Image: Foremost Media.

Yamaha Racing Team’s Cru Halliday posted the quickest time today at Phillip Island, leading teammate Mike Jones in a YRT 1-2 as action resumed in the 2023 Mi-Bike Australian Superbike Championship. Meanwhile, returning international Tom Toparis led the way in Supersport as round six got underway.

Halliday topped two out of the three practice sessions today, with his best lap of a 1m32.651s coming in the final session this afternoon, with the general feeling shared by a number of contenders being that the track lacked grip.

FP1 pace-setter Jones concluded the day second courtesy of a 1m32.836s set in practice three this afternoon, while Josh Waters (McMartin Racing) narrowly missed the 1m32s bracket in third.

Fourth quickest was impressive GTR MotoStars Yamaha rider Max Stauffer, just fourth-tenths from Halliday, as championship leader Troy Herfoss (Penrite Honda Racing) concluded the day in fifth.

DesmoSport Ducati’s Broc Pearson notched the sixth fastest time of the day, ahead of GT Racing Team’s Glenn Allerton who experienced a share of rear brake issues.

Completing the top 10 were Bryan Staring (MotoGO Yamaha), Anthony West (Addicted to Track Yamaha) and Ted Collins (Livson Racing) completed the top 10.

Image: Foremost Media.

Fresh from finishing third in the British Supersport Championship, 666 Racing with Stop & Seal’s Tom Toparis set the pace today in the 600 class at Phillip Island.

Toparis – a double Australian Supersport champion – was the only rider to crack into the 1m35s brack, posting a 1m35.632s in the second session to lead points leader and FP1 pace setter Olly Simpson (Yamaha), who fell at turn four in the final session.

Eight-tenths back from Simpson is title-rival Dunker, the gutsy GTR MotoStars rider completing the day third fastest, despite battling a fracture at the ball of his foot sustained prior to the event. Dunker too fell in the final session, at turn two.

Also in the hunt for the title, Ty Lynch (Yamaha) was fourth quickest in Supersport today, ahead of Scott Nicholson (Yamaha) who improved to a 1m37.432s in the final session.

Positions six to 10 featured Jonathan Nahlous (Yamaha), Honda-equipped Jack Favelle, Hayden Nelson (Yamaha), Dallas Skeer (Yamaha) and Jake Farnsworth (Yamaha)

In the R3 Cup, championship leader Cameron Swain swept each of the three sessions, leading the way with a 1m49.369s ahead of title-rival Brandon Demmery who completed his first outing with the RaceDNA. Brodie Gawith (Yamaha) completed the top three. Swain also led the way in Supersport 300 practice, ahead of Henry Snell (Yamaha) and Marcus Hamod (Yamaha) in second and third positions respectively.

The Oceania Junior Cup (OJC) saw Riley Nauta post a blistering 2m08.976s to emerge fastest today, leading Archie Schmidt and Elijah Andrew.

Detailed results