Image: Russell Colvin.

Team Honda Racing’s Jamie Stauffer made a welcome return to the top of the timesheets this afternoon at Phillip Island as the team makes its second appearance in the 2015 Yamaha Motor Finance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul Pirelli.

Dual ASBK champion Stauffer set the pace with a 1m33.750s lap in practice three to outpace newly-crowned champion Mike Jones (Australian Outdoor Living – Cube Racing Team Kawasaki) and teammate Troy Herfoss (Team Honda Racing). All three were on Pirelli tyres.

The leading trio were separated by 0.645s, setting up a tight battle for the podium honours, while Daniel Falzon (JD Racing / Caterpillar EPSA / Yamaha) was over a second behind Herfoss in fourth position – his best lap set in practice two.

Fifth was impressive Kiwi Ryan Hampton (Next Gen Motorsports BMW), with Linden Magee (LMR Honda) closely behind him in position six. The top 10 was filled by Adam Senior (Suzuki), Colin Brooks (Kawasaki), Josh Hunt (Kawasaki) and Phil Czaj (Aprilia.

In Supersport it was series leader Brayden Elliott (Suzuki) who set the benchmark at 1m37.459s, the only rider the dip beneath the 1m38s barrier, ahead of Kane Burns (Suzuki) and experienced Victorian Chas Hern (Suzuki) – resulting in an all-Suzuki GSX-R600 top three on Friday. Filling the top five was Sam Lambert (Triumph) and Ryan Taylor (Yamaha).

Other pace-setters today across the support categories included Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix wildcard Matt Barton (Moto3), Drew Sells (Production) and Ryan Lawes (Hartwell Rising Stars).

2015 Australian Superbike Championship
Round five – Phillip Island, VIC

Superbike practice results:
1. Jamie STAUFFER 1m33.750s
2. Mike JONES 1m33.939s
3. Troy HERFOSS 1m34.395s
4. Daniel FALZON 1m35.436s
5. Ryan HAMPTON 1m35.577s
6. Linden MAGEE 1m35.630s
7. Adam SENIOR 1m37.789s
8. Colin BROOKS 1m38.593s
9. John HUNT 1m38.836s
10. Philip CZAJ 1m39.856s

Supersport practice results:
1. Brayden ELLIOTT 1m37.459s
2. Kane BURNS 1m38.099s
3. Chas HERN 1m38.369s
4. Sam LAMBERT 1m38.653s
5. Ryan TAYLOR 1m38.735s
6. Thyron VAN VUUREN 1m38.779s
7. Aaiden COOTE 1m39.075s
8. Chris QUINN 1m39.239s
9. Cam RUSSELL 1m40.279s
10. Nicholas LIMINTON 1m40.464s

Click here for detailed results