A dream return to national road racing saw Mason Coote (Mason Coote Racing YZF-R6) take out the opening round of the Motul Supersport Championship at Phillip Island, in the first stop of the 2017 Yamaha Motor Finance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul Pirelli (ASBK).

After spending more than a year on the sidelines, Victorian local Coote shocked himself and onlookers by winning Saturday’s opening race and backed up that performance with a 2-1 result today to clinch his first-ever round victory. And he wasn’t even intending to continue racing in the entire series, a decision which he’s now hoping to change.

Coote said; “Mark (Chiodo) and I were absolutely on the limit the whole way around! Our times were a little bit down and I’m sure the track went away a bit, as it was quite greasy. We both made a lot of mistakes as we tried to capitalise on one another. It was the most fun I ‘ve had for a long time on a bike and to come out on top is unbelievable.”

Mark Chiodo - Image: Andrew Gosling, TPG Photography.

Mark Chiodo – Image: Andrew Gosling, TPG Photography.

Motul Supersport Race 2

In this morning’s second race of the weekend, after crashing out of the lead on Saturday to remount and finish P9, Mark Chiodo (Repsol 675 R) bounced back with the second Supersport race victory in a race that was declared due to a red flag following three laps. Only half-points were awarded because it didn’t meet the scheduled race distance.

Chiodo shared his race recollection; “We went well today starting with a win. I just wish it was for full points, but it was a half race. In the second race we held the lead but I was struggling to get power down off the corners, I just over-cooked the tyers. Going forward, I’m feeling really good about the bike, my team and the championship this year.”

Opening race winner Coote and Ted Collins (Next Gen Motorsports GSX-R600) joined Chiodo on the podium, as Sam Condon (Bikebiz YZF-R6) and Ryan Taylor (Pablo’s Motorcycle Tyres YZF-R6) completed the top five, marginally ahead of Ben Burke (YZF-R6), Luke Mitchell (DPH Motorsport YZF-R6) and Jordan Carlsson (Dynojet YZF-R6) when the stoppage happened.

Mason Coote - Image: Andrew Gosling, TPG Photography.

Mason Coote – Image: Andrew Gosling, TPG Photography.

Motul Supersport Race 3

In the final Supersport race of the weekend, capping off an action-filled World Superbike event, Coote proved he was a deserved round winner by out-racing Chiodo by 0.147s after a 10-lap dual at the front of the field. A lonely third in race three went to Collins in another consistent result, while Burke, Condon and Taylor completed the top five in formation.

Overall for the round it was Coote (60pts) who leads the championship by 13 points, with Collins (47pts) and Chiodo (44.5pts) – despite his race one fall. If points leader Coote can scrape the funding together to continue his title challenge at Wakefield Park, NSW, on 17-19 March, the Supersport battle between he and Chiodo will be sure to intensify as the rounds roll on.

Live timing and results can be found here.

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