YRT’s Superbike Enforcer Ready For Down To Wire Championship
In the chase for 2017 Yamaha Motor Finance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul Pirelli (ASBK) glory, the YMI Superbike field has seen many dramatic twists and turns. In the the five rounds to date, races have featured no fewer than five different race winners, three victorious motorcycle manufacturers and multiple privateer success stories. Now Wayne Maxwell (Yamaha Racing Team, YZF-R1) finds himself leading the standings.
Each round has seen a new rider dominate, ensuring a very exciting and unpredictable outcome for race fans. The Championship will likely culminate in a crucial final lap drag race down Gardiner Straight at the final Round 7 of ASBK held at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit (6 – 8 October).
Heading into Round 5 at Morgan Park Raceway, Maxwell sat fourth in standings, a whole 22 points behind then leader, Troy Herfoss (Crankt Protein Honda Racing Team, CBR1000SP2). However, Maxwell ‘The Enforcer’, got to work in Queensland, storming the through the field, to end up first in Championship points, on 193 ahead of Herfoss’ 188. An unfortunate crash for Herfoss in Race One, turning the points standings on its head.
Maxwell reflected; “Leading into Morgan Park after Darwin, we knew that we had to make a few changes with the YZF-R1 so that it was more rideable in traffic. It was obvious in Darwin that we were fast when we had clear air, but when we were caught behind other riders, the bike wasn’t as fast as we needed it to be. So we went back to the drawing board and with Yamaha we came up with a few tweaks here and there, mostly to the gearing to make the bike very competitive at the tighter Morgan Park Raceway.
“Cru Halliday (Yamaha Finance, YZF-R1) put up a fantastic fight, riding strong all weekend and we all knew he would be from his Official ASBK Test day times at Morgan Park,” according to Maxwell. “The first race we wanted to win to maximise points and to be in the Championship lead. The way the points were Troy (Herfoss) was my main focus in Race Two. Cru (Halliday) obviously had a sensational run, but I tried to keep an even head and think about the title and not the race.
“The Yamaha has always been a really strong runner at Sydney Motorsport Park (SMSP), but in saying that, so have the other guys,” admitted Maxwell. “It will be another really difficult battle. We can’t really go off the performance of the 2016 ASBK season as by this stage Troy (Herfoss) had already won Winton and Morgan Park and this year the tables have been turned, so it’s not as cut and dry as working off previous years’ results. We have to keep working hard and improve our game to stay on top. Together with Yamaha, we are constantly learning and adapting. The races are pretty long and racing is very frantic. Round 5 was very exciting and fast paced and I am sure that Round 6 at Sydney will provide the same level of action.
“Hopefully we can pull away from the Round with another win and take the Championship down to the wire at my home track at Phillip Island for the final Round of 2017!” Maxwell finished.
Wayne Maxwell
Championship Standings after Round 5
1 Wayne MAXWELL (Yamaha Racing Team, YZF-R1) 193
2 Troy HERFOSS (Crankt Protein Honda Racing Team, Honda CBR1000SP2) 188
3 Robert BUGDEN (Kawasaki BCperformance, Kawasaki ZX-10R) 172
4 Daniel FALZON (JD Racing, Yamaha YZF-R1) 171
5 Josh WATERS (Team Suzuki ECSTAR, GSXR-1000R) 169
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2017 Yamaha Motor Finance Australian Superbike Championship Presented by Motul Pirelli Calendar:
Round 6 SMSP Eastern Creek, NSW 8-10 September
Round 7 Spokes.com.au presents Phillip Island Circuit, VIC 6-8 October
Courtesy Andrew Gosling TBG Photography (Photo One and Three)
Russell Colvin (Photo Two)
