. Herfoss moved into second early on, maintaining the position through to the chequered flag ahead of teammate Staring. Turner and Bugden were fourth and fifth respectively, from Falzon, Halliday, Walters, Beau Beaton (Racer’s Edge Performance/McMartin Racing/North Coast V-Twins Ducati) and a gritty Guenther. Meanwhile, Maxwell crashed out on lap 10 after losing the front-end. Waters dominated the day to secure the overall, followed by new championship leader Herfoss and Staring completing the podium.

1. Josh WATERS
2. Troy HERFOSS
3. Bryan STARING
4. Corey TURNER
5. Robert BUGDEN
6. Daniel FALZON
7. Cru HALLIDAY
8. Matt WALTERS
9. Beau BEATON
10. Troy GUENTHER
11. Mitch LEVY
12. Sloan FROST
13. Aaiden COOTE
14. Adam SENIOR