2012 World Supersport
At 31-years old, Broc Parkes is showing now signs of slowing down. For 2012, the Australian returned to the Ten Kate Honda World Supersport team for the first time since 2004, the year he finished runner-up in the WSS series.
And he began the 2012 season off quickly, taking the pole for the opening round of World Supersport at Phillip Island, Australia. Parkes posted a lap of 1:34.445 aboard the Ten Kate Honda CBR 600 RR to secure the 15th pole of his career.
He will be joined up front by two other Honda sportbikes, Bogdanka PTR Honda rider Sam Lowes and PTR Honda’s Jules Cluzel. Taking the final spot on the front row is 2010 World Supersport Champion, Kawasaki Deltafin Lorenzini’s Kenan Sofuoglu.
Heading up the second row is Fabien Foret (Kawasaki Intermoto Step), who will be joined by Sofuglu’s teammate Sheridan Morais, Alex Baldolini (Power Team by Suriano Triumph) and Balazs Nemeth (Racing Team Toth Honda).
Sunday’s World Supersport race at Phillip Island has been shortened from 21 laps to 15 after “exceedingly high track temperatures,” which reach 60 degrees, causing concerns about rear-tire degradation.
Broc Parkes (Ten Kate Honda CBR 600 RR) says: “It was very hot out there this afternoon and we did a race distance run at the start of the session just to test the tire. We put 15 laps on it and saved two new rears for the end of the session to try and put in a good time.
“I was a little bit worried that we couldn’t go any faster with the heat this afternoon and we only went a tenth faster than yesterday, but overall it was enough to get pole. I feel really happy and the bike seems to be working real good.
“Our biggest concern is the rear tire for the race – we need to choose a tyre that we hope can go the distance, so we’ll have a good think and make that choice tonight. There are three choices and we’ve done 15 to 17 laps on each of them. I’m really enjoying the bike though, it feels really good and seems to be doing everything I want!”
In other news, the World Superbike Superpole sessions were canceled due to a fatal crash in a support race; during that Australian Superstock 600 race, Queensland-rider Oscar McIntyre passed away. For a report, click here.
2012 World Supersport: Phillip Island Qualifying Results:
1. Broc Parkes 1m34.44s AUS HONDA Ten Kate Honda
2. Sam Lowes +0.016s GBR HONDA Bogdanka PTR Honda
3. Jules Cluzel +0.113s FRA HONDA PTR Honda
4. Kenan Sofuoglu +0.132s TUR KAWASAKI Kawasaki Deltafin Lorenzini
5. Fabien Foret +0.346s FRA KAWASAKI Kawasaki Intermoto Step
6. Sheridan Morais +0.553s RSA KAWASAKI Kawasaki Deltafin Lorenzini
7. Alex Baldolini +0.568s ITA TRIUMPH Power Team by Suriano
8. Balazs Nemeth +0.851s HUN HONDA Racing Team Toth
9. Robert Muresan +0.897s ROU HONDA East European Racing
10. Pawel Szkopek +1.003s POL HONDA Bogdanka PTR Honda
11. Massimo Roccoli +1.062s ITA YAMAHA Bike Service by WTR Ten 10
12. Lukas Pesek +1.081s CZE HONDA Prorace
13. Ronan Quarmby +1.199s RSA HONDA PTR Honda
14. Vittorio Iannuzzo +1.201s ITA TRIUMPH Power Team by Suriano
15. Mathew Scholtz +1.224s RSA HONDA Bogdanka PTR Honda
16. Ondrej Jezek +1.264s CZE HONDA SMS Racing
17. Jed Metcher +1.289s AUS YAMAHA Rivamoto
18. Fabio Menghi +1.439s ITA YAMAHA VFT Racing
19. Joshua Day +1.454s USA KAWASAKI Team GOELEVEN
20. Imre Toth +1.500s HUN HONDA Racing Team Toth
21. Vladimir Leonov +1.507s RUS YAMAHA Yakhnich Motorsport
22. Martin Jessopp +1.599s GBR HONDA PTR Honda
23. Luca Marconi +1.761s ITA YAMAHA VFT Racing
24. Andrea Antonelli +2.026s ITA HONDA Team Lorini
25. Dino Lombardi +2.291s ITA YAMAHA Team PATA by Martini
26. Romain Lanusse +2.313s FRA KAWASAKI Kawasaki Intermoto Step
27. Yves Polzer +2.913s AUT YAMAHA Team MRC Austria
28. Thomas Caiani +4.576s SUI HONDA Kuja Racing