Matt Price.
Camera IconMatt Price. Credit: Supplied/Corina Michelle

Sam Clarke and Matt Price gearing up for Australian Superbike Championship this weekend

Tyler BrownJoondalup Times

Competing in the supersport class, Clarke started the second round in NSW on March 27 in pole position and took a comfortable lead early in the first race.

With 16 laps of racing ahead, Clarke had strong competition from Luke Mitchell and series points leader Troy Guenther.

However, the race was red flagged on lap 14 after a rider crashed at the exit of turn one.

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The race was declared at the 13-lap mark, meaning Clarke was awarded victory.

He started strongly again in the second and final race, still closely followed by Mitchell and Guenther.

On lap 12, there were four changes to the lead, with Mitchell heading into lap 13 as the new race leader but Clarke managed to get the lead back in time to cross the finish line.

“Coming from WA to race the Australian Superbike Championship, getting the win on the east coast always feels good and it certainly makes the journey to the races well worth it,” he said.

“To win the overall championship is the goal; we will take it one round at a time, resetting our goals as we progress.”Clarke heads in to round three at Sydney on 81.5 points; behind Guenther on 95.5 and ahead of Mitchell on 81..

Hillarys rider Matt Price will also contest the supersport class this weekend.

Price is only in his first year of racing, having received his race license just 10 months ago.

Despite a crash in round one, which resulted in a shoulder injury, he has been working with a sports physiotherapist and is on track for round three.

“We are going into this one feeling more prepared to run a solid pace throughout the weekend,” Price said.

“It’s always going to be tough running at this level of competition but with every lap comes more experience to build confidence from.”