In his first outing in an Australian Superbike Championship race in six years, Anthony Gobert has qualified on the front row of the grid, posting a fourth fastest time for the fourth round of the Aussie titles at Sydney's Eastern Creek. It's the first time that the Aussie has ridden a big bore bike at the Sydney track since he wrapped up the 1994 Australian Superbike Championship on the Winfield Honda RC45.
Riding a Honda Fireblade CBR929RR for the Advantage Honda dealership, the Go-Show made steady improvement in the two practice and two qualifying sessions with a best time of 1:35.3328, just over two seconds off pole-sitter Adam "Crusty" Fergusson's time of 1:33.3066 on the Mobil Honda Racing CBR929 rocket.

"We've made good steady progress," Gobert told AMASoup. "I've never ridden a Honda Production Superbike before but I'm pretty happy with what we've done. We only get 20 minute sessions so there's not much time to sort out the bike the way we want to."

Second fastest was series leader Shawn Giles (Ansett Air Freight Suzuki) on one of only seven fully fledged Superbikes in the 41- bike field just 0.05 sec off Fergusson with Fresh from his overseas sojourn in the World Supersport Kevin Curtain leads the R1 contingent on the Radars Team Yamaha. Also in fairness: the Mobil Honda team used a club event two weeks previous to get some setting for this important round.

Fergusson must win both races to stop Giles taking a strangle hold on the Superbike title

Adding a bit of history to the occasion was seeing the 25-year-old eldest Gobert sharing the track with his youngest brother, 17-year-old Alex, Fegussons teammate on the Mobil Honda. In fact it was only in the last session that Gobert The Elder managed to relegate Alex to fifth fastest - albiet by just 0.1267 sec.

"After the morning session I was thinking of ways to slow him down I dont want my little brother beating me!" added a cheerful Gobert who is showing no signs of acting as if he doesnt want to be here but being in the tight family atmosphere with his two brothers and parents no doubt added to the relaxed mood of The Show. "I need to stay on a bike and this is a great way of doing it back here at a track that it really all started from."

It was a bloody stirring sight to see the pair chasing each other around the 3.93km track, what with young Alex definitely a huge talent that's quickly coming to grips with a virtual Superbike as this is only his third national meeting on the big bore 'Blade, having been a senior for just over twelve months. Young Alex also qualified ninth fastest in the Superports, battling set up problems 1.6 sec off pole.

One thinks it will be a different story come race time with Anthony getting quicker as he gets the bike sorted. "We're improving every time we go out and its been a big effort to get on the front row just pipping my brother to get there. It was fun being out there with him following him around. It was great."

In the final qualifier Gobert was still having a bit of trouble getting it to steer where he wanted, adding a new line to the exit of turn nine taking to the grass and dirt on nearly every lap. "We'll change few things to get it going better. I'm looking forward to a good couple of races."

While Alex and Anthony were battling the best in the Superbikes, middle brother Aaron was giving his title chances in the 250 Proddies a big boost, grabbing pole and breaking the seven year old lap record in the process. 19-year-old Aaron took 1.2 seconds off the long standing record lowing it to 1:40.6 on his Aprilia RS as he sets to extend his nine point lead in the championship chase.