ASBK To Fire At Wakefield This Weekend
With the dust of the opening round just settled, the 2021 mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship, presented by Motul, will ascend to another level this weekend with the return to the nation’s spectator track, Wakefield Park Raceway.
The Alpinestars Superbike class at Winton, was effectively the “Troy Herfoss and Wayne Maxwell Show” as the multiple champions chased, sliced and diced each other all weekend, as they both had a win each. Whilst there were some other standout results including Desmosport Ducati’s Oli Bayliss, and privateer Unitech Racing’s Arthur Sissis.
Maxwell claimed the top honours with a win and a second while Herfoss, who also had an emphatic win, may well rue that very small, yet costly mistake at the final corner of the first race of the year.
That’s history.
At Wakefield Park, Maxwell and Herfoss are both very strong, but the Goulburn-born Herfoss has the upper hand when it comes to race victories. He extended the tally with three wins at the same venue late last year at the Grand Finale of the ASBK Championship, on the Michelin-shod Penrite Honda, although a mechanical DNF thwarted his chances of another title.
However, this weekend Maxwell, aboard the Boost Mobile with K-Tech Ducati, doesn’t have to worry about riding steady to ensure the Championship. The “Wayne Train” will be huffing and puffing and on full steam on his Pirelli-shod machine.
Three-times ASBK Champion, Glenn Allerton aboard the Maxima Racing Oils BMW will also be a real threat this weekend.
After a couple of injury-plagued seasons, he has bounced back and is the current lap record holder at the track after a number of podium finishes at the final two rounds last year. Discount him at your peril.
Another with an impressive record at the track is Cru Halliday on the Yamaha Factory Racing machine. This year the team will be using Dunlop tyres and as proved by another ex-champion Bryan Staring on the BC Performance Kawasaki last year, the tyres work well there as Staring showed by claiming a third place.
Then there is the DesmoSport Ducati Team of two-times ASBK Champion Mike Jones and impressive rookie Oli Bayliss. Jones was second overall at Winton, while Oli was mega impressive to score a fourth place in just his second ASBK race aboard the Superbike.
Arthur Sissis, sitting 4th in the Championship also had a sensational run at Winton and will be hoping he can carry that form into Wakefield this weekend. We know he has phenomenal starts and will be one for fans to watch.
With all these ingredients, it is a very potent potpourri of pace and determination waiting to be unleashed. The extra pinch of hot spice in the mix this weekend will be the return of Anthony West to ASBK, on the MotoGO Yamaha R1. He will be out to prove that he is a championship threat.
Coincidentally, West’s last appearance at an ASBK round was in 2016 at this very track, riding a Honda, when he stood in for an injured Jamie Stauffer. He claimed a brace of second places.
The fire hasn’t quelled for West and he will be out to dent a few egos and demonstrate that he isn’t coming along to make up the numbers.
The Alpinestars Superbike category is chock full of talent, enthusiasm, and determination with any one of about seven riders capable of victory.
Who takes the laurels on Sunday could well go down to the final corner of race two on Sunday afternoon.
Strap in. The weekend guarantees to be memorable.
ASBK fans can purchase their tickets online at www.asbk.com.au for what will be a sensational weekend of racing.
Keep up to date with the latest news on the mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship, presented by Motul via www.asbk.com.au and following ASBK on Facebook and Instagram. You can also join our ASBK mailing list at www.asbk.com.au
ASBK CHAMPIONSHIP CALENDAR
Round 2 Winton Motor Raceway, Benalla, VIC March 12-14
Round 3 Wakefield Park Raceway, Goulburn, NSW April 16-18
Round 4 Hidden Valley Raceway, NT – Supercars 2+4 (Superbikes only) June 18-20
Round 5 Morgan Park Raceway, QLD August 20-22
Round 6 The Bend Motorsport Park, Tailem Bend, SA September 23-26
Round 7 Symmons Plains Raceway, TAS November 4-7
