YMF Loan Australian Superbike Championship 2007

Round 1 - Eastern Creek

The first round of the 2007 Australian Superbike Championship was held in perfect weather conditions at Sydney’s Eastern Creek Raceway over the weekend of the 16, 17 &18 Feb. After a few months off the bike for the Christmas break, Craig McMartin was straight back to his best form winning 3 races from 3 starts after qualifying in second position.

For the 2007 season the Pro Twins class has been combined with the Nakedbike class in order to bolster numbers for the two classes. Racing against the high power Yamaha FZ1’s of Scott Charlton and Roland Kruck and also the Benelli TNT of Jon Cartwright, Craig McMartin (Pennzoil/Carbonize Ducati 749R) had to battle for the win in all 3 race’s.

The powerful FZ1’s and TNT blasted off the line in the first race with McMartin in 5th position into the fast turn 1. McMartin fought his way up to second position by the end of the first lap, first position by the end of the second lap. From then he managed to build a sizable lead of over 3 seconds which he maintained to the chequered flag.

The remaining two races were a similar affair with the powerful FZ1’s and TNT blasting off the line to take the lead on the first lap before McMartin managed for fight his way through to the lead during the tight sections of the technical and demanding Eastern Creek raceway. The result even more remarkable considering McMartin was racing on Supersport spec treated tyres while the rest of the field used Superbike spec racing slick tyres.

Craig would like to thank Dunlop tyres, Pennzoil and Carbonize for all there assistance over the weekend. Craig’s next outing on the Carbonize sponsored 749R will be at Winton raceway in Victoria, 23 – 25 Mar 07.