Motourage

In 2012, Jamie Stauffer and Wayne Maxwell will again take to the grid for Team Honda in the Australian Superbike Championship

Team Honda's Jamie Stauffer

The development of Paul Free’s team during the 2011 season as they re-entered the Honda family on the CBR1000RR was significant with six Superpole wins, five race wins and three overall round wins. Stauffer finished his season in second place and Maxwell in fourth.

Maxwell is happy to be moving into a new season with the same team and believes the consistency will bring even greater strength to Team Honda Racing in 2012.

“Team Honda Racing is definitely going to be strong next season, and to be riding on the new Honda CBR1000RR alongside Jamie will be awesome,” said Maxwell. “We work really well together, and the team is strong, so after a good break over Christmas I know the New Year will be a really positive one for Team Honda Racing. I have never been more determined to claim the Superbike title, and I know I will have everything I need in the 2012 package to do so. Hopefully, Jamie and I can make it first and second throughout 2012. I know which position I plan to be in, we will just have to see what unfolds.”

Signing for his third consecutive season with the Motologic-prepared team – his second on the CBR1000RR – Stauffer is looking to add to his resume of championship wins having won multiple Australian titles in both Superbike and Supersport in years past. Having come second in the championship in 2011 only fuels the Newcastle rider’s determination to take the Honda to the top step of the podium in 2012.

“I am really excited to be riding for Team Honda Racing in 2012, and to be starting the season on the new Honda CBR1000RR is fantastic,” said Stauffer. “The development during the 2011 season has brought some great results, but I’m really keen to start testing the new model and see what it brings to the race track for 2012. Paul [Free] has hinted that there are some very valuable changes in the new CBR1000RR, so it will be great to get it out on the race track and get the new season going.”

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Team Honda's Jamie Stauffer

The battle is over for another season of the Australian Superbike Championship, and Team Honda Racing takes 2nd and 4th in the Championship for 2011.

The series finale held over the weekend was nothing if not dramatic for the factory Honda team with Wayne Maxwell lucky to walk away from a high-speed crash at turn 12 of the Phillip Island Circuit in practice on Friday and go on to win the first race of the event.

The drama not over, Jamie Stauffer posted a DNF in race 1 due to a crash of his own midway through the race during which he sustained multiple burns to his neck from his own tire after being violently flicked from the bike. Sauffer was able to remount in an attempt to finish the race, but returned to the pits before the checkered flag when he realized he and his machine were in need of some medical and mechanical attention.

The resilience and determination of a Superbike racer shone through in Stauffer when he gingerly donned his leathers for the final time this season in race 2 to finish the job he began and secure second place in the Championship. Stauffer held on in race 2 to finish third behind teammate Wayne Maxwell in second and Josh Waters in first.

Maxwell raced strongly in the second race with a never-say-die determination and took second place behind Josh Waters. Taking second overall for the weekend, Maxwell finished the year fourth in the championship.

Wayne Maxwell:
“We have had a fairly mixed year this year and with a run of bad luck early in the season we had a lot of work to make up the points. The team have worked really hard and we did manage to come back solidly which is a credit to the team. I took 5 Superpole wins this season and only just missed my 6th here at the last round. The team have also taken three round wins, my own being at Queensland Raceway for Round 6.

Jamie Stauffer:
“The final round was a hard one really in that we were looking to secure second in championship and I crashed in the first race. I lost a lot of points then, and the gap for second closed right up. The second race went well although I was injured we pulled through and got 3rd in the race which was enough to take second in the championship. Overall the year was a tough year after some issues at the start of the season, but we got going mid-way through year and Wayne and I were up there every race from there on in. The team worked really hard to bring us back into the mix and we were able to finish strongly with a place in the championship overall.”

Team Honda Racing have seen all the highs and lows of racing during the 2011 season of the Australian Superbike Championship and have displayed an unwavering determination and passion in their craft to finish the season with a strength that most definitely indicates their intentions for the new year.

Team Principle Paul Free:
“When we reformed a Honda team at the beginning of the year in Team Honda Racing we knew we would be strong on the CBR1000RR. With Jamie and Wayne as pilots I knew we had a good package. We did encounter some issues in the first part of the season, but full credit goes to the team and the riders for turning it all around and bringing the Honda to the front on many occasions throughout the season. With many race wins, Superpoles, overall round wins and to finish up 2nd and 4th in the championship I believe we have shown that our focus and determination is solid and I am extremely excited about what 2012 race season holds for Team Honda Racing. On behalf of the team I would like to thank Honda for their invaluable support throughout the season. We are looking forward to getting started on the new model CBR1000RR and unleashing its potential on the race track.

Team Honda Australia came away from today’s QBE Australian Superbike Championship event at Symmons Plains very successful, with a Superpole and Race 1 win by teammates Wayne Maxwell and Jamie Stauffer respectively.

Symmons Plains race 1 winner Jamie Stauffer

A superb Superpole lap by Maxwell placed the Victorian rider in P1 this morning, recording a lap time of 53.595”. Stauffer recorded a Superpole lap time of 54.375” placing him seventh on the grid for the race.

The first race of the event was an extremely exciting one with Maxwell getting off the line strongly and looking comfortable in his pursuit of Josh Waters for the lead. Stauffer also made a solid start from P7 on the grid to fourth on the first lap and waged a strong battle, ultimately up to the lead to win the race.

Maxwell’s intentions for a Race 1 win from his P1 start were unfortunately not realized when he crashed at the notorious hairpin on lap 11 of the race although he managed to salvage his race to finish in seventh place.

“Putting my CBR1000RR on Pole this morning in Superpole for the 5th time this season was definitely a fantastic boost going into the race,” said Maxwell. “I got off the start line well and was feeling pretty good, but obviously things did not go quite to plan. Still, I take points from finishing 7th and will focus on tomorrow’s race.”

Race 1 winner, #27 Stauffer, is excited by the win especially as it places him closer to a possible championship title for the 2011 season. With Team Honda Racing having won the last five championship races, the momentum is definitely on its side, and the strength of the Honda CBR1000RR is plain for all to see.

“I’m really happy with the Race win today, although it was a very eventful race to say the least,” said Stauffer. “There is still more work to do on the bike this evening to get it where I want it to be for this circuit, but our plan is a strong one so I feel confident we will get there for tomorrow’s race.”

Superbike race 2 will begin at 1:10pm local time tomorrow.

Team Mack Trucks Suzuki’s Robbie Bugden topped today’s Superbike practice sessions at Tasmania’s Symmons Plains Raceway. The Queenslander led today’s combined QBE Australian Superbike Championship practice sessions, shooting up the timesheets as the clock ticked down during this afternoon’s final 20-minute session.

With the Superbikes book-ending the day’s proceedings, it looked like the early morning mark of Wayne Maxwell may have stood until a barrage of quick laps came in the closing minutes. But, on lap 13 of practice 2, Bugden set an unanswered best of 54.153” on his GSX-R1000, finding more than half a second since the opening session.

It’s a promising start to the penultimate round for Bugden, 29, who is hopeful of improving the pace of his Team Mack Trucks Suzuki even further tomorrow.

“I’m happy with today’s results but I think there’s still lots more to come from the bike,” said Bugden. “It’s a circuit I really like, very technical, and I knew if we chipped away at it this morning we could sharpen the bike up for this afternoon’s session. I’m just looking forward to getting out there and racing. If it’s dry it’s going to be a fierce, close race, the times today tell that story.”

Positions 1-7 on the overall timesheets were separated by just 0.332”, setting up a thrilling qualifying and opening race tomorrow.

Symmons Plains’ quickest-ever Superbike qualifier, Jamie Stauffer, finished second today, and is doing everything he can to stay in the hunt for the 2011 title. The winner of three of the past four Superbike races will need to keep his eye on the prize if he and his factory Team Honda are to hold off Glenn Allerton, who was a comfortable fifth.

“To be honest the pace wasn’t what I thought it would be, it’s slower than I expected and I think there will be a lot more we can do overnight to get a quicker bike for qualifying,” said Stauffer. “If the weather closes in it changes things. It looks like we will spend at least some of our time this weekend riding in the wet, if it has to be in the races then we’d really like to be able to get a setup tomorrow morning during qualifying. We’re going in the right direction and where we need to be at the moment.”

Josh Waters put his Team Suzuki GSX-R1000 into the top 3, edging out Honda’s Wayne Maxwell by just over one-hundredth of a second.

The difference between the times of Craig Coxhell and Troy Herfoss in sixth and seventh illustrated the evenly-matched affair – there was none. Both riders rounded out the day with a best time of 54.48”, unable to be split on the timesheets.

Brodie Waters was the fastest of the Prostock competitors today, lapping his Team Suzuki machine in 55.862 seconds. Again it’s a case of must-win in this class for Waters, with current leader Linden Magee streets ahead on the points table.

The field will contest two 20-minute qualifying sessions tomorrow morning to determine the order for the eight-rider Superpole shootout.

Grid placings will carry over into the opening 16-lap race, to be held at 1:50PM local time.

Combined Practice Results, Symmons Plains:

1. Robert BUGDEN (QLD) / Team Mack Trucks Suzuki, 54.153
2. Jamie STAUFFER (NSW) / Team Honda Racing, 54.192
3. Joshua WATERS (VIC) / Team Suzuki, 54.209
4. Wayne MAXWELL (NSW) / Team Honda Racing, 54.222
5. Glenn ALLERTON (NSW) / Procon Maxima, 54.336
6. Troy HERFOSS (NSW) / Team Suzuki, 54.485
7. Craig COXHELL (VIC) / GAS Honda / Demolition Plus, 54.485
8. Ben HENRY (QLD) / CUBE Racing / Australian Outdoor Living / Weld West, 55.772
9. Brodie WATERS (VIC) / Team Suzuki, 55.862
10. Linden MAGEE (QLD) / Coastline Motorrad Racing, 55.928

Troy Herfoss

Rookie Superbike racer Troy Herfoss believes second place in the QBE Australian Superbike Championship is within reach, but he knows he will face a titanic battle in the next two weeks to steal it, starting this weekend in Tasmania. 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, 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.”

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 defense 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.”

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Team Honda’s Jamie Stauffer defied the disappointment of a DNF on Saturday to win the second race of round 6 of the QBE Australian Superbike Championship at Queensland Raceway yesterday afternoon.

Stauffer led the 14-lap clash from pole, treading carefully on a low-grip circuit as he fended off a race-long challenge from Team Suzuki’s Josh Waters. Stauffer and Waters engaged in a battle of the late brakers, with Waters attempting but unable to convert a number of moves for position at the end of the circuit’s 280km/h back straight. Stauffer redeemed himself after Saturday’s dramatic crash to take the checkered flag by 2.262 seconds and his third race victory from four starts at Ipswich.

Third place went to a consistent Ben Attard, who put his i-Style The Natural Aprilia RSV4 on the podium in both races over the weekend.

The overall round 6 victory fell in favor of Stauffer’s Honda teammate, Wayne Maxwell, who backed up his race win Saturday with a fifth-place effort on Sunday. Maxwell lacked the front end confidence to push forward during the race but was relieved to bag more valuable points after a roller coaster year.

Procon Maxima BMW rider Glenn Allerton was unable to challenge for a race podium on Saturday but pushed on to finish fourth, snaring second overall for the round.

The result marks Allerton’s first non-podium finish for the season, an incredible statistic which sees him sitting comfortably atop the standings as the ASBK looks ahead to its penultimate round at Symmons Plains in November. The BMW rider’s points lead extended to 67 as the battle for positions 2 through to 6 tightened considerably.

By virtue of his pole position point, race win and DNF, Jamie Stauffer remains in second but is joined by Attard, with both riders sitting on 196 points.

Team Suzuki’s Troy Herfoss holds onto fourth place despite a disappointing run during the weekend. He survived a run through the gravel trap at the end of turn 3 on Sunday to salvage ninth for the round.

Craig Coxhell may not have had the pace of the podium placers but rode consistently today to maintain his fifth spot in the standings, four points ahead of a charging Wayne Maxwell.

Prostock Challenge honors went to BMW rider Linden Magee, who held off Team Suzuki’s Brodie Waters and local Honda rider Nathan Houtermann in identical race and round results.

QBE ASBK action resumes at Symmons Plains for its third 2+4 event of the year on November 11-13.

Wayne Maxwell, Team Honda:
“To get the overall win here in front of an awesome crowd is good. The overall win is a bit of a surprise, it’s a lucky win with Jamie and some of the other boys making mistakes. It puts us back in contention for second in the championship and that’s all we can achieve after the year we’ve had. Full credit to the guys at Team Honda Racing, they’ve given me the confidence to get up the front and battle with those guys. We move on to some tracks that I’m a bit stronger at, Tassie and Phillip Island, so I should be able to get up there and end up second in the championship overall.”

Glenn Allerton, Procon Maxima BMW:
“The positives from today are that we came away with an even bigger championship points lead and I finished second for the weekend, I can’t complain about that. The Procon Maxima BMW went really well, I think if we had have done a test between the last race and this one like everyone else did we would have been that step further forward and battling for the win. Unfortunately we couldn’t do that due to me being overseas and doing some racing. We’ll go to the next round and try to consolidate, I’m strong at Tasmania so I’ll go to my favourite track and hopefully be able to take the number 1 plate there.”

Ben Attard, i-Style The Natural Aprilia:
“It was a good weekend, I’m really happy to be on the podium twice this weekend, it definitely proved that we’re a front runner now and that a race win is getting closer and closer. It was there today and there was an opportunity to take it but I messed up, we struggled with rear grip in today’s race but we’ll go on to the next one feeling strong.”

Jamie Stauffer, Team Honda:
“Yesterday was a disappointment..it’s one of those things that happen in racing and we could have won that quite easily. We made up for it today by going out there and getting the win. The conditions weren’t easy today, the track was a bit slippery but everyone had to race in the same conditions, I’m just glad we brought it home for the win.”

QBE Australian Superbike Championship Round 6 Overall Results*
1. Wayne MAXWELL (VIC), 41
2. Glenn ALLERTON (VIC), 37
3. Ben ATTARD (QLD), 36
4. Joshua WATERS (VIC), 35
5. Robert BUGDEN (QLD), 32
6. Craig COXHELL (VIC), 30
7. Scott CHARLTON (VIC), 27
8. Jamie STAUFFER (NSW), 26
9. Troy HERFOSS (VIC), 25
10. Ben HENRY (QLD), 23
*Results provisional at time of publishing.

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. . Wayne MAXWELL (VIC), 177
7. Joshua WATERS (VIC), 159
8. Robert BUGDEN (QLD), 148
9. Cole ODENDAAL (NSW), 123
10. Ben HENRY (QLD), 121

Team Honda’s Jamie Stauffer is eyeing his maiden race win with the manufacturer following a convincing QBE Australian Superbike Championship Superpole victory at Queensland Raceway today.

See video of today’s qualifying HERE.

The two-time Australian Superbike Champion left nothing in reserve with an ultra-committed lap of the bumpy 3.12km circuit, his 1:09.223s lap the best by a margin of close to .4” in a closely-contested session.

It was Stauffer’s day from start to finish, with the New South Wales-based rider topping both of the initial 30-minute qualifying sessions before confirming his pace with pole position.

Round 5 of the QBE Australian Superbike Championship is shaping up to be a thriller, and Stauffer will be leading the charge to stop current points leader, Procon Maxima BMW’s Glenn Allerton, who secured the second grid position with a 1:09.596 effort.

Ben Attard’s strong form on the Aprilia RSV4, with the best of the local riders taking a hard-fought third place in Superpole for the i-Style Natural Aprilia Team.

Team Suzuki’s Josh Waters was fourth-fastest, making it four different manufacturers on the front row for tomorrow’s 17-lap races.

Team Suzuki’s Robbie Bugden, Team Honda’s Wayne Maxwell, Demolition Plus GAS Honda’s Craig Coxhell and Team Suzuki’s Troy Herfoss will occupy the second row of the grid.

Carr Bros Motorsport’s Mitchell Carr secured his second consecutive QBE Supersport pole position, winning this afternoon’s four-rider Motul Superpole shootout.

The Triumph talent is riding high after recording debut race and round wins at the previous round in Darwin and is hoping to hold out a hungry pack tomorrow.

P1, Jamie Stauffer, Team Honda, 1:09.223
“It was a good day, we’ve been fastest all day, we can hopefully make the bike a bit better and hopefully we can race for the lead tomorrow.”

P2, Glenn Allerton, Procon Maxima BMW, 1:09.596
“So far qualifying has been really strong for us, obviously I want to be in P1 but P2 is a good starting position and I’ve proved this year that I am strong in the races. We made one last change before Superpole and the bike felt really good. It was a cracking Superpole lap and I’m really happy with how the bike feels, tomorrow I feel like the Procon Maxima BMW is going to be one really strong package for 17 laps.”

P3, Ben Attard, The i-Style Natural Aprilia Team, 1:09.596
“Today was a great day, we went out in the top 3, I made a few little mistakes in Superpole and it cost me. I thought we could have done a low nine but I messed up two corners. We’ve got a good bike, it’s quick and I can’t wait to fight tomorrow.”

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Team Honda Racing are at Queensland Raceway in preparation for Round 5 of the Australian Superbike Championship this weekend, June 4-5, with both Honda riders keen to take their racing up another notch and convert their obvious speed into race wins.

Maxwell on pole and Stauffer in third at Barbagallo

The team had a successful event at Round 4 of the championship at Barbagallo Raceway near Perth a month ago finishing second and third overall and taking their third pole position of the season.  The CBR1000RR once again showed its speed and agility, and Team Honda Racing began to turn their championship around.

#27 Jamie Stauffer holds the Superbike lap record at Queensland Raceway with a lap time of 1:09.145 sec and is not ready to let that record slip.
 
“The CBR1000RR set-up is definitely on target, and this is a circuit I feel comfortable on,” said Stauffer. “The last round in Perth was really a step forward in terms of development and now I just need to get my head down and get some race wins under my belt.  I’m fifth in the championship at the moment, but that could change dramatically after this event.  You just never know.”
 
Teammate #47 Wayne Maxwell has increased his training routine in the lead up to Round 5 having recovered well from surgery earlier in the year and is focused on moving up the championship points ladder from his current 6th position.
 
“I am probably in the best physical condition I have been in all year and have really ramped up my training in the past month,” added Maxwell. “Round 4 was a step in the right direction for Team Honda Racing, coming away 2nd and 3rd overall and I took my third Superpole for the season which was terrific.  We really just have to keep the momentum going now and step it up a notch.  The team has the Honda CBR1000RR set-up where it needs to be so now we just have to convert it all to a race win in Queensland.”
 
Team Honda Racing will have two 17-lap races on Sunday, June 5, and with a large crowd expected and sunshine predicted, it is certain to be some of the best Superbike racing of the season.

It was a case of “to finish first, first you must finish” for Bryan Staring who endured torrid conditions at Tasmania’s Symmons Plains circuit to win his maiden Viking Group Australian Superbike Championship title. The Cougar Bourbon Honda pilot held the advantage over fellow Honda rider Wayne Maxwell going into the race, needing simply to finish today’s 16-lap finale to take the championship.

A plume of spray rose as the field headed into the first corner and it was the wet weather warriors that reigned supreme as Staring played it safe. Ducati Motologic Racing’s Jamie Stauffer led momentarily before Team Suzuki’s Josh Waters took over, controlling proceedings until lap 3 where Maxwell made his move. The odds were stacked against Maxwell who needed to win or take second and have Staring fail to finish, and he gave himself every chance should misfortune have struck the points leader. The Demolition Plus GAS Honda rider soldiered on to take an impressive victory ahead of Waters, but the overall spoils went to Staring who survived a breath-taking moment negotiating lap traffic to finish 8th.

Staring was elated with his championship victory and said he fought hard to control his nerves during the closing stages of the race.
“I feel funny about it because that last race went so terribly. I couldn’t see a thing out there and it was a real battle to finish,” explained the 23-year-old. “I couldn’t help but think about the championship in today’s race, I told myself I’d race to my own agenda but there were people passing me left, right and center, and it was certainly on my mind.

“I’m so glad to have raced this season with Honda and the Cougar Bourbon Honda team, we’ve had such a successful year and this championship has come down to the effort of so many people. This is a huge achievement for us and it will probably take a while to sink in. Thanks also to Wayne (Maxwell) and the other riders who have pushed me every step of the way.”

The title of Australian Superbike Champion will be added to Staring’s previous achievements of Supersport and 125GP victories, making him the only rider in the history of national road race competition to achieve the elusive “triple crown.”

The Gold Coast-based rider started the 2010 season without a race victory next to his name and finished with five, an incredible feat considering his team was formed just weeks before the opening round in February.
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