Yamaha Racing Team rider Jamie Stauffer edged out Team Suzuki rider Shawn Giles to take maximum points at the opening round of the Australian Superbike Championship at Eastern Creek Raceway.

Stauffer, the reigning Australian Superbike Champion, won the opening 13-lap heat by 0.252sec after the two had swapped positions and banged handlebars throughout the race.

Stauffer and Giles continued their battle in the second 13-lap heat, although this time with Team Honda rider Jason O'Halloran making it a three-way fight for the lead as the bikes hit speeds of 290 km/h down the front straight.

Stauffer held off Giles to take the second Superbike race win of the day, with rookie O'Hallorans Honda back in third.

Such was the pace of the leading group the top six riders all bettered Stauffer's previous Superbike lap record for the 3.93km circuit, the new mark of 1:31.057 falling to the Yamaha rider on lap two.

Stauffer's two race wins and bonus championship point for pole position gave him a 51 point tally and an 11-point lead in the seven-round series over Giles, with O'Halloran third on 36 points.

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