Herfoss sizzles to assert pole place in ASBK finale
Troy Herfoss is decided to make his Honda swansong a fairytale after unleashing a towering qualifying efficiency in spherical seven of the 2023 mi-bike Motorbike Insurance coverage Australian Superbike Championship, offered by Motul.
The Queenslander turned up the wick on his Penrite Honda CBR1000RR-R within the second Alpinestars Superbike qualifying session at The Bend, and the spoils had been spectacular: the primary rider to go below the 1m50s bracket on the world-class 4.95km circuit.
Peerless throughout each measure, however with championship rival Josh Waters (McMartin Racing with Ok-Tech Ducati V4R) alongside him on the entrance row the celebrations shall be quick and candy for Herfoss earlier than he galvanises himself for tomorrow’s two 11-lap races.
Michelin Supersport can be delicately poised, with returning internationals Harrison Voight and Tom Toparis main the qualifying charts forward of the three riders vying for the championship: Olly Simpson, Cameron Dunker and Ty Lynch.
Two races additionally await the Supersport cohort tomorrow, whereas three of the opposite SBK courses – Yamaha Finance R3 Cup, Supersport 300 and bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup – are already in competitors mode however stay ‘stay’ rubbers.
Just one 2023 champion was topped right this moment: Keo Watson within the in style Sureflight Superbike Masters class.
Tickets are nonetheless accessible for Sunday’s racing at The Bend through www.asbk.com.au, however in the event you’re watching from residence or in transit there are stay streaming and TV choices galore so that you don’t should miss a minute of the motion.
ALPINESTARS SUPERBIKE
Pole place was a simply reward for Herfoss who had been persistently brisk in all 4 follow periods. However even the wiliest of ASBK pundits most likely wouldn’t have believed the extraordinary work he produced in qualifying together with his superb 1m49.889s lap.
Herfoss says it was one of many highlights of his profession.
“I’ve by no means performed a qualifying lap that good,” the ebullient 36-year-old stated. “I hoped I may do a 1:49 however I didn’t assume it could really occur. I do know it was simply qualifying but it surely’s essentially the most enjoyable I’ve had in a single minute and 49 seconds in my life!
“It’s a fairly emotional weekend and I wish to end it off in the very best means and work out what I wish to do after that.”
Herfoss’ pole-sitting time was 0.409s forward of Waters (1:50.298), adopted by Cru Halliday (Yamaha Racing Staff YZF-R1, 1:50.312), Max Stauffer (GTR Moto Stars YZF-R1, 1:50.550) and Mike Jones (Yamaha Racing Staff YZF-R1, 1:50.688).
Glenn Allerton (GT Racing BMW M 1000 RR, 1:50.881) will full row two tomorrow, with Bryan Staring (MotoGo YZF-R1, 1:51.265), South Australian Arthus Sissis (Unitech Racing YZF-R1, 1:51.274) and Anthony West (Hooked on Monitor YZF-R1, 1:51.325) on row three.
Race one shall be held at 11:00am (ADCT) tomorrow, and race two at 2:45pm (ADCT). Will or not it’s a 3rd Superbike title for Herfoss, or quantity 4 for Waters?
MICHELIN SUPERSPORT
It’s the overriding Michelin Supersport query: will the riders making ASBK cameos – Voight and Toparis the 2 standouts – make tomorrow pleasure or ache for the championship aspirations of Dunker, Simpson and Lynch?
We’ll get a extra definitive gauge within the opening nine-lap race tomorrow, the place final 12 months’s double winner Voight (Voight Development Yamaha YZF-R6) will begin from pole place after setting the brand new finest lap round The Bend – 1:54.618. Toparis (Dice Racing Cease & Seal YZF-R6, 1:54.770) and Simpson (Simpson Crash YZF-R6, 1:54.825) are proper on Voight’s hammer, so we’re unlikely to see a runaway winner – it’s going to be a good affair.
In the meantime, Dunker (GTR Moto Stars YZF-R6, 1:55.322), the championship chief, is aware of what closing spherical stress is all about, and he’ll begin from grid place No. 4 alongside Lynch (AMR Sports activities YZF-R6, 1:55.571) and Harry Khouri (Hooked on Monitor YZF-R6, 1:57.851) – one other Aussie expat again on the town for the ASBK finale.
All 20 riders certified.
SUPERSPORT 300 AND YAMAHA FINANCE R3 CUP
After a compelled restart following an Abbie Cameron crash which introduced out the pink flag, the racing within the Supersport 300 opener was as tight as ever earlier than boiling right down to a three-way combat between Cameron Swain, Brodie Gawith and Marcos Hamod.
And that’s how they completed in a blanket end, with Swain victorious by simply 0.013s to maneuver into the title lead by 9ts over Hamod.
The Yamaha Finance R3 Cup produced extra Swain magic as he claimed the spoils from Gawith, whereas Hamod simply held out Henry Snell and Jordan Simpson for third.
Swain additionally holds sway in R3 Cup by 9pts, with two races remaining in every class.
BLU OCEANIA JUNIOR CUP
Polesitter Archie Schmidt gained race one within the bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup after a nail-biting end noticed him execute a wonderfully timed cross on Jake Paige on the final flip.
The pair, in a really uncommon OJC state of affairs, cleared out from the principle pack, with Rikky Henry ending in a lonely third earlier than the pack tightened up.
Schmidt additionally set a brand new lap file of two:30.941 in an excellent OJC outing. He now has a 9pt lead over Bodie Paige, who was fourth in race one.
SUREFLIGHT SUPERBIKE MASTERS
The Sureflight Superbike Masters grid was stacked with Aussie racing legends: three-time MotoGP winner Garry McCoy Yamaha TZ750), Isle of Man Traditional TT winner David Johnson (Suzuki Katana) and twin World Superbike champion Troy Corser (Yamaha 0W01).
Nonetheless, most of right this moment’s plaudits went to Watson (Yamaha FZR1000), who was rewarded with champion-designate standing after an excellent season.
Johnson and Watson shared the wins on Saturday, with the previous compelled to start out from pitlane in race two because of his late arrival on the grid from racetrack commentary duties! A primary time for all the things….
Watson and Ryan Taylor (Suzuki GSX-R1100) accomplished the rostrum in race one, and in race two McCoy was runner-up forward of Taylor. McCoy had earlier fluffed the race one begin on the massive two-stroke earlier than slicing his means again to fourth.
In the meantime, Corser had braking gremlins in each races however managed to make the end line within the second.
The submit Australian Superbike: Herfoss Earns Pole Place At “The Bend” appeared first on Roadracing World Journal | Motorbike Driving, Racing & Tech Information.
