Crunch time for Australian Superbike contenders
Friday 10 November: It's all on at Symmons Plains Tasmania (Round 7 of 8) starting today and Rookie Superbike racer Troy Herfoss believes second place in the QBE Australian Superbike Championship is within reach.
The Team Suzuki rider heads to Symmons
Plains in fourth place, a commendable result in itself given his limited
time to adapt to the 1000cc machine after stepping up as Supersport 600
champion. Herfoss knows he will face a titanic battle with two rounds to go. Following the Symmons
showdown, riders and teams will head straight to Phillip Island for the
season’s Grand Final.
Herfoss, 24, admits a mid-season loss of direction was
disappointing, but is confident that recent form, including two strong
results at the Phillip Island MotoGP supports, has him well-placed to
challenge for the runner-up position.
Given the pace of rival
riders at the 2.4km circuit earlier this year, he knows the task will be
anything but easy.
"The race at Symmons Plains in February
was unreal, it was probably the closest race I have ever been involved
in,” said Herfoss. "I expect the pace will be just as quick, if
not quicker, this weekend.
"I’ve added some strength
training along with interval work to make sure I can run at the front and
don’t fade in the final few laps.
"When you've done
a good lap around Symmons Plains, you know it. There’s no rest,
despite the long 280km/h straight – it’s a wrestle from start
to finish.
"I lost my way a bit at the mid-point but I
think we’ve turned a corner. Wet or dry, I love the track and
can’t wait to put in two strong races.”
Troy Herfoss is
11 points shy of his goal of runner-up in the 2011 championship.
Current second-placed rider Jamie Stauffer will face the challenge of
attack and defence this weekend.
The Team Honda rider can still
snatch the title from runaway leader Glenn Allerton, but will need a
perfect run of race results in the final stages of the eight-round
season.
Stauffer, a two-time ASBK champion, will also have to
keep a close guard on second, with the likes of Herfoss, Craig Coxhell,
Wayne Maxwell and Josh Waters all within striking distance.
"At this stage what happens in the championship is ultimately up to
Glenn,” said Stauffer. "I can’t change what happens, all
I can do is go out there and try and get the pole and race wins.
"At the same time I have to be thinking about second. Wayne and
Troy were both really strong at the Island, and Josh set the lap record at
Symmons Plains earlier this year so I know he will be fast.
"I’ve got no doubt Team Honda will be up there at both
Symmons Plains and Phillip Island, everyone is determined to round out this
year on a high note.”
February’s fierce battle at
Symmons Plains saw the top five riders trading lap times within four-tenths
of a second, a trend that looks set to continue this weekend.
A
clean sweep of Prostock Cup proceedings at Queensland Raceway has BMW rider
Linden Magee poised to wrap up the three-round title this weekend.
Prostock competitors will feature in the combined grid race, and Magee
will be hoping to hold off Team Suzuki’s Brodie Waters in the race to
the chequered flag.
Competitors will hit the track on Friday for
a series of practice sessions before Qualifying on Saturday to determine
the order for the exciting Superpole shootout.
Saturday and
Sunday will each feature a 16-lap race, with a maximium of 25 valuable
championship points on offer for each.
QBE
Australian Superbike Championship Standings after Round 6 of 8
1. Glenn ALLERTON (VIC), 263
2. Jamie STAUFFER (NSW),
196
3. Ben ATTARD (QLD), 196
4. Troy HERFOSS (VIC), 185
5. Craig COXHELL, (VIC) 181
6. Wayne MAXWELL (VIC), 177
7.
Joshua WATERS (VIC), 159
8. Robert BUGDEN (QLD), 148
9.
Cole ODENDAAL (NSW), 123
10. Ben HENRY (QLD), 121
Visit
www.computime.com.au for full results and points listing.
Qualifying format:
Superbike/Prostock*- 2 x 20 min qualifying, top 8 qualifiers to
Superpole
Race format:
Superbike/Prostock* - 2 x 16-lap races
Previous
winners (Round 2, 2011)
:
Superbike –
Josh Waters (Suzuki) /Glenn Allerton (BMW)
Prostock* – Cru
Halliday (Yamaha)
Lap record:
Superbike – Josh Waters (Suzuki), 53.475
Prostock* –
Cru Halliday (Yamaha), 55.483
Circuit
length: 2.4km