Recapping the Nolan Superbike Masters finale from The Bend

ASBK 2024
Spherical Seven – The Bend
Nolan Superbike Masters

The third and remaining spherical of the Nolan Superbike Masters wrapped up in spectacular type, that includes three action-packed races over the weekend. The extent of presentation within the paddock was excellent, with groups and riders going all out for the season’s conclusion.

A discipline of 20 bikes lined up for the ultimate spherical of the Nolan Superbike Masters, unfold throughout 4 courses—a powerful turnout, particularly spectacular provided that the 2024 Australian Historic Highway Racing Championships had been set to be held the next weekend at Goulburn’s One Raceway.

The Masters sequence featured 4 distinct courses, divided between two historic eras. The Interval 5 “Forgotten Period” catered to bikes manufactured from January 1, 1973, to December 31, 1982, and included the P5 F1 and P5 Limitless courses. These courses highlighted machines that outlined the late ’70s and early ’80s racing scenes.

In the meantime, the Interval 6 “Pre-Fashionable” class, for bikes constructed from January 1, 1982, to December 31, 1990, was break up into the P6 System 750 and P6 System 1300cc courses, showcasing barely extra superior however nonetheless basic equipment. This era-based construction allowed followers to understand the evolution in expertise and efficiency throughout these 20 years, whereas riders loved the distinctive challenges every interval’s machines delivered to the monitor.

The open-air garages in the back of the pit, the place the Superbike Masters bikes had been housed, grew to become a buzzing hub of exercise all weekend. Followers gathered en masse, captivated by the pristine historic bikes on show.

Many of those machines appeared as if they’d been preserved in a glass case for years, maintained in gorgeous showroom situation. The meticulous consideration to element and care taken by the house owners was evident, turning the garages right into a mini-museum that allowed followers to admire not solely the efficiency but additionally the craftsmanship and historical past behind a few of these legendary bikes.

This yr, riders had additional motivation to push for total supremacy with the introduction of the distinguished “Darren Lark Perpetual Trophy Award.” Created in honor of Darren “Massive Dazza” Lark, the trophy celebrates the person whose dedication and keenness had been instrumental in integrating the Superbike Masters into numerous rounds of the ASBK. Identified for his towering presence and a coronary heart of gold, Darren’s legacy is all about honoring the golden age of contemporary bikes. His imaginative and prescient was to maintain the spirit of that period alive, creating a category that not solely celebrated the machines of the previous but additionally preserved the essence and pleasure they delivered to the racing world.

The introduction of the Darren Lark Perpetual Trophy Award is a deeply becoming tribute to a person who left an indelible mark on the game however was taken far too quickly, passing at simply 54 years previous. Darren’s legacy lives on by means of this award, celebrating not solely his achievements however his unwavering dedication to the Superbike Masters.

The joy heading into Tailem Bend took successful earlier than the occasion even started, as sequence chief and final yr’s champion, Keo Watson, was dominated out. Watson was nonetheless on the mend from a damaged pelvis sustained in a dramatic incident through the earlier ASBK spherical on the newly revived One Raceway in Goulburn. Competing within the Supersport 300 class, Watson was locked in intense close-quarter racing with younger Kiwi rider Jesse Stroud when the 2 collided and crashed, leading to Watson’s harm.

Including to the setbacks, the only real qualifying session at Tailem Bend noticed Jack Passfield, second within the sequence standings, sidelined after his Yamaha FZR suffered engine failure as a consequence of a bent valve. His bike’s proprietor, Stuart Woodbury, instantly headed again to Sydney in a race in opposition to time to attempt to restore the machine in preparation for the upcoming nationwide titles. With each Watson and Passfield out, the sector abruptly felt the absence of two key contenders, shifting the dynamics of the race weekend and opening up alternatives for others to step up and shine.

After the only real qualifying session, it was Alex Phillis (P5F1 Suzuki XR69) main the best way from Isle of Man TT common, David Johnson (P6 1300 GSX-R1100) and Ryan Taylor (P6 F1300 GSX-R1100) in third.

Ryan Taylor was working third total within the title chase and within the field seat to take out the inaugural Darren Lark award because of the no-show of Watson and Passfield.

The primary leg on Saturday afternoon was shaping as a cracker. Phillis bought the bounce off the road on the Lyall Williamson-tuned XR69 owned by “Spud” Arnold, the Victorian main South Australian Johnson on his Carl Cox-owned Katana, with Taylor aboard the Pablo’s Tyres Katana making an attempt to maintain the pair in contact.

There was a noticeable discrepancy in velocity and acceleration between the three bikes on the entrance.  Phillis would make a niche on the lengthy most important straight earlier than Johnson would then work to scale back the hole across the again part, pushing extraordinarily laborious by means of the turns. The pair engaged in some fierce duelling, whereas Taylor had a grandstand seat following from just a little manner astern.

Johnson was made to work ever more durable because the bike wasn’t too eager to stay in third gear and stored leaping right into a false impartial on the most inappropriate instances, notably when banked over on the left-hand facet.

With Phillis, Johnson and Taylor separated by almost two-seconds The race was red-flagged at half distance after Darwinian, Gordon Macdonald crashed exiting T16. He and his as soon as pristine Kawasaki 900Z1 left stricken proper beside the monitor.

As such, half-points had been awarded for the shortened race.

The second six-lap race was extra of the identical, as Johnson hounded Phillis till he misplaced contact because of the gearbox gremlins.  Taylor did a lot the identical to be in contact with the pair..

It wasn’t all processional as there was loads of enjoyable available additional behind, watching John Allen of the C&J Bikes Yamaha TZ750 that he has campaigned on and off for a variety of years was fairly entertaining.   Typical of a two-stroke, it took some effort to get off the road with out the entrance wheel leaping into the air, however as soon as he was motoring, Allen depraved up the TZ to cost by means of the sector to complete fourth in every race.

Phillis gained the shortened first race by just below two-seconds, the second leg by 6.5-seconds and the ultimate encounter by almost 12-seconds, as Johnson’s gearbox grew to become much more recalcitrant.

One explicit and completely entertaining cube all through the three races was between Corey Glock on his GSX-R750 and Michael Berti Mendez on his Ducati TT2 992. The pair had been by no means actually greater than a motorbike size aside and had been clearly having a ball on monitor. At one stage, as they had been facet by facet on the straight, one leant throughout the opposite bike as if to hit the kill-switch.

There was loads of banter and camaraderie between the sector on and off the monitor, however the respect was proven on the monitor. In any case, many of those bikes are nearly irreplaceable.

After the three races, Taylor’s outcomes had been sufficient for him to leapfrog the general level rating from third to first and take the title from the absent Watson by eight-points.

Jack Passfield was left to rue his probabilities after travelling so removed from Sydney for the occasion, as he was third total, five-points adrift of Watson.

Within the P5 F1 class, Berti Mendez gained the general from Phillis, with Scott Webster ending third total.

In P5 Limitless it was Ross Dobson (Suzi GSX1290) took the silverware from Pat Povolny on his Gixxer with Glenn Hindle third.

As for the P6F13, it was a mirror picture of the general with Taylor successful from Watson and Passfield.  Dean Oughtred fourth and Johnson managing fifth in his sole look, though he managed to retain the lap document he set two years in the past.

Within the P6 F750 it was the evergreen Phil Burke on his immaculate Honda RC30 who claimed the general from Phil Bevan on his equally spectacular RC30. Corey Glock third total.

Nolan Superbike Masters Race One

Nolan Superbike Masters Race Two

Nolan Superbike Masters Race Three

Nolan Superbike Masters Spherical Factors

Nolan Superbike Masters Championship Factors

Nolan Superbike Masters Qualifying