A two-pronged attack of Halliday and Jones will see the pair contest the Australian Superbike Championship on Yamaha’s championship winning YZF-R1 and headline a huge Yamaha presence at ASBK events.
Mike Jones, who won his last ASBK championship in 2019, is excited about his move to Yamaha, a brand and team he is familiar with after having an association earlier in his career. The 27-year-old Queensland based rider, is looking forward to getting stuck into testing and a solid pre-season hit-out with the team before lining up for round one of the championship in February.
Mike Jones
“Yamaha enjoyed plenty of success around the world in 2021 and the R1 has proven to be a very competitive package in every major championship contested this year,. Personally, I have raced Cru closely over the past few seasons and I can see the YRT bike is good and look forward to working with the team to fine-tune it to my needs and have a good run at the ASBK championship in 2022. Having the team based here in Brisbane and the experience of John and Kevin around will be to my advantage and I know from our meetings just how enthusiastic and determined they are this year to get YRT back on top. I’m pumped to be on board with them.”
Mike Jones
Cru Halliday will mark nearly a decade with the bLU cRU as he lines up again for the 2022 season with Yamaha and YRT. Halliday has matured over the years, and he is now a legitimate contender in the ASBK championship and a potential race winner every time he grids up on his R1.
The former Supersport champion has finished the last three ASBK season inside the top five but is desperate to take the next step and turn those top five finishes into podiums and be right in the championship hunt at the end of the season.
Cru Halliday
“I have been with Yamaha and YRT for a long time and I’m due to reward them with another championship. The team and I have a great relationship and it continues to grow each year. Since returning to the superbike class in 2019, I have finished fourth, second, third and it’s time to make things happen and fight my way to the top. The team has made a few changes and given us more support and assistance during the week, so I feel I have all the tools I need and really look forward for what’s to come in 2022.”
Cru Halliday
Team owner, John Redding, also anticipates a successful and productive season as the team has done whatever it takes to achieve the ultimate success.
John Redding
“The pairing of Cru and Mike is exciting as we have two riders in the prime of their careers with plenty of experience but also the motivation to win. We have worked with Mike a long time ago but welcome him back to Yamaha and believe he will fit in perfectly with the team, while Cru is ready for a breakout year. Our determination to win this year is at an all-time high and we have stepped up the support to the riders in many ways. They will be given every opportunity to prove themselves with a strong team behind them and a great bike beneath them.”
Cru Halliday
Redding also over seas the massive YRD program at the ASBK events we he and his team of helpers offer support to Yamaha riders across all divisions. For 2022, YRD will again provide technical support to Yamaha riders as well as parts, garaging, merchandise, bonus programs and a range of other services that no other team or manufacturer can provide.
John Redding
“Yamaha has over 70 % of the pit paddock at ASBK rounds and that is a testament to not just the quality of the motorcycles we race, but also the support we provide at these events. It doesn’t matter if you are just starting out in the OJC-R15 Cup or a rival to YRT in the Superbike class, YRD are happy to assist and offer a range of things to assist teams and riders. The YRD truck will again be at all ASBK events where Stewart and Janice will be happy to take care of your needs.”
The 2022 Australian Superbike Championship gets under in January with the first official test before round one kicks off in February.
It is fair to say it has been difficult going for the Yamaha Racing Team this season in the Australian Superbike Championship.
Cru Halliday finished second in the 2020 ASBK Championship on Pirelli rubber, but it is fair to say it was a struggle for him to secure third place in 2021.
Cru Halliday and YRT tested on Pirelli rubber at The Bend on Monday
The 33-year old Yamaha stalwart managed two podium finishes during season 2022 and that third place in the championship was a somewhat surprising result considering their general lack of speed in 2021.
Cru Halliday and YRT tested on Pirelli rubber at The Bend on Monday
Cru stayed on the bike in every single race to bag points and raced to a position generally higher than he had manage to qualify.
Some have put their performance deficit down to their Dunlop rubber in 2021, others cite deficiencies with their electronics package in comparison to the latest Ducati and Honda kit, or a comparative lack of power compared to the competition. YRT are still entirely positive towards Dunlop as a brand, and mentiond to MCNews.com.au that as the season progressed they certainly got on their game and took all feedback on board, but the decision has been made to run Pirelli in 2022.
Jamie Stauffer – Australian Superbike Champion – 2006 & 2007
Whatever the reason, it is now almost 15 years since Yamaha last won a #1 plate in Australian Superbike. Jamie Stauffer did the double across both the Superbike and Supersport categories in 2006, and then won the Superbike Championship again in 2007, but since then it has been relatively lean period for Yamaha in the Superbike category.
Jamie Stauffer leading brother Dan at Winton in 2007 – Both were present at The Bend on the weekend, Jamie with son Max racing Supersport 300, while Dan Stauffer was swinging a few spanners for DesmoSport Ducati
There is no doubt that the Ducati Panigale V4 R has dramatically moved the performance goal-posts, as has the latest SP Fireblade and ZX-10RR to some extent, however Yamaha has dominated elsehwere across the globe with the YZF-R1. The World Superbike, British Superbike and MotoAmerica Championships this year were all won by Yamaha riders.
In Australian Superbike our motorcycles are effectively more standard than most Superstock series around the world and it is fair to say that in standard trim the YZF-R1, while as evocative as ever, and despite some recent improvements, has not moved forward at the pace of the competition. The R1 has been nipped, tucked and tweaked, but essentially it is still a six-year-old platform.
Australian Superbike rules do open up to allow a MoTeC ECU in 2022, with some functionality restricted via a controlled firmware.
After Ducati runners have recently spent 25k per bike to kit each of their machines with the WorldSBK spec’ Marelli systems, and Penrite Honda also spent significant coin in obtaining the factory level electronics, it seems unlikely that either of them will switch to the MoTeC system in 2022, as they will be allowed to continue using their current package.
Likewise the BMW teams will most likely stick with their comparatively quite affordable factory electronics kit, as the MoTeC system does not have enough inputs to cater for the shift-cam system on the M 1000 RR.
The BCperformance Kawasaki squad had a nightmare trying to get their electronics package to offer any sort of consistency this season, and there is little doubt their poor showing off the back of those problems was a factor in Kawasaki withdrawing their support.
Cru Halliday getting a feel for the latest Pirelli rubber at The Bend on Monday – Image RbMotoLens
YRT have had nothing like that level of electronic problems, their bikes have been reliable, Halliday did finish every race after all, however it does seem as though their package is essentially outdated in comparison to what both the Ducati and Honda teams are currently running. Thus they are not only evaluating the switch from Dunlop back to Pirelli here at The Bend, but in the new year are also expected to test more with a MoTeC ECU, which they had already began doing some evaluation work with this season behind the scenes. When Superbike rules were more open in a previous era, the team did run MoTeC, so there is some knowledge about the system already within the team.
YRT boss John Redding told MCNews.com.au that they would continue to ride and develop motorcycles back to back between the current system and the MoTeC ECU, and that they would race which ever proved faster. He also remarked that whatever it took to give their riders the best equipment possible, it would be done.
Arthur Sissis was in fantastic form on his Unitech Racing YZF-R1 at The Bend – Image RbMotoLens
While local privateers Arthur Sissis and Daniel Falzon were almost 10 km/h down on top speed when not in the slipstream, compared to most of the field, they did show stunning qualifying pace on the weekend at The Bend and looked on course for potential podium results if not for both suffering misfortunes on Sunday. Both were on Pirelli rubber and both are expected to be on the grid in 2022. Although, Daniel did some significant injuries in a crash on the weekend that will likely put their preparations on hold for the foreseeable future.
Daniel Falzon (right) qualified on the front row at The Bend – Image RbMotoLens
Thus obviously the R1 can still be competitive, but it does seem as though there is just a little bit missing in order to complete the package and challenge for the Superbike title.
Cru Halliday getting a feel for the latest Pirelli rubber at The Bend on Monday – Image RbMotoLens
That said, Halliday did finish second in 2020 on Pirelli, and third in 2021 on Dunlop, so they can’t be that far off. However, I think Halliday has perhaps not received as much credit as he is due for those results.
Cru Halliday on the podium at Winton early this year – Image RbMotoLens
There will also be more Yamaha Superbikes on the grid next year. The Queensland based team Jed Metcher rode for this year is going next level in 2022. The team will be rebranded under a new 727 Moto banner and expand to two riders, as 2021 Australian Supersport Champion Broc Pearson makes the step up to Superbike with the team.
Broc Pearson was testing on Pirelli rubber at The Bend on Monday – Image RbMotoLens
The new 727 Moto Team have also recruited some top flight technical staff to the team for 2022 as Paul Free, Stewart Winton and Brent Stephens will all be working hard behind the scenes to try and ensure that both Jed and Broc have the most competitive mounts possible. Jed is a proven hard charger and will step his preparations up with the team in the new year. It is going to be a big budget effort the likes of which we probably haven’t seen from a privateer squad since the Trinder brothers shook things up with their Bio-Magnetic Therapy Team almost 20 years ago.
Supersport Champ Broc Pearson moves up to Superbike in 2022 and was testing a YZF-R1 with his new team on Monday at The Bend
Young Max Stauffer will also be on a YZF-R1 in 2022. After finishing third in the Australian Supersport Championship this season, Max will step up to Superbike in 2022 on a YZF-R1 prepared by his dad Jamie with the aid of Heath Griffin and Damian Cudlin.
Veteran Anthony West may also go around again on a better prepared YZF-R1 than he had this year and youngster Luke Jhonston will hopefully also continue to make progress.
And then of course we get to the question of who will be the second rider in the official Yamaha Racing Team alongside Cru Halliday in 2022?
Mike Jones was widely tipped to take that seat at YRT after the departure of Aiden Wagner, but Mike’s choice not to receive the COVID-19 vaccination saw him not able to compete at the Bend on the weekend with DesmoSport Ducati, and thus the two-time champ was also unable to test this week alongside Cru at The Bend.
Scuttlebutt in the pits across the weekend suggested that Mike has now perhaps reconsidered that decision in the light that it would essentially make him unemployable as a racer in 2022. At the moment it seems to be a case of ‘watch this space’, but Mike is expected to test with YRT at Morgan Park this weekend and at this stage is expected to join Cru Halliday at YRT for season 2022.
With the current break in racing activity we thought it a good idea to start rolling out this series that I have dubbed ‘Twisted ASBK Interviews’.
This is a somewhat comedic departure from the norm that hopes to shed some light into the personalities of ASBK Superbike riders.
Some of these were conducted in person at the track earlier this year, while others were conducted more recently over the phone.
A few of them certainly got me laughing out loud and I hope you view them through the prism of good fun they were taken in. This time around we talk to Cru Halliday.
MCNews.com.au: Who is the dirtiest rider you least trust when racing against?
Cru Halliday: “I wouldn’t say dirty, but most aggressive is Troy Herfoss, dirtiest against me personally, probably Daniel Falzon.”
MCNews.com.au: Who would you most like to punch in the ASBK paddock?
Cru: “That’s a no brainer, Daniel Falzon.”
MCNews.com.au: Who would you least like to be punched by in the ASBK paddock?
Cru: “Probably Mat Mladin, he would pack some power out of those cannons.”
Cru Halliday at the Wakefield Park ASBK Test – Image TDJ
MCNews.com.au: If you were stuck on a deserted island, which rider would you choose to be stuck with?
Cru: “The best looking one.”
MCNews.com.au: Who is the king of swiping right during ASBK race weekends?
Cru: “Brodie Malouf, in the 600 class, he’s a grub.”
MCNews.com.au: Which rider has the hottest sister?
Cru: “I’m gonna get punched over this and he’s my team-mate, but I’d have to say Aiden Wagner.”
Cru Halliday – SMP 2019 – Image by Rob Mott
MCNews.com.au: Who is the biggest princess in the ASBK paddock?
Cru: “I’m going to have to go with Glenn Allerton.”
MCNews.com.au: Who has the most fitting nickname in the paddock?
Cru: “It’s not Mad Mike, there’s nothing mad about him. I’d have to say Wayne Train.”
Cru Halliday – Image by Rob Mott
MCNews.com.au: What is the worst track ASBK visits?
Cru: “Barbagallo.”
MCNews.com.au: Which corner on the calendar is your favourite?
Cru: “That’s a hard one… probably the stadium section at Tailem Bend.”
MCNews.com.au: Which corner would you liked to see nuked from orbit?
Cru: “Every corner at Phillip Island.”
MCNews.com.au: If you could overtake one rider, on one corner, who would it be, and where, and how?
Cru: “That could be any of the top 10 riders, anyone… Mike Jones, Turn 1, Phillip Island, as I’d like to see the Yamaha go past that dude for once.”
Cru Halliday – Image by Rob Mott
MCNews.com.au: Which animal would you most liken yourself to?
Cru: “Cat, because I’m a pussy.”
MCNews.com.au: You need to borrow tools. Who would you ask first? Who would you never ask?
Cru: “Probably to be honest, the BMW team, I wouldn’t ask Maxwell.”
MCNews.com.au: If you weren’t racing, what would you be in jail for?
Cru: “More than likely speeding.”
Cru Halliday on the grid at the 2020 ASBK season opener – Image by Rob Mott
MCNews.com.au: If someone wrote a biography about you, what do you think the title should be?
Cru: “How To Not Grow Up”
MCNews.com.au: How would you describe yourself in three words?
Cru: “I can’t swear on this… humble, laid back and loving.”
MCNews.com.au: If you won a million dollars on Lotto what would be the first thing you would buy?
Cru: “Probably a house, have to be a house, or another lotto ticket.”
Cru Halliday – Image by Rob Mott
MCNews.com.au: If you could keep one of your race bikes from throughout your career which one would it be? And why?
Cru: “Probably my 600 from 2018, because it was a championship I won in ASBK.”
MCNews.com.au: What is your plan for life after racing…?
Cru: “Grow old, put some money on the dogs in the TAB, sink some schooners and wear a wife-beater.”
Cru Halliday won the Australian Supersport Championship with Yamaha in 2018 – STBG Image Source: MCNews.com.au
2020 mi-bike Australian Superbike Championship Round One – Phillip Island Cru Halliday
Challenging Wayne Maxwell over the weekend at the opening round of the 2020 mi-bike Australian Superbike Championship was Cru Halliday, the YRT man claiming a consistent second step on the podium across all three races at Phillip Island on the new 2020 YZF-R1.
Cru Halliday – Image by Rob Mott
Here’s what Cru Halliday had to say when MCNews.com.au caught up with him immediately following the final ASBK Superbike race at Phillip Island.
Cru Halliday Interview
Trevor Hedge: Cru you’ve been really really strong all weekend, you’ve hardly put a wheel wrong really, it’s been an impressive performance. You must be pretty happy with yourself.
Cru Halliday: “Yea, thanks Trevor, we’ve got these 2020s after the test, I didn’t test too good here actually, but I never really test good here at Phillip Island. We were on the 2019 models when we tested here, and I hadn’t ridden for so long before then, so that had me a little bit worried. But then we tested the 2020s at Wakefield, and you know what, it’s like a new breath of fresh air.
Cru Halliday – Image by Rob Mott
“I gel with it really good, and we came here and straight away were on the money. It’s good because I really did struggle here in previous times, and now it looks like I’ve got my head around that. I tried to chase down Wayne, and he just rode home, he really didn’t put a foot wrong, every time he made a tiny little mistake I almost fell into that same trap, repeating his mistakes. Hats off to the team, the new 2020 R1 M is unbelievable and Kev Marshall has done a fantastic job of preparing them for this round.”
Trev: Take us through the actual improvements, what are a couple of things that really stand out, making your job easier?
Halliday: “Now it’s got an actual direct throttle sensor in the bike, there’s no more cables in the throttle, it’s all done by fly-by-wire. At first I was a bit worried about it, but once you learn to get used to it, I really love it. I was a bit nervous when they told me there would be no more cables, so there wouldn’t be that cable feel and I thought it would be too sensitive, but it’s not. It’s really nimble and nice to keep the throttle on.
Cru Halliday – Image by TBG
“What I did notice was the mid-range in this new bike, it’s strong. I used to really struggle – not exiting a corner – but that next little part after the initial jump and this thing just grabs and goes. It’s fixed everything that was the bike last year’s weakness. They haven’t recreated the bike, just improved exactly what they needed to improve. So I’m stoked about it, and we’re just going to keep improving as the year goes on.”
Trev: From pre-season testing pace, you said you didn’t test that well. Coming into this I thought Wayne might run away from everyone, but it didn’t quite unfold that way. You were not far off at all.
Halliday: “I race a lot better than I test, I think sometimes I take a little too long at testing, and it doesn’t feel like the atmosphere, where on race weekend I’m pumped and ready to kill. I’m definitely a better racer than I am tester. In saying that I’ve been fast on practice days before, and then struggled in races, but I’m sorta glad I put this score together, its a good way to start the year in second place already, only sixteen points Wayne put on us, that’s good for me coming out of Phillip Island.”
Maxwell leads Halliday, Herfoss and Waters – Image by Rob Mott
Trev: Have you ridden the new bike at Wakefield?
Halliday: “Yep we had a test almost immediately after the first official test here, just at a ride day, just to get on it and try and see what it’s like, and see if they were ready for this round. They were. I was basically straight onto race times, I gel with that track too, it’s not far from my house, only 150 km or an hour and a half, and I’ve had really good results there before. I reckon we’re going to get even better results on this bike, this year.”
Trev: The tyre war has hotted up a bit this year. Yamaha switched from Dunlop to Pirelli a couple of years ago, which was a bit of a controversial move, with Yamaha’s in-house tyre being Dunlop throughout Australia…. but Pirelli still had the answers here this weekend, by the looks of it. Do you think that might change at other circuits?
Halliday: “To be honest I think Pirelli are going to be the tyre to be on at most rounds, as we saw last year at Tailem Bend it sort of wasn’t, but after Tailem Bend in 2019 I think Pirelli got their eyes opened a little bit and put together a good tyre for this year. I haven’t personally been there on the new tyre yet this year, but I’ve heard good things about it.
Cru Halliday – Image Rob Mott
“You’ve got Herfoss on the Michelins, and I’ve heard good things about the Michelins from him personally, but you know, you never know, all riders say they go fast, but knowing him he probably did. By the looks of it, Josh was all over me at the first part of that race with the Dunlop, that’s a strange thing, because I thought the Dunlops weren’t as strong here, but Josh has proven that to be a bit of a different story. So it’s gonna be pretty full on. I’m just glad that Wayne is on the same tyre as me, so it’s easier to tell whats going on. It’s gonna be interesting. I can’t really say, but I know what we’ve got and I reckon we can get the job done this year.”
Trev: Do you think Wayne was foxing a little bit at any times, when he was controlling the pace, do you think he had more up his sleeve?
Halliday: “To be honest he said on the podium that he rode 100 per cent, and if Wayne, out of all people, say he was riding at 100 per cent, then he was riding at 100 per cent.”
Maxwell leads Halliday and Waters – Image by Rob Mott
Trev: You had the best seat in the house to view it from…
Halliday: “It’s hard, I’ve heard him say a lot of times before, ‘Its hard to control the race.’ And it is hard. I’m not going to lie, he was quicker than me this weekend, but it was good I could run with him, and apply pressure to him, but I was at my limit and I think he was at his limit. To be making mistakes like that, you have to be pushing. That’s the problem with pushing like that, one small mistake, it can all be over like Race 2 yesterday. I’m stoked though and hopefully I can show the other boys now I’ve got my head screwed on I can be a contender, instead of just a fast guy.”
Cru Halliday chases Wayne Maxwell
ASBK next heads to Wakefield Park later this month, the Goulburn circuit playing host to Round Two of the series over the March 27-29 weekend.
2020 mi-bike Australian Superbike Championship Points
Halliday & Wagner to head YRT ASBK efforts in 2020
Aiden Wagner will join Cru Halliday as the two pilots locked in for the Yamaha Racing Team (YRT) to contest the 2020 Australian Superbike Championship, starting in February at Phillip Island.
Cru Halliday returns with YRT in 2020 – Image by TBG
Competing on the Yamaha YZF- R1M, Halliday and Wagner are primed for a successful season and already preparations have begun as both riders chase that elusive ASBK Superbike championship trophy.
Halliday continues his relationship with YRT for another season and after making huge strides forward in 2019, he is out for the ultimate prize in 2020. After winning the 600cc Supersport Championship in 2018, Halliday stepped back into the Superbike class in 2019 and instantly became a contender as he mixed it up with the more established names.
Cru Halliday – TBG Image
He led the championship at stages during 2019 on his way to claim fourth but feels he has learnt and grown from his experiences this season and that will put in him good shape heading into the 2020 season.
Cru Halliday
“It’s great to be back with the YRT crew and with the same bike and people that have been a big part of my racing in recent years. I have familiarity in everything around me and both the bike and myself has been developed to the point where I think winning the 2020 Superbike championship is a realistic and achievable goal. I gained valuable experience in 2019 and maybe the biggest thing is consistency and that every point is valuable. Mike won the championship this year with an average third place finish across the season, so you need to be up the front in every race of every round to be in contention. I know we have a great starting point with the Yamaha R1M and that YRT will continue to work hard and give me the best motorcycle on the track. We start racing again in February but I’m motivated and have already started training for a huge season ahead and can’t wait to be back on the grid and racing again.”
Cru Halliday – Image by Rob Mott
25-year-old Queenslander, Aiden Wagner, will join YRT for the 2020 season and keen to establish himself in the premier road racing division in Australia. Wagner was competing in Europe for the past few seasons before returning to Australia at the start of the 2019 Superbike Championship.
Aiden Wagner – TBG Image
Wagner showed he had the speed to mix it up with the big names in the Australian Superbike Championship when in his only 2019 appearance at the opening round at Phillip Island, Wagner dominated proceedings, taking all three race wins and impressing with his aggressive, take no prisoners, style of racing.
Injuries hampered his results in recent years, but he took the majority of the 2019 season off to recover and rehab his injuries and is now 100 per cent fit and desperate to make the most of his opportunity with YRT.
Aiden Wagner’s big off at Wakefield Park while taking evasive action to miss riders that had exited pit-lane at an inopportune moment, leading to shoulder surgery – TBG Image
Aiden Wagner
“I’m excited and proud to have come to an arrangement with the Yamaha Racing Team and look forward to working with an experienced and professional race team to take my racing to the next level. Last year when I returned to Australia, I wanted to race the Yamaha R1 as it was the bike I felt most comfortable on and now to get a reward to be on the factory team is amazing and takes a lot of pressure from my shoulders. All I have to worry about now is going fast and staying on.
Aiden Wagner – Image by Rob Mott
“Its great that the team is also based here in Queensland near me so I can build a good relationship with everyone and believe this will be the start of a long and successful relationship for both myself and YRT. I started the championship strongly in 2019 before I got injured, but I’m now back to full fitness and my body is in good shape, so now my goal is to carry that throughout the season and do my best to secure the Superbike championship for Yamaha and myself in 2020.”
The 2020 Australian Superbike Championship gets underway at Philip Island when it is run in-conjunction with the first round of the World Superbike Championships on February 27 before moving through a seven round championship, finishing again at Phillip Island.
2020 ASBK Calendar
Round 1 – WSBK – Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, VIC 27 Feb – 1 March
Round 2 – Wakefield Park Raceway – Goulburn, NSW 27 – 29 March
Round 3 – The Bend Motorsport Park – Tailem Bend, SA 7 – 10 May *4 day *with Asia Road Race Championship (ARRC) & Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup (IATC)
Round 4 – Supercars – Barbagallo Raceway, Perth WA 15 – 17 May (Superbike Class Only)
Round 5 – Morgan Park Raceway – Warwick, QLD 7 – 9 August
Round 6 – Winton Motor Raceway, Benalla VIC 11 – 13 September
Round 7 – Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, Cowes VIC 2 – 4 October
2019 ASBK – Round Two
Wakefield Park Sunday Part Two
Superbike Race Two
Wakefield Park staff were judging that it was likely a record crowd for a motorcycle race at the Goulburn based circuit despite the cloudy conditions that threatened rain here today.
The morning race had seen Troy Herfoss get the better of Cru Halliday and Wayne Maxwell in what was a farily close run affair. It was not until the very latter stages of the race that Herfoss managed to stamp his authority and pull away to take the race victory.
With Aiden Wagner out of the running due to an unfortunate incident on Friday (see separate story here), second place this morning saw Cru Halliday move into the Australian Superbike Championship points lead, with a ten-point buffer over Herfoss.
After race one Halliday was somewhat annoyed with himself over some mistakes he made during the opening stages of the race. The #65 YRT man was looking to go one better and make amends this afternoon.
Wayne Maxwell had been a strong third in that opener ahead of Daniel Falzon. The South Australian looked very strong early in race one, while Maxwell was only pipped out of second place late in the race by Halliday.
Mike Jones started poorly this morning and lost touch with the front runners. Some minor electronic tweaks for the DesmoSport Ducati 1299 Panigale R Final Edition ahead of the weekend’s final 20-lap bout.
Josh Waters would be looking for some answers after never really threatening this morning. Likewise leading Dunlop runner Bryan Staring did not have the package under him to challenge for a podium.
Adding a little more nervous anticipation was the looming threat of nearby rain as they readied for a race start…
We’re Away!
When the lights went out it was Cru Halliday that got away from the line first, but Herfoss had the inside line for turn one to take the early race lead as Halliday, Falzon, Maxwell and Jones gave chase.
Maxwell put a big move on Falzon early on lap two in order to promote himself up into third place. Maxwell then put in the fastest early lap of the race with a 57.8 as he set about challenging Halliday for second.
Mike Jones and Daniel Falzon then brushed shoulders heading towards turn one, the Ducati man pushing the #25 Yamaha back to fifth place. Jones then went on to set a 57.773 to start closing on Maxwell. Just a second covered that top five with 16 laps to run.
Further behind that leading five it was Josh Waters, the #21 with a few bike lengths over Kawasaki runners Matt Walters and Bryan Staring.
Things were tight at the top with Herfoss, Halliday, Maxwell, Jones and Falzon all circulating in the 57.6s and 57.7s. Nobody had a clear pace advantage and the rostrum looked likely to be decided by tyre longevity, and/or mistakes…
Lap after lap that top five maintained station as the race wore on. Herfoss looking tidy out front, but Halliday in second place perhaps looking even tidier.
As the race entered its second half Herfoss and Halliday started to steadily stretch away from Maxwell, Jones and Falzon.
Mike Jones made his move for third place on Maxwell with nine laps to run. Jones was now 1.6-seconds behind second placed Halliday, and 2.09-seconds behind race leader Herfoss.
Maxwell then started to come under attack from Falzon just as the red flag was produced to signal and end to proceedings with 13-laps completed. Lachlan Epis was down at turn eight and in a dangerous predicament, thus the decision to call time.
Double victory to Herfoss
A double to Penrite Honda man Troy Herfoss. The defending ASBK Champion putting himself firmly back into contention after a somewhat troublesome round one for the 32-year-old. Herfoss can often be very intense, but even with the pressure of being back here in front of his home crowd, he looked relaxed and comfortable all weekend.
Halliday the Superbike points leader
Cru Halliday looked tidy and fast all weekend. His second places today firms him up as the new Australian Superbike Championship points leader. The YRT man leading Herfoss by five-points.
Mike Jones acquitted himself very well on a ZX-10R at round one, and backed that up with an impressive weekend here at Wakefield Park on the DesmoSport Ducati to now lie third in the ASBK championship chase.
Josh Waters never threatened this weekend. A situation that will have the three-time Australian Superbike Champion searching for answers ahead of the next round at Tailem Bend. Still, he has kept it on the road instead of throwing it in the bushes, and bagged decent points from every outing thus far this season. That sees the Mildura based 32-year-old ranking fourth in the championship chase, five-points ahead of team-mate Wayne Maxwell.
While Waters could not run with that top five, fellow three-time Australian Superbike Champion Glenn Allerton struggled for even top-ten pace. He never figured in any session and seemingly did not have a competitive package under him this weekend.
ASBK next reconvenes at the Tailem Bend circuit in South Australia on the Anzac Day weekend.
Superbike Race Two Results
Troy Herfoss – Honda
Cru Halliday – Yamaha +0.367
Mike Jones – Ducati +2.043
Wayne Maxwell – Suzuki +2.892
Daniel Falzon – Yamaha +3.136
Josh Waters – Suzuki +8.307
Matt Walters – Kawasaki +11.599
Bryan Staring – Kawasaki +11.742
Glenn Scott – Kawasaki +16.593
Alex Phillis – Suzuki +17.087
Glenn Allerton – BMW +17.366
Damon Rees – Honda +19.403
Mark Chiodo – Honda +26.859
Arthur Sissis – Suzuki +26.986
Sloan Frost – Suzuki +27.332
Superbike Championship Points Standings
Cru Halliday 96
Troy Herfoss 91
Mike Jones 83
Josh Waters 80
Wayne Maxwell 75
Bryan Staring 75
Aiden Wagner 71
Daniel Falzon 65
Matt Walters 56
Glenn Allerton 56
Glenn Scott 51
Alex Phillius 43
Ted Collins 41
Mark Chiodo 40
Arthur Sissis 32
Supersport Race Two
Tom Toparis had taken a clear victory in the opening Supersport race but Broc Pearson stated after the race that if he got a better start he thought he might be able to run with the championship leader here this afternoon.
Reid Battye was strong early on in the opening stanza and was again this time around. Perhaps a little too fast as he banged fairings with Toparis on the run towards turn one as the second 16-lap race got underway at 1415 this afternnon.
Toparis got the better of Battye a few turns later as the Suzuki rider already looked to be struggling for grip. Broc Pearson then joined the party though and they both dusted up Toparis!
Reid Battye led them across the start-finish line to commence lap three with Toparis and Pearson in close consort. The Suzuki man maintained that lead for that entire lap, Toparis then getting him next time around at the final turn.
Oli Bayliss had suffered a poor start and was left battling with Ty Lynch over fourth position for the first few laps but the 15-year-old managed to break away from Lynch and then put his head down to try and close the 1.5-second gap to that leading trio.
Toparis led the race as it reached the halfway mark but had failed to shake Battye and Pearson. The race pace a little slower this afternoon, no doubt due to changed track conditions. It took until the second half of the race for the leading riders to dip under the one-minute mark, and it was Toparis that now had the hammer down to start pulling away from his pursuers.
With six laps to run Broc Pearson got the better of Reid Battye to move up to second place and immediately started to pull away from the young Suzuki man. Battye knew he had nothing left to challenge with, his tyres done, Battye started looking over his shoulder to see how far back Oli Bayliss was and just how much he could button off while keeping that third place safe to the flag.
Broc Pearson tried his best to chase down Toparis but the local teenager had his measure, taking victory by 1.2-seconds as he cruised to the flag.
Reid Battye on the podium. The Bermagui youngster very fast and spectacular in the early stages but looked to be struggling for grip late in the race once again.
Supersport Race Two Results
Tom Toparis – Yamaha
Broc Pearson – Yamaha +1.233
Reid Battye – Suzuki +6.751
Oli Bayliss – Yamaha +10.688
Nic Liminton – Yamaha +15.640
Ty Lynch – Yamaha +16.229
Aidan Hayes – Yamaha +16.812
Dallas Skeer – Suzuki +33.609
Supersport Championship Points
Tom Toparis 127
Nic Liminton 92
Broc Pearson 89
Oli Bayliss 87
Reid Battye 74
Aidan Hayes 73
Ty Lynch 58
Callum Spriggs 49
Rhys Belling 47
Jack Passfield 45
Supersport 300 Race Three
Max Stauffer, John Lytras and Ben Baker again quickly proved their credentials as Supersport 300 Championship challengers as they quickly broke away from the field yet again as the final 10-lap Supersport 300 race got underway on Sunday afternoon at Wakefield Park.
Zac Levy, Locky Taylor and Hunter Ford were left to chase that trio and fight their own heady battle for fourth.
Lapped traffic baulked the leaders at the final turn which made threw the tactical game out the window and made it somewhat a luck of the draw. It was John Lytras who had his numbers come up to take the victory by a nose ahead of Max Stauffer and Ben Baker.
Supersport 300 Race Three Results
John Lytras – Yamaha
Max Stauffer – Yamaha +0.066
Ben Baker – Yamaha +0.261
Hunter Ford – Yamaha +3.983
Locky Taylor – Yamaha +5.409
Senna Agius – 400 Kawasaki +8.315
Harry Khouri – Yamaha +9.930
Brandon Demmery – Yamaha +10.762
Travis Hall – Yamaha +11.898
Seth Crump – KTM +11.953
Zac Levy – Yamaha +12.880
Yanni Shaw – 400 Kawasaki +13.970
Kyle O’Connell – Yamaha +25.192
Mitch Kuhne – Yamaha +25.218
Luke Johnston – Yamaha +25.267
YMI Supersport 300 Championship Points
Max Stauffer 138
John Lytras 99
Senna Agius 95
Harry Khouri 91
Ben Baker 82
Seth Crump 77
Locky Taylor 76
Zac Levy 65
Travis Hall 64
Yanni Shaw 64
Luke Power 55
Hunter Ford 48
Callum O’Brien 45
Dylan Whiteside 39
Mitch Kuhne 37
bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup Race Three
The bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup features a field of ambitious young riders looking to become the first to claim an Oceania Junior Cup round, and make an initial claim for one of the five positions in the 2019 Asia Talent Cup Selection Event, and a potential place in the 2019 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Selection Event.
All riders are on a control spec’ Yamaha YZF-R15, and are serviced and transported between the rounds by Yamaha Australia. Before each round all the bikes are run on the dyno to ensure parity, a proper controlled category.
Staking that first claim on Saturday afternoon was 11-year-old Carter Thompson, the first ever race winner in the bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup when the inaugural six-lap bout was contested on Saturday afternoon. He then backed it up on Sunday morning with another victory over Cros Francis.
Come Sunday afternoon’s race three it was again this pair that quickly started to pull away from their pursuers. As the race progressed though Jacob Roulstone put himself into contention for the win but it was Carter Thompson that completed the trifecta. Roulstone second and Francis third.
bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup Race Three Results
Carter Thompson
Jacob Roulstone +0.383
Cros Francis +0.458
Angus Grenfell +2.376
Tom Drane +11.052
Marianos Nikolis +11.071
Max Gibbons +11.330
Cormac Buchanan +11.547
Jacob Hatch +11.889
Jai Russo +11.982
Lucas Quinn +13.273
Reece Oughtred +13.329
Archie McDonald +14.654
Zak Pettendy +19.570
Hunter Diplock 24.683
bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup Championship Points
Carter Thompson 75
Cros Francis 56
Angus Grenfell 50
Jacob Roulstone 48
Marianos Nikolis 48
Tom Drane 46
Reece Oughtred 34
Cormac Buchana 33
Zak Pettendy 31
Jai Russo 29
YMF R3 Cup Race Three
Max Stauffer was on fire all weekend and that form contined when the final eight-lap YMF R3 Cup bout got underway at 1545 this afternoon at Wakefield Park. His chief fellow combatants John Lytras and Ben Baker keeping him close company once again.
That trio fought it all the way to the line and this time around it was Lytras who took the victory this time around ahead of Stauffer and Baker.
Locky Taylot in fourth place did not quite have the speed to challenge that trio.
The first enthralling round of the 2019 Australian Superbike Championship is but a memory – a vivid one at that – and now the second round at Wakefield Park is nigh. Bracksy looks back and peers into the future of what is shaping up as a momentous weekend at the Wakefield Park circuit near Goulburn in NSW, March 22-24.
If Alvaro Bautista was akin to a cyclone engulfing the WSBK paddock at the opening round of that Championship, in the ASBK class, Aiden Wagner was an air-to-ground, below radar low level attack dropping a couple of 500lb HE incendiaries on the ASBK field at Phillip Island.
Aiden Wagner – Maxwell tumbles – Image Rob Mott
A few weeks previously, the 25-year-old Queenslander, on his privateer Landsbridge Transport Yamaha R1 used the official ASBK test to strafe the field with armour piercing shells to let everyone know, he is back, fully fit, ravenous for success, and he doesn’t give a rat’s arse about reputations.
He certainly ruffled a few feathers at the test. By the end of race two of the ASBK Superbike season on Saturday Feb 23 they were singed beyond recognition with his scorched earth, take no prisoners policy.
Aiden Wagner – Maxwell tumbles – Image Rob Mott
With his round one victory with Pole, two wins and a second, the snatching strap of tension has been ratcheted up a notch. Or, five.
The quality and intensity of the on-track competition easily eclipsed the demonstration put on by the lads of the World Superbike field and showed the parity between the different motorcycles in our domestic championship is very even.
The ASBK season was shaping up as a landmark year, even before Wagner bounced back in the paddock. Now he is here, look out. The anticipation going into round two is even more palpable than the season opener.
Mike Jones will stand in for Troy Bayliss at Wakefield Park – TBG Image
2019 is shaping up as the most competitive in many a year, as each season seems to increase in intensity and level of competition.
Round 1 Recap
So let’s have a recap of the opening round then a peer into the looking glass to see what this weekend has in store.
There was plenty of anticipation as the meeting got under way and Bayliss led the first session to continue his testing form, but his weekend was to soon unravel. In the afternoon qualifying session he had a monumental get off heading into turn four when he was distracted by a rider stricken on the edge of the track. The bike was basically obliterated in the cartwheeling that was reminiscent of his crash on a Ducati during the Australian Grand Prix of 2003.
Thankfully, this time he walked away to be able to relate soon after that he had cracked a finger on his left hand and the bike “was sent to heaven”.
In qualifying the prodigal son, Wagner grabbed the number one slot, one-thousandth of a second under Bayliss’s lap record, set at the final round last year. More importantly, he scored an extra championship point that goes with it to lead a Yamaha block out of the front row.
Aiden Wagner – Image Rob Mott
This year the extra championship point for Pole Position at each round could be more critical than ever in deciding the champion. Remember when since Shawn Giles was pipped in a countback with Josh Brookes in 2005…
The privateer gave a bloody nose to the Yamaha Racing Team duo of Superbike returnee, Cru Halliday, and his team mate in the official Yamaha team Daniel Falzon who made up the front row.
Wagner has some very astute people in his corner with Sam Costanzo, the principal of Landbrige Transport and Landbridge Racing. Sam has a fine reputation for preparing race machines while Adrian Monti is a very astute and analytical operator who knows how to set up a race bike, and probably more importantly, the understanding to translate what a rider is talking about to bike set-up.
Aiden Wagner – Image Rob Mott
Before the opening race of the year, many people were asking the annual question of how far into the opening race we’d get before some carnage would erupt. In the past couple of years the season has only reached Turn Four on the opening lap before the cauldron has boiled over. Last year it was Glenn Allerton who hightailed it out of the race as he launched himself high over the bars, nearly bringing rain and almost dragging Wayne Maxwell off his bike as he flew past him.
It is understandable as it’s over four months since the last race of 2018 and we all know the eagerness riders display and the red mist visor is also a deeper tinge than normal for the opening laps of the year. In recent years there has been a bit of drama at Turn Four.
Race 1 – Phillip Island
This year we had to wait a few laps for the first real jaw dropping moment but the opening laps of race one were absolutely manic. What we had been anticipating had been confirmed. This year will be a seven-round, street brawl.
Falzon jumped to the front off the line to lead for the opening corners but Bayliss took over heading into turn 10 and led the frantic first lap across the line from Maxwell and Falzon. After a very mediocre start, Wagner was back in seventh, just shading Waters, the octuplet separated by less than a second. It was on as they all spread across the track careering to the apex on their 200+hp machines like the charge of the Light Horse, fighting for track position.
Wagner was excellent in testing. Now we were witnessing what he could do in a race mixed up with the pack of gangsters in front of him as Wagner commenced his carving exhibition. He showed from the outset that he is not here for a free lunch and it wasn’t even lunchtime Sunday!
Wayne Maxwell leads Aiden Wagner – TBG Image
He was up to second by the end of the third lap managing to pop out in front while everyone else was having a dip at the passing game, particularly Bryan Staring on the Kawasaki BC Performance ZX-10RR as he scythed his way through on the Dunlop shod machine to be among the leading pack climbing from 10th on the grid.
Wagner took the lead on the fourth lap and held it until the final few corners as he and Bayliss, Maxwell, Halliday, Waters, and Staring keeping well in touch
The first jaw dropping moment of the year came at the start of the sixth lap. Wagner led the charge from Maxwell and Bayliss, the others not far adrift as they tipped into Doohan Corner at a head shaking, meteoric rate. Wagner had a couple of bike lengths over Maxwell with Bayliss taking a deeper, more outer line into turn one but his entry speed was a little quicker, or maybe Maxwell slowed a tad but it was j-u-s-t enough for the brake lever of TB#32 machine to touch the rear of Maxwell’s machine.
The front wheel locked, a puff of blue smoke and in a nano second, Bayliss was sliding on his arse at over 200 kays and another steed of the Desmo Sport Ducati stable went looking for directions to the Pearly Gates to join its sibling.
The crash looked innocuous enough considering the speed of his trajectory into the kitty litter. Coming to a tumbling halt after a less than elegant face plant, he sat there, legs spread and punched the ground in exasperation, jumped to his feet and wandered back to the pits.
Bayliss may have exited stage left but that didn’t halt the swashbuckling as Staring joined the fray in fifth behind Wagner, Maxwell, Halliday and Waters. Half race distance and it was on.
The sword clashing continued at every corner and while Wagner led across the line there was plenty of pushing and shoving scything, slicing and magnificent dicing many times a lap.
Less than a second separated the quintet as they commenced the final lap but back markers were looming. The snarling pack negotiated the first couple ok but Wagner was baulked by one over Lukey Heights into T10. Maxwell was his typical blue heeler self as he nipped the heels of the Queenslander.
Out of T11 Wagner jumped on the gas, the pack broke away slightly losing drive which allowed Maxwell the opportunity to storm past into the lead and take the win from Wagner, with Staring filling the last step on the podium after another determined ride from the 2010 ASBK champion to prove that he will be in the mix all year.
Wayne Maxwell was clearly emotional after winning the opening race of ASBK season 2019 at Phillip Island, a win he had not expected as he was yet to feel as though the GSX-R was ‘his bike, and was not fully comfortable after a few years on Yamaha machinery – TBG Image
Wagner demonstrated in the opening stanza he has the goods to push for not only the privateer championship but the outright. He also has his own definitive style in riding a 1000cc machine at Phillip Island, riding more Supersport lines to carry corner speed. This was most evident at Turn 4 as he hung out very wide and swept across the track for a very late apex.
High corner approach had the others seemingly second guessing as if they tried to take an inside line there was a good chance that a collision may occur. In fact, it did happen with Halliday and Wagner touching with feet off the pegs, both lucky to stay aboard such was the hit.
Wagner and Halliday tussle – Rob Mott Image
His antics reminded us in the commentary booth of a philosophy of racing that 2002 Australian Supersport Champion, Shannon Johnson, uttered to explain some of his determined moves, “A front wheel has a three-and-a-half inch rim. If there is three and a half inches of track then there is enough room for me.”
What a scene setter for the year. The first World Superbike race soon after the opening leg was somewhat of an anti-climax compared to the cut and thrust of ASBK.
ASBK Superbike Race One Results
Wayne Maxwell – Suzuki
Aiden Wagner – Yamaha +0.147
Bryan Staring – Kawasaki +0.320
Maxwell had taken first blood, and was somewhat emotional in parc ferme as the 36-year-old had not expected to take the win. After recent years on Yamaha machinery, he was still not feeling fully comfortable on the GSX-R, saying the bike did not yet feel like his. Be interesting to see just how fast he goes when he does get back to that stage with familiarity on the Suzuki!
Wayne Maxwell celebrates victory – Image Rob Mott
Bayliss injuries surface
We didn’t have to wait long for part two later the same afternoon. If the opening race was a scene setter, race two will be in the background for the rest of the season as well. The action was a carbon copy of the opening leg with a few more exclamation marks for good measure – albeit with one disappointing turn of events.
After his whoopsie of the first race Bayliss seemed fine and in his usual laconic way was circumspect with the turn of events of his two massive crashes in less than 24 hours, but ready to come out swinging.
Bayliss headed out on a hastily prepared machine, but on the sighting lap as he applied the front brake for the first time he realised that he could close the ring finger of his right hand, but couldn’t extend it. A torn tendon forced his exit from the rest of proceedings and the loss of plenty of potential points.
Race 2 – Phillip Island
Race two soon turned into a Maxwell vs Wagner vs Waters vs Halliday vs Falzon affair, with the others not far off. Falzon crashed at turn 10 losing the front which baulked those following, allowing the top four a gap over the likes of Staring, Mike Jones (K&R Hydraulics ZX-10R) and Troy Herfoss on the Penrite Honda who was struggling to stay in touch.
Daniel Falzon slides out of contention – TBG Image
Wagner had complete faith in his front end in his desire to poke a wheel up the inside of the opposition and managed to hold his line. After a few laps the rear was starting to walk on him but he didn’t give a toss about what the rear was doing. He was right in the mix.
It all came down to the final lap dogfight. Again.
Hundredths of a second covered the top four and so typical of Phillip Island it all came down to the final four corners: setting up over Lukey Heights, a possible dive up the inside into MG Corner, then the drag through 11 and 12 to the line.
The last five hundred metres of the second Superbike race is now etched in history, but its repercussions may reverberate throughout the year. Maxwell had managed to get in front in the final set of corners and led Wagner, Waters and Halliday as they tipped into Turn 12.
Maxwell hung it up a little higher than usual leaving a bit of vacant bitumen. Wagner saw that lonely bit of bitumen as an invitation and reacted accordingly driving through – hugging the ripple strip, with Halliday and Waters line astern.
Aiden Wagner – Maxwell tumbles – Image Rob Mott
Kaa-boom! A clash as Wagner and Maxwell collided in the rush with Maxwell falling off the inside of the bike, cartwheeling into the track-side beach, spraying the gravel high.
Wagner kept it pinned as the carnage unfolded to take the flag from Halliday second and Waters third and a crater of destruction and controversy hot on their heels. Thankfully, Maxwell was soon on his feet and taking the long walk back to the pits from the outside of the track. Fuming.
Wayne Maxwell dusts himself off… – Image Rob Mott
Controversy
At race’s end, I descended down the stairs from the three-storey eyrie that is the commentary box in the control tower to head to park ferme to conduct the usual post race interviews. I had just emerged from the tower to pass a rapidly advancing and extremely arced-up, Phil Tainton from Team Ecstar Suzuki, who was charging up to race control to explain his point of view.
I hadn’t seen Phil like that in a long time. Hoo-ee, this has just taken the championship to another level.
There were plenty of words said from both sides and also the view of onlookers. Wagner claimed there was a gap. Maxwell claimed there wasn’t any room. Wagner was contrite and apologised to Maxwell for the incident but at the time it fell on deaf ears. Everyone else had their own opinion. Was there a gap or not?
Officials deemed it as a racing incident and no action was taken, much to the chagrin of some. Riders had different opinions with one telling me, “Tell them to stop sooking. It’s a racing incident. I’d rather be fighting for the lead and crashing than being back here where we are.” Touche!
Personally, I think it is fantastic for the intrigue and interest. It brought more international attention to the ASBK and many in the WSBK paddock were talking about it, including Jamie Whitham who thought it was fantastic. It made the opening WSBK race seem like a procession!
Whoever was right, or wrong, it brought back a statement that the great Ayton Senna said at the 1990 Australian F1 Grand Prix, “By being a racing driver you are under risk all the time. By being a racing driver means you are racing with other people. And if you no longer go for a gap that exists, you are no longer a racing driver because we are competing, we are competing to win. And the main motivation to all of us is to compete for victory, it’s not to come 3rd, 4th, 5th or 6th. I race to win as long as I feel it’s possible. Sometimes you get it wrong. Sure, it’s impossible to get it right all the time. But I race designed to win, as long as I feel I’m doing it right.”
But that philosophy didn’t work out all that well for the Brazilian legend in the end did it…
Race 3 – Phillip Island
With the third and final race of the opening round held on Sunday morning, at least we could get our collective breath back over night. Lucky because race three left us all breathless. It was the race of the weekend.
Maxwell was battered and bruised after his 200 km/h+ get off the day before but his determination wasn’t lessened by any stretch. The anticipation was palpable.
Wayne Maxwell kits up – Image Rob Mott
Arthur Sissis stormed from 15th on the grid to grab the holeshot but was soon swamped as Waters led the first lap from Wagner and Falzon – the trio covered by 0.624 sec. Jones joined the fray on the next lap and created history by not only breaking the lap record but being the first rider to dip into a sub 1:32 with a corker of a lap to record 1:31.881!
ASBK Superbike 2019 – Race Three Start – Rob Mott Image
The leading freight train was adding extra carriages as the laps went by. It became a quintet the next lap when Haliday chimed in, 0.753 sec adrift.
Josh Waters leads into turn one – Rob Mott Image
The passing moves had been stepped up especially at the frighteningly fast Hayshed where Jones was making it his corner, just like Jamie Stauffer did in the past, to dive up the inside accelerating through the apex.
Mike Jones leads Cru Halliday – Rob Mott Image
Another couple of laps and there were seven carriages but none of them remained in the same place. It was mental the amount of positional changes and at two thirds race distance, seven bikes were covered by less than a second with Wagner and Jones taking turns to lead the end of consecutive laps.
Wagner made it two victories after getting the best of Jones by 0.317 sec (the largest gap over the three races), with Halliday in third, the trio separated by just 0.394 sec. A blink of the eye behind was Falzon, Waters and a very gallant Maxwell 0.933 away in sixth.
Over the three races you wouldn’t see as much carving in a dozen pubs for a Sunday roast! Enthralling. The total winning margin for the three races was an astronomical: 0.765!
What lies ahead this weekend? There are no similarities between Phillip Island and this weekend’s round at the tight twisty bumpy and extremely demanding Wakefield Park, except they are racetracks.
This weekend extreme tension is a given. How far before the tension is too much and something snaps is anyone’s guess but I reckon something will happen in qualifying in the fist fight for the extra championship point.
Troy Herfoss testing at Wakefield Park – TDJ Image
Herfoss will no doubt start as a favourite such is his affinity with the track and he will have an added incentive of making up for what was, in his and the team’s eyes, an extremely disappointing weekend at Phillip Island – a place that has never been too kind to him.
Maxwell has done well at the the track in recent years and the pair have split wins pretty evenly. Then there is Cru Halliday. He has had some memorable moments at the track and now he is back on a Superbike after his domination of last year’s Supersport title.
Wayne Maxwell testing at Wakefield Park – TDJ Image
Don’t be surprised if he takes a victory as he is a true dark horse for this year’s title, as is his team mate, Falzon. The South Australian, who now works as a fully qualified paramedic, has a hunger for race wins and he may well bring a take-no-prisoners approach into the meeting as well
Unfortunately, Bayliss will be a non starter but that allows Mike Jones to be reunited with the Desmo Sport Ducati team as he has been drafted in to fly the flag in the absence of Troy.
Mike Jones testing at Wakefield Park – TDJ Image
Staring showed that he and the Kawasaki BC Perfomance ZX10 is not too far off the pace. The big question mark for him is whether the Dunlop tyres are up to the rigours of the 2.2km track? Could they even have a weather dependent advantage this weekend..? Saturday and Sunday are looking warm.
Bryan Staring – TBG Image
Then there are the riders with three Australian Superbike Championships in Glenn Allerton and Josh Waters. Allerton and the Next Gen Motosrports BMW team have had a challenging start to the year. Still awaiting delivery of the new HP4, they had a setback with going to Dunlops then returning to Pirelli. At the Island they were well off the mark but anyone who discounts Allerton does so at their peril.
Glenn Allerton – TBG Image
The same must be said for Waters. After the disappointment of last year, the Gixxer and Waters look to be back to their rampaging best. Plus he now has a team mate that is out to claim another title, and we all know what they say about team mates.
Josh Waters testing at Wakefield Park – TDJ Image
Then there is Wagner. What he brings to the table has given the championship that bit of extra mongrel and disregard for reputations that the series has been aching for.
Mike Jones and Aiden Wagner – These two will figure hghly this weekend – Rob Mott Image
After his first round blitzkrieg the opposition will be more prepared to deal with what ever firepower Wagner throws their way. The arsenal of the opposition will be well stocked to defend the attacks.
Aiden Wagner – Image Rob Mott
Wakefield history
An interesting bit of trivia. In the past three years good mates, Maxwell and Herfoss have been the best performers at Wakefield, sharing the wins at three apiece. Herfoss has two second places to Maxwell’s one, with Herfoss’ worst result a fourth, while Maxwell has not fared quite as well overall, with an eighth and a DNF. Herfoss has also taken the last three pole positions. Herfoss’ points haul is 135 points compared to Maxwell on 108.
