The Woodstock Bourbon-sponsored Evolution Sports Group team had an action-filled weekend at the
sixth round of the sixth round of the Australian Superbike Championship, contested as a support category at the
Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix last weekend.
American AMA Superbike rider Jake Holden and American-based Australian David Anthony joined
regular team riders Chris Trounson and Shannon Johnson for the round, making for a star-studded
line-up in front of a race day crowd of over 50,000 spectators.
Top Superbike runner for ESG over the weekend was Holden, winning the Privateer Cup for the round
ahead of teammate Anthony, also securing seventh overall in the championship point-scoring round
after running off the circuit in the opening championship race, where he rejoined to finish 12th. Holden
scored his best result in the final championship leg of the weekend in fourth, while he finished fifth and
ninth in the earlier separate non-championship races.
Anthony returned to compete in his home country after a number of years in the Unites States,
finishing eighth overall after scoring ninth and eighth in the championship races, also taking eighth and
sixth places in the non-championship races.
In the combined results for all four races across the weekend, Holden and Anthony finished fourth and
sixth overall respectively.
"Overall the weekend was good and I‰Ûªm happy to be able to develop my skills further while also
learning a new track," Holden said.
"I didn‰Ûªt really know what to expect of how fast these guys would be at this track,
but obviously Wayne [Maxwell] and Josh [Waters] are really quick. I knew that it would take some time
to get used to the track, and overall I think the guys at ESG gave me a good package to work with for
the weekend.
"To end up as the top privateer was a good result, even though we had some electrical
issues, so it was nice to finish the weekend strong in that final race. There are a lot of fast turns here,
a lot different to back home, and it‰Ûªs really exciting to be at a circuit like Phillip Island. Our Superbikes
aren‰Ûªt too much different to what the ASBK runs, overall it is pretty close apart from the wheels and
brakes. Everybody is so nice in Australia, made us feel really welcome, so it‰Ûªs been a cool weekend," the American concluded.
David Anthony said, "It was good to come back, see some old friends and be back racing in Australia at Phillip Island, but
it‰Ûªs all still the same as I remember.
"It was great to be able to ride for the Evolution Sports Group team
on the weekend, the bike was great, but I did take some time to adjust to the Honda as I‰Ûªd never
ridden one before. My starts let me down a little this weekend, I was always fighting to make my way
through the pack, but it was fun and I had a lot of battles throughout the four races.
"I fly back to the
States on Monday and will start preparing for another year in the AMA in 2010," he concluded.
The Australian Superbike and Supersport titles will stage the final round of 2009 at Phillip Island once
again on 27-29 November, where the ESG team will again be out in force to wrap up what has been a
stellar first season for the Victorian-based privateer effort.
Main Photo: Jake Holden
Credit: Keith Muir
