Josh Waters and McMartin Racing with K-Tech take 2024 ASBK Championship.

Josh Waters and the McMartin Racing with K-Tech Team have made history in taking the 2024 ASBK championship title. Waters, the first ever rider in the 35 year history of the championship to win four titles also took the round victory at The Bend Motorsport Park over the weekend of November 8-10.

The season finale at The Bend Motorsport Park was always going to be an intense round. Three races over two days and seventy-six points up for grabs ensured the hunt for the SBK crown would go down to the wire.

As per a normal weekend the practice sessions got underway on Friday, unfortunately the first session was on a patchy track following early rain and not a lot of productive track time ensued. Track conditions had improved for the later practice session where the team began the task of fine tuning the setup of the McMartin Racing with K-Tech Ducati V4R’s chassis, electronics and K-Tech suspension. Over the later sessions Josh managed to improve close to a full second before topping the final FP4 session on Saturday morning.

A solid Q1 session saw Josh easily progress through to the Q2 session where he went within .2 of a second of securing pole position and the all-important championship point. 

Josh got a sensational launch from second on the grid in the shorter nine lap race on Saturday afternoon and led the field through turns one, two and three for the first time. By the time the field arrived at Ducati corner, turn four, Waters had already opened a small gap over title rival Jones in second. By the end of lap one that gap had evaporated, Jones was right on the tail of the McMartin Racing with K-Tech Ducati V4R. Josh was able to withstand the constant pressure from a shadowing Jones for almost the entire race, Jones launched his first attack at Motul corner, turn fourteen, but that was immediately repelled. Another attempted pass at turn seventeen saw both riders run wide before Jones was able to get his nose in front and take the race win, Josh securing twenty points for second. 

Race two, over eleven laps once again saw Josh on the McMartin Racing with K-Tech Ducati V4R lead the for the first three laps, the gap out to 1.2 second as the field started lap four. A big crash that left a bike in a precarious position saw a red flag stoppage with a re-started race over seven laps duration. 

The restarted race was almost a carbon copy with Josh slotting the McMartin Racing with K-Tech Ducati V4R into the race lead. Over the first few laps it was local hot shot Arthur Sissis that was sitting in second right on Josh’s tail, Jones back in fourth. Although Josh was leading, he was never able to make a significant gap over the pursuing pack that was now led by 2023 Champion Troy Herfoss, also Ducati V4R mounted. Herfoss attempted a late braking pass at turn seventeen on lap five that saw him run a fraction wide on exit and Josh immediately put the McMartin Racing with K-Tech Ducati V4R back in the race lead. Two brilliant laps from Waters followed and Herfoss was never able to mount another challenge but was unable to stop Jones taking second at the final corner to ensure the championship would go down to the final race of the year.

The abundance of nervous energy was clear to see on the faces of the riders, and team members, as the grid cleared for the final race of the year. Josh was able to channel that energy leading the field into turn one. Jones championship challenge would only last until turn thirteen when he went in a fraction hot and just touched the back of the McMartin Racing with K-Tech Ducati V4R, Jones crashing out but luckily Josh would go on the complete the race in second and become the first ever four-time champion in ASBK history. 

“I’m so happy to clinch the 2024 championship with McMartin Racing with K-Tech” commented newly crowned ASBK Champion Josh Waters. “Going into the final round we had a good lead, but anything can happen in racing, so my focus was too be fast and fight for wins, in all of the sessions we were up the front. In race one was so close, after getting passed then fighting back but just losing it on the last lap I really wanted to win the next race which I was able to do. That put me in a really good position for the final race. I had so many things going through my head, I just wanted to bring it home which I did in second place and that was good enough to win the round and most importantly the championship. I can't thank Craig enough. He does an amazing job and runs an awesome team. Over the last few years, I've been able to form a great relationship with Adrian, he understands what I'm saying and always makes things better for me. Shaun, Tim, Dan, Greg and Julie all play there rolls in a race weekend and all do an amazing job, I'm so thankful. Finally, too all our very valued sponsors, thank you so much”.

"What a weekend. The disappointment of losing the championship last year makes this win so much more special”. said Team Owner Craig McMartin “We couldn't be happier to see Josh realise his dream of being the first rider to win four ASBK titles and we know how hard he has worked behind the scenes to achieve this goal. We are all so incredibly proud of how well Josh rode under such pressure all weekend. I must say a huge thank you to every single member of the McMartin Racing team, for their hard work, dedication and loyalty. Thank you too to all our sponsors, most of them have been with us for many years, I really appreciate your continued support”.