YMF Loan Australian Superbike Championship 2006
Round 6 - Winton Raceway, Victoria
Craig McMartin and the Gibson Freight/Carbonize Race Team
traveled to Winton Motor Raceway in Victoria for the 6th round of the
YMF Loans Australian Superbike Championships and it was business as
usual for McMartin and his team.
McMartin clinched an unprecedented 6th Australian Pro-Twin Championship
in emphatic style after qualifying in pole position and taking 3 wins
from 3 starts, a feat never before achieved at national level in
Australia – all with one round of the championships remaining.
McMartin (Ducati 749R), started the weekend by qualifying in pole
position on Saturday morning with a time of 1:27.5, 1.1 seconds clear
of his nearest rival Paul Roe (1:28.6). McMartin dominated race 1 after
a short battle with Mark Willis riding the powerful BMW 1200. After
passing Willis under brakes at turn 9, McMartin managed to build a lead
of 1.5 seconds which he maintained until the chequered flag. Roe
(Aprilia RSV-R 1000) finished second after a short battle with Willis.
Race’s 2 and 3 on Sunday were a similar affair with Willis blasting off
the line before McMartin managed to pass during the tight sections of
the circuit. After taking the win in race two by .6 of second from Roe,
McMartin knew that clinching the championship with one round to spare
was a real possibility. McMartin just needed to finish in front of his
nearest rival in the championship, Roe, to clinch his 6th Pro-Twin
championship. McMartin managed to take a comfortable win, 1.6 seconds
clear of Willis with Roe a further 1.1 seconds adrift.
At the post race interview Craig McMartin said “It’s great to wrap-up
the championship early here at Winton, 6 in a row is something special.
The Gibson Freight/Carbonize Ducati 749 and Dunlop tires worked great
all weekend and made my job so much easier. I’d like to thank my team
for giving me a great bike and Gibson Freight, Shell, Dunlop Tire’s and
Carbonize for all there support”
Craig’s next outing on the Gibson Freight/Carbonize Ducati 749 will be
at the final round of the YMF Loans Australian Superbike Championships
to be held at Sydney’s Eastern Creek raceway, 17 – 19 October.