ASBK Superbike and Supersport qualifying round ups from The Bend

ASBK 2023
Round Seven – The Bend

Troy Herfoss topped the FP4 session on Saturday morning after putting in the fastest ever lap of The Bend, a 1m50.275 firing a shot across the bows of his title rival Josh Waters, the McMartin Racing man second quickest in FP4 on 1m50.693.

Behind them the YRT pairing of Cru Halliday and Mike Jones were starting to build their speed and finished Saturday morning third and fourth on the time-sheets, just ahead of young Max Stauffer, who after taking a wrong direction in set-up couldn’t match the speed he showed on Friday.

Despite plenty of preparation, a few teams had been suffering various woes throughout the weekend so far.  Glenn Allerton had cooling problems with the BMW, Broc Pearson had some brake and then electronic issues on the DesmoSport Ducati, while Arthur Sissis was struggling to get comfortable on the Unitech Racing Yamaha.  All those riders were hoping to put their various problems behind them when they rolled out of pit-lane at 1440 on Saturday afternoon for the opening qualifying session.

The last two riders to join the track in Q1 were the title contenders, Troy Herfoss and Josh Waters…. While that pair sat in the pits Cru Halliday was doing the business early on, his first flying lap a 1m50.533 to set the early benchmark.

Broc Pearson’s dramas were not behind him, the DesmoSport Ducati rider rolling to a stop at turn one after not making the corner early in the session. Pearson returned to the pits where he remained until there were only a few minutes left in the session but failed to improve on his early 1m52.313, which was still enough to secure him a spot in Q2 thanks to placing 11th.

Josh Waters, Troy Herfoss and Bryan Staring joined the circuit with ten-minutes remaining in the session.  Keeping their powder dry and their tyres fresh, knowing they only need to be in the top 12 to secure promotion through to Q2, where the grid will really be decided.

Herf’s first lap a 1m50.900 (P2), Staring a 1m51.783 (P7) and Waters a 1m50.972 (P3).  They then rolled around for another couple of laps before returning to pit-lane. With five-minutes left on the shot clock the entire top ten were in the pits, and remained there until the end of the session.

Superbike Q1 Times

Superbike Q2

The pit-lane exit opened on schedule at 1515 for the final 15-minute qualifying session and the first riders to roll out were Troy Herfoss, Bryan Staring, Anthony West and Glenn Allerton. Moments later the entire 12 riders were on track and building speed for their first time attack.

The early benchmark set by Herf at 1m50.743, the Penrite Honda man then rolled off for a lap before returning to pit-lane.

With ten-minutes left it was Herfoss, Halliday, Waters, Allerton, Staring and Jones while Anthony West rounded out that top seven.

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At the halfway point of the session the entire field were in the pits.

The point for pole is likely to prove pivotal in regards to who is crowned the 2023 Australian Superbike Champion come Sunday afternoon there was little doubt that both Herfoss and Waters would be out again for a final run at that crucial point for pole… Or would one of the YRT boys steal their thunder to ensure we start Sunday with Herfoss and Waters still tied on points…

With five minutes left on the shot clock the track was again busy with the only rider remaining in the pits being Anthony West who was having an issue at the rear of his bike that his Addicted To Track crew were trying to fix in order to get him back on track.

Glenn Allerton was trying to hang with Herfoss on a late time attack…  Herfoss a tenth under his previous best at the first split, 0.247 under at the second split… Glenn Allerton and Max Stauffer also under at the second split…  Herf four-tenths under at the third split… Crosses the stripe at 1m50.202 for P1 and Max Stauffer shot up to P2 with a 1m50.550.  Cru Halliday up to P3, Jones P4 and Allerton P5 with two-minutes remaining…

Josh Waters then up to P2 on a 1m50.420… Herf on another flyer…  Almost three-tenths under at the second split… Still more than two-tenths at the third split…. The time….. The first ever 1m49 at The Bend!

A 1m49.889 the new benchmark, but Waters also on a flyer… The McMartin Ducati man losing time in the final split though to finish with a 1m50.298…

Cru Halliday then finished his run with a 1m50.312 to push Max Stauffer off the front row.  The top three all under the previous qualifying lap record.

That vital point for pole going to Herfoss thanks to that sensational lap.

The Penrite Honda man now takes that slender single-point lead into tomorrow’s two 11-lap contests that will decide the 2023 Australian Superbike Championship.

Troy Herfoss – P1

“I am so happy, I have been taking about a 49 forever, for a race to go to the next second bracket is always a bit special.  I got the perfect lap, no traffic, and the bike is working amazing, some of the most fun I have had on a motorbike was in the last minute and 49.”

Superbike Q2 Times

Superbike Championship Points

Supersport

There is much interest in the Supersport category this weekend, where the title is also on the line come Sunday.  Kurri Kurri’s Cameron Dunker takes a 14-point lead into this final round but is up against a pair of South Australian locals in the fight for the title. Olly Simpson is ten years his senior and has three seasons of Red Bull Rookies experience under his belt.  Only two-points further behind is Simpson’s fellow croweater Ty Lynch.

Adding further spice to the Supersport mix is the return of international riders Tom Toparis, Harrison Voight, Archie McDonald and Harry Khouri to the fold after seasons spent in Europe. While Taiyo Aksu returns from racing in Japan this season to jump back into the Aussie Supersport mix.  Simpson topped proceedings on Friday ahead of Voight, Dunker and Toparis.

Harrison Voight went under the previous qualifying and race lap records on Saturday morning, the Queenslander’s 1m54.618 on his seventh lap of the session setting the Q1 benchmark. That was not his only 1m54.6 though, Voight also dropping in a 1m54.646 on his 12th and final lap of the session. Tom Toparis ran Voight close though, a 1m54.770 putting Voight on notice that he won’t have it all his own way this time out at The Bend. Simpson joined them in the 54s, a 1m54.825 while championship leader Cam Dunker still had some speed to find, his best a 1m55.507 good enough for fourth place in Q1 ahead of Ty Lynch.

Tom Toparis is doing as few laps as possible today and spending the time between sessions with his left hand/wrist in a bucket of ice water. The Goulburn rider broke his wrist in a few places only a month ago and has been spending plenty of time in a hyperbaric chamber in order to be able to race here this weekend.

Hayden Nelson crashed at turn nine late in the session which dented his progress, the Cube Racing Stop & Seal rider ranked ninth at the end of Q1.

The second 25-minute Supersport qualifying session saw some light drizzle fall from time to time.  It was just enough to hold the riders back a little, the top three from the morning session not improving their time.

Cam Dunker did improve marginally but not enough to move up onto that from row.

Another to improve was Harry Khouri who found almost two-seconds on his borrowed machine to move up to sixth place on combined times.

Olly Simpson stopped at turn one with a mechanical issue late in the second session which robbed him of the chance to improve. The South Australian stranded out on the circuit for the final seven-minutes of the session but is still on the front row thanks to his speed in Q1.

Supersport Qualifying Results

New qualifying record for SS class
Previous: 1:54.672 by Broc PEARSON on a Yamaha YZF-R6 set on 04/12/21

Supersport Championship Points