Support class racing gets underway at Phillip Island

Superbike race one

Factory Honda rider Glenn Allerton pulled off a superb passing maneuver on the final lap to set up victory in the opening QBE Australian Superbike race at the 2008 Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix.

Meanwhile, Allerton’s teammate Jason O’Halloran was third, despite being swamped at the start and initially circulating outside the top 10.

Supersport race one

Yamaha’s Bryan Staring was also in the thick of the frenetic last lap action, finishing a close third as well as setting the fastest lap of the race – 1:48.131.

Despite the wet conditions, the attrition rate in the six-lapper was minimal, with all of the class big guns except Judd Greedy (Honda) completing the distance.

Stauffer leads the Australian Supersport title with one round remaining, ahead of Waters and Maxwell.

Supersport race two

Cancelled due to fading light.

Historics race one

Polesitter Craig McMartin (Irving Vincent) has demolished the field in the opening Glen Cameron Australian Historic race at the 2008 Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix.

On a drenched track, McMartin moved into the lead at Turn Two on the opening lap, and from there he was in complete control, eventually winning by 11.247 seconds from the fast-finishing Scott Webster (Moto Martin).

Race two of the historics will be held this afternoon, where former Superbike legend, Tasmanian Malcolm Campbell (Suzuki) will be the man to watch on his two-stroke Suzuki.

Campbell set the fastest lap in race one en route to fourth position, and he’ll now hit the ground running in race two rather than tip-toeing over the first few laps.

Only 29 riders fronted the start out of 38 qualifiers, with 25 finishing.

Historics race two

Race one victor Craig McMartin (Irving Vincent) led onto Gardner Straight on the final lap, but Webster simply opened the taps on his Moto Martin to slingshot past his stunned opponent.

McMartin was lucky to be on the startline after crashing heavily in the preceding Superbike race. He eventually fronted the starter, if not with the same level of venom he showed in dominating race one.

Instead, seven-time Australian Superbike champion Rob Phillis was the one who really pushed hard in race two, but he eventually overcooked it on the last lap and came unstuck at Turn Nine while leading.