Stauffer tops R3 Cup & SS300 at Wakefield on Saturday

Max Stauffer demonstrated to the field that he’s capable of winning races right to the line, as he claimed not one but two last-lap victories at Round 2 of the Motul Pirelli Australian Superbike Championship at Wakefield Park in both YMI Supersport 300 and YMF R3 Cup classes.

Stauffer notched up two come-from-behind victories backing up his pole positions in each class, making for an excellent start to the weekend for the young Yamaha rider.

YMI Supersport 300 – Qualifying

The first qualifying session of YMI Supersport 300 saw Stauffer on top again, a 1:06.433 claimed the session. He further lowered the mark in Qualifying 2 with a 1:05.536, taking pole ahead of Ben Baker (Motostars, Yamaha YZF R3 321), and Zac Levy (Puma RV’s, Yamaha R3 321).

YMI Supersport 300 – Race 1

Stauffer led them off the line ahead of Baker and Levy, with Locky Taylor (Yamaha Australia, Yamaha R3 321) and Lytras having swapped positions to end up in fourth and fifth. A battle pack was forming at the front between Baker who meanwhile had now taken the lead off Stauffer, then Levy, Taylor, Lytras and Harry Khouri (Excite M-sports, Yamaha R3 321).

Grace Poutch (SC Project Oceania, Kawasaki EX400) and Jeremy Czmok (Dindins Pet Food, Yamaha R3 321) crashed at turn eight on lap seven, while Stauffer was bundled back to third behind Baker and Lytras. But Stauffer was not done yet, making up two places on the last lap to find his way back to the lead. Stauffer took the win ahead of Baker, Lytras, Levy, Taylor and Khouri in a thrilling finish.

“I made it hard on myself in the end” said Stauffer on the podium. “I saw the last lap board coming out and I knew I had to get around (Lytras and Baker). I went around the outside of John out of turn two, and Ben got a little gap on me out of turn two and it worked out perfectly to dive-bomb him into that last corner!”

YMI Supersport 300 Podium 1) Stauffer, 2) Baker, 3) Lytras – Race 1, Saturday Wakefield Park – Image by TBG

YMI Supersport 300 – Race 1 Results

Max STAUFFER (Yamaha, Yamaha R3 321)
Ben BAKER (Motostars, Yamaha YZF R3 321)
John LYTRAS (Caboolture Yamaha, Yamaha R3 321)
Zac LEVY (Puma RV’s, Yamaha R3 321)
Locky TAYLOR (Yamaha Australia, Yamaha R3 321)
Harry KHOURI (Excite M-sports, Yamaha R3 321)
Travis HALL (Stitchsmith, Yamaha R3 321)
Brandon DEMMERY (Rustic Flooring, Yamaha R3 321)
Senna AGIUS (Schuberth, Kawasaki EX 400)
Tristan ADAMSON (Frigo Adamson Legal Group, Yamaha R3 321)

YMF R3 Cup – Qualifying

Stauffer was quick to stamp his authority on the first qualifying session in the all-Yamaha class too, posting an early fast lap of 1:05.778. However Baker had other ideas and set fastest time of the session with a 1:05.664.

In the second session Baker lowered the mark further with a 1:05.664, but Stauffer responded and reset the mark to 1:05.555. He was never headed, and took pole for the afternoon’s race ahead of Baker (1:05.66) and Lytras (1:05.791).

YMF R3 Cup – Race 1

Baker took the early lead off the line ahead of Stauffer, hoping to make up for missing out on the YMI Supersport 300 win moments earlier. But Baker was adjudged to have jumped the start and was awarded a 10 second penalty, leaving Lytras at the head of the field and Stauffer in second place.

Hunter Ford (Yamaha, Yamaha R3 321) and Taylor were next in the train. At the chequered flag once again, it was Stauffer who edged the penalised Baker and eventual second-placegetter Lytras by half a second. Baker’s post-race penalty would see him drop to ninth, promoting Ford to join Stauffer and Lytras on the podium.