Mike Jones has sealed the 2022 Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul title at The Bend Motorsport Park.
After beating Jack Miller to pole, Jones wrapped up his third title with a sixth-place finish in Race 1, with the Yamaha Racing Team rider claiming the marque’s first title since 2007.
“It’s very emotional for me, the third Australian Superbike Championship, with a third manufacturer,” Jones enthused.
“It has been a long time for Yamaha since 2007, so great to be able to give it to them this year.
“A special thanks to everybody that has supported me to be able to achieve this result this year.”
Timed Practice pacesetter Troy Herfoss took the chequered flag in Race 1, ahead of title contender Wayne Maxwell, with Glenn Allerton completing the podium.
At the drop of the green flag, Arthur Sissis took the lead of the race from Allerton, as Jones dropped to third, with Miller falling to fifth from the front-row.
Miller recovered to pick up fourth from Josh Waters, before going around the outside of Jones at Turn 2 to take third on Lap 2.
Shortly after this, the race was red-flagged after Billy McConnell and title contender Bryan Staring collided while battling for eighth and ninth position at Turn 1 on Lap 2.
Following the incident, a full-race re-start took place, with the race reduced to 10 laps, with Sissis leading the way from Allerton, Herfoss, Jones and Cru Halliday.
A reported gear position sensor failure off the re-start for Miller, resulted in him finishing pulling into pit lane and not finishing the race.
Herfoss went on the attack against Allerton, getting past the BMW M RR rider on Lap 2, as Sissis built a margin of 0.674s margin at the head of the field.
Maxwell began his charge for the podium on Lap 4, making his way past Allerton at Turn 6, before passing Waters on Turn 17 for third.
The following lap, the Ducati V4R rider dove down the inside of Herfoss at Turn 17 for second, with Sissis 0.490s ahead.
Maxwell took the lead of the race from Sissis on Lap 6, with Herfoss going onto pass the #61 for second on track.
Herfoss dove down the inside of Maxwell at Turn 1 on the penultimate lap to take the lead of the race from Maxwell.
He would go onto the win 0.328s clear of Maxwell, with Allerton in third.
Waters was fourth on his Ducati V4R, ahead of long-time race leader Sissis who would ultimately finish fifth, while 2022 title winner Jones crossed the line in sixth.
Anthony West, Cru Halliday and Daniel Falzon finished seventh, eighth and ninth respectively, while Miller’s Thriller Motorsport team-mate, Moto2 rider Marcel Schrotter Marcel Schrotter rounded out the top 10.
The final race of the 2022 Australian Superbike Championship season will take place at 14:45 local time/15:15 AEDT.
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