Image: Foremost Media.

DesmoSport Ducati’s Broc Pearson secured a breakthrough pole position in qualifying at Phillip Island, with the top-five separated by less than two-tenths, as Tom Toparis set the fastest time in Supersport at the sixth round of the 2023 Mi-Bike Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK).

Pearson fired his V4 R to the top of the timesheets with a 1m32.156s, edging McMartin Racing Ducati’s Josh Waters by 0.120s for his first-ever pole position in the premier class.

Yamaha Racing Team’s Mike Jones completes the front row, leading teammate Cru Halliday (Yamaha Racing Team), Max Stauffer (GTR MotoStars Yamaha) and Troy Herfoss, the Penrite Honda Racing rider falling at turn one in the closing stages of the session.

Lining-up in seventh is Bryan Staring (MotoGO Yamaha) – the final rider in the 1m32s bracket – as Glenn Allerton (GT Racing Team), Anthony West (Addicted to Track Yamaha) and Ted Collins (Livson Racing) comple the top 10.

Notably, debris on the track at turn three saw the session red-flagged with 11 mins left in the session. The session resumed after a small delay.

Image: Foremost Media.

BSB Supersport number three Toparis qualified fastest in the Supersport, posting a 1m35.495s to secure the P1 starting position for tomorrow’s two races.

Toparis was able to lap in the 35s in both sessions, with his best time over six-tenths clear of championship leader Olly Simpson (Yamaha), who will line-up P2 after notching a 1m36.134s in qualifying one.

Completing the front row is title-contender Cameron Dunker, the GTR MotoStars rider narrowly edging fourth-placed Jonathan Nahlous with a 1m36.502s.

Lining up alongside Nahlous on row two are Ty Lynch (Yamaha) – who crashed at turn six in qualifying two – and Hayden Nelson (Stop & Seal Yamaha) – who missed laps in the first session after he was forced to stop out on track with a throttle issue.

Heading the third row is Jake Farnsworth (Yamaha) in P7, as Scott Nicholson (Yamaha), Jack Favelle (Honda) and Dallas Skeer (Yamaha) complete the top 10.

In the opening R3 Cup race, pole-setter and championship leader Cameron Swain emerged on top using speed and craft to keep himself at the pointy end of the leading group. In second was Henry Snell, while Brandon Demmery completed the top three.

Unfortunately for Swain, he fell in the opening Supersport 300 bout, remounting to cross the line in P16, as Snell took the checkers first, ahead of Brodie Gawith (Yamaha) and Ryan Larkin (Yamaha).

Oceania Junior Cup (OJC) race one saw Riley Nauta take the checkers first, leading pole-setter Haydn Fordyce and Bodie Paige across the line.

Detailed results