Yamaha Motor Finance Australian Superbike Championship set for a roaring start at WorldSBK
Victoria’s Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit will play host to the opening round of the 2017 Yamaha Motor Finance Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) next weekend, 23-26 February, to mark the beginning of a hotly-contested seven-round title-chase.
Contested alongside the Yamaha Finance round of the Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) and with the attention of the globe firmly placed upon the picturesque 4.445-kilometre circuit, Australia’s finest Superbike talent will open their accounts for the season ahead.
Leading the charge will be defending champion Troy Herfoss (Crankt Protein Honda Racing), sporting the elusive number one plate after claiming last year’s crown at Winton during October. Currently armed with the very CBR1000RR SP that he clinched last year’s title aboard, he anxiously awaits Honda’s brand new 2017 edition and will enter with form on his side.
Out to upstage him from the first round onwards will be highly-credentialed Yamaha Racing Team duo Glenn Allerton and Wayne Maxwell after the former champions finished two and three in the standings last year. Between them they boast four ASBK titles – Allerton in 2008, 2011 and 2014, with Maxwell topping 2013.
Back on the grid full-time for this year will be two-time champion Josh Waters, who made headlines last week when it was formally announced that he has joined the brand new Team Suzuki Ecstar effort, reunited with technical guru Phil Tainton – the pairing that soared to the 2009 and 2012 championships. He will be on-board the spectacular new GSX-R1000R from the outset, albeit with minimal preparation entering the opener.
Poised to challenge them the entire distance will be returning fellow former champion Bryan Staring – the 2010 champion before embarking on an international career including MotoGP – alongside Herfoss and reunited with the Paul Free-led factory Honda organisation. It’s been a case of so far, so good during testing for the experienced Western Australia in his homecoming.
Image: Andrew Gosling
The talent-packed 43-rider Yamaha Motorcycle Insurance (YMI) Superbike field extends well beyond the previous champions however, with a who’s who of notable names making for one of the deepest line-ups to enter a new season in the history of the ASBK.
After departing the factory team at the end of last year, race winner and current national number four Cru Halliday will be back with a vengeance within his own program aboard the familiar YZF-R1M.
Image: Andrew Gosling
Also Yamaha-equipped will be JD Racing front-runner Daniel Falzon, who himself is determined to overcome the factory might in a bid for the premier class title.
Image: Andrew Gosling
Perhaps the most topical Yamaha-supported newcomer at this point is Michael Blair, who stunned onlookers by topping the time-sheets during January’s Official ASBK Test at Phillip Island. Entering his first full season and with recent Asia Road Racing Championship experience on his side, Blair could be a podium factor sooner, rather than later.
And returning to the ASBK series in 2017 is Kawasaki BCperformance’s Robbie Bugden, the ever-popular Queenslander who is eager to once again establish himself among the championship’s elite. As the rounds tick over, expect Bugden to gain strength on the world championship-proven ZX-10R entry, and same goes for Matthew Walters (Kawasaki Connection), back this time for a complete campaign.
A strong assortment of youthful rookie riders will be sure to bolster this year’s championship, including Callum Spriggs (DesmoSport Ducati), who fills the large shoes of European-bound 2015 title-winner Mike Jones, as well as reigning Australian Supersport champion Troy Guenther (Next Gen Motorsports BMW), Bugden’s teammate Kyle Buckley (Kawasaki BCperformance) and another Yamaha charger in Mitch Levy.
Image: Andrew Gosling
A local favourite in the mix is certain to be the versatile Chas Hern, who has joined forces with MV Agusta Australia to mount an assault on the ASBK from round one. Hern is no stranger to entering exotic machinery at a national level, previously picking up a stunning race podium with EBR at Morgan Park two seasons ago.
Superbike Qualifying will take place at 1340 on Friday afternoon ahead of the first of three 12-lap races getting underway at 0915 Saturday morning. Race two is scheduled to start at 1150 on Sunday, with the final 12-lapper slated to get underway at 1610 on Sunday afternoon.
2017 Phillip Island ASBK Test – Superbikes combined times
- #178 Michael BLAIR (NSW) Yamaha YZF-R1 1:33.197
- #14 Glenn ALLERTON (NSW) Yamaha YZF-R1 1:33.409
- #25 Daniel FALZON (SA) Yamaha YZF-R1 1:33.630
- #47 Wayne MAXWELL (VIC) Yamaha YZF-R1 1:33.662
- #1 Troy HERFOSS (NSW) Honda CBR RR 1:33.877
- #24 Robbie BUGDEN (QLD) Kawasaki ZX10R 1:33.942
- #67 Bryan STARING (WA) Honda CBR RR 1:34.065
- #86 Beau BEATON (NSW) Ducati Panigale 1:34.710
- #12 Matthew WALTERS (NSW) Kawasaki ZX10R 1:34.879
- #65 Cru HALLIDAY (NSW) Yamaha YZF-R1 1:34.954
- #54 Sam LAMBERT (NT) BMW 1:35.308
- #50 Callum SPRIGGS (QLD) Ducati 1199 1:35.344
- #56 Troy GUENTHER (QLD) BMW S RR 1:35.366
- #83 Kyle BUCKLEY (NSW) Kawasaki ZX10R 1:36.164
- #31 John HUNT (SA) Yamaha YZF-R1 1:36.167
- #68 Mitch LEVY (NSW) Yamaha YZF-R1 1:36.222
- #41 Simon GALLOWAY (NSW) Yamaha YZF-R1 1:37.596
- #93 David BARKER (VIC) Kawasaki ZX10R 1:37.805
- #34 William DAVIDSON (NSW) Yamaha YZF-R1 1:37.830
- #78 Nathan SPITERI (VIC) Kawasaki ZX10R 1:38.774
- #77 Adam SENIOR (WA) Yamaha YZF-R1 1:39.087
- #11 Philip CZAJ (VIC) Aprilia RSV4-F 1:39.559
- #48 Paul DUTTON (NSW) Yamaha YZF-R1 1:40.752
- #88 Brendan SCHMIDT (VIC) Kawasaki ZX10R 1:42.051
- #82 Jake DREW (VIC) Yamaha YZF-R1 2:03.923 1:42.569
- #69 Heath GRIFFIN (NSW) Ducati 1299 1:45.741
- #131 John QUINN (WA) Suzuki GSX-R 1:48.476
- #74 Scott McGREGOR (VIC) Yamaha YZF-R1 1:50.114
You can’t win the championship at round one, but it can certainly be lost and that’s why every step will count along the way.
Tickets for the Yamaha Finance round of the WorldSBK are available through Ticketek, with a three-day general admission pass costing $120 – a saving of $35 over the gate price.
For tickets visit www.ticketek.com.au, otherwise for more event information ring the Superbike Hotline on 1300 728 007 or visit www.worldsbk.com.au.
