Jones wins the Australian Superbike opening race at The Bend

His victory has set up an enticing conclusion to the 2024 mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul.

After he secured pole position, the 30-year-old pulled off a last-lap pass on championship points leader Josh Waters (Ducati). The pass has seen Waters’ lead trimmed back to 20 points with two 11-lap races ahead on Sunday. Whoever comes out on top, will become the first rider to win four Australian Superbike titles.

Jones has won every race this season when he has finished on the podium although iIt wasn’t easy. It took the third of three attempts to pass Waters before the successful move gained a slender 0.18s victory. Reigning champion Troy Herfoss (Ducati) chased the two before he crashed out Lap 4.

Arthur Sissis (Yamaha) took the third spot as a result, while Ant West (Yamaha) finished fourth over Broc Pearson (Ducati) after a close battle. Yamaha teammates Max Stauffer and Cameron Dunker were sixth and seventh in front of John Lytras (Yamaha), rookie Tom Toparis (Yamaha) and Ryan Yanko (Yamaha).

Meanwhile 13-year-old Hunter Corney took the bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup after his runaway victory. Archie McDonald (Yamaha) is now a four-time winner in Michelin Supersport, after a hard-fought victory over polesitter Olly Simpson (Yamaha) and teammate Jack Mahaffy in a three-way battle that went to wire.

Cameron Swain’s return to local racing after this year’s R3 World Cup was pure class, as he won both the Race and Road Supersport 300 and ShopYamaha R3 Cup openers.

In the FIM Oceania Trans-Tasman Challenge, New Zealand leads Australia by three points after Race 1. The same top three riders headed both Nolan Superbike Masters races, with Alex Phillis did the job over from fellow Suzuki riders David Johnson and Ryan Taylor.