MCNews.com.au caught up with Wayne Maxwell after he topped Friday’s combined times, recording a 1m51.686 ahead of Yamaha privateers Arthur Sissis and Daniel Falzon. DesmoSport Ducati’s Oli Bayliss ended Friday in fourth just ahead of MotoGP star Jack Miller.
Trev: Wayne, P1 on Friday obviously it’s a big weekend for you, everybody is on the Miller train with Jack, but you have a championship on the line this weekend. Obviously you’ve gone a bit quicker than maybe most would have expected, how much did you have it on the line to do that time today?
Wayne Maxwell: “Pretty much every lap I ride Trev, (Laughs), I like to ride it to the limit. It’s pretty good to be able to do that and fastest without really running wide or making mistakes all day, just working up slowly as you can probably see by the time-sheets. Improving the bike, I was having a bit of trouble early on with stuff, cause we came with a plan that’s worked in previous years but that was two years ago on totally different bike, so look it didn’t really work so that set up back a little bit, but we arrived at P1 which was what we wanted.”
Wayne Maxwell
Trev: Looking at tomorrow you’ve got a pretty handy lead in the championship, something really has to go wrong really for you not to be the champ on Sunday. This is racing, shit does happen – we all know it, but if it comes to the race and you’re at the front battling with the likes of Jack, it’s gotta be hard, you wanna beat him, but you don’t wanna risk that championship…
Maxwell: “He’s only going to get better as the weekend goes on, so I might have a chance on Race 1 (grins), but no it’s a hard one. I won’t do anything stupid, my ego has well and truly been parked up mate, years and years ago. If people haven’t worked out I can ride well by now they never will, I have nothing to prove. If there’s a path to be had and I can wheel the Ducati down the inside I might have a look at it.”
Trev: All the best for Sunday and have a safe weekend, we’ll see who comes out on top!
For fans unable to make it to The Bend this weekend (and there’s still time, tickets and championships-to-be-decided reasons to go!), we have options…
ASBK fans from all over the world can enjoy all the live racing action from the comfort of their own home this weekend from the mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship, presented by Motul Grand Finale at The Bend Motorsport Park.
ASBK TV official Free-to-Air broadcast partner SBS have stepped up to provide ASBK fans the opportunity to catch the livestream action from Saturday via their exclusive broadcast platform SBS On-Demand.
SBS has long been the home of great motorsport and in 2021 they have again provided ASBK race fans with both Live Free-to-Air coverage and the opportunity to catch all the action via SBS On-Demand after each round. At no cost to join, ASBK fans simply need to jump on and subscribe to SBS On-Demand.
The ASBK Championship comes to massive conclusion on Sunday and ASBK TV have all the angles covered with Free-to-Air coverage on SBS HD, SBS On-Demand or via Fox Sports Australia from 12.30pm – 3.30pm (Australian Central Daylight Times).
New Zealand race fans can catch the action on Sky Sport NZ who continue to broadcast every round of ASBK to fans across the ditch.
From the comfort of home, or on mobile devices, SBS will provide free to air coverage, and Fox Sports Australia and Sky Sport NZ will ensure pay TV viewers won’t miss a minute of the action.
Live race coverage will include the Alpinestars Superbike, Motorsports TV Supersport, Dunlop Supersport 300, Yamaha Finance R3 Cup and the bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup, plus race fans will get no shortage of behind the scenes features.
Fans across the nation and around the world can also go to www.asbk.com.au and watch up to the live ASBK TV Live Stream on Sunday.
Exclusive Live telecast of the Grand Finale of the mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship, presented by Motul, can be seen:
Saturday 4th December ASBK Livestream Telecast 10.30am – 5.00pm (ACDT = SA time)
Exclusive telecast on SBS On-Demand
Sunday 5th December ASBK Live TV Telecast 12.30pm – 3.30pm (ACDT = SA time)
SBS HD
Fox Sports Australia
Sky Sport NZ
SBS On-Demand
Sunday 5th December ASBK Livestream Telecast 9.30am – 4.00pm (ACDT = SA time)
Check your local guides for times and more information.
Keep up to date with the latest news on the mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship, presented by Motul via www.asbk.com.au and following ASBK on Facebook and Instagram.
Oli Bayliss will be the sole rider to line up at The Bend on the DesmoSport Ducati for the final round of the 2021 Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) on December 3-5 after it has been confirmed that Mike Jones is unable to travel to South Australia with the team.
DesmoSport Ducati personnel attend to the V4 R of Oli Bayliss on the grid – Image RbMotoLens
Ben Henry – Team Co-Owner
“I’m disappointed to not finish our season with Mike on the bike. His pace in Darwin was strong and he would have been challenging for race wins at The Bend, but we can’t change the situation, so all our attention will be on Oli and of course, supporting Jack (Miller) where required over the weekend. This will be the first time we get to see Oli race the Panigale V4 R on a long, open and flowing track and if anything, I think it will suit his style even more than Darwin so I’m confident we’ll finish the season strong.”
Ben Henry – DesmoSport Ducati – Image Half Light
Mike Jones
“Disappointingly, I’m unable to compete at The Bend due to the new double vaccination requirement for this round. It’s a shame for many reasons, but mostly because all the training, preparation and hard work is wasted, and of course it’s a bit sad I won’t get the last dance with the Ducati Panigale V4 R and the team. I felt great on the bike in Darwin before my crash, and even the racing we did at the Southern Downs Series gave me a lot of confidence that I could race for the win at The Bend, so I’m disappointed to not line up there. I’d really like to thank Ben and Troy for the opportunities and support over my time with DesmoSport Ducati, and now I look towards new opportunities in 2022.”
Mike Jones – Image by ImagesEverything
Oli Bayliss
“I’ve had some time off the bike over the last few weeks after finishing school, so I’m looking forward to getting back into it and going racing again, especially at The Bend, it’s such a cool track. I love the Panigale V4 R, I even rode it to my formal a few weeks ago, so to have my last ride on it at The Bend before moving to the Panigale V2 is going to be great and I’m confident that I can give Ben, Dad, Byron, Bryan and everyone at DesmoSport a strong finish to the year. We’ve got Jack in the truck and pit box with us over the weekend too. It’s pretty awesome to be able to share the track and race a current MotoGP factory-level rider, it’s great for the series and it’s great for racing fans to have an opportunity to see Jack ride here again, and hopefully also show even more people just how good the racing is in the ASBK.”
Oli Bayliss and Mike Jones – Image by ImagesEverything
The mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship, presented by Motul, will crown five 2021 ASBK Champions at South Australia’s The Bend Motorsport Park in what will be an epic Grand Finale, December 3-5.
Race fans can grab their tickets for the ASBK Grand Finale which are on sale now through Ticketek. More spectator information can also be found at www.thebend.com.au
Following the Grand Finale on Sunday, December 5, a family friendly and BBQ style ASBK presentation event will be held to celebrate and crown the 2021 ASBK Champions.
ASBK at The Bend
The ASBK Grand Finale will operate under a COVIDSafe Plan in accordance with SA Government regulations, and all interstate travellers, volunteers and race fans will be required to be double vaccinated for entry into South Australia.
For those fans who are unable to be trackside, you can catch all the fantastic action through ASBK TV partners SBS, FOXSPORTS Australia, Sky Sport NZ and via ASBK TV Live Stream. And of course, as we have been doing for over two decades, the best news coverage of the event will be brought to you right here on MCNews.com.au!
The 2022 bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup will field the brightest young talent from Australia and New Zealand in 2022, in the mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship, presented by Motul.
In its fourth year, the bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup, Motorcycling Australia’s junior road race academy, has already catapulted riders into international competitions such as the Asia Talent Cup, Red Bull Rookies Cup, European Talent Cup and the Moto3 Junior World Cup.
bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup – Image by RBMotoLens
Officially supported by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM), FIM Oceania and recognised by Dorna Sports sl, as part of the Road to MotoGP program, the OJC program is already proving to be the international springboard it was intended to be.
The bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup provides some of the most spectacular racing in the world. Next year, a full grid of 20 riders has been confirmed who will ride the new race prepped 2022 Yamaha R15 V3.
The 2022 season will see nine new riders debut with the return of 11 riders from the bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup 2021 year.
bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup – Image by Rob Mott
The youngest rider joining the paddock is Hunter Corney from Gowrie Junction, Queensland, who will just scrape in on the 11-year-old cut off, with the eldest newcomer 15-year-old Cameron Rende from Could Creek, South Australia. New Zealander Nixon Frost, an 11-years-old from Lower Hutt, and 15-year-old Western Australian Abbie Cameron from Cardup, are just some of the new talent that will be racing in the OJC in 2022.
Riders competing in the 2022 Championship are provided with a race-prepped Yamaha R15, leathers, helmets, boots and glove, transportation of bikes, pre-event service of bikes, technical support, spare parts budget, and OJC team uniform.
bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup
Riders competing in the 2022 Championship will receive full technical support from the OJC technicians and elite coaching to help develop their bike skills and technique, health and fitness, sportsmanship, and off-track activities such as fan and media engagement.
Wayne Maxwell talks the ASBK season finale and 2022 possibilities
MCNews.com.au caught up with Wayne Maxwell ahead of the December ASBK season finale at The Bend to talk testing, tactics, and if the rumours that he is not going to retire after all have some basis in truth…
Wayne currently holds the lead in the Alpinestars Superbike class in what has been a highly disrupted season.
Trevor Hedge: Thanks for the quick catch up Wayne. You tested recently at Phillip Island, have you also managed to test at the Bend ahead of the season finale?
Wayne Maxwell: “No testing at The Bend, it was a bit of a weird one because they bought in this 28 day test ban, but people had already been there the whole time during Covid that live there and still could go, but people from NSW and Victoria they were the ones that suffered. Apparently they couldn’t change that, but no… no testing.”
Wayne Maxwell testing at Phillip Island – Image by RBMotoLens
Trev: 28 days isn’t the normal testing ban is it? Normally it’s a week?
Maxwell: “Normally eight days off the top of my head, for the testing stuff. They weren’t 28 days obviously, same as they did for Wakefield last year, because not everyone could go due to closed borders. When the 28 days started, people living in that state would have been going, and people from many states could go, but not NSW and Victoria. We’ve got some information from other people testing there – that was what we needed – obviously the tyres are a big concern from the past. So that’s information we have been given and hopefully that’ll be useful when we turn up.”
Wayne Maxwell at Hidden Valley – Image by Half Light
Trev: You suffered a DNF in the first race last time we visited the South Australian Circuit, but then bounced back with two podiums on the Suzuki. Bryan Staring dominated the round on the Dunlop shod Kawasaki, is the track surface now not quite as abrasive as it was in those early days?
Maxwell: “Yeah according to the intelligence, it looks like the track temp, being Adelaide in December, will be double what it was when we were there previously. We had sun when we were there but the winds were quite cold. Hopefully Falzon stays well away from me and doesn’t clean me up, and doesn’t try and do a home hero kind of thing. Just get a couple of podiums and the job will be done.”
Wayne Maxwell on the Suzuki in 2019 – Image by TBG
Trev: You’ve also won at the circuit, the first time we visited back in 2018, when you were riding for Yamaha. Mike Jones holds the current race lap record on the big 1299 V-Twin Ducati at 1m52.875. A fella called Wayne Maxwell holds the qualifying lap record, 1m52.175 on the Yamaha YZF-R1M, how much do you think might be lopped off that lap record this time around?
Wayne Maxwell: “I think we’ve been pretty much a second faster everywhere we’ve been, like at most of the circuits, the shorter circuits it’s half-a-second, some of the longer ones it’s a second. So look, I’m confident we can get into the 50s. I don’t know about any further than that though, but into the 50s would be somewhere. Obviously we’ll be working hugely on our race set-up, because of the history of the circuit with tyre wear, but we’ll see how we go. My qualifying record has been quite good this year so hopefully I carry that on.”
Wayne Maxwell at The Bend in 2018 – TBG Image
Trev: We traditionally have had a three race format at The Bend, but the finale will just be two races, which means that including the point for pole positon there are 51-points up for grabs. You take a 26-point lead over the recovering Troy Herfoss – who has not completely ruled out competing at The Bend – and enjoy a 32-point lead over Glenn Allerton. That is a very commanding position to be in, but as they say, this is racing and anything can happen. Mathematically, Cru Halliday, Oli Bayliss and Bryan Staring remain in the hunt as rank outsiders. What mindset are you taking to the finale, just shoot for the win and let the numbers sort themselves?
Maxwell: “Same approach as every weekend, Trev, I’m just going to turn up to win and go there to win. When you’re in the position to win, then you can make the choice to win or not. It’s when you’re not in a position to win that things can go bad. Same approach, turn up and go, I think I have enough experience in this position and have messed it up enough times to not do it again.”
Wayne Maxwell – Image by RBMotoLens
Trev: On a final note, plenty of talk getting around that you might be reconsidering your decision to retire at the end of the season. I believe you and Craig really wanted to put Troy Herfoss on the Boost Mobile Ducati next season, but with Herf’ now staying with Honda, who else would you like to see on your bike, that you think would do it justice? Or are you coming back for another swing?
Maxwell: “Look, I’ve been thinking, as I’ve had a lot of time to think. Sitting at home, not doing much in Victoria. I’ve said in the past, it was very naïve of us to think that 2021 was going to be smooth sailing and thought that somehow it wasn’t going to spread or something. So it was pretty naïve of us to think that. I’ve been considering – there has been some discussion both ways – but I said I’m not making an decisions till after The Bend. I’ll see how the weekend goes, how the emotions are, see if I would still like to do it. Obviously, I’m in a fantastic team and environment, and look it’s not a no and it’s not a yes. We’ll have to see and make sure that all the things are lined up to make it work if it’s going to happen.”
Boost Mobile Ducati’s Wayne Maxwell takes a 26-point lead over Herfoss and 32-point lead over Allerton into the season finale where 51-points will be up for grabs
Trev: Thanks Wayne.
The mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship, presented by Motul will crown five 2021 ASBK Champions at South Australia’s The Bend Motorsport Park, in what will be an epic Grand Finale, December 3-5.
World Endurance Championship rider Josh Hook has confirmed he will race with Penrite Honda at the event. MotoGP star Jack Miller has bought himself a V4 R Panigale and hopes to race the event, all going well this weekend at Valencia. Those two are sure to make an impact even if riding on unfamiliar motorcycles and tyres.
Race Fans can grab their tickets for the ASBK Grand Finale which are on sale now through Ticketek. More spectator information can also be found at www.thebend.com.au.
Following the Grand Finale on Sunday December 5, a family friendly and BBQ style ASBK presentation event will be held to celebrate and crown the 2021 ASBK Champions.
ASBK will return to The Bend in December for a season finale, after a highly disrupted season 2021
The ASBK Grand Finale will overate under a COVIDSafe Plan in accordance with SA Government regulations and all interstate travellers, volunteers and race fans will be required to be double vaccinated for entry into South Australia.
For those fans who are unable to be trackside, you can catch all the fantatic action through ASBK TV partners, SBS, Foxsports Australia, Sky Sport NZ and via the ASBK TV Live Stream. And of course, as we have been doing for over two decades, the best news coverage of the event will be brought to you right here on MCNews.com.au.
Josh Hook joins Penrite Honda Racing for ASBK final at Tailem Bend
Penrite Honda Racing will add Josh Hook to their line-up for the season finale of the Australian Superbike Championship, to be held at Tailem Bend on December 3-5.
Penrite Honda Racing – Image RbMotoLens
Hook recently returned from competing in Europe in the World Endurance Championship for Factory Honda F.C.C. TSR, wrapping up his season with fourth overall in the Championship.
The 2018 World Endurance Champion and dual Le Mans 24 hour winner looks forward to racing in Australia again onboard the Honda Fireblade SP.
Josh Hook
“I’m really looking forward to racing for Penrite Honda this year at the final round of the Australian Superbikes at the Bend. It’s been a long time since I’ve raced in Australia, it’s not something I’d normally do but the opportunity came up and I’d like to thank the team a lot for making this happen. I always enjoy going up against the people I’ve grown up racing in the past and Honda have built a bike that can win races, I feel very comfortable on the Fireblade so I can’t wait to get out there.”
Josh Hook – F.C.C. TSR Honda France
Deon Coote – Penrite Honda Racing Director
“We are excited to have Josh, an experienced international rider back in Australia to race in the last round of the season with us. His knowledge and expertise will be an asset to our team, and we know it will bring some added excitement to the paddock for the fans as well. It’s going to be a great way to wrap up the season.”
Tony Hinton – Honda Australia, General Manager of Sales
“Josh is all class and we are very pleased he will be representing Honda in Australia again for the final round of the ASBK. We have watched his many successes overseas and have always enjoyed watching him race in Australia during his early career so this one will be a race not to miss!”
The mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship, presented by Motul, will crown five 2021 ASBK Champions at South Australia’s The Bend Motorsport Park in what will be an epic Grand Finale, December 3-5.
The ASBK Grand Finale was made possible after the South Australian Government confirmed earlier this week it would open its state borders as of November 23, following the COVID-19 lockout, ensuring the 2021 ASBK Grand Finale can proceed and with fans trackside at The Bend Motorsport Park.
Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit was planned to hold the final round but is unable to due to current Victorian border restrictions.
After a two-year hiatus caused by the global pandemic, ASBK returns to The Bend.
Troy Herfoss (pictured here at The Bend in 2019) wants to ride at The Bend and if medical checks allow him to do so, he plans to be on the grid…
The Bend is an international award winning circuit and in its short history, has quickly become a rider favourite which tests each and every riders skill and fitness across the 4.95km layout, which will determine who will be crowned the 2021 ASBK Champions.
With the Championship title up for grabs in all five classes of the mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship, presented by Motul, race fans are set for a spectacular Grand Finale over three glorious days of scintillating bar to bar action.
Boost Mobile Ducati’s Wayne Maxwell takes a 26-point lead over Herfoss and 32-point lead over Allerton into the season finale where 51-points will be up for grabs
“It’s been a difficult second half of the year with COVID-19 restrictions, but we are ecstatic the ASBK Grand Finale can proceed at the spectacular The Bend Motorsport Park,” said Motorcycling Australia CEO, Peter Doyle.
“The 2021 ASBK Champions will be crowned in all five classes and fans are in for a real treat as the five classes will produce some not to be missed action, so we strongly encourage race fans to get trackside at The Bend.
“Our sincere thanks go to The Bend Motorsport Park management and South Australian Government who have worked hard to ensure the 2021 ASBK Grand Finale can be held.”
Bryan Staring and the BCperformance Kawasaki Team after a successful round at The Bend in 2019 – Image by TBG Sport
The Bend Motorsport Park Managing Director, Sam Shahin said: “2021 has been an intensely challenging year for the motorsport community and we are really pleased we’ve been able to work through the challenges with Motorcycling Australia and the ASBK Management to host the final round of the 2021 ASBK Championship at The Bend Motorsport Park”.
“We would like to thank and acknowledge the great work of the South Australian Government and the support of the South Australian Tourism Commission to make this event possible. Bring on the Rumble.”
In previous years The Bend has been brutal on tyres which will make set-up and strategy even more crucial than normal
Race fans can grab their tickets for the ASBK Grand Finale which are on sale now through Ticketek. More spectator information can also be found at www.thebend.com.au
Following the Grand Finale on Sunday, December 5, a family friendly and BBQ style ASBK presentation event will be held to celebrate and crown the 2021 ASBK Champions.
The ASBK Grand Finale will operate under a COVIDSafe Plan in accordance with SA Government regulations, and all interstate travellers, volunteers and race fans will be required to be double vaccinated for entry into South Australia.
Cru Halliday working through The Bend lay-out – TBG Image
For those fans who are unable to be trackside, you can catch all the fantastic action through ASBK TV partners SBS, FOXSPORTS Australia, Sky Sport NZ and via ASBK TV Live Stream.
Troy Herfoss: “Shining very bright now, things are really good. I started walking Tuesday, without the crutches or anything and there’s no real pain. Little bit of pain by the end of the day, but that’s to be expected. Everything is really straight and also the hip and femur has a lot of blood flow and the hip replacement isn’t going to be necessary, which is the best news I’ve had. To be honest as a motorbike racer, with my leg 10 mm shorter, maybe I will fit the bike a bit better. (laughs)”
Troy Herfoss won the opening race at Hidden Valley back in June but crashed heavily in the second race – Image Half Light
Trev: Despite your injuries, you’ve never been so highly sought after by so many superbike teams. One Ducati team has been really keen and made no secret of it, and I am sure the other Ducati Team would love to have you too, obviously Honda want you to stay, and a new Yamaha team being put together…
Herfoss: “It’s been an interesting few months really, obviously with Wayne retiring before I crashed, there’s a good chance that the way things were heading that I’d be the guy to beat for next year, and then once I crashed, I was sorta at the other end of the scale – wondering if I had a chance for a job next year. But the way it’s turned out it’s going to be as good as ever next year.”
Herfoss has been courted by the Boost Mobile Ducati squad
Trev: How close are you to signing on the dotted line next year?
Herfoss: “I’m hoping in the next fortnight to announce what I’m going to be doing for next year. I’m just really excited now, there was a race over the weekend at Morgan Park, I was anxious to see how much faster everyone would go, but no one went faster so I was put at ease a little bit. I’m just excited to start the rebuild process now. I think I’ve got about four weeks until I can potentially get the OK to live life normally and get back on a motorbike and all that kind of stuff. So that’s all pretty exciting for me at the moment.”
Penrite Honda Fireblade CBR1000RR-R SP – Rider Troy Herfoss with team owner Deon Coote from Elite Roads
Trev: So you’re walking unaided, without too much grief?
Herfoss: “By the end of the day I do have pain, I’m limping now – but when I get out of bed in the morning, I’m pretty much OK and from what one of the surgeons said I think I’ll just get better, with the more training load I get, as far as walking. I’ve been doing some gym stuff for a few weeks now and I can actually do push-ups now, which has been a big bonus. I couldn’t do anything at the start.
“There’s certain areas where I have really really terrible strength, so I am a long way off, but there’s some areas where I’m gaining strength really quickly. So in the next four weeks or so I will hopefully make fairly big inroads, a lot of the movement has come back in my arm, I can walk properly, I can get up and down without worrying about hurting myself, I can do more exercises.”
This fella has won more Superbike races on a Fireblade over the last decade than anyone else in the world.
Trev: It all takes time realistically; you haven’t been able to do much for probably the first three months, with your upper body, so you’re really only a month back into it now. Another couple of months will be a big step forward. Can you get into the pool?
Herfoss: “I’m going to start the pool next week, just getting into and out of the pool on crutches was the main worry, I didn’t want to hurt myself again. But now I can walk unaided, I want to start attemping to swim and walking and running in the pool will be a good way to get my walking form back.
“That’s the thing, I’m so out of line at the moment, if I try and do something at the moment and my hips just twist. You go through life, not injured too much – I used to think on my bicycle I’d have imbalances and would think that one leg was weaker than the other, but it’s not till you have an injury that you realise how out of shape your body can get.”
The Penrite Honda Fireblade CBR1000RR-R SP and Troy Herfoss.
Trev: So round about a month and you might be able to sling a leg over a bike, all going well.
Herfoss: “Yeah, now Tailem Bend has just been called off, if they go on to race at Phillip Island and it’s raining and it’s not physically demanding, who’s to say I can’t ride. Definitely at the moment I am thinking about next year. But if ASBK have to put off the championship till the weekend before Christmas and Im already a month back riding a supermoto bike, it’ll be hard not to get on a motorbike.”
Trev: The main drama there seems to be the guys up in Queensland actually being allowed out anywhere between now and 2032 or whenever, and then whether they will ever let you back in… so that’s probably the main stopper. And of course with so much of the grid in Queensland, that could be what makes or breaks the event actually happening.
Herfoss: “I think you’re right, but they’ll definitely open the borders for the Olympics in 2032…” *laughs*
Trev: If it was up to me, I’d just disband all the states and make it all one country, none of this us vs them bullshit.
Herfoss: “It seems very logical to do that.”
The Penrite Honda Fireblade CBR1000RR-R SP and Troy Herfoss.
Trev: Logic and politics don’t go well together though… So now you’re getting back up to a training regimen, what’s your normal sort of day entail at the moment? Still Mr Mumming most of the time? How old is little Mia now?
Herfoss: “Eight months, just started crawling this week, ironically the day I got the OK for walking, she started crawling.
“Yeah I’m able to actually be the Mr Mum at the moment, so I can take on the chores inside the house as far as washing, wiping up and folding some washing, it’s actually reasonably good rehab to be fair. Literally when I got my surgeons appointment on Monday, he said ‘I guess you want to know when you can ride your bikes again,’ and I said no, I just want to know when I can mow the lawn and go to the tip. I’ve lowered the bar so much I just want to be able to do something.
“I guess for now, I get up in the morning and do a bit with Mia and stuff like that, and have a gym set-up inside so I just get in there and do some activation and stretching stuff, to try and build strength and movement. Then on the bike for 20 minutes, 20-30 minutes of really low power, on zwift, then a bit more gym and stretching stuff. I sort of do about two and half hours during the morning, by the time I stuff around, and then it’s just about trying to get moving and walk 500 metres a day at the moment.
“So I guess the surgeons biggest worry, as he knew I would push the upper end of what I could do, which is what I’m doing at the moment. But basically day by day at the moment and I’m not on any pain meds so I can just judge the pain by how I get it, and its working well at the moment. It works well that I haven’t had to commit to riding the bike this year, so I’m trying to get as fit as possible for next year.”
Penrite Honda – 2018 ASBK Superbike Champions – Left to right – Glenn Granger – Troy Herfoss – Ian Collier – Scott Charlton – Shaun Clarke and Team owner Deon Coote – Image TBG
Trev: Were you off the pushbike long enough for your arse to get un-bike fit?
Herfoss: “I can tell you, because I’ve ridden for so long, when people used to say ‘I just started riding, I can’t get comfortable,’ I’d think surely it’s not that bad. But honestly because I can’t stand up on a bike now, I’ve got to sit down, 20 minutes the only thing that stops me getting off after the 20 minutes is that everything goes numb down there, and there’s so much pain in my sit bones, it’s crazy I couldn’t believe how much your body gets used to sitting down on a hard saddle.”
Trev: That’s the struggle I’m having now trying to get back on a mountain bike, and nowhere near getting on a pure road bicycle, my udder can’t cope!
Herfoss: “It’s the worst part.”
Penrite Honda Fireblade CBR1000RR-R SP
Trev: World Superbike, who’s your tip? Toprak to take the title or Jonny Rea?
Herfoss: “I think Toprak is going to take it, not just because he’s got such a big gap, I think mentally he hasn’t got him covered, I don’t think mentally Jonny can work out a way to beat him or crack him at the moment, but I think it’s possible he will work it out. I don’t think this is changing in the armour and that Rea is done, and that Toprak is the new guy on the bike, but I think a few things factor in and I don’t believe that Jonny’s entire package is quite as good as Toprak’s at the moment. I just think mainly he hasn’t worked out mentally how to crack him, so he’s throwing the kitchen sink at him, but Toprak is just so strong mentally and happy to give it back to him, so it’s going to be a hard one for Rea to come back from.”
Trev: And of course, with the parity in World Superbike, he is down a lot of revs on the Kawasaki due to the rules, so he’s definitely fighting with one hand behind his back there.
Herfoss: “Yeah, it’s a bummer as unfortunately these things only change when the rider starts losing a bit, it’s tough because Jonny has to sort of go through the tough times and get beaten before they’ll give him the revs back.”
Trev: And MotoGP, isn’t it incredibly to see how different a rider Marquez is on a left handed circuit rather than a right handed circuit, he looks like he always has going one way, but going the other way it’s just not working. I joined in on some zoom interviews at the end of some of the previous rounds where he answers questions that you don’t generally get to see on any televised coverage, and he was just saying, he just doesn’t have the strength to push the bar on that side, so he can’t push the bike hard enough, which is where he’s saying there’s that lack of strength. Obviously from your point of view, you’d study his form on the bike even closer than the likes of me, but what do you see when you watch him?
Herfoss: “I follow it religiously, and it was crazy to watch him roll out of pit lane in America, because he’s been riding pretty insecurely this year, looking for a tow a lot of the time, and not doing many consistent laps. But he just rolled out of pit lane and was fast straight away, doing his own laps, wasn’t looking for any help and it was crazy to see just how much more confident he was and goes to show how weak he must feel in certain scenarios.
“You can see that at Aragon, it’s crazy for him to follow for that long, and then when he made a pass, it was sort of he just set it in there knowing he wasn’t going to stop for the corner, which was unlike him. I think he’s got shoulder issues as well as arm, I don’t think the injury he and I have, is holding him back, I think he’s got so many shoulder injuries there, it’s been pulled apart so many times, it’s just not as good as it ever was. It’s definitely hard to watch when he’s struggling, knowing how good he is. I believe he’s the best if he’s 100 per cent fit.”
Herf hopes to sling a leg over a bike again sometime next month
Trev: I agree totally, I think he’s in a different league when he’s on a mission, even well beyond Fabio, actually that’s another interesting segue. When Marc’s on it he’s always been that far ahread of the other Honda guys, week in week out, that’s ops normal, but this year all the riders other than Fabio on the Yamaha are nowhere, which is unusual. It’s Quartararo and then the next Yamaha is half the time 17th, so Yamaha really haven’t got anyone fast enough to help Fabio with set-up for the weekend, be that with leg work on the electronics or tyre wear, as he’s so much quicker than the other Yamaha riders they are basically racing in a different category. That must make life hard for him, to you know get to where he is now, he’s just been so consistent and he seems to make the best of whatever situation he is given.
Herfoss: “He definitely has been amazing this year, I had my doubts this year about Quartararo, but that ticked all the boxes for me, being such a difficult track for yamaha, and he’s been the only guy really, when the chips are down he’s come through with a decent result. I think that’s where all the riders on the top bikes are really Marquez-like on their best day, but the difference is that when Marquez is fit, his bad days he still races well, and I think that’s why we’ve seen Quartararo get ahead this year, because he’s been that sort of style where he’s really worked hard on his bad days to make sure they aren’t too bad.”
Troy Herfoss at Hidden Valley 2021 – Image RbMotoLens
Trev: Marquez injuries were obviously quite horrific to that shoulder, I didn’t break bones like Marc but I did have all the tendons rettached in my shoulder 12 months ago, and they say it takes about a year to feel right. And it’s about a year to the day since I had my tendons done, and it’s only now where it really feels 95 per cent natural for most of the day. So, come beginning of next year Marquez should be in that same sort of area – unless it’s permanent nerve damage that’s really going to hold him back forever – we should see him back to full strength, or at least very close to it, next season.
Herfoss: “Would be nice to see him finish out his career in full fitness.”
Trev: He’s still so young, he’s 10 years younger than you.
Herfoss: “It’s crazy, and I don’t feel old I tell you that.”
Trev: Cheers for that chat and I look forward to letting the readers in on your plans for next year.
Herfoss: “Thanks Trev, talk soon.”
Herfoss went to America and beat the best that America had to offer, winning the AMA Supermoto Championship before he went road racing a few years later. And it will likely be a Supermoto bike that he uses to get back up to speed on a motorbike once again
16-year-old Ben Baker is aiming to maintain his lead across both the Supersport 300 and Yamaha Finance R3 Cup classes, with both championship titles in his sight when the ASBK battles recommence.
Ben Baker – Image by RBMotoLens
Baker finds himself in the enviable position of leading both the Dunlop Supersport 300 and Yamaha Finance R3 Cup with a 35-point lead in both Championships over his nearest rival.
Both Baker and Carter Thompson have each dominated a round of the Supersport 300 and R3 Cup Championships earlier this year.
Ben Baker – Image by RBMotoLens
Thompson dominated the Winton Motor Raceway round in the Supersport 300 class with three victories and set a new lap record while Baker was close behind scoring three second places. In the Yamaha Finance R3 Cup Thompson took home two victories and a second, while baker scored one victory and two second placings.
At the Wakefield Park Raceway round, in front of a bumper crowd, it was a Baker one man show as he dominated both classes and also set new lap records as Thompson missed the round due to international duties with the Asia Talent Cup.
Ben Baker – Image by RBMotoLens
Baker is well aware of the very strong talent and competition in both Championships and is under no illusion of the battles that lay ahead for the rest of the season in the Championship title chase.
Ben Baker
“I think it will be a good battle when Carter is back here, so I’ve just got to be consistent, finish every race, and see what happens. The competition is always tight, there are a lot of good teams and riders. You’ve got Archie McDonald who is always strong and he came back after a broken leg at the start of the year and he was pretty strong at Wakefield. Zach Johnson is another on the 400 who has been fast all year and has also come back to the 300 class so he’s only going to get better through the year so its going to be pretty tight.”
Ben Baker – Image by Neil Cameron
What makes Baker’s form impressive this year, is only days prior to the first round his Mum and Dad scrambled to put a bike together for him to compete on, but it is the confidence in the people around him that he claims has made a difference this year.
“This year we have me, Dad, Mum and Greg Epis helping us, and it is awesome being with the Maxima BMW team and in their garage, the environment is a lot better. I’m training a lot more and I’m more focused this year and want to win. The goal is to always win the Championship and to win the double this year for my parents who have worked so hard to pay for everything and we’ve had a bit of bad luck the last couple of years and to get that would be just awesome for everyone who supports me. Hopefully, we can get the double championship win this year and be the first one to do it.”
Ben Baker – Image RbMotoLens
There is a large support team around Baker helping him race in 2021 including Yamaha, YRD, Alpinestars, Shoei, SCK Excavations, Sydney Dyno, Utech Design, West Sliders, Two Wheel Obsession and Maxima.
What does the future hold for this talented young man? “Next year we will definitely be on a 600.” he shares.
2021 ASBK Championship Calendar
Round
Location
Date
Round 1
Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, VIC
February 18-21 Cancelled
Round 2
Winton Motor Raceway, Benalla, VIC
March 12-14
Round 3
Wakefield Park Raceway, Goulburn, NSW
April 16-18
Round 4
Hidden Valley Raceway, NT – Supercars 2+4 (Superbikes only)
June 18-20
Round 5
Wakefield Park Raceway, NSW
October 15 – 17
Round 6
Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, VIC (SBK Only 2+4 with Supercars)
October 22 – 24
Round 7 & 8
The Bend Motorsport Park, SA (Double Header Round) *Except SBK who will have a single round x3 races = 1x Race Saturday and 2x Sunday)
Six highly competitive national classes will provide intense competition in the 2021 mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship, presented by Motul at The Bend Motorsport Park on 24-26 September 2021.
ASBK 2019 – The Bend
Factory team riders and privateers alike will do battle on their superbikes from Ducati, Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki, BMW and Kawasaki, while classes will include the Alpinestars Superbikes, Superbike Masters, Motorsport TV Supersport, Dunlop Supersport 300, Yamaha Finance R3 Cup and bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup.
Sam Shahin – The Bend Motorsport Park – Managing Director
“The Bend is delighted to welcome the Australian Superbike Championship back to South Australia. We know there are a lot of motorcycle racing fans out there just itching to jump on their bikes with their mates to go for a touring ride, so we are giving them every reason to make the trip to South Australia. Come and enjoy some exhilarating racing and soak in all the wonders that our region has to offer.”
New to the ASBK event will be the Superbike Masters with historic race machines from the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s, and their riders will show the current Superbike riders how it’s done around The Bend’s European style technical circuit.
Superbike Masters to join ASBK at The Bend
At 4.95 kilometres in total with a kilometre long main straight, it will be a first time out challenge for the up and comers in both the Yamaha Finance R3 Cup and the bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup. The Bend has been compared to some of the top European circuits like Portimao with fast downhill sweeping turns and elevation changes, and even elements of Valencia.
The event will also feature a celebrity postie bike challenge with local sport and media personalities taking on local Superbike rider, Daniel Falzon down the main straight.
Other features include a display of significant historic machines, mini motos for the kids to try out, and factory-supported local stunt rider Jamie Baker will be showing off his modified ZX-6R for all the fans around the paddock, be sure to see his amazing skills at this years event.
