Round 4 and 5 at Queensland Raceway saw Sunstate Racing unveil their all new PTR( Phil Tainton Racing) GSXR600’s for the first time.

After only limited testing time both riders were thrown in at the deep end but with the team working hard on set up at the factory test both Judd and Tim were up to speed very quickly.

Qualifying saw Judd end up in 6th on the grid after topping the time sheets for most of the 1st session but only to be knocked back to 4th in the last 3 mins of the session one.

In Race one Judd was able to run with the front group of riders and peg back a few positions finishing 4th. 

By Race 2 Judd was becoming more familiar with the bike and charged through field up into 2nd position, breaking the existing lap record lap after lap in the process only to have it taken back off him shortly before the end of the race by a hard charging Jamie Stauffer who relegated Judd back to 3rd, giving Sunstate Racing their first podium for the year.   ‘I really felt comfortable towards the middle of the race and I knew that I could catch 2nd position, but Josh had already cleared out at the front. I was watching my pit board and could see that I was starting to gap Jamie in 3rd but he’s a hard man to break and he put his head down and caught me, taking the lap record in the process, but I thought I had his measure in turn 3 under brakes and was positioning myself for a pass on the last couple of laps but for the last 5 laps of the race there was yellow flags out in that turn so I couldn’t pass but all in all I’m still happy to give the team some good results after all their hard work preparing the new bikes’ said a very happy Greedy at the end of the race.

Race 3 on Sunday saw Judd continue to do battle with the lead riders and after a successful pass on Crowe on the last lap found himself in 2nd position.  ‘I was having my own little battle with Crowey and I was always going to have a go under brakes on the last lap, then I looked up and saw Josh crashing out on turn one and realised that if I made a pass on Crowey I would be up into 2nd, which made me even more determined to make it stick. My tyres had been fairly ordinary for the last 5 laps of the race but I managed to get past and hold on to the line, I’m really liking this new GSXR600, its awesome’, said an elated Greedy.

Race 4 was set to be Judd’s best chance with the team electing to save his new Dunlop tyres for the last race but unfortunately he was late getting out on the grid and was penalised to the rear of the grid. After an impressive opening lap Judd moved from 24th into 8th position, but by the time he got into 6th on the 2nd lap the leading 5 had too much of a gap and Judd crossed the line in 6th. ‘ I think you know how I’m feeling right now, to say I’m disappointed is an understatement, lets just say that this will never ever happen again’, quoted a not so happy Greedy after the final race of the day.

It was also a big learning curve for young Superstock rider Tim Durie. Nonetheless, it was the start of a good weekend in practice with Tim running in the top 5 in only the first outing on the new bikes.

The second day was qualifying,  getting off to a nervous start, the pace was upped from practice with the front runners breaking out new lap record qualifying times. Settling in with the Suzuki Tim found himself in 11th position on the grid.

Saturday was the first round of the double header weekend.

Race 1 was the only Superstock race all weekend with out red flag incidents and Tim had a terrific start jumping a row into 8th position into the first corner. Banging bars with some locals through out the race Tim managed to hold his 8th position until the chequered flag.

Race 2 was another repeat with a great start, but unfortunately a bad accident had forced a red flag situation and a re-start to the race. The second start was not so good but managing to hold his position into the first turn. With a few great overtaking moves Tim was moving up through the field in the early laps, but as the other riders settled into some good pace he was finding it hard to keep pace down the long straights of Queensland raceway, crossing the finish in 11th position.

Sunday morning Tim was all fired up heading into Race One. With a good start he had the Suzuki all wound up heading down the back straight until a late braker pulled out of Tim’s slip stream and tried to make a move up the inside into turn 3, finding that he couldn’t stop he ran into the rider in front forcing Tim out into the gravel trap, to avoid running over the other rider on the ground. Luckily it was a red flag and Tim could re-start the race. A bit shaken up, and a belly pan full of gravel Tim held his place till the finish and had another 11th place.

Race 2 was all but too familiar with a red flag crash in turn one the Superstock field had a short delay and another re-start. Tim determined to make the best of the last race in the weekend. With a good start he was riding the wheels off the GSXR 600, with his head down and the throttle tapped he made ground on a few riders and crossed the line in 8th position. “It was a hard weekend of riding and a very big learning experience switching brands of machinery half way through the season. Nevertheless I am happy with my results and will work hard to improve them for the next round of the series in Symmons plains. A big thanks goes to the Sunstate Racing team they worked really hard all weekend getting me up to speed on the new Suzuki’s, which I wouldn’t of been able to do with out them.” said Tim.

Sunstate Racing would like to thank the following people and companies for their on-going support this season:

Sunstate Motorcycles

Suzuki

Dunlop Tyres

Joe Rocket

Alpine Star

AGV

Dickies Workwear

Valter Moto

Motul

Beach House Health & Fitness