Clean Sweep For Mahaffy For YMF R3 Cup

Round 5 Morgan Park Raceway set the scene for a welcome return for the YMF R3 Cup to the Yamaha Motor Finance Australian Superbike Championship Presented by Motul Pirelli (ASBK). Securing pole position for the YMF R3 Cup was Jack Mahaffy (JDS Moto, Yamaha YZF-R3).

Jack Mahaffy

Mahaffy setting his fastest qualifying lap early on in the second session. Locky Taylor (Locky Taylor Racing, Yamaha YZF-R3) managed to get within .276s of Mahaffy, with Hunter Ford (O Fox, Yamaha YZF-R3) in third.

Race One

Race One featured a skirmish between Mahaffy, Tommy Edwards (Alpinestars, Yamaha YZF-R3), Ford and Taylor for the victory. Mahaffy managed to gain the ascendency quite early on, leading the race for the opening laps. However his rival Edwards managed to take the lead at the half way mark of the race.

Mahaffy and Edwards would trade places on just about every lap for the remainder of the race. By this time the top four were beginning to build a significant gap to fifth place getter Ben Bramich (Ron Angel Classic Racing, Yamaha YZF-R3).

The race came down to the wire as Edwards took the lead on the penultimate lap. However, Mahaffy managed to overtake Edwards on the final lap for victory. Edwards mentioned that he attempted to overtake Mahaffy on the final lap, but a scare with losing traction caused him to think championship and maintain the second place.

Ford and Taylor finished close behind the pair in third and fourth positions. Six tenths of a second covered the top four as they crossed the finish. Taylor managed to set the fastest lap of the race, which was also a new race lap record for the class.

Ross Beames (Jennifer Beames, Yamaha YZF-R3) and Matt O’Connell (AMCN, Yamaha YZF-R3) were imposed 10 second penalties for jump starts.

Jack Mahaffy, “It was a great race! I had sun glare in my eyes the whole time but I tried to not let it affect my performance. I tried to play it stratiegely, even sitting behind Tommy at times to see which parts of the track he was at his strongest. It all came down to the last lap and I managed to complete the overtake. I could even see Tommy’s shadow as he tried to pass me on the last lap but I saw he almost had a moment. Overall great race!”

Provisional YMF R3 Cup Race One Results

Jack MAHAFFY (JDS Moto, Yamaha YZF-R3)
Tommy EDWARDS (Alpinestars, Yamaha YZF-R3)
Hunter FORD (O Fox, Yamaha YZF-R3)
Locky TAYLOR (Locky Taylor Racing, Yamaha YZF-R3)
Ben BRAMICH (Ron Angel Classic Racing, Yamaha YZF-R3)
Mitch KUHNE (Shark Leathers, Yamaha YZF-R3)
Tayla RELPH (Motorcycle Sportsmen, Yamaha YZF-R3)
Boyd HOCKING (Boyd HOCKING (DPH Motorsport Yamaha, YZF-R3)
Jonah SITA (Flashpoint Motosport, Yamaha YZF-R3)
Troy RYAN (Taree Motorcycles, Yamaha YZF-R3)

Race Two

Races Two and Three of the YMF R3 Cup were dominated by Jack Mahaffy (JDS Moto, Yamaha YZF-R3). Mahaffy continued his strong form throughout Round 5 Morgan Park Raceway (QLD), part of the Yamaha Motor Finance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul Pirelli.

The all-conquering Mahaffy won Race Two of the YMF R3 Cup class. Mahaffy led into turn one but had Tommy Edwards (Alpinestars, Yamaha YZF-R3) right on his rear wheel.

Jack Mahaffy

In the early stages of the race Mahaffy, Tommy Edwards and Locky Taylor (LTR Racing, Yamaha YZF-R3) were in a tight battle, but it didn’t take long for Mahaffy to build a significant gap from the front.

Despite the massive lead in first position, a great battle was taking place behind with Edwards (Alpinestars, Yamaha YZF-R3), Taylor and Hunter Ford (Ford Brothers Racing, Yamaha YZF-R3), all wanting that second place.

The battle raged on until the final lap. In the end, it would be Mahaffy to take the win followed by Edwards in second and Taylor in third.

Matt O’Connell (AMCN, Yamaha YZF-R3) was imposed a 10 second penalty for a jump start.

YMF R3 Cup Race Two Results

Jack MAHAFFY (JDS Moto, Yamaha YZF-R3)
Tommy EDWARDS (Alpinestars, Yamaha YZF-R3)
Locky TAYLOR (LTR Racing, Yamaha YZF-R3)
Hunter FORD (Ford Brothers Racing, Yamaha YZF-R3)
Ben BRAMICH (Ron Angel Classic Racing, Yamaha YZF-R3)
Tayla RELPH (Motorcycle Sportsmen, Yamaha YZF-R3)
Sharni PINFOLD (Shark Leathers, Yamaha YZF-R3)
Boyd HOCKING (DPH Motorsport, Yamaha YZF-R3)
Ross BEAMES (Jennifer Beames, Yamaha YZF-R3)
Jonah SITA (Flashpoint Motosport, Yamaha YZF-R3)

Race Three

Race Three was another master class from Mahaffy who delivered the race victory yet again. The victory marked a clean sweep from the young rider for the YMF R3 Cup races.

Mahaffy was relatively unchallenged for the duration of the race with the gap to the chasing Edwards being a significant four seconds.

As Mahaffy took the checkered flag, it would be Edwards in second and Ford to finish the podium placing’s. Mahaffy has demoted Edwards as the Championship leader, but only a slender two points separate the two.

Jack Mahaffy, “It was a great way to end the weekend with a positive note, we used a similar strategy to the last race. I just wanted to get into a rhythm and lead from the front. “

Tommy Edwards, “It’s been non stop racing this weekend with plenty of second places. It was a great battle between all three of us. “

Hunter Ford, “It’s great to get up here for the last race of the weekend and I didn’t want Locky Taylor to take that third place again!”