Josh Waters and Gotzinger McMartin Racing with K-Tech extend ASBK Championship lead.

Josh Waters and McMartin Racing with K-Tech have extended their championship lead with a solid performance at Queensland Raceway over the weekend 26-28 April.

Following a successful test at Queensland Raceway, a traditional bogey track for the team, Josh Waters and the Gotzinger McMartin Racing with K-Tech Ducati V4R were on the pace from Friday’s first practice sessions, that form carrying on for the remainder of the weekend.

Josh successfully moved through a closely packed Q1, the top eleven riders covered by only .764, before improving by another tenth on his first run in Q2. A light rain shower half way through the session thwarted any final runs with Josh starting both sixteen lap races from fifth position. 

Josh got a good start in the opening race and slotted into fifth position early on, finishing the first lap right behind Pole sitter Mike Jones. Lap records were shattered in the opening laps with Josh and the Gotzinger McMartin Racing with K-Tech Ducati V4R well in the mix and holding position until lap seven when he overtook Glenn Allerton on the brakes. By lap eight Josh and Troy Herfoss, also Ducati V4R mounted, were around two seconds behind second place Max Stauffer, but by lap fourteen that gap was well under a second and the battle for podium positions was well and truly heating up. Over the final laps Josh closed in on Herfoss and was able to launch an assault in the final corner to claim third position across the line and continue his unbroken run of podium finishes for the season.

The second race was almost a carbon copy at the beginning with Josh holding down fifth place on the Gotzinger McMartin Racing with K-Tech Ducati V4R. A pass on Glenn Allerton on lap four moved Josh into fourth place and over the next few laps the pace was on again. Josh made a break from the group behind but was never able to reel in race leader Mike Jones, Troy Herfoss and Max Stauffer and crossed the line in fourth to secure another solid haul of championship points.

Josh Waters now leads the 2024 title race by an extended margin of 29.5 points over Cru Halliday.

“It was really good to come away with a podium in race one, my 21st Superbike race at Queensland Raceway” commented championship leader Josh Waters. “In the two races we were really competitive, and it was fun to be battling in the front group in both of them. Importantly we managed to come away with a decent amount of championship points with third and race one and fourth in race two which allowed me to extend the championship lead. A huge thank you to the Gotzinger McMartin Racing with K-Tech team who all worked extremely hard all weekend. I am really looking forward getting stuck into some training before the next round at Morgan Park in two months time”.

"I am happy with the results this weekend as this is not one of our best tracks” said Team Owner Craig McMartin. “Like everyone, we got caught out in qualifying with the rain and started both races from fifth on the grid. I think if we started from the front row, we could have been on the podium in both races but that's racing. Josh rode smartly in both races, and did exactly what was needed to extend the championship lead so we are happy with the results. As always, I am extremely grateful to the team for all their hard work over the weekend, it is because of their commitment we are able to get these results”.