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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1485886
Jones Captures ASBK Title Y amaha Racing's Mike Jones has wrapped up his third Aus- tralian Superbike Championship (ASBK) at the final round at The Bend in South Australia, Novem- ber 26-27. The meeting included current KTM MotoGP rider Jack Miller in his final race on a Ducati, Moto2 star Marcel Schrotter (Yamaha), Endurance World Champion Josh Hook (Honda), BSB star Billy McConnell (Honda), Mo- toAmerica Stock 1000 and factory Harley-Davidson King of The Baggers rider Travis Wyman and his brother Cody in the Supersport category, Moto3 star Joel Kelso (BMW) and European Moto2 Championship runner-up Senna Agius (Honda). Jones steadied himself in a tense race one for a sixth-place finish, which was enough to wrap up the championship over Ducati's retiring series champion Wayne Maxwell, with the win go- ing to former ASBK number one and AMA Supermoto Champion Troy Herfoss (Penrite Honda). Maxwell took second on the Boost Mobile Ducati with BMW's Glenn Allerton taking third, the top three long-time ASBK protag- onists covered by 0.516 seconds at the finish. Miller ended the race with a mechanical DNF, as did Agius, with Schrotter the best of the vis- iting internationals in 10th. Travis Wyman took 16th in race one to hold up American honors. In race two, it was Miller who led for the first half of the race on his Thriller Motorsport Ducati Panigale V4 R, leading the impressive Agius in his first race meeting on a superbike. Jones eventually worked his way past for the lead and Miller gradually dropped back on his near standard-spec Ducati as the factory bikes came charging through, sitting in sixth on the final lap that was promoted to fourth when Herfoss and Allerton both crashed out. Agius was then hoisted from fourth to second behind Jones at the flag in a brilliant performance by the 17-year-old, who finished ahead of Maxwell, Miller and former Moto3 star Arthur Sissis (Suzuki). "I'm elated," Jones said after race two. "I didn't want just to win the championship, I wanted to do it the right way, so after race one, it was time to send it. "To see the guys climbing the pit wall as I went over the finish line was awesome as they got the chance to experience what I was feeling. We are a tight team and work so hard. "I didn't even realize at that stage I had won the day. I knew a IN THE WIND P28 Mike Jones is now a three-time ASBK Champion after emerging victorious at the final round.