Motourage

Team Suzuki raced to a one/two finish in the 8 Hour Australian Endurance Championship at the Phillip Island Circuit this weekend.

Superbike team riders Josh Waters, Troy Herfoss and Robbie Bugden claimed the outright and class honors aboard the Phil Tainton Racing-prepared GSX-R1000 with a total of 279 laps and 1241 kilometers completed. Coming in five laps behind them and second outright for the event was Suzuki’s Supersport effort of Brodie Waters, Ben Attard and Mitchell Carr aboard the GSX-R600.

Team Suzuki’s assault proved flawless, with both teams taking out their respective category pole positions on Saturday in the Super Qualifying sessions. Josh Waters was top Superbike and outright qualifier with a time of 1:33.164, while younger brother Brodie set the pace for the Supersport class on 1:36.285, which was good enough for fourth outright.

Team Suzuki dominated Sunday’s endurance event from the outset, with Waters leading the field away in the Le Mans-style start, in which riders sprinted to their bikes to begin the race. From there it was a team effort between Waters, Herfoss, Bugden and the pit crew to lead the race’s entirety to the checkered flag.

Waters claimed the fastest lap of the race on lap 154, posting a 1:34.805-second time to confirm both the speed and the reliability of the Suzuki GSX-R1000 in competition trim.

“My teammates were fantastic and we worked really well together,” Waters explained. “Everybody put in 100 percent and it was a great way to wrap up the 2011 season. It was good fun working with the other riders and I was lucky that I had team mates on my side who are fast and consistent. My experience in the Suzuka 8 Hours this year in Japan with Yoshimura Suzuki played a big part in my preparation for the race and I really enjoy endurance racing. It was definitely an advantage for me and I’m proud to win along with Team Suzuki.”

“We had a great weekend and I felt comfortable working alongside both Mitch and Ben on the team,” added Team Suzuki’s Supersport class rider Brodie Waters. “We pushed hard at the start and then settled into a rhythm, which is important in endurance racing. It is a great reward to win the Supersport class for Suzuki and go one/two outright.”

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