Electrifying ASBK motion looms giant at Queensland Raceway
The 2024 mi-bike Bike Insurance coverage Australian Superbike Championship introduced by Motul (ASBK) makes its first foray into the sunshine state from April 26-28, with the at all times entertaining Queensland Raceway to host spherical three.
The three.126km circuit simply up the street from Ipswich has been a staple on the ASBK calendar for a few years, and it by no means fails to ship jaw-dropping races. Final 12 months, the overall mixed margin throughout the 4 Alpinestars Superbike and Michelin Supersport battles was simply 0.4 seconds, so it’s definitely a pressure-cooker atmosphere of the best order.
With wonderful climate forecast for this weekend, we’re set to be delivered one other spherical of cliff-hangers throughout the 4 classes: Alpinestars Superbike, Michelin Supersport, Race and Highway Supersport 300 and the bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup.
As well as, Aussie Racing Automobiles can even be becoming a member of the ASBK Championship for the primary of two appearances in 2024, the place amazingly excessive nook speeds, unimaginable late braking and pounding over ripple strips at full noise are part of the attraction within the thrilling silhouette system.
As properly the on-track pyrotechnics, the favored ASBK Commerce Alley will return, in addition to the ASBK Fan Zone. Spectators can even seize an autograph from one of many ASBK ambassadors – Steve Martin, Troy Corser, Chris Vermeulen and Garry McCoy – whereas Corser and Martin can even give chosen fortunate patrons the experience of their lives within the ASBK Pillion Program.
To buy tickets for Queensland Raceway, click on right here. Tickets can even accessible on the gate.
Alpinestars Superbike
Final 12 months, Queensland Raceway proved to be a turning level within the Alpinestars Superbike class. After 5 wins on the trot to start out the season, Josh Waters’ profitable streak on the McMartin Ducati evaporated as then Honda rider Troy Herfoss took two slim wins forward of Mike Jones (Yamaha Racing Group).
That tightened up the leaderboard appreciably, setting the scene for a pulsating championship the place Herfoss was finally topped Superbike champion for the third time.
The story for the Mildura-bred Waters has adopted an identical path to 2023 – he has 4 wins from the opening 5 races – however this 12 months Cru Halliday (Yamaha Racing Group) is his closest challenger forward of spherical three.
Waters is on 109.5pts in comparison with Halliday’s 84, adopted by Harrison Voight (McMartin Racing Ducati, 82pts), Broc Pearson (DesmoSport Ducati, 71.5pts), Jones (61.5pts), Cameron Dunker (Penrite Racing Yamaha, 61.5pts), Max Stauffer (Penrite Racing Yamaha, 60pts), Anthony West (Hooked on Monitor Yamaha, 58.5pts) and Bryan Staring (MotoGo Yamaha, 47pts).
The place’s Herfoss? The Queenslander – who’s now creating a cult following in America because of his profitable methods within the King of the Baggers class – is languishing in tenth on the DesmoSport Ducati after a disastrous non-scoring spherical two underneath lights at Sydney Motorsport Park because of {an electrical} drawback in race one and a crash within the moist race two.
Herfoss is ever the optimist, although, and he’s galvanised for an additional huge displaying at Queensland Raceway to claw again some valuable factors.
Halliday’s in high quality type – he’s the one rider to have lowered Waters’ colors in 2024 — and he scored a pair of thirds at Queensland Raceway final 12 months. He’ll convey up his a centesimal Superbike begin this weekend, so it’d be further particular to have a good time the milestone by banking huge factors.
In the meantime, the circuit has beforehand been a cheerful searching floor for three-time champion Jones, and there’d be no higher place to supply his first Superbike podium for the 12 months than in entrance of household and buddies.
With Voight a non-starter this weekend now that he’s began his 2024 European Moto2 marketing campaign, the likes of Jones and Pearson ought to transfer previous {the teenager} within the standings after the 2 16-lap races on Sunday.
Pearson claimed his first podium for DesmoSport Ducati in Sydney, and can once more be giving it an actual crack on his dwelling monitor – as will the veteran, West, and lap file holder, Staring.
The 2 different riders who can even loom giant are Dunker and Stauffer. Stauffer was third in Sydney’s race two and was additionally the quickest on the latest Queensland Raceway take a look at.
The reigning Australian Supersport champion, 16-year-old Dunker, will solely be competing in his third ASBK assembly on a Superbike, however he’s persevering with to look extra ominous each time he climbs aboard the Yamaha.
Glenn Allerton sits in eleventh on the GT Racing BMW. Allerton has been competing underneath an harm cloud for the opening two rounds, however with an additional month of recuperation and his hit fee prior to now at Queensland Raceway, anticipate some fireworks.
Lastly, there may be the quickest starter within the west, east and all factors between – Arthur Sissis. The previous junior speedway star and Moto3 rider is now underneath the ever-growing fast shade of the Gold Price-based Cease & Seal Racing, however nonetheless on a Yamaha.
Put together for 2 breathtaking Alpinestars Superbike races!
Michelin Supersport
The Michelin Supersport class now enjoys the biggest depth of expertise seen in years, with the tempo ramping up on the final spherical in Sydney.
A number of champion Tom Toparis (Cease & Seal Yamaha) returned to the category and took pole place, two race wins in extraordinarily dominant trend and set a brand new lap file. If we didn’t already know: Toparis is again and means enterprise.
Nonetheless, Toparis did begin behind the eight ball after sitting out Phillip Island’s spherical one to concentrate on his FIM Supersport World Championship commitments. An imperious maximum-points haul in Sydney was one of the best ways to start the climb up the ladder, however he’ll have challengers coming from all angles within the two 14-lappers at Queensland Raceway.
The plain one is Jonathon “JJ” Nahlous (Full AV Yamaha), who swept all earlier than him at Phillip Island earlier than sharing podiums with Toparis, Sean Condon (Yamaha) and Jake Farnsworth (Wurth Race Developments Yamaha) in Sydney.
Nahlous has a 29pt (114 to 85) lead over Farnsworth after two of seven rounds, adopted by the lately engaged Tom Bramich (Apex Yamaha, 76) and Olly Simpson (Yamaha, 70).
Simpson, the reigning No. 2, hasn’t had the begin to the 12 months he had banked on. After ending second total within the opening spherical, he hit a pace bump in Sydney by uncharacteristically crashing out of the primary race earlier than recovering to complete seventh within the second race to salvage some factors.
Whereas Yamaha dominates the grid, there are two Hondas within the combine with Marcus ‘The Hammer’ Hamod (Motocity) and Mark Chiodo (Honda Australia), who sit in fifth and sixth respectively.
There are additionally three Kawasakis within the combine with Brandon Demmery and Jacob Hatch on the Race DNA machines in addition to Hayden Nelson on the BC Efficiency entry.
Then there are Toparis’ teammates within the Cease & Seal squad: Jack Mahaffy in seventh spot, Archie McDonald in eighth, Corey Turner in ninth and Glenn Nelson in 14th. What a busy pit field that shall be!
Race and Highway Supersport 300
Internationals have stolen a good chunk of the limelight within the opening two rounds. At Phillip Island, it was Czech rider Petr Svoboda who took two dominant wins earlier than Harrison Watts (Champion’s Journey Days) gained the finale forward of Tara Morrison (B&L Mechanical Air Companies) – all Kawasaki mounted.
Morrison then missed the spherical in Sydney on account of a damaged collarbone however will return this weekend.
In the meantime, the shock in Sydney was Kiwi Jesse Stroud (Kawasaki), the son of former champion Andrew. It was his first go to to the monitor and, on a borrowed bike, gained the primary race. This weekend, Stroud shall be on a Yamaha.
Joshua Newman (Wet4U Race Fairings Kawasaki) and Watts share the championship lead, with Valentino Knezovic (Motocity Kawaski) 9pts adrift in third. Newman and Knezovic scored their maiden wins in Sydney, earlier than Stroud and Newman had a coming collectively in race three. Little doubt they are going to be cautious of one another this weekend!
Ryan Larkin (Inexperienced Planet Vitamins Yamaha) can even be within the combine, along with his confidence sky excessive after ending equal second in spherical one of many 2024 Yamaha R3 Asia-Pacific Championship – which shall be becoming a member of the ASBK Championship at The Bend (SA) from November 8-10.
bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup
There has solely been one spherical of the bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup in 2024, with a few Hunters main the best way after Sydney’s opener: Toowoomba’s Hunter Corney forward of Hunter Charlett.
West Aussie Rossi McAdam is third in a logjammed leaderboard – and this weekend he can even compete in opposition to his sister, Lexie, so as to add some extra flavour to the OJC class.
Like at all times, the most secure ‘wager’ is that there shall be any variety of positional modifications throughout every race and the winner won’t be determined till the bunch of slipstreaming children cross the end line.
The OJC academy, the place all riders are on equivalent race-prepped Yamaha YZF-R15s, is aimed toward creating Oceania’s subsequent circuit racing stars and is a key pillar within the FIM’s Highway to MotoGP program.
The class is in its sixth 12 months, and now has Australian championship standing as properly.
