Team Yoshimura Suzuki's Robbie Bugden sealed third place in the 2006 Australian Superbike Championship and led the charge in Suzuki's Manufacturer's Championship victory at Eastern Creek Raceway, today.

Bugden and his team mate Shawn Giles wrapped up the 2006 season on a high note with both riders on the podium for the round, placing third and second respectively.

In the overall championship standings, Suzuki starred with four riders in the top ten for the season with Bugden in third, Andrew Stroud close behind in fourth, Giles in ninth and Shannon Etheridge rounding out tenth place.

The weekend began strongly for the Yoshimura Suzuki pair with Bugden and Giles both qualifying on the front row of the grid for Sunday's two 13-lap races.

Race one saw Giles positioned strongly in second place with Bugden on the attack and moving from fourth up into third spot aboard his GSX-R1000 Superbike until lap eight when an incident involving Wayne Maxwell brought out the red flags to stop the race.

Resuming the first race battle with a five-lap sprint race, Giles made a rare jump start error and was issued a 10-second time penalty.

Bugden continued his positive run and launched himself ahead of Giles and the Suzuki team mates enjoyed a good close duel until Giles eventually slipped by Bugden to see the pair cross the finish line in second and third places.

However, Giles' penalty dropped him back down the timesheets to third place and elevated Bugden to second.

In scintillating form in race two, Giles took the lead from the race start and stretched a significant race lead on the opening lap.

Commanding the race lead until lap five when he was passed by Jamie Stauffer, Giles then maintained pace with the new champion and preserved second place to the finish line.

Bugden was again on a mission and after prevailing in a fierce fight with Shannon Johnson, the Suzuki rider was impressive as he diced with the three-time Australian Champion.

The Suzuki duo greeted the chequered flag line astern with Giles nudging out Bugden to maintain second for the race and the round overall.

Bugden brought the #5 Yoshimura Suzuki home in third place behind Giles in second with both riders scoring 38 points each for the round, with the latter awarded second spot overall for the meeting by virtue of his higher placing in the final race.

Team Yoshimura Suzuki now turns its attentions to reclaiming the Australian Superbike Championship with preparations already underway for the 2007 championship assault.

PHIL TAINTON - TEAM MANAGER
"Congratulations to Jamie Stauffer on his championship win, today."
"Robbie has had a great finish to the season and the team offers him a big congratulations for his efforts."
"To exit the season with a 2-3 finish today and Robbie third in the championship was a very rewarding end to what has been a tough year."

ROBBIE BUGDEN
"The Team Yoshimura Suzuki is performing perfectly; the bike is doing everything I ask of it and the Dunlops are working brilliantly."
"We've had a strong run in the closing rounds and I have to thank Phil and the entire Team Yoshimura Suzuki crew for providing such a fantastic racebike for me."
"This has been an incredible learning year for me and a fantastic opportunity to race the factory Suzuki; to cap it off with third in the championship is a great finish to an amazing season."

SHAWN GILES
"Full credit to Yamaha and Jamie for taking out the title and congratulations to Robbie for grabbing third in the championship."
"I've had the most difficult season of my career this year and missed more rounds than ever before, but coming back and still placing inside the top ten is testimony to the quality of the Suzuki product and how well Phil prepares the bikes."
"I can't say enough about the performance of the tyres and the bike this weekend."
"After being off the bike for such a long time you lose a lot of race fitness and it's tough to go back out and be competitive, so for me it's great to end this year with a good result."