Waters takes Australian Superbike win

From Team Suzuki News Service

Team Suzuki rider Josh Waters marked his debut in the 2011 Australian Superbike Championship with a new lap record and a race win at the second round of the championship at Tasmania's Symmons Plains Raceway last weekend.

Waters, who missed the opening round of the national series at Victoria's Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit on Feb. 25-27 due to 'wildcard' commitments in the Superbike World Championship, won Sunday's opening 20-lap race by 0.048 secs. from Wayne Maxwell and Glenn Allerton.

In one of the most exciting Superbike races in the Championship's 22-year history, just 1.469 secs. covered the top five riders when the chequered flag was waved to signal the end of race one.

Waters, the 2009 Australian Superbike Champion, claimed a new Superbike lap record of 53.475 on his way to victory on his Team Suzuki GSX-R1000, and then backed up in race two with a hard-fought fourth place, just 0.418 secs. behind third-placed Jamie Stauffer who in turn was 0.087 secs. behind second-placed Maxwell.

The Team Suzuki rider's win and fourth placing gave him second overall for the round, one point adrift of round winner and race two victor Allerton.

Just outside a podium position in race one was Team Suzuki Superbike rookie Troy Herfoss, the 2010 Australian Supersport Champion finishing a close fourth on his Suzuki GSX-R1000 in what was only his third race on a Superbike. Herfoss backed up in race two with fifth place to consolidate second overall in the Championship standings.

Under clear blue skies and in near-perfect racing conditions Waters' Suzuki GSX-R1000 repeatedly hit 270km/h around Symmons Plains' daunting Turn Five 'kink', the fastest corner in Australian motorcycle racing.

"They were two great races," said Waters. "Those boys are riding fantastic. I gave it everything I had, but I just didn't have it in me in that second race."

After two rounds, Allerton leads the eight-round Australian Superbike Championship on 93 points, 23 points ahead of Herfoss with two-time Australian Superbike Champion Jamie Stauffer third on 66 points. Waters, in his first outing in the 2011 Australian series, now sits 10th on 42 points.

The next round of the Viking Group Australian Superbike Championships will be held at Darwin's Hidden Valley Raceway on April 14-17.

Superbike Overall Results:

1. Glenn Allerton; 2. Josh Waters; 3. Wayne Maxwell; 4. Jamie Stauffer; 5. Troy Herfoss; 6. Robbie Bugden; 7. Ben Attard; 8. Kris McLaren; 9. Craig Coxhell; 10. Cole Odendaal

Superbike Championship Points (after 2 of 8 rounds):

1. Glenn Allerton 93; 2. Troy Herfoss 70; 3. Jamie Stauffer 66; 4. Ben Attard 65; 5. Wayne Maxwell 60; 6. Craig Coxhell 58; 7. Robbie Bugden 57; 8. Cole Odendaal 45; 9. Ben Henry 45; 10. Josh Waters 42