Cougar Bourbon Honda Racing's Bryan Staring wrapped up the 2010 ASBK title at Symmons Plains this afternoon.

It was a case of ‘to finish first, first you must finish’ for Bryan Staring today who endured torrid conditions at Tasmania’s Symmons Plains circuit to win a maiden Australian Superbike Championship title.

The Cougar Bourbon Honda pilot held the advantage over fellow Honda rider Wayne Maxwell going into the race, needing simply to finish today’s 16-lap finale to take victory.

A plume of spray rose as the field headed into the first corner and it was the wet weather warriors that reigned supreme as Staring played it safe.

Ducati Motologic Racing’s Jamie Stauffer led momentarily before Team Suzuki’s Josh Waters took over, controlling proceedings until lap 3 where Maxwell made his move.

The odds were stacked against Maxwell who needed to win or take second and have Staring fail to finish, and he gave himself every chance should misfortune have struck the points leader.

The Demolition Plus GAS Honda rider soldiered on to take an impressive victory ahead of Waters, but the overall spoils went to Staring who survived a breath-taking moment negotiating lap traffic to finish eighth.

Staring was elated with his championship victory and said he fought hard to control his nerves during the closing stages of the race.

“I feel funny about it because that last race went so terribly. I couldn’t see a thing out there and it was a real battle to finish,” explained the 23-year-old.

“I couldn’t help but think about the championship in today’s race, I told myself I’d race to my own agenda but there were people passing me left, right and centre and it was certainly on my mind.

“I’m so glad to have raced this season with Honda and the Cougar Bourbon Honda team, we’ve had such a successful year and this championship has come down to the effort of so many people.

“This is a huge achievement for us and it will probably take a while to sink in.

“Thanks also to Wayne [Maxwell] and the other riders who have pushed me every step of the way.”

The title of Australian Superbike Champion will be added to Staring’s previous achievements of Supersport and 125GP victories, making him the only rider in the history of national road race competition to achieve the elusive ‘triple crown’.

The Gold Coast-based rider started the 2010 season without a race victory next to his name and leaves with five, an incredible feat considering his team was formed just weeks before the opening round in February.

Maxwell was gracious in defeat and admitted that a few errors earlier in the season cost him the chance to launch a real challenge today.

“We were a bit behind the eight ball this year and it probably did cost us the championship but second is a great result,” he said.

“I’m a racer, I want to win every time but that’s the way it goes. I’ve had a great year with all the guys and my team has really gotten behind me.

“The only option for me today was to go for the win and let the rest take care of itself.

“Congratulations to Bryan who absolutely deserves this championship, he’s had a fantastic year.”

Maxwell finished season 2010 just 6.5 points shy of Staring after six rounds and a total of 12 races.

Valvoline Superbike Team rider Glenn Allerton was third today and, combined with his race one victory, also secured his first round win for the year.

Allerton rounds out a Honda 1-2- 3 in the championship with his eventual finishing place of third outright.

Racer’s Edge Suzuki rider Scott Charlton was the first GSX-R1000 home in 2010, building a consistent campaign to finish a credible fourth.

Ducati Motologic Racing’s Jamie Stauffer rounds out the overall top five on the 1198R after an up-and-down season aboard an all-new bike.

A close battle for Viking Group Australian Superstock 1000 A-grade honours went the way of Champion’s Ride Days Race Team’s Brendan Clarke, who held out CJC Racing BMW rider Craig Coxhell despite the latter winning both of this weekend’s class races.

In B-grade, QBE Insurance-backed Ducati rider Beau Beaton won the overall series for the season after challenging the top A-grade riders throughout the year.

Team Suzuki’s Troy Herfoss recorded a clean sweep of round seven, capping off his Insure My Ride Australian Supersport Championship victory in spectacular fashion in today’s wet race.

A number of riders shone in the difficult conditions, with Aaron Gobert showing his experience on the Gobert Motorsports Yamaha R6 and AARK Racing Triumph racer Des Darby also in contention.

Darby was hot on the heels of Herfoss as the laps counted down, and put everything on the line in the final corner in an attempt to take his first race victory.

The slippery conditions caught him out, however, and his Triumph 675 slid out from beneath him, allowing the freshly-stickered number one machine of Herfoss to claim victory uncontested.

Herfoss described his season as ‘incredible’ but has already set his sights on bigger and better achievements in 2011.

“My second season in Supersport has been close to perfect aboard the GSX-R600, it’s all panned out how I had planned and now I am hoping to get the chance to get on a Superbike and keep chasing my dream,” explained Herfoss.

“The Australian championship is very competitive and I really want to get a season or two behind me on a 1000cc machine before I look towards a ride overseas.”

Triumph rider Christian Casella finished second for the round and second overall in the championship, a top effort in the team’s first year.

Gobert completed the Symmons Plains podium to take his first top three of the year after shining throughout the weekend, sealing fourth for the series.

Sunstate Racing’s Brodie Waters made it two Suzuki’s in the top three this year, finishing 21 points adrift of Casella after taking fourth overall in Tassie.

Directly behind Waters was younger brother Nick, who took an impressive top five finish overall for the round in just his second Supersport appearance.

2010 Viking Group Australian Superbike Championship
Round Seven – Symmons Plains, Tasmania

Superbike Race Two Results:
1. Wayne MAXWELL (Demolition Plus GAS Honda Racing)
2. Joshua WATERS (Team Suzuki)
3. Glenn ALLERTON (Valvoline Superbike Team)
4. Jamie STAUFFER (Ducati Motologic Racing)
5. Ben ATTARD (The Natural Aprilia Racing Team)
6. Scott CHARLTON (Racers Edge Performance Suzuki)
7. Robert BUGDEN (Team Suzuki)
8. Bryan STARING (Cougar Bourbon Honda Racing)
9. Kris McLAREN (McLaren Motorsports)
10. Craig COXHELL (CJC Racing BMW)

Final Superbike Championship Standings:
1. Bryan STARING (QLD) 241
2. Wayne MAXWELL (NSW) 234.5
3. Glenn ALLERTON (NSW) 192
4. Scott CHARLTON (VIC) 172
5. Jamie STAUFFER (NSW) 165
6. Robert BUGDEN (QLD) 144
7. Joshua WATERS (VIC) 143.5
8. Shawn GILES (VIC) 142.5
9. Shannon JOHNSON (VIC) 119
10. Kris McLAREN (VIC) 82

Supersport Race Two Results:
1. Troy HERFOSS (Team Suzuki)
2. Christan CASELLA (AARK Racing Triumph)
3. Aaron GOBERT (Gobert Motorsports Yamaha)
4. Nicholas WATERS (Waters Racing/Sunstate Racing Suzuki)
5. Brett SIMMONDS (Simmonds Racing Yamaha)
6. Brodie WATERS (Waters Racing/Sunstate Racing Suzuki)
7. Ben BURKE (Yamaha)
8. Des DARBY (AARK Racing Triumph)
9. Lawrence GUDE (Tamar River Cruises)
10. Andy LAWSON Jnr (Champion’s Ride Days Race Team Honda)

Final 2010 Supersport Championship Standings:
1. Troy HERFOSS (VIC) 275
2. Christan CASELLA (VIC) 233
3. Brodie WATERS (VIC) 212
4. Aaron GOBERT (NSW) 164
5. Chris QUINN (NSW) 152
6. Ben BURKE (NSW) 149
7. Ryan TAYLOR (VIC) 125
8. Des DARBY (QLD) 111
9. Andy LAWSON JNR (QLD) 100
10. Blake LEIGH-SMITH (QLD) 85

Click here for detailed results