Motourage

The QBE Australian Superbike Championship will be contested in seven rounds within four states in 2012 with the World Superbike round at Phillip Island serving as the season opener from February 24-26. Combined class grids will see Superbike/Prostock and Supersport/Superstock competitors race together in addition to the first round of the all-new 250 Production class.

Darwin’s Hidden Valley Raceway will host round 2 from April 20-22, with a full complement of feature and support classes. The first 2+4 event for the season will be held at Perth’s Barbagallo Raceway on May 4-6; the return prompted by extremely positive responses from V8 Supercars and the West Australian fans, and the second 2+4 event will follow, with the ASBK joining V8 Supercars at Phillip Island from May 18-20.

The remaining three rounds will be standalone, featuring Superbike, Supersport, Prostock, Superstock, 250 Production, Superlites and Supermoto. These rounds will be held at Queensland Raceway (June 1-3), Phillip Island (August 17-19) and Queensland Raceway (September 14-16).

The 250 Production and Superlites classes will contest an additional round, incorporated with the staging of the Victorian Road Race Championships.

2012 QBE Australian Superbike Championships calendar

Rd 1. 24-26 Feb 12, Phillip Island, WSBK, (SBK/PST, SSP/SST, SPR)
Rd 2. 20-22 Apr 12, Hidden Valley, SA, (SBK/PST, SSP, SST, SLT)
Rd 3. 4-6 May 12, Barbagallo, V8, (SBK)
Rd 4. 18-20 May 12, Phillip Island, V8, (SBK/PST)
Rd 5. 1-3 Jun 12, QLD Raceway, SA, (SBK/PST, SSP, SST, SLT, SPR, SMO)
Rd 6. 17-19 Aug 12, Phillip Island, SA, (SBK/PST, SSP, SST, SLT, SPR, SMO)
Rd 7. 14-16 Sep 12, QLD Raceway, SA, (SBK/PST, SSP, SST, SLT, SPR, SMO)

SA – Standalone round/ V8 – V8 Supercars round/ WSBK – World Superbike round

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

This weekend’s sixth round of the QBE Australian Superbike Championships will feature a Trans-Tasman flavor with two of New Zealand’s most experienced 1000cc racers set to take their grid positions at Queensland Raceway.

Nicholas Cole and James Smith are making the journey to compete and are eager to get among the action in front of the large crowd that the combined V8 Supercars and ASBK meet is set to attract.

Though he has plenty of race victories under his belt at home, Cole’s only Australian experience has been at Phillip Island, a fast, sweeping track that is worlds away from the demanding technical nature of the 3.12km, seven-turn Queensland Raceway. The decorated racer admitted that learning the track in just a few sessions would be tough but has taken a smart approach to setting up his bike for the event.

“I’m really looking forward to racing at Queensland Raceway. Sure, it will be a challenge to get up to speed, but I’ll be learning lap after lap and hope to put in a good performance during the races,” said Cole. “The Manfeild track in New Zealand is quite similar to Queensland Raceway in that it has hard, bumpy braking areas and fast acceleration out of corners. I’ve set my bike up for this track in the hope that the baseline will be similar when we come over next week.”

Cole said he was looking forward to racing a few familiar faces in the ASBK paddock, with a handful of Aussie riders competing in the domestic New Zealand championship.

“Guys like Dan Stauffer and Robbie Bugden always race hard and give 100 percent; that’s part of the reason I’m heading over,” continued Cole. “There’s not too many opportunities to race over here in winter, and we envy the Aussie riders being able to race year round with such good weather. It’s a professional and respected championship, and racing in front of the crowds for the V8 Supercars is just an added bonus.”

Cole (Kawasaki ZX-10R) and Smith (Suzuki GSX-R1000) complete a 28-rider field for next week’s event which will feature both Superbike and Prostock competitors battling for points.

Riders will take to the track on Friday morning for Practice and Qualifying 1, with Qualifying 2, QBE Superpole and Race 1 following on Saturday. A brief warm-up will take place before Sunday’s Race 2.
Along with ASBK and V8 Supercars, the Coates Hire 300 will feature racing from Fujitsu V8 Supercars, Formula Ford and Aussie Racing Cars.

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.

More 2+4 plus a return to Western Australia feature on 2011 Australian Superbike calendar

The Viking Group Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) will hold eight rounds in 2011, with title contenders to wage war in the west once more as Perth’s Barbagallo Raceway makes a welcome return to the series. The season will begin on a world stage in February, with Phillip Island hosting the traditional opening round alongside the might of the World Superbike Championship from February 25-27. The momentum will be maintained as the ASBK heads south to the Apple Isle, and Launceston’s Symmons Plains, for round two just a week later.

For the 2010 ASBK Event of the Year, Hidden Valley Raceway in Darwin will host the third round of the series from April 14-17, building on the success of the inaugural standalone meet this year. May marks the return to Western Australia and Barbagallo Raceway, as well as the first of 2011’s three “2+4” rounds alongside the V8 Supercar championship.

Queensland Raceway will host rounds five and six of the championship, from June 3-5 and August 19-21 respectively. The second Sunshine state battle will be run in conjunction with the V8 Supercars, and is expected to create plenty of interest as the two popular disciplines combine.

The 2+4 action continues as the series visits Tasmania’s Symmons Plains for the second time, and its penultimate round, from November 11-13. A standalone meeting a week later at Phillip Island will round out proceedings and crown new champions across all classes.

Viking Group ASBK General Manager Daniel Hutchinson said the expansion to 8 rounds was an integral step in the growth of Australia’s premier road racing series.

“We are pleased to announce the 2011 calendar and in doing so welcome Perth’s Barbagallo Raceway back to the championship, a move we’re sure will excite riders and fans based in Western Australia,” said Hutchinson. “The expansion of our partnership with V8 Supercars to three rounds is another significant step, and one that will result in increased exposure for riders, teams and their sponsors. Standalone rounds in four separate states strengthens our commitment to bringing Australia’s best riders to as many trackside fans as possible. We’re also looking forward to building on the momentum of our television partnership with Fox Sports and its dedicated motorsports channel, Speed TV.”

The 2011 Viking Group Australian Superbike Championship calendar is as follows:
1. 25-27 February, Phillip Island VIC (World SBK). SBK/PST, SSP, SST
2. 4-6 March, Symmons Plains TAS. SBK, PST, SSP, SST, LIT
3. 14-17 April, Hidden Valley NT. SBK, PST, SSP, SST, LIT
4. 6-8 May, Barbagallo Raceway WA. (V8 Supercars) SBK/PST
5. 3-5 June, Queensland Raceway QLD. SBK, PST, SSP, SST, LIT
6. 19-21 August, Queensland Raceway QLD. (V8 Supercars) SBK/PST
7. 11-13 November, Symmons Plains TAS. (V8 Supercars) SBK/PST
8. 18-20 November, Phillip Island VIC. SBK, PST, SSP, SST, LIT

SBK = Superbike, PST = Prostock (Superstock 1000), SSP = Supersport, SST = Superstock 600, SCR = Superside (Sidecars)
LIT = Lites or 125GP/250mono, SMO = Supermoto, HMR = Historic Masters, AUC = Aussie Racing Cars

Rounds for Sidecar, Supermoto and Aussie Racing Cars will be confirmed shortly.

After all but counting himself out, Cougar Bourbon Honda Racing pilot Bryan Staring was able to produce a near perfect lap to claim pole position for the fifth round of the Viking Australian Superbike Championship at Queensland Raceway.

Staring struggled in today’s two 30-minute qualifying sessions and was hopeful of simply securing a front-row start. Midway through Motul Superpole, Staring’s split time suggested he had found some extra pace, and it was confirmed as he stopped the clock with a 1:10.379 lap of the 3.12km circuit, the fastest lap of the day.

Wayne Maxwell came agonizingly close to knocking Staring from the top spot, lapping just nine-hundredths of a second slower than his fellow Honda rider. The Demolition Plus GAS Honda pilot claimed provisional pole after a solid showing in this afternoon’s second qualifying session, and was encouraged despite missing out by such a small margin.

KTM Superbike Team rider Shannon Johnson enjoyed a welcome return to form, qualifying his RC8R in third position with a tidy Superpole lap.
“Qualifying has been a dream run in comparison to the last round, last time we were here we only did 3 laps in qualifying – this time I find myself in third,” said Johnson. “It’s the first time all year we’ve made Superpole and we improved a handful of positions on top of qualifying. It’s a huge credit to all involved in the outfit including KTM and ESG (Evolution Sports Group).
After the last round I was really questioning myself but we worked hard, tried a few things at a test which yielded positive result and here we are.
This is the best the bike has felt all year; it feels good in the turns, which was its weak point in the past. Over race distance this will be a strong point, too.
I’ve already exceeded my goal for the weekend and – who knows – we might just be in a position to take a podium which would be amazing.”

The Valvoline-backed entry of Glenn Allerton made it three Honda CBR1000RR racers on the front row, with the 2008 champ recording a 1:11.300.

CJC Racing Superstock entrant Craig Coxhell made it in to Superpole for the second round in a row and showed the might of the 1000cc BMW machine on Queensland Raceway’s two long straights. He was fifth quickest and heads up the second row of the grid, followed by The Natural Aprilia Racing’s Dan Stauffer, Team Mack Trucks Suzuki’s Robbie Bugden and Ducati Motologic’s Jamie Stauffer who made a small mistake on his flying lap.

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Cougar Bourbon Honda Racing’s Bryan Staring has salvaged a surprise pole position at Queensland Raceway, the host of the fifth round of the Viking Group Australian Superbike Championship. Staring, the premier class points leader, admitted he was struggling for pace early in the piece and would have been happy with a front row start.

His flying lap of the 3.12km circuit was close to perfect, and stopped the clock as the fastest of the day. The 23-year-old Gold Coast-based rider was surprised by the result and said it set him up for a good shot at race victory tomorrow.

“Before I’d even begun I’d taken myself out of the equation, after a slow day I really didn’t think I stood a chance,” said Staring. The lap felt okay, there were a few little mistakes that felt like half a second each time but turned out to be a tenth or less – they are always much more pronounced in your mind because you only get one shot at the lap.
The conditions have been tough all weekend, yesterday didn’t give us too much to go on and the whole field was struggling for pace earlier in the day.
The whole team has been trying really hard and we’ve finally got there with our fourth shot at it (pole position) – it’s a great feeling and a good reward to those that have worked so hard and backed us.”

The result maintains the momentum for Staring at Queensland Raceway, who recorded debut race and round wins here in June and now adds a debut pole position. The Cougar Bourbon Honda Racing CBR1000RR and rider are revved up for a strong showing on race day with two 16-lap races to contest. A good result tomorrow can add further weight to Staring’s claim for a maiden Australian Superbike Championship victory. He currently heads the class by 4.5 points.

Superpole Results, Viking Australian Superbike Championship Round 5, Queensland Raceway
1. Bryan STARING (QLD) / Cougar Bourbon Honda Racing 1:10.379
2. Wayne MAXWELL (VIC) / Demolition Plus GAS Honda Racing 1:10.470
3. Shannon JOHNSON (VIC) / KTM Superbike Team 1:11.262
4. Glenn ALLERTON (NSW) / Valvoline Superbike Team 1:11.300
5. Craig COXHELL (VIC) / CJC Racing 1:11.744
6. Daniel STAUFFER (QLD) / The Natural Aprilia Racing Team 1:11.850
7. Robert BUGDEN (QLD) / Team Mack Trucks Suzuki 1:11.888
8. Jamie STAUFFER (NSW) / Ducati Motologic Racing 1:12.469