Tactical games in second Superbike bout at Wakefield Park

2020 mi-bike Australian Superbike
Round Two – Wakefield Park
Superbike Race Two

Herfoss and Maxwell proved to have the pace to break away in the opening bout while Glenn Allerton also showed flashes of pace, including a new lap record, but ultimately failed to stay on terms with the leading duo later in the race. If the NextGen BMW squad can find a little more tyre durability from their set-up ahead of this second encounter, then Allerton looks as though he could get on terms with Herfoss and Maxwell in this second stanza.

The likes of Bryan Staring, Cru Halliday, Aiden Wagner and defending champ Mike Jones refined their set-ups in order to try and close the gap ahead of this final Superbike race of the day.

Wayne Maxwell retained the series lead with that second place in the opening bout, his buffer over Cru Halliday extended to 20-points. Herfoss moved up to third place in the standings this morning, 22-points behind Maxwell.

Forecasts had predicted a 90 per cent chance of 10-20 mm of rain later today. The precipitation was foretold to start around 1500, thus we might just beat the storm, or we might not….  

While the rain was still threatening on the horizon as the Superbike riders prepared for the second bout of the day the wind had already arrived. That wind has caused the Supersport competitors some problems in their race and no doubt would also cause a few problems for the Superbike contestants.

Troy Herfoss got a great jump off the line and led the field through turn one again from Wayne Maxwell and Glenn Allerton.  Cru Halliday fourth, Bryan Staring fifth, Mike Jones sixth and Josh Waters seventh just ahead of Aiden Wagner.

Allerton was starting to look for a way past Maxwell right from the off but the Boost Ducati rider kept him at bay in the opening laps as Halliday closed in to make for a leading group of four.  Jones, Staring and Wagner a little further behind.

Herfoss almost seemed to be slowing the pace up a little, taking a glance over his shoulder here and there, perhaps hoping that would allow more riders to close in on and then hopefully pass Maxwell…  He did that a little too much though if that was his tactic as with 14 laps to run Maxwell sneaked past him to take the race lead. If Herfoss won all the races this weekend with Maxwell second then it would still be Maxwell crowned champion, thus Herfoss needed to put some riders between them…

Herfoss showed Maxwell a wheel a few times over the next few laps before finally making a move stick into the final right-handers to push his way back through to the race lead. Behind them Allerton had his hands full with Cru Halliday as that duo battled over third place a second behind the leading duo.

Maxwell put in a concerted effort to get back past Herfoss on the next lap as Herfoss slowed the show up a little once again, allowing Allerton and Halliday to close up once again…

With six laps to run those Herfoss tactics had concertinaed the leading pack back together and seventh-tenths coverd the top five as they condensed. Allerton right on the back of Maxwell, the rear of the BMW looking lively as it pasted rubber into the ground, the team shortening both the wheelbase and gearing ahead of this second encounter.

Three to go…. Herfoss upped the pace again and stretched away from Maxwell a little, the Ducati man though still had the wood on Allerton and Halliday and despite the delaying tactics of Herfoss again followed the Penrite Honda home for a strong second position.

Glenn Allerton tried valiantly to stick with the leading duo but didn’t have the grip late in the race to stay in the main game. Third place for the NextGen BMW ahead of YRT’s Cru Halliday.  Mike Jones fifth and Aiden Wagner sixth.

Two laps from the end Bryan Staring had out-braked himself and slipped all the way back to ninth place behind Josh Waters and Arthur Sissis.

There are still 51-points up for grabs in Sunday’s third and final round of the 2020 Mi-Bike Australian Superbike Championship and Maxwell will start the day with a 17-point advantage over Herfoss. Thus Maxwell only needs to finish second to Herfoss in tomorrow’s races and he will still be crowned champion. The tactical games were on in earnest today, it will be interesting to see how proceedings unfold tomorrow… If they trip each other up, the championship will then be completely wide open……

Kawasaki Superbike Race Two Results

Kawasaki Superbike Championship Points Standings

Kawasaki Superbike Manufacturer  Points Standings