CycleOnline.com.au highlights three standout performances from the weekend’s opening round of the 2016 Swann Insurance Australasian Superbike Championship at Sydney Motorsport Park. Radar isn’t intended to be strictly about the winners, it’s about the unsung racers that we spot performing above expectations on any given race weekend.

Image: Keith Muir.

Robbie Bugden (Kawasaki) – Superbike, fourth overall:
Coming from a full year on the sidelines – although not retirement, because it wasn’t his choice – SA Kawasaki BCperformance’s Robbie Bugden was relatively strong to open the season. He’s a top level rider who’s hugely experienced, so that helped him race to 2-3-4 finishes on Saturday. Fourth overall was the end result, narrowly off the podium, and with a big bag of points for his title chances.

Image: Keith Muir.

Brendan McIntyre (Suzuki) – Superbike, eighth overall:
Last year’s Formula Xtreme title winner Brendan McIntyre turned heads with a solid eighth overall on board the Western Motorcycles-supported Suzuki GSX-R1000. On an aging bike and with limited resources, McIntyre seamlessly slotted into the Superbike division with a few top 10 results and went home as the top-finishing B-grade entrant. Don’t be shocked to see him claw his way into the top five on his day before the year’s out.

Image: Keith Muir.

Mark Chiodo (Triumph) – Supersport, fourth overall:
We were aware of Mark Chiodo last year, but wow, his performances to date in 2016 on board the Repsol-backed Triumph have been remarkable. While at Phillip Island’s ASBK round he was blazingly quick, but inconsistent, in Sydney he rode to three calculated top five finishes to open Saturday’s proceedings. In race four upon reverting to his ‘A bike’ (which he damaged at the Island a couple of weeks earlier), he rode to the race win and fastest lap. Kid’s got talent!