JJ Nahlous scores his maiden Superbike victory before defending champion Harrison Voight strikes back in race two, setting up a thrilling final encounter in the opening round of the 2027 Shannons Australian Superbike Championship. Press: ASBK Media

JJ Nahlous and Harrison Voight have shared the spoils in Saturday’s opening two races of the 2027 Shannons Australian Superbike Championship presented by Pirelli at Phillip Island, with both riders delivering impressive performances in challenging conditions.

Yamaha Racing Team’s Nahlous claimed his maiden SW-Motech Superbike race victory in the morning’s 11-lap opener, before McMartin Racing Ducati’s Voight responded with a commanding lights-to-flag win in the afternoon.

Cameron Dunker also enjoyed a strong day for Blue Marlin Pools East Racing Yamaha, finishing second in race one and third in race two. The results leave Voight leading the championship after two races, but with Nahlous just three points behind heading into Sunday’s final encounter.

Nahlous Makes History in Race One
The opening race began on a drying Phillip Island circuit, with most of the leading riders opting for slick tyres. Honda’s Jacob Roulstone was among the exceptions, choosing a different approach as the field negotiated the changing conditions.

Starting from eighth on the grid, Nahlous made a superb getaway from the third row and immediately put himself into contention. He weathered an early challenge from Dunker before finding his rhythm in the second half of the race, ultimately securing a breakthrough victory for Yamaha Racing Team.

“I’m really lost for words, as I didn’t expect that one,” Nahlous said. “But obviously it was the best possible outcome, and I’d like to thank everyone for their support in helping me get here. This is a very proud moment in my career.”

Dunker finished second, while Voight charged through the field to claim third after passing Cru Halliday on the final lap. Halliday nevertheless recorded the fastest lap of the race in 1:33.779 aboard his Stop and Seal Ducati Panigale V4 R.

Glenn Allerton finished fifth for Superbike Advocates Ducati, ahead of Josh Waters on the DesmoSport Ducati, John Lytras on the Addicted to Track Yamaha and Mike Jones aboard the Yamaha Racing Team machine.

Jack Favelle initially crossed the line fifth on his Apex Racing Team Honda but was subsequently excluded for failing to have appropriately marked tyres. The decision promoted New Zealand’s Morgan McLaren-Wood and Roulstone into the top 10.

Voight Strikes Back in Race Two
Voight responded in emphatic fashion in the afternoon’s second race, taking full advantage of his pole position to lead from the opening lap and control the 11-lap contest.

The defending champion immediately pushed hard, recording the fastest lap of the race with a 1:31.611 on lap two before managing his advantage through to the finish. It was Voight’s seventh Superbike race victory and an important response after finishing third in the opener.

“After race one, that was a great comeback,” Voight said. “The conditions were again challenging but I’m a lot happier that I’ve got a win on the board.

Read our Friday ASBK news here…

“I was determined to get out front and push hard, and I was then able to hold the advantage to the line.”

Halliday finished second, nearly two seconds behind Voight, but his race was far from straightforward. The Ducati rider spent the closing four laps locked in an intense battle with Dunker, with the pair fighting hard for the remaining podium positions.

Halliday ultimately held on to second by just 0.04 seconds over Dunker, underlining how close the contest remained behind the race winner.

Allerton, Nahlous and Roulstone completed the top six, while Lytras finished seventh ahead of Jones, Waters and Favelle. Although the race was officially declared wet, the rain-bearing clouds circling the circuit never developed into a significant factor.

Championship Battle Tightens
After two races, Voight leads the championship standings on 44 points, but Nahlous is close behind on 41. Dunker sits third with 38 points, followed by Halliday on 37 and Allerton on 33.

The results set up an intriguing final race on Sunday, with Nahlous looking to build on his maiden victory and Voight aiming to carry his race-two momentum into the championship’s opening-round finale.

Dunker has also demonstrated the pace to challenge at the front, while Halliday and Allerton remain firmly in contention should conditions change again.

The final 11-lap SW-Motech Superbike race is scheduled for 9:00am on Sunday, before Phillip Island hands the spotlight back to the MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3 world championship classes for the remainder of the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix weekend.

Race three was cancelled on Sunday due to weather conditions. Full results for Round 1 here…

Share this article