Here's Bike Review's Race Report of Round 3: Hughes Limousines WA State Road Racing Championships. Words & Photography: John Innes
Round three of the Hughes Limousines WA State Road Racing Championships were run on the 31st of July at Perth’s Barbagallo Raceway, in what could be described as abysmal conditions at best.
The temperature never got above 14 degrees all day and for a good part it felt much colder due to the ‘wind chill factor’.
For the majority of the day it was bitterly cold with strong gusty winds and moderate to heavy showers. For once the weather forcasters got the prediction correct and the day was a real lottery for all of the participating riders.
The rain showers passed over the circuit with regular monotony and while the majority were short and sweet, several were of a longer duration and caused many anxious faces to look to the heavens for some sort of guidance.
For those who had spare rims with wets mounted it was common place to see the bike sitting on stands without wheels until the very last second before heading out on track.
As one seasoned Superbike rider told me, “I have never had to make the decision to run wets or slicks for each race on a day for many years, and sometimes it was pure guess work trying to figure out what the weather might dish up. But it was the same for everyone.”
HUGHES LIMOUSINES SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP:
The Superbike saw three races with three different winners and Stronach’s championship lead slightly eroded.
Race one saw the riders head out on a ‘damp track’ and it was Ralph Mammoliti (Trakdayz Kawasaki ZX-10R) who took up the challenge and took an early lead. He was closely followed by Keith Harrison (Nafai property Group Kawasaki ZX-10R), Adam Chambers (HTR/AARK Suspension Kawasaki ZX-10R), Adam Senior (Consent 2 Go Yamaha R1), Ben Stronach (Swift Windscreens Kawasaki ZX-10R) and Scott Pettit (Pro-Twin Yamaha R1).
It wasn’t until the final laps that Stronach launched his challenge and once passed he pulled a small gap and recorded a half second victory over Mammoliti with Harrison third.
Race two was on a drying track and Mammoliti once again got the best start and this time he wasn’t going to be denied, winning by 4.5s ahead of the fast finishing Senior with Stronach third and Harrison fourth.
The final race of the day was on a dry track and right from the start it was Senior who stamped his authority on the race with a stunning win, 5.5s ahead of Chambers and Mammoliti with Stronach in fourth and Pettit fifth.
Senior produced the fastest lap of the day when he dipped into the 57’s on lap three with a time of 57.2730 seconds.
Mammoliti won the round with 63 points just a solitary point ahead of Senior with Stronach third on 60 points. In the championship Stronach retains his lead with 186 points, 17 clear of Mammoliti in second place with Chambers in third place on 164 points.
In the ‘C’ Grade division Harrison has 213 points and holds a 64 point advantage over second placed Tim de Bruyn, with Raj Sarin in third place on 135 points.
HYDROQUIP SUPERSPORT CHAMPIONSHIP:
Sam Clarke was still on a borrowed bike, grateful for the chance to get some points towards his championship tally and had been ill during the week.
Most importantly he had the ASBK round at Morgan Park firmly on his mind and wasn’t about to do anything rash in this lead up to possibly the most important weekend of his racing life.
In the first of the three races it was a battle between Sam Clarke (Banhams WA Kawasaki ZX-6R), Matt Price (Joondalup Carpet Court Kawasaki ZX-6R), and the Boujos brothers Tim (JB Racing Kawasaki ZX-6R) and Leigh (JB Racing Yamaha R6).
Clarke and Price battled away at the front with Price finally making his move under brakes with Clarke settling for a safe second place, with Tim Boujos in third and his brother Leigh fourth.
The second race looked to be going in a very similar fashion until Price crashed out in spectacular fashion leaving Clarke to take the win from Tim Boujos with Jake Pruiti-Ciarello (Flashpoint Motosports Triumph 675) to take a well-deserved third place.
In the final race Price started from the rear of the grid and rode extremely well to finish with some good points in fourth place, but it was Clarke who dominated the field to take the win from Tommy King (Yamaha R6) in second place and Joshua Mathers (JS Mathers Construction Suzuki GSX-R600) taking third place.
Tim Boujos had to start from pit-lane having gambled on slicks only to find it raining part the way through the out lap, and changed to wets but then paid the price when the track dried out.
Clarke won the round with 70 points, second was Tim Boujos with 51 and tied for third were Leigh Boujos and Pruiti-Ciarello on 48 points.
The championship sees Clarke with a comfortable lead on 209 points second is Leigh Boujos on 157 just one point ahead of brother Tim.
In the ‘C’ Grade Series Pruiti-Ciarello won the round from Andrew Biffen (Race Shield Industries Yamaha R6) and Matt Price. Overall Price leads with 191, Pruiti-Ciarello is second with 177 and Biffen is third with 161 points.
FASTLINE GP RACING 125GP CHAMPIONSHIP:
In the first race Championship leader Scott Pettit (Fastline GP Racing Honda RS 125) made a rare error when he crashed on the out lap and although he was quickly up and running he was unable to take his place on the grid having broken a foot peg off in the crash.
In the race the front runners were David Manson (Fastline GP Racing Honda RS 125), David Doughty (Fastline GP Racing Honda RS 125) and Scott Topping (Honda RS 125) these three fought it out between them and it was Topping who prevailed breaking through for his maiden victory in the class with Manson second and Doughty third.
In race two, from the rear of the grid Pettit quickly worked his way through the field to take the win from Doughty and Topping. All were helped with Manson, Ian Hughes, Jessie Haines and Mark Laing-Hughes all crashing out.
The final race and it was Doughty who took the win after a race long battle with Pettit third was Manson who like Pettit before him fought his way through the field from his rear of grid start. David Doughty won the round with 63 points, second was Scott Topping with 60 and third was Colin Boujos (JB Racing Aprilia RS 125) with 50 points.
Despite his crash Pettit still has a commanding lead in the Championship with 215 points over David Manson on 175 and third is Doughty on 168 points.
CODED WELDING SIDECAR CHAMPIONSHIP:
Murray Stronach/Steve Marshall (Aceman Enterprises Suzuki 1000) took the win on the first outing of the day over defending champions Jero Joyce/Corey Blackman (RHR 1000) with English duo Tom Quaye/Thomas Quaye (Meon Valley Racing Yamaha 1000) having their first race in Western Australia net them a third.
In the second race Joyce/Blackman got back to their winning form taking the flag in a comfortable victory over Stronach/Marshall with Graeme Evans/Jarrod Scott (RHR 1000) in third place.
The final race of meeting and it was again Joyce/Blackman taking the chequered flag with Stronach/Marshall in second and Quaye/Quaye taking their second podium in their debut meeting.
Joyce/Blackman won the round with 70 points, second were Stronach/Marshall with 65 and third Quaye/Quaye on 53 points.
In the championship Stronach/Marshall still lead with 150 points but Joyce/Blackman have closed the gap to just five points and third are Gary Cushnahan/Paul Matthews with 102 points.
CULLY’S YAMAHA CLUBMAN 600:
The Clubman 600 saw two different winners on the day and the field experienced the full spectrum of the weather with the first race in pouring rain with Andrew Smiles (JW Moto Parts Honda XBR 600RR) taking the win in tough conditions from Pascal DeRoche (Honda CBR 600RR) with Jacob Kelsall (Suzuki GSX-R 600) in third.
The second race was run on a wet track and it was DeRoche who made the best of the conditions winning the six lap race from Ian Reddin (Red Racing Honda CBR 600RR) with Reevenjit Singh (WASSC Kawasaki ZX-6) in third place.
The final race was run on a dry track and once again it was DeRoche who set the pace winning from Nick Favazzo (VRT Yamaha R6) with Kelsall in third place.
CHAIN REACTION CLUBMAN 1000:
The Clubman 1000 saw three different winners from as many starts. In the first race John Quinn (Flashpoint Motosports Suzuki GSX-R 1000) took the win in the groups only ‘dry’ race. Second was Jason Lockyer (Sassy Creative Design BMW S 1000 RR) with James Smith (Badger Racing Honda CBR1000RR) in third place.
In the second race on a wet track it was Smith who took the win from Jeff Cameron (Razor Racing Honda CBR1000RR) with Brian Monahan (Absolute Fit Honda CBR1000RR) in third place.
The final race saw Cameron the winner on a damp track with Smith second 8.5 seconds in arrears and Sean McHale (Reoright Kawasaki ZX-10R) in a distant third place.
Round 4 will be run on the 28th of August. Practice will commence from 8.30am with racing from 11.00am approximately.
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