Eastern Creek ASC Report from Yamaha
Yamaha Racing Team dominates round 1 of the 2007 YMF Loan Australian Superbike Championship
Reigning Australian Superbike and Supersport Champions Yamaha Racing Team have commenced their 2007 title defence in the same dominating fashion that saw them win dual championships last year, absolutely demolishing the opposition at Round 1 of the 2007 YMF Loan Australian Superbike Championship at Sydney’s Eastern Creek Raceway .
Taking first and second in the Superbike category then first, second and third in the Supersport category, five of the six available podium positions were filled by Yamaha factory riders. While many thought last years results would not be repeated, the blue bikes have come off the start line proving they will be a force to be reckoned with in 2007.
Yamaha Racing Team Supersport Report
Yamaha Racing’s Championship winning Supersport squad has taken a clean sweep of the podium at the opening round of the series today.
The three-man squad of Jamie Stauffer, Jason O’Halloran and Jeremy Crowe secured the front row of the grid for today’s two 13-lap races and were never challenged as they rode their superior YZF-R6 machines to consecutive 1-2-3 finishes.
Jamie Stauffer lay down the gauntlet and made his Championship intentions clear, qualifying on pole and taking back-to-back victories ahead of O’Halloran and Crowe.
The Novocastrian who will, for the second year in succession compete in both the Supersport and Superbike category said the ‘no stone unturned’ off season preparation by the dedicated Yamaha Racing Team ensured they were one step ahead of the opposition from the minute the bikes hit the track this weekend.
“My R6 was just fantastic straight out of the box,” said Stauffer. “While I led from the start in both races Jason (O’Halloran) did push me really hard.”
“I put my head down and basically did what I had to, to ensure I kept around a 1 second gap on him.”
“The team is off to a fantastic start, our off-season preparation certainly paid off today and personally I couldn’t have asked for better results,” Stauffer commented.
After finishing third in last years championship Jason O’Halloran exhibited the benefits of his intensive pre-season preparation finishing second in both races, his only on-track opposition coming from team mate Jeremy Crowe on the opening lap of the first race with the teenager beating O’Halloran off the start.
Acknowledging his biggest threat would come from team-mates Jamie Stauffer and Jeremy Crow, O’Halloran outlined he would have to adjust his race strategy in order to climb the next step on the dais.
“I got a decent start in the opening race and managed to get around Jeremy (Crowe) at Turn 1,” said O’Halloran. “I spent a couple of laps studying Jamie’s lines before I started chasing him down and managed to reduce his 1.second lead to just .5 of a second.”
“It is clear that my greatest opposition this year is my team-mates and I am now adjusting my race strategy as I am losing too much time to Jamie (Stauffer) on the initial lap. I then over compensate and push too hard to catch him and by the time I get on the back of him I have used too much of the tyres.”
Nineteen year old Jeremy Crowe rewarded the Yamaha Racing Team with a podium placing in his inaugural race for the factory outfit, putting in a stellar performance despite riding with a broken hand from a pre-season training accident.
Crowe qualified third then finished third in both races to round out an all blue podium at the first of seven national Superbike events this year.
“I got reasonably good starts in both races today and once Jason (O’Halloran) passed me I tried to stay with him but was unable to ride to my full potential with my broken hand,” Crowe explained.
Yamaha Racing Team Superbike Report
After finishing first and second at the opening round of the YMF Loan Australian Superbike Championship, Yamaha Racing Team factory Superbike riders Jamie and Dan Stauffer are sure to be the topic of conversation amongst their rivals between now and the next round with the brotherly duo surviving spectacular qualifying crashes to dominate their category.
Both riders got off the line well in the first race with Jamie Stauffer taking a comfortable lead. By Lap 4 older sibling and team-mate Dan was in second place and starting to apply pressure to his younger brother, the duo holding a commanding seven second lead over third place when the race was red flagged on Lap 7 to clear debris from the track.
The race was re-started with 6-laps to run, reigning Champion Jamie again lead the charge, this time all the way to the chequered flag while Dan got away in fifth place and was a respectable fourth at the conclusion of the race.
In Race 2 Jamie Stauffer got another good start and was controlling the race by then end of the first lap. Dan was left with his work cut out for him after a poor start saw him languishing mid pack. The elder Stauffer reaffirmed his position in the team pushing through to claim a position each lap and after 9-laps it was on with the Stauffer brothers show again, the duo first and second with Dan a mere 1.3 seconds behind Jamie.
The Superbike race victories capped off a clean sweep for Jamie Stauffer after he convincingly won both Supersport races earlier in the day.
“We are off to a great start yet again,” said Jamie. “I think that is purely because nothing has changed on our bike or in our team structure.”
“The track was quite slippery today and slower than last year. I think the rain earlier in the week combined with today’s heat were the major cause.”
“I was impressed to see Dan giving me a hurry up and I was really happy to see him back at his best, he is capable of a lot more that what his 2006 results represent,” Jamie added.
After sitting out the later part of the 2006 season with injuries Dan Stauffer was ecstatic with his first round results.
“Today was just awesome,” Dan commented. “To come from ninth to second in Race 2 taking a track position each lap proved my results in the first leg of Race 1 weren’t just luck.”
“I knew after getting on the bike on Friday we were on the pace but I didn’t think I would be in a position to give Jamie a hurry up.”
“Today’s results are a true testament to the Yamaha Racing Team YZF-R1 and Dunlop tyre race package and I am really excited about the 2007 season,” he added.
With one clear goal firmly set for 2007 Yamaha Racing Team Manager John Redding acknowledged that his team had taken the first steps to realising that goal.
“Our main goal is to take back-to-back championships and I think today we took a giant step forward in achieving that goal,” said Redding.
“The whole team should be commended on doing a remarkable job; these results are the end product of hard work and unity.”
Today’s celebrations will be short lived for Yamaha Racing Team riders and personnel with their full focus now turning to Rounds 2 & 3 of the YMF Loan Australian Superbike Championship which will be held at Winton Raceway March 22-25.
Round 1 of the 2007 YMF LOAN ASC – Eastern Creek Raceway Sydney
Superbike Round Results
1 Jamie Stauffer YZF-R1
2 Daniel Stauffer YZF-R1
3 Glenn Alerton
4 Adam Fergusson
5 Scott Charlton YZF-R1
6 Shannon Johnson
7 Craig Coxhell
8 Shannon Etheridge YZF-R1
9 Wayne Maxwell
10 Michael Fraser
Round 1 of the 2007 YMF LOAN ASC – Eastern Creek Raceway Sydney
SuperSport Round Results
1 Jamie Stauffer YZF-R6
2 Jason O’Halloran YZF-R6
3 Jeremy Crowe YZF-R6
4 Joshua Waters
5 Judd Greedy
6 Bryan Staring
7 Russell Holland
8 Nick Henderson YZF-R6
9 Gareth Jones YZF-R6
10 Mick Kelly YZF-R6
2007 YMF LOAN Aust Superbike Cship
Superbike Overall after Round One
1 Jamie Stauffer 51
2 Daniel Stauffer 40
3 Glenn Allerton 34
4 Adam Fergusson 33
5 Scott Charlton 30
6 Shannon Johnson 29
7 Craig Coxhell 23
8 Shannon Etheridge 23
9 Wayne Maxwell 21
10 Michael Fraser 20
2007 YMF LOAN Aust Superbike Cship – SuperSport Overall after Round One
1 Jamie Stauffer51
2 Jason O’Halloran40
3 Jeremy Crowe36
4 Joshua Waters 33
5 Judd Greedy 31
6 Bryan Staring31
7 Russell Holland27
8 Nick Henderson27
9 Gareth Jones24
10 Mick Kelly23
