Tag Archives: ASBK 2021

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Hidden Valley ASBK on SBS this Sunday

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Darwin ASBK Action To Air On SBS This Sunday

All the high-flying action from Round 4 of the mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship, presented by Motul (ASBK), at Hidden Valley Raceway, Darwin, will feature this Sunday on SBS in HD.

As the official free-to-air ASBK broadcast partner, SBS will feature all the handle-bar to handle-bar action from Hidden Valley Raceway in Darwin. This special edition of ASBK TV will provide fans with exclusive additional feature stories and behind the scenes highlights with ASBK TV Host Riana Crehan, as part of the special broadcast.

ASBK fans can tune in to SBS from 1-3pm, Sunday July 4, and catch all the action from the spectacular ASBK round during the recent 2+4 event with Supercars at Hidden Valley Raceway.

Fans can relive the epic battle between current ASBK Champion Boost Mobile with K-Tech’s Wayne Maxwell, Penrite Honda’s Troy Herfoss, Desmosport Ducati’s Oli Bayliss and Maxima Racing Oils BMW of Glenn Allerton as part of a Alpinestars Superbike grid filled with champions and standout performers up and down the results.

If you can’t be home for Sunday’s SBS broadcast then catch up on all the mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship, presented by Motul action anytime day or night at SBS On-Demand.

ASBK heads to Queensland next

Next up ASBK fans can get trackside to catch all the action in Queensland, with the ASBK Championship back in action at the always spectacular Morgan Park Raceway, August 20-22, which will see the return of the Alpinestars Superbike, Motorsports TV Supersport, Dunlop Supersport 300, Yamaha Finance Cup, and bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup, for the first time in two years.

ASBK and Southern Downs Regional Council will be teaming up to deliver Round 5 of the mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship, presented by Motul in the region, helping revitalise an area devastated by the 2019 bushfires.

ASBK Rnd Morgan Park RbMotoLens SBK Race Start MIke JONES
ASBK Superbikes at Morgan Park – Image by RBMotoLens

With the ASBK Championship on a knife edge across all classes, the Championship returns to Morgan Park Raceway between 20 and 22 August 2021.

The event is expected to garner huge local community support and see many race fans from around Queensland head to the region for three days of action-packed racing, as well as providing a significant tourism and economic boost to the many local businesses impacted by the 2019 bushfires, drought and COVID-19.

Peter Doyle – Motorcycling Australia CEO,

“ASBK competitors and fans have always loved coming to Morgan Park Raceway and we are very pleased to be able to do so again with the support of Southern Downs Regional Council. The Southern Downs and Granite Belt regions are still rebuilding their communities and economies and we hope that with the hundreds of competitors, teams, partners, officials and race fans returning, we can do our part in boosting and showcasing the region’s tourism opportunities. We will have three days of jam-packed ASBK Championship racing action at Morgan Park Raceway with all five Championship classes titles still up for grabs, guaranteeing fans a spectacular racing festival. We are encouraging riders, teams, partners and fans to take advantage of the wonderful hospitality and tourism opportunities in the region and to book their accommodation early, catch the ASBK Championship at Morgan Park Raceway, and stay a little longer to enjoy what is a beautiful part of Australia.”

Southern Downs Mayor Vic Pennisi said that hosting the showcasing Championships would further highlight the region as a respected sporting destination, with significant economic benefits expected to flow onto the growing local tourism industry as it continues to recover from years of historical drought, the 2019 bush fires and the recent lockdowns associated with COVID-19 lockdowns.

ASBK TBG Round Morgan Park SS TBG
The Supersport 300 class at Morgan Park – Images by TBG

Vic Pennisi – Southern Downs Mayor

“The region’s tourism and event industry continues to prove it is robust and can weather the many challenges that have been thrown our way in recent times. Warwick is known in the racing circles as the Horsepower Capital of Australia and we are particularly excited to welcome the ASBK Championship to the Southern Downs. The mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship, presented by Motul, is one of the highlights on the racing calendar and by hosting this event in our backyard, our region will clock-up additional kudos to attract other major events to the Southern Downs. The economic benefits of hosting a round of the Championship to our recovering region can’t be under-valued, and as motorsport enthusiasts flock to the region to watch world-class riders roar around Morgan Park Raceway, we relish the opportunity to showcase the Southern Downs as the ideal destination to live, work, play and stay.”

ASBK Championship Points

Pos Rider Total
1 Wayne MAXWELL 132
2 Troy HERFOSS 106
3 Glenn ALLERTON 100
4 Cru HALLIDAY 88
5 Oli BAYLISS 87
6 Bryan STARING 87
7 Mike JONES 74
8 Arthur SISSIS 71
9 Jed METCHER 70
10 Josh WATERS 53
11 Anthony WEST 52
12 Matt WALTERS

2021 ASBK Championship Calendar (Updated)

  • 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 Morgan Park Raceway, QLD August 20-22
  • Round 6 The Bend Motorsport Park, Tailem Bend, SA September 23-26
  • Round 7 Wakefield Park Raceway, Goulburn, NSW October 15 – 17 *
  • Round 8 Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, VIC November 5-7 *

Source: MCNews.com.au

News

Wayne Maxwell on ASBK, 2+4, and running a team in 2022

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Trev chats with Wayne Maxwell

Trev: We’ll start off with the Darwin weekend, you and the Boost Mobile squad had some unique challenges with Crew Chief Adrian working from home, which meant the team was all wired for sound and Greg was on the tools. Somewhat of a strange weekend I guess?

Wayne Maxwell: “It was definitely somewhat of a challenge in that respect, trying to set everything up, and try and make sure it worked but overall we sort of got through it and everyone stepped up in the team and knew what we were up to before we got there. A few people stepped in over the weekend who usually aren’t in those roles and those guys were great.”

Wayne Maxwell – Image by RBMotoLens

And that two-plus-four lap with the Boost Mobile car, via your shared sponsor, did you let the car through on purpose around the back of the circuit when you looked around, was there bit of a game plan on that to line up that run to the line?

Wayne Maxwell: “Yeah that was the overall plan, you being a Ford man, I dunno if you would have been going for the Ducati or Ford, but that was the aim to try and make it a drag race to the line, so obviously I let him past and James went underneath, and then he sort of had to wait for me a little bit, so he’d ruined his run onto the straight but the Ducati can definitely out-accelerate the V8.”

Boost Mobile Ducati – Image RbMotoLens

I’d always go for the bike, did you go out in the car with him on the weekend and experience that braking power?

Wayne Maxwell: “No I didn’t, I’ve never been in a V8 actually. I let Craig and Julie go out and do it. I didn’t know whether it would scare me or not, I just stuck to riding the motorbikes for the weekend. Hopefully there’ll be some opportunities to do some more activations with Boost down the track.“

Wayne Maxwell – Image by Half Light

So obviously there are some pros and cons running ASBK alongside supercars, what’s your take on it? The air fence being moved on and off, is far from ideal, and scheduling changes etc, but I guess when you’re trying to satisfy your team sponsors there are some definite positives.

Wayne Maxwell: “Definitely, the camera footage quality, and the professionalism that some people in our paddock haven’t experienced before, to see the premium motorsport category in Australia up close, we need to get to that. Scheduling was good, they cleaned the track thoroughly, M.A. and whoever looked after the V8 side of safety all worked together. Coverage wise I think it was one of our better events.“

Wayne Maxwell talking to Riana Crehan after the opening race in Darwin – Image RbMotoLens

So you’re keen to see more of this in the future?

Wayne Maxwell: “I think two rounds a year would be enough to be honest with you, one to two. Just to keep the exposure. It all depends, we sort of have a support round with WSBK normally but that’s not going to come any time in the next year, so we’ll wait and see and go from there. Our categories I think are better than people are giving it credit for at the moment and we can stand on our own two feet and make sure we race at all the best tracks in Australia, and put on a good show.”

Wayne Maxwell – Image by Half Light

Which tracks would you like to join the V8s at?

Wayne Maxwell: “Darwin obviously works but it’s obviously a big expense, so I don’t know if the rest of the paddock want to go to Dawrin. They are talking about the V8s racing at night in Sydney, which would be a great opportunity to get a foot back in the door there at SMP. We could race in the day and add the 600 category which would be a pretty cool event and that is the hot rumour at the moment...”

Nothing separated Maxwell and Herfoss throughout the whole 16-laps of the opening race in Darwin – Image Half Light

You’re leading the championship, you said you have a good package but obviously there’s a long way to go, that is if the plague stays abated so we can run the full calendar. I guess the main talking point out of the Darwin weekend was young Oli stepping up to take you on. Have you followed him much before? Give us your evaluation of where you think he’s at, at the moment and if you think his form may continue to the other tracks.

Wayne Maxwell: “Yeah look, I’ve always said on the record that my legacy is to try and promote and set a standard for these young guys, we’ve had world champions in the past and we could have more in the future. Oli did a fantastic job all weekend, he didn’t make many mistakes for someone of his age and experience, less mistakes than I would have made at that age for sure, so he did a fantastic job. His riding, he’s well in control, I haven’t watched the race back yet, but it’s great.

Wayne Maxwell leading Oli Bayliss – Image Half Light

“Hopefully it gives everyone, some of the other guys in our category and other categories, an example – look it is achievable, so they say… now how do we achieve it. It’s fantastic. I don’t know how he will go at other tracks, obviously Morgan Park he’s done a few laps at. It’s hard to say whether that form will stay, or if the bike worked for that track for him on the day. Time will tell. Eventually it shows he’s going to work it out and he’s going to be a really good motorcycle racer and hopefully follow in his dad’s footsteps and become a World Champion.“

It looked liked you gave him heaps of room as he came past at the end of the straight, maybe more than you’d give Herf or Mike?

Wayne Maxwell: “I don’t know, my head wasn’t really in it, I was having issues in the race and I just thought I’d let him go through, he wasn’t even close to the limit of trying to stop, it was a real calculated easy pass, so he was just better than I was in the race. There is no excuse, and he’s a deserving winner.“

Wayne Maxwell – Image by Half Light

Your head wasn’t it, was that because Herf had been taken off to hospital?

Wayne Maxwell: “That as well and being such a massive three weeks, being away and unorganised and not having everything there, like the whole team, it was quite a fair bit of stress. I just wasn’t at my best for some reason and I guess that’s part of it, I haven’t raced anyone but Troy for the last so long, so maybe that was it.“

You looked like you did try and have a go a couple of corners from the end, but had a rear end slide there, was that part of the game plan to leave it to that final lap, and then that slide robbed you of that chance?

Wayne Maxwell: “Nah, I never really think I had a chance with the issues we had going on. I was in a little bit of a rhythm and then it was a bit unusual for me, as normally I’m fairly good right at the end and fight back, but it just wasn’t my day and wasn’t meant to be. That’s a bad day so we’ll move onto the next one.”

Wayne Maxwell and Boost Mobile Ducati Team Owner Craig McMartin – Image by RBMotoLens

That sounds like you may have had an issue you don’t want to canvas with the bike or tyres?

Wayne Maxwell: “No definitely not the tyres, just some stuff because Adrian wasn’t there, we had some problems like with the electronics, which were out of our control, just having that one less person, but nothing major and it probably might not have made the difference to win the race, but as usual our bikes were fantastic, so there’s no dramas moving forward.

Wayne Maxwell checking out the data himself at Hidden Valley

“I’m excited to see how we roll on to Morgan Park, as that’s pretty much marked down on the calendar as the biggest challenge for us. Obviously maybe a tiny bit easier as Troy doesn’t look like he’ll be back for that one, but it’s still going to be a massive challenge. Mike has a point to prove, Oli is on a mission and there’s other guys with new motorbikes, you can’t really rule out anyone.”

Wayne Maxwell – Image Half Light

So I guess as you’ve said you’re probably going to give the game away at the end of this season, after hopefully defending your championship, which you’re looking in good shape to do, for the rounds coming ahead, and then your focus is going to switch to running the Ohvale FIM MiniGP World Series in Australia, which is going to step up a few gears next year, is that right?

Wayne Maxwell: “That’s the plan, definitely going to finish the end of the year. I love motorbike racing and I love all that, so I want to make a difference, we see so many people come and go from the sport and when their time is up, they don’t give back as good as they should have. I’m not in the financial position of some of the guys overseas are to help, but with my knowledge and understanding I would like to work closely with the M.A. guys to get the ASBK to a level where it’s more sustainable. And that side of it, help some of the other teams to get more sponsors and show what I’ve learned and help in that way.

Wayne Maxwell – Image RbMotoLens

“Craig and I have talked about running the bike next season, there’s a number of options for riders, we’ll see how that goes. The Ohvale is going to be a massive focus for us, to bring through the next generation of Jack Miller, Remy Gardner and perhaps the next Oli Bayliss.“

Wayne Maxwell congratulates Oli – Image RbMotoLens

Now you bring that up, with you and Craig talking about continuing with the Boost Team and running the Ducati. I had heard a rumour that you might have had Herf in line to ride for you and Craig next year, if you continued down that line.

Wayne Maxwell: “Yeah, if as a Team Manager you’re not asking the best most dedicated guy in the paddock to ride your motorbike, you’re not doing your job are you? So regardless of the contract or whatever he’s got, I’m confident we have a really good package and he’s been around motorcycle racing so he knows how that works, so he knows how I operate pretty well and I know how he operates, and he knows how good Craig’s bikes are.

Herfoss riding for Boost Mobile Ducati in 2022 has been discussed – Image RbMotoLens

“Obviously those talks have completely stopped right at the moment with his current situation. But if he wants to come and ride a motorbike with us we’d be mad not to consider it and try and of course bend over backwards to have him on the bike.”

Wayne Maxwell leading Troy Herfoss in race one at Hidden Valley – Image by RBMotoLens

Thanks for the chat.

Wayne Maxwell: “Thank you.“

ASBK Championship Points

Pos Rider Total
1 Wayne MAXWELL 132
2 Troy HERFOSS 106
3 Glenn ALLERTON 100
4 Cru HALLIDAY 88
5 Oli BAYLISS 87
6 Bryan STARING 87
7 Mike JONES 74
8 Arthur SISSIS 71
9 Jed METCHER 70
10 Josh WATERS 53
11 Anthony WEST 52
12 Matt WALTERS

2021 ASBK Championship Calendar (Updated)

  • 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 Morgan Park Raceway, QLD August 20-22
  • Round 6 The Bend Motorsport Park, Tailem Bend, SA September 23-26
  • Round 7 Wakefield Park Raceway, Goulburn, NSW October 15 – 17 *
  • Round 8 Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, VIC November 5-7 *

Source: MCNews.com.au

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Can Josh Waters get the flow back on course at Hidden Valley?

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2021 mi-bike Australian Superbike Championship

This weekend’s round of the mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship, presented by Motul (ASBK), is the first time since 2018 that the premier national class has visited the challenging Hidden Valley Raceway, and all riders are ready to rumble in Darwin on the magnificent layout.

This is also the first time in almost a decade that the Alpinestars Superbike class have shared the stage with Supercars as part of this weekend’s Merlin Darwin Triple Crown.

Hidden Valley Raceway may be short in distance at 2.8 km, but it is extremely demanding requiring precision, commitment, aggression, and courage from riders for a good lap of the circuit.

The 1km long main straight starts the challenge, topping nearly 300 km/h before the bravery of late braking takes over for the critical turn one. From there it is a charge over the undulating variations of the track to the daunting right-hand, turn five, before another hard braking spot at turn 6, then the charge over the last half of the track through one of the most confronting corners in Australia at turn 10. It is an intense corner to get correct, for the final part of the lap, but extremely easy to misjudge, and run out of bitumen. From there the next three corners are basically straight-lined into the final turn 14 where the drag race begins again.

Video
Ride with Josh Waters at Hidden Valley from 2012

The ASBK Championship first visited the track in the late ‘90s and has visited sporadically over the years.

ASBK returned in 2010 for four successive years before a mid-decade hiatus with a return of all the championship classes in 2017 and 2018.

The 12 races over those six visits have produced six different winners, with four of them all in with a chance this weekend.

The most successful rider at Hidden Valley is three-times Australian Superbike Champion, Josh Waters.

Hidden Valley has been a happy hunting ground for Josh Waters in previous years, seen here in 2018 – TBG Image

Josh was scintillating in his performances when he won five of the six races from 2010-12, riding a Suzuki, although he didn’t race here in 2013 as he was competing in the British Superbike Championship.

On his return to Australia, he added two more to his tally when the championship returned in 2017, and he smashed his own lap record by over a second (1m05.986s), on his way to his third title that year.

Josh Waters enjoyed the spoils in Darwin back in 2017 – TBG Image

This year, he is racing for Kawasaki BC Performance on a brand new ZX-10RR that is in the early stages of development. Waters will no doubt take inspiration from his team-mate’s results here in 2018, as Bryan Staring aboard the BCPerformance machine finished second and third and has been on the podium a total of four times at Hidden Valley.

Josh Waters with BCPerformance Kawasaki Team Manager Kelvin Reilly – Image RbMotoLens
Kelvin Reilly – BCPerformance Kawasaki

“We only received the bike just before the season started, and because we’re some of the first people in the world to receive it, there have been challenges around data, information, product supply and testing. However, the overall package is certainly an improvement on what we had last year – the engine power characteristics are much better. We’re just refining it to make it useable in a race environment.

BC Performance Kawasaki have made progress with their electronic set-up and throttle feel that hampered them in the opening rounds – Image Neil Cameron

“Josh and Bryan are working well together, they’ve won four Australian titles between them, so there is no question about their ability. It has been a learning process – we’ve had to learn how to set up the bike to suit Josh, and he’s had to adapt his riding style to suit the bike.  We’re aiming for the podium at Hidden Valley, but the likes of Wayne Maxwell and Troy Herfoss have lifted their game, they’re riding the best we’ve seen and their bikes are very good. It will be tough to beat them, but very satisfying when we do.”

Josh Waters is riding for BC Performance Kawasaki in 2021 – Image RbMotoLens

2018 was a watershed year for ASBK at Hidden Valley with moments of history created over that particular weekend. The major standout of that year was the appearance of three-times World Superbike Champion, Troy Bayliss on his DesmoSport Ducati Panigale, and he proved that there was plenty of hunger left in the man that turned 50-years-old that year.

In qualifying for the event, Bayliss staked an early claim as he set the fastest ever lap for a motorcycle around the track (1m05.601a), then in the opening race, led every lap in an exceptional battle with two-times Australian Champion, Troy Herfoss (Penrite Racing Honda CBR1000RR) and 2010 champion, Bryan Staring, to break through for his maiden win and an historic victory in the Championship.

ASBK Rnd HV TBG Troy Bayliss TBG
Troy Bayliss set a new outright qualifying lap record at Hidden Valley in 2018 – TBG Image

Bayliss went oh-so-close to claiming the double win. He and Herfoss had another Herculean battle that went down to the final laps. Slicing and dicing for the lead, with less than four laps remaining, Bayliss hit a false-neutral in his bike as he barreled into the turn 6 hairpin and ran off track briefly. In his charge back, he overcooked it going into the extremely daunting turn 10 and dropped back to seventh. Herfoss won the race and broke the race lap record in the process (1m05.904s), from Staring with Wayne Maxwell – riding for Yamaha – in third.

ASBK TBG Rnd HiddenValley TBG
Hidden Valley Superbike Round Podium in 2018 – TBG Image

Those minor mistakes by Bayliss put a dent in his Championship hopes and graphically demonstrated the extremely thin line that overshadows every race at Hidden Valley and how precise, and inch-perfect, one must be.

Bayliss finished third overall in the Championship behind 2018 Champion, Herfoss with Maxwell in second place, just three points ahead of the mercurial Bayliss. TB will be otherwise engaged this weekend looking after his son, Oli, in his rookie year in the ASBK Championship on the DesmoSport Ducatiand it is not beyond the realms of possibility that Oli could end up on the podium as he has finished fourth in his second race on the Ducati V4R.

Oli Bayliss – Image RbMotoLens

Most of the leading contenders in this year’s title chase have tasted the victory champagne in the tropics and it is anyone’s guess who will rise to the occasion in the three races at Hidden Valley this weekend.

In the four races held this year in the mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship, presented by Motul, the wins have been equally shared between defending ASBK champion Wayne Maxwell on the Boost Mobile with K-tech Ducati Panigale V4R, and his fiercest rival and very good mate, Troy Herfoss on the Penrite Honda.

Maxwell, Herfoss and Jones at Wakefield this year – Image RbMotoLens

It has been the Herfoss and Maxwell show this year with the pair sharing the wins at two-apiece with some close proximity but fair racing that will be remembered for years, but this track rewards horsepower and handling in equal measure so it opens up the challenge to the rivals that is led by Oli’s teammate, 2019 Champion Mike Jones, who sits third in the title chase.

Maxwell and Herfoss have both won at the venue with Maxwell a further four podium places, and Herfoss has three podium finishes. The other current rider that has won at Hidden Valley is Glenn Allerton on the Maxima Racing Oils BMW.

ASBK TBG Rnd HiddenValley TBG
Troy Herfoss won in the NT back in 2018 – TBG Image

Allerton is another rider with three ASBK titles and after a wretched couple of seasons afflicted by injury, is back to his race pace and is sure to have the BMW on song with his rivals.

There are a few others worth keeping a close watch on; Unitech Racing’s Arthur Sissis is a leading privateer. Due to his experienced and success in Speedway he is a gun starter and is often the leader at the first turn. Also, since his switch to Yamaha and a new team structure this year, his race consistency has improved dramatically.

Glenn Allerton is on the new M 1000 RR this season – Image RbMotoLens

Allerton’s team-mate, Lachlan Epis, has improved at every outing and qualified fourth for the rounds at Winton and Wakefield Park. Once he finds the missing piece in the jigsaw of sustained race pace he will be knocking on the door of a podium, and that could well be this weekend.

Leading the way this year for Yamaha will be 2018 Australian Supersport Champion, Yamaha Racing Team’s Cru Halliday. Halliday won both Supersport races here in 2018 in dominant fashion and now that he is back on a 1000cc, factory-supported machine will no doubt be keeping his rivals honest.

ASBK TBG Rnd HiddenValley Supersport Race Start TBG
Cru Halliday quickly worked his way through to the lead and then left the field in his wake when in the Supersport ranks in Darwin back in 2018 – TBG Image

Besides a championship battle between riders and manufacturers there is also the bragging rights in the tyre war. The majority of the field run Pirelli rubber while Herfoss is the leading rider using the French Michelin tyres and the Kawasaki BCPerformance and YRT Teams run on Dunlops.

The action promises to be as hot as the tropical sun that will shine on the drama that is sure to unfold. If you have never seen Superbike racing before you are about to witness something very special.

Fans can catch every practice and qualifying session on Fox Sports Australia. The Saturday and Sunday ASBK race action will also feature as part of Channel 7’s free-to-air coverage.  That will be better quality than these pit bits I put together on the Sunday of the event at Hidden Valley a decade ago, but they will bring back some good, and bad, memories for many that might enjoy looking back at them now.

Sunday Pit Bits from Darwin ASBK 2012

ASBK Hidden Valley Schedule

Friday, 18 June
10:25am – Practice 1 (40 min) FOX Sports
2:20pm – Practice 2 (30 min) FOX Sports

Saturday, 19 June
10:15am – Qualifying 1 (20 min) FOX Sports
10:40am – Qualifying 2 (15 min) FOX Sports
2:05pm – Race 1 (16 laps) FOX Sports/Channel 7

Sunday, 20 June
10:50am – Race 2 (16 laps) FOX Sports
2:05pm – Race 3 (16 laps) FOX Sports/Channel 7

2021 ASBK Championship Calendar (Updated)

  • 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 Morgan Park Raceway, QLD August 20-22
  • Round 6 The Bend Motorsport Park, Tailem Bend, SA September 23-26
  • Round 7 Wakefield Park Raceway, Goulburn, NSW October 15 – 17 *
  • Round 8 Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, VIC November 5-7 *

Alpinestars Superbike Championship Standings

Pos Rider Total
1 Wayne MAXWELL 91
2 Troy HERFOSS 81
3 Mike JONES 74
4 Cru HALLIDAY 65
5 Glenn ALLERTON 64
6 Bryan STARING 54
7 Jed METCHER 47
8 Arthur SISSIS 46
9 Oli BAYLISS 45
10 Matt WALTERS 42
11 Lachlan EPIS 36
12 Josh WATERS 27
13 Anthony WEST 24
14 Michael EDWARDS 22
15 Mark CHIODO 22
16 Yannis SHAW 21
17 Nathan SPITERI 20
18 Luke JHONSTON 17
19 Aiden WAGNER 15
20 Aaron MORRIS 14
21 Philip CZAJ 10
22 Hamish McMURRAY 4
23 Sash SAVIN 3

Darwin ASBK Entry List

  • #1 Wayne Maxwell – Ducati
  • #2 Mark Chido – Yamaha
  • #3 Jed Metcher – Yamaha
  • #12 Matt Walters – Kawasaki
  • #13 Anthony West – Yamaha
  • #14 Glenn Allerton – BMW
  • #16 Luke Jhonston – Yamaha
  • #17 Troy Herfoss – Honda
  • #21 Josh Waters – Kawasaki
  • #25 Daniel Falzon – Yamaha
  • #28 Aiden Wagner – Yamaha
  • #32 Oli Bayliss – Ducati
  • #37 Michael Edwards – Yamaha
  • #46 Mike Jones – Ducati
  • #51 Corey Turner – Yamaha
  • #61 Arthur Sissis – Yamaha
  • #65 Cru Halliday – Yamaha
  • #67 Bryan Staring – Kawasaki
  • #83 Lachlan Epis – BMW
  • #92 Jack Davis – BMW
  • #333 Yanni Shaw – Suzuki

Source: MCNews.com.au

News

ASBK tyre war heating up ahead of the Battle of Darwin

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2021 Australian Superbike Championship

The Superbike tyre war offers an intriguing sub-plot to the ASBK Championship, and the upcoming round at Hidden Valley is set to present the teams with new challenges for how they manage their rubber allocation for the weekend.

In the most recent round at Wakefield Park, the race victories were shared between Wayne Maxwell (Pirelli) and Troy Herfoss (Michelin), but the Hidden Valley event will throw up a variety of curve-balls.

The increased ambient and track temperatures are an obvious factor, along with Superbike riders and teams largely choosing not to conduct pre-event testing at Darwin in the lead-up to the race meeting.

Here’s what representatives from the four ASBK tyre homologation suppliers: Pirelli, Dunlop, Michelin and Bridgestone, had to say of the season so far…

Garry Crilly – Pirelli (Link International)

Pirelli are certainly no stranger to motorcycle competition having long been the control tyre supplier to the FIM Superbike World Championship.

Pirelli wets at Winton – Image by RBMotoLens

Teams and riders running Pirelli tyres include DesmoSport Ducati (Mike Jones and Oli Bayliss), Craig McMartin Racing (Wayne Maxwell), Next Gen Motorsports (Glenn Allerton and Lachlan Epis), Matt Walters, Ant West and Arthur Sissis.

Garry Crilly said the performance of Pirelli tyres in the scorching European summer heat can give the Pirelli-shod teams a wealth of confidence heading to Darwin.

Garry Crilly

“Our tyres are the same ones used in the FIM Superbike World Championship. The heat doesn’t worry us – our tyres have been tried and proven in the sweltering heat, so the hotter, the better! The more significant challenge for the teams will be the lack of testing, as they chose not to visit Darwin in the lead-up to the event. The Friday practice sessions will be particularly important.”

Oli Bayliss and the DesmoSport Ducati Team are running Pirelli – Image RbMotoLens

The ASBK tyre homologation list permits each tyre manufacturer to use two different front and three different rear compounds over the course of the season. Crilly said teams will be trialling different compound options in practice.

Garry Crilly

“The teams will be experimenting with tyre compounds and bike set-up to work out how they can best balance the objective of peak speed over one lap (for qualifying) with making sure the bike looks after its tyres over a race distance. I think our biggest advantage in the tyre war will be the international knowledge base we can tap into.”

Robbie Bugden – Dunlop (Ficeda Accessories)

The Yamaha factory team has chosen to use Dunlop tyres for its riders, Cru Halliday and Aiden Wagner, while Kawasaki BCPerformance riders Bryan Staring and Josh Waters also continue to use Dunlops. According to Dunlop representative and ex top-flight Superbike rider Robbie Bugden, the 2021 season has been a promising one for Dunlop so far.

Robbie Bugden

“To get third at Winton, in our debut weekend with the Yamaha factory team, shows we’ve made steps forward with our versatility – it hasn’t traditionally been one of our strongest tracks. Heading to Hidden Valley will be a big test with the heat, but the circuit layout should suit our tyres.

Dunlop tyres at the Winton Test

“One of the interesting factors will be sharing the event programme with the Supercars. The way they lay down their rubber is different to the bikes, because they take different lines; this can create some challenges with a variation in grip levels, which the riders will have to adapt to.”

An accomplished rider himself, Bugden said his own racing experience is useful in dealing with the riders and teams.

Robbie Bugden

“When they’re providing feedback on how a tyre is behaving, I can understand what they’re feeling because I’ve experienced it myself. Overall, the tyre war has become very competitive and created a lot of discussion in the paddock, which is a good thing for all the manufacturers as well as the ASBK.”

Doug Sharp – Michelin (Gas Imports)

The Australian importer for Michelin Superbike tyres is Doug Sharp, a man who has spent decades in international grand prix racing paddocks, including a stint with the Repsol Honda team as a technician, working with riders such as Wayne Gardner, Daryl Beattie, Alex Criville and Nicky Hayden.

With his vast experience at the very top level of motorcycle racing, Sharp is someone who has the potential to give Michelin a strong focus with their Australian exploits. He hasn’t been shy in bringing some other prominent names along for the ride, with fellow MotoGP mechanics Jeremy Burgess and Alex Briggs (who both worked as mechanics for superstar Valentino Rossi) called upon as Michelin tyre technicians at ASBK events.

Michelin Techs Alex Briggs and Doug Sharp at Winton

Troy Herfoss is the most prominent rider on Michelin rubber, with others including Mark Chiodo, Jed Metcher and Aaron Morris also using the French tyres.

Sharp believes the biggest advantage of the Michelin rubber is their performance over longer runs.

Doug Sharp

“Michelin definitely make tyres that last, and here in Australia our races are not particularly long compared to overseas,” Sharp said. “I haven’t actually been to Darwin before; it’s one of the few tracks I haven’t visited. But there are a lot of similarities to some of the overseas venues, especially with the high ambient and track temperatures we’ll be facing.”

Michelin

Sharp is expecting the Michelin rubber to shine at some of the other events on the 2021 ASBK calendar.

Doug Sharp

“Based on the testing we’ve done at other circuits, I think we’ll be strong at some of the other upcoming events,” he said. “Troy Herfoss recorded some very fast times in testing at Morgan Park, so that’s one we’re really looking forward to.”

Craig White – Bridgestone (White’s Racing Products)

Two ASBK teams were signed up to use Bridgestone tyres in 2021, but the arrangements fell through due to a COVID-related lack of supply from the Bridgestone factory in Japan.

Craig White

“We couldn’t guarantee supply for 2021 and we didn’t want to inconvenience the riders, but we’re using this time to prepare for 2022. In a few months, Bridgestone are releasing a new range of slicks for the Supersport class and we’re also working on supplying some Superbike teams next season.”

So, that leaves the question: which tyre manufacturer will prevail at Hidden Valley? Over the last few years, Pirelli has the runs on the board when it comes to the ultimate prize, but Michelin came oh-so-close to knocking them off that pedestal in 2020, their first year back in the series.  Traditionally Dunlop have rubber that works well in hotter conditions and they also have plenty of fast riders on their tyres.

Darwin does present a somewhat unique challenge when it comes to conditions so it will be interesting to see if one tyre brand has a recipe that stands out and gives their riders distinct advantages.  Talking of recipes, restaurants do get Michelin stars after all…

ASBK Hidden Valley Schedule

Friday, 18 June
10:25am – Practice 1 (40 min) FOX Sports
2:20pm – Practice 2 (30 min) FOX Sports

Saturday, 19 June
10:15am – Qualifying 1 (20 min) FOX Sports
10:40am – Qualifying 2 (15 min) FOX Sports
2:05pm – Race 1 (16 laps) FOX Sports/Channel 7

Sunday, 20 June
10:50am – Race 2 (16 laps) FOX Sports
2:05pm – Race 3 (16 laps) FOX Sports/Channel 7

2021 ASBK Championship Calendar (Updated)

  • 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 Morgan Park Raceway, QLD August 20-22
  • Round 6 The Bend Motorsport Park, Tailem Bend, SA September 23-26
  • Round 7 Wakefield Park Raceway, Goulburn, NSW October 15 – 17 *
  • Round 8 Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, VIC November 5-7 *

Alpinestars Superbike Championship Standings

Pos Rider Total
1 Wayne MAXWELL 91
2 Troy HERFOSS 81
3 Mike JONES 74
4 Cru HALLIDAY 65
5 Glenn ALLERTON 64
6 Bryan STARING 54
7 Jed METCHER 47
8 Arthur SISSIS 46
9 Oli BAYLISS 45
10 Matt WALTERS 42
11 Lachlan EPIS 36
12 Josh WATERS 27
13 Anthony WEST 24
14 Michael EDWARDS 22
15 Mark CHIODO 22
16 Yannis SHAW 21
17 Nathan SPITERI 20
18 Luke JHONSTON 17
19 Aiden WAGNER 15
20 Aaron MORRIS 14
21 Philip CZAJ 10
22 Hamish McMURRAY 4
23 Sash SAVIN 3

Darwin ASBK Entry List

  • #1 Wayne Maxwell – Ducati
  • #2 Mark Chido – Yamaha
  • #3 Jed Metcher – Yamaha
  • #12 Matt Walters – Kawasaki
  • #13 Anthony West – Yamaha
  • #14 Glenn Allerton – BMW
  • #16 Luke Jhonston – Yamaha
  • #17 Troy Herfoss – Honda
  • #21 Josh Waters – Kawasaki
  • #25 Daniel Falzon – Yamaha
  • #28 Aiden Wagner – Yamaha
  • #32 Oli Bayliss – Ducati
  • #37 Michael Edwards – Yamaha
  • #46 Mike Jones – Ducati
  • #51 Corey Turner – Yamaha
  • #61 Arthur Sissis – Yamaha
  • #65 Cru Halliday – Yamaha
  • #67 Bryan Staring – Kawasaki
  • #83 Lachlan Epis – BMW
  • #92 Jack Davis – BMW
  • #333 Yanni Shaw – Suzuki

Source: MCNews.com.au

News

ASBK Privateer Corner | Falzon & Turner return to Superbike

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2021 Australian Superbike Championship

While the factory teams in the Australian Superbike Championship generally tend to be the focus for most attention, the category is also the home of some dedicated privateers. Matt Walters from Cessnock is a long running staple of the series along with the likes of Jed Metcher, Arthur Sissis, Luke Jhonston, Yanni Shaw, Mark Chiodo and Michael Edwards. Ex international star Anthony West has also now joined the series as a privateer after serving out a suspension from the sport and adds a little more star power to the ASBK grid.

The upcoming Hidden Valley ASBK round will also mark the return of two riders that have recently been missing from the ASBK grid after recovering from crashes early in the year: Daniel Falzon and Corey Turner.

Falzon’s talents are well-documented; the South Australian achieved a round victory as a privateer at Phillip Island in 2017 and enjoyed much success with the entirely family affair that is JD Racing; after riding for YRT in the 2018 and ’19 seasons, Falzon returned to his family based team for the 2020 season before the pandemic hit.

ASBK Wakefield Park Test TDJ Daniel Falzon straight
Daniel Falzon at the Wakefield Park ASBK Test in March – Image TDJ

Although Falzon is kept busy away from the track with his full-time occupation as a paramedic, the 27-year-old was still intending to compete in most rounds of the 2021 Championship, COVID restrictions permitting, but his plans were dealt a severe blow when he crashed in testing prior to the Wakefield Park round.

“I had a fall, which caused significant damage to the bike and meant I wasn’t able to race at Wakefield Park, which was a shame. However, we’ve been able to repair the bike and since then, I’ve been able to do some testing at Tailem Bend and Mallala. In some ways, it takes a lot of the pressure off for Hidden Valley, because there’s no championship pressure to worry about. I can just focus on enjoying the weekend and doing my best.”

WSBK Rnd Phillip Island RbMotoLens ASBK Race Daniel FALZON Arthur Sissis
Daniel Falzon – Image by Rob Mott

Falzon said he is feeling a lot more comfortable on the bike after surgery at the completion of the 2019 season. He also said his paramedic job has given him a new level of appreciation for the volunteer medical teams at motorsport events.

“Throughout 2019, I was suffering quite badly with some arm pump, but I had surgery to rectify those issues and it’s feeling much better. I’ve always had an enormous amount of respect for the doctors and nurses at Racesafe, I hold them in very high regard, but now even more so.”

WSBK TBG WSBK Round Phillip Island Daniel Falzon TBG
Daniel Falzon – TBG Image

While the 2021 season signifies Turner’s reappearance on a superbike, the Gold Coaster has certainly not been a stranger to the ASBK paddock in recent seasons, competing in the Australian Sidecar Championship, which he won in 2019 with his brother, Danyon Turner, as passenger.

ASBK Rnd Morgan Park RbMotoLens SS FP Corey TURNER
Corey Turner – Image by RBMotoLens

“2019 was our first year racing sidecars, it was a tight battle all year but we ended up winning the championship. The plan for this year was to compete in the whole Superbike Championship. We bought a brand-new Yamaha R1 in July last year, and we spent the Christmas period building it into a race bike. Unfortunately, I crashed it at Morgan Park in testing and it was almost totally written off – there were only a few components we were able to salvage.

“As a small privateer team, when you have a crash like that, it’s a huge setback. But we were determined not to give up, and my sister-in-law started a GoFundMe page to raise some funds to fix the bike. The generosity and support from the local motorcycling community, as well as my sponsors especially Brewed on Cuthbert has just been unbelievable and we’ve been able to get the bike rebuilt in time for Hidden Valley.”

Corey Turner and Brother Danyon in their sidecar – Image by Neil Cameron

“Because I haven’t raced Superbikes lately, it’s hard to get a gauge on where everyone else is at, so I just want to put my best foot forward and be competitive.”

They might not have the resources of the larger teams at their disposal, but both Falzon and Turner have the potential to put a few noses out of joint at Hidden Valley this weekend.

ASBK Hidden Valley Schedule

Friday, 18 June
10:25am – Practice 1 (40 min) FOX Sports
2:20pm – Practice 2 (30 min) FOX Sports

Saturday, 19 June
10:15am – Qualifying 1 (20 min) FOX Sports
10:40am – Qualifying 2 (15 min) FOX Sports
2:05pm – Race 1 (16 laps) FOX Sports/Channel 7

Sunday, 20 June
10:50am – Race 2 (16 laps) FOX Sports
2:05pm – Race 3 (16 laps) FOX Sports/Channel 7

2021 ASBK Championship Calendar (Updated)

  • 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 Morgan Park Raceway, QLD August 20-22
  • Round 6 The Bend Motorsport Park, Tailem Bend, SA September 23-26
  • Round 7 Wakefield Park Raceway, Goulburn, NSW October 15 – 17 *
  • Round 8 Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, VIC November 5-7 *

Alpinestars Superbike Championship Standings

Pos Rider Total
1 Wayne MAXWELL 91
2 Troy HERFOSS 81
3 Mike JONES 74
4 Cru HALLIDAY 65
5 Glenn ALLERTON 64
6 Bryan STARING 54
7 Jed METCHER 47
8 Arthur SISSIS 46
9 Oli BAYLISS 45
10 Matt WALTERS 42
11 Lachlan EPIS 36
12 Josh WATERS 27
13 Anthony WEST 24
14 Michael EDWARDS 22
15 Mark CHIODO 22
16 Yannis SHAW 21
17 Nathan SPITERI 20
18 Luke JHONSTON 17
19 Aiden WAGNER 15
20 Aaron MORRIS 14
21 Philip CZAJ 10
22 Hamish McMURRAY 4
23 Sash SAVIN 3

Darwin ASBK Entry List

  • #1 Wayne Maxwell – Ducati
  • #2 Mark Chido – Yamaha
  • #3 Jed Metcher – Yamaha
  • #12 Matt Walters – Kawasaki
  • #13 Anthony West – Yamaha
  • #14 Glenn Allerton – BMW
  • #16 Luke Jhonston – Yamaha
  • #17 Troy Herfoss – Honda
  • #21 Josh Waters – Kawasaki
  • #25 Daniel Falzon – Yamaha
  • #28 Aiden Wagner – Yamaha
  • #32 Oli Bayliss – Ducati
  • #37 Michael Edwards – Yamaha
  • #46 Mike Jones – Ducati
  • #51 Corey Turner – Yamaha
  • #61 Arthur Sissis – Yamaha
  • #65 Cru Halliday – Yamaha
  • #67 Bryan Staring – Kawasaki
  • #83 Lachlan Epis – BMW
  • #92 Jack Davis – BMW
  • #333 Yanni Shaw – Suzuki

Source: MCNews.com.au

News

John Redding on ASBK in the lead up to Darwin

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YRT – John Redding

Yamaha Racing Team (YRT) is a household name in the Australian Superbike Championship ever since its inception in late 2004. The team was started by John Redding, who has an association with Yamaha that goes all the way back to the ’70s.

John Redding - YRT Manager
John Redding – YRT Manager

English-born and New Zealand-raised, Redding worked with the Victorian importer for Yamaha upon his arrival in Australia. Redding explained the YRT project stemmed from a desire for Yamaha Australia to become more involved in the national Superbike Championship.

John Redding: “Yamaha would provide support for independent teams, but never actually had their own team. In the early 2000s, I already had a number of responsibilities within Yamaha Motor Australia, and the Managing Director approached me with the view to starting the YRT project. He wanted to have a more involved, corporate presence on the grid and I was given the job of caretaking the team.”

Jamie Stauffer
Jamie Stauffer – Australian Superbike Champion – 2006 & 2007

Success soon followed, with Jamie Stauffer winning the Australian Superbike Championship in 2006 and ’07. Since then, YRT has been home to a roster of talented riders including Wayne Maxwell, Glenn Allerton, Daniel Falzon and its current riders, Cru Halliday and Aiden Wagner.

Redding explained that all the riders have had their unique styles, “All top motorcycle racers have an enormous amount of self-confidence and they all have their own unique way of using their ability to win races and titles. In my memory, Jamie has been our leading light because of the championships he won for us. Wayne was another top rider who came very close to delivering us a title, but didn’t quite get there.”

Broc Parkes was slated to join the YRT team for 2021

For season 2021, YRT was set to run a third entry for Broc Parkes, alongside the existing bikes for Halliday and Wagner. Parkes ultimately withdrew from the season for personal reasons, which Redding said was bittersweet.

“Broc was racing in Japan and due to some internal changes, his ride had virtually disappeared. We were asked by the Yamaha factory in Japan to provide him with an ASBK ride. It was going to be a tall order for our team to run three riders, so when Broc said he wouldn’t be able to compete, we were upset in one way but glad in another.”

Cru Halliday – Image by RBMotoLens

So far in 2021, Halliday has had a consistent start to the season, running fourth in the points after the Winton and Wakefield Park rounds. Wagner has had a tougher run, injuring himself at Winton and not receiving medical clearance to race at Wakefield. However, Redding believes both riders will be strong at Hidden Valley.

“I think our bike is one of the best all-rounders in the paddock, which is why so many privateers are riding it. It doesn’t necessarily excel in any particular area, but it doesn’t have any negatives. In Darwin, I think we’ll be up there for sure” Redding explains.

Aiden Wagner – Image by RBMotoLens

The Melbourne-based Redding will miss Darwin due to COVID-19 border restrictions, but has full confidence in team manager Kevin Marshall, who will oversee operations at Hidden Valley, “Kevin has been with me since we started the team, he has a very long association with Yamaha, he’s very loyal and he knows the product inside and out,” Redding concluded.

ASBK Hidden Valley Schedule

Friday, 18 June
10:25am – Practice 1 (40 min) FOX Sports
2:20pm – Practice 2 (30 min) FOX Sports

Saturday, 19 June
10:15am – Qualifying 1 (20 min) FOX Sports
10:40am – Qualifying 2 (15 min) FOX Sports
2:05pm – Race 1 (16 laps) FOX Sports/Channel 7

Sunday, 20 June
10:50am – Race 2 (16 laps) FOX Sports
2:05pm – Race 3 (16 laps) FOX Sports/Channel 7

2021 ASBK Championship Calendar (Updated)

  • 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 Morgan Park Raceway, QLD August 20-22
  • Round 6 The Bend Motorsport Park, Tailem Bend, SA September 23-26
  • Round 7 Wakefield Park Raceway, Goulburn, NSW October 15 – 17 *
  • Round 8 Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, VIC November 5-7 *

Alpinestars Superbike Championship Standings

Pos Rider Total
1 Wayne MAXWELL 91
2 Troy HERFOSS 81
3 Mike JONES 74
4 Cru HALLIDAY 65
5 Glenn ALLERTON 64
6 Bryan STARING 54
7 Jed METCHER 47
8 Arthur SISSIS 46
9 Oli BAYLISS 45
10 Matt WALTERS 42
11 Lachlan EPIS 36
12 Josh WATERS 27
13 Anthony WEST 24
14 Michael EDWARDS 22
15 Mark CHIODO 22
16 Yannis SHAW 21
17 Nathan SPITERI 20
18 Luke JHONSTON 17
19 Aiden WAGNER 15
20 Aaron MORRIS 14
21 Philip CZAJ 10
22 Hamish McMURRAY 4
23 Sash SAVIN 3

Darwin ASBK Entry List

  • #1 Wayne Maxwell – Ducati
  • #2 Mark Chido – Yamaha
  • #3 Jed Metcher – Yamaha
  • #12 Matt Walters – Kawasaki
  • #13 Anthony West – Yamaha
  • #14 Glenn Allerton – BMW
  • #16 Luke Jhonston – Yamaha
  • #17 Troy Herfoss – Honda
  • #21 Josh Waters – Kawasaki
  • #25 Daniel Falzon – Yamaha
  • #28 Aiden Wagner – Yamaha
  • #32 Oli Bayliss – Ducati
  • #37 Michael Edwards – Yamaha
  • #46 Mike Jones – Ducati
  • #51 Corey Turner – Yamaha
  • #61 Arthur Sissis – Yamaha
  • #65 Cru Halliday – Yamaha
  • #67 Bryan Staring – Kawasaki
  • #83 Lachlan Epis – BMW
  • #92 Jack Davis – BMW
  • #333 Yanni Shaw – Suzuki

Source: MCNews.com.au