Motourage

Points leader Glenn Allerton fired the first shots at Perth’s Barbagallo Raceway today with standout laps to top both practice and qualifying at round four of the Viking Group Australian Superbike Championships. The lone Superbike-spec BMW S 1000 R pilot laid down 14 laps in both sessions, and in this afternoon’s 20-minute qualifier became the only rider to dip into the 55-second bracket with a 55.869s lap.

Compared to four-wheel counterparts who share the track this weekend for the Trading Post Perth Challenge, Allerton’s lap was close to a second quicker than V8 Supercar pacesetter Jamie Whincup managed a 56.676s effort. The signs are ominous for his championship rivals who have so far had no answer to the 2008 champion’s blistering pace.

Procon BMW's Glenn Allerton is sizzling at Barbagallo

“I’m extremely excited to put the Procon Maxima BMW in P1 today, I’ve got my son Judd here watching on and that makes it extra special,” said Allerton. “We didn’t have too much time to make major changes in the sessions but everything we did pushed us further in the right direction and has us feeling confident about tomorrow.”

This weekend Allerton has changed his customary race number to #111 as a tribute to local rider Levi Di Candilo and hopes to be able to dedicate another round victory to him come Sunday.

The Team Honda pairing of Wayne Maxwell and Jamie Stauffer qualified second and third respectively, a solid result considering their disastrous outing in Darwin a fortnight ago. Last-lap specialist Maxwell rattled off a 56.048s lap in the closing stages of this afternoon’s session and is hoping to make up more ground on Allerton in the QBE Superpole tomorrow.

“Obviously Darwin wasn’t ideal but to the team’s credit they have turned things around very quickly,” said Maxwell. “We’ve got a number of new components on board and again it’s just a matter of working through these in the time we have available. A positive to come from today is that we were able to close the gap to Glenn between practice and qualifying. Now it’s time to get the job done.”

The 2006 round winner at Barbagallo Raceway, Jamie Stauffer too knows the importance of delivering this weekend as the season hits the half-way mark. His 56.340s lap was also set late in the piece, with both Team Honda Superbikes benefiting from small setup changes over the course of the session.

“We’re really looking to redeem ourselves from a few weeks ago and it’s so far, so good for us,” said Stauffer. “We’ll try a few things and give Superpole a real crack tomorrow morning while focusing on making the bikes good over the shorter race distance.”

Experienced Team Suzuki rider Robbie Bugden edged out hometown favorite, Cube Racing’s Ben Henry by just 0.004 seconds to qualify fourth.

Positions 2 and 3 in the points, Troy Herfoss and Ben Attard, will need to extract some extra pace tomorrow if they are to keep Allerton in their sights. Team Suzuki’s Herfoss got his first glimpse of the 2.42km circuit this morning but there was little time for introductions. He finished 5th in practice but on a slippery track this afternoon fell back to 8th.

Ben Attard fared slightly better, slotting his iStyle The Natural Aprilia Racing machine into sixth place.

Attard has showed the genuine race pace of the RSV4 at the opening three rounds and will be eager to work his way up the field and challenge for his second Superbike podium in as many rounds.

Splitting the pair on today’s timesheets was a familiar face to the ASBK, Daniel Stauffer. Stauffer piloted Attard’s Aprilia for much of 2010 before concentrating on competing in New Zealand earlier this year. He returns this weekend, and for the remainder of the season, on the DGS Ducati, and is eager to make his mark on the powerful Italian Superbike.

Team Suzuki’s Brodie Waters was the fastest of today’s Prostock competitors setting a 59.547s lap to head up the fifth row of the grid for the combined-class races.

Linden Magee slotted his BMW S 1000 RR into second place with Mark Gill close behind on his Honda CBR 1000RR.

The 25-rider field will take to the track at 8:15am local time tomorrow morning for their warm-up session before the top 8 qualifiers duke it out in the QBE Superpole at 10:15am. Race 1 will follow from 11.55am.

Viking Group Australian Superbikes Qualifying

1. Glenn ALLERTON (NSW) / Procon Maxima BMW, BMW S 1000 RR, 55.869
2. Wayne MAXWELL (NSW) / Team Honda Racing, Honda CBR RR, 56.048
3. Jamie STAUFFER (NSW) / Team Honda Racing, Honda CBR RR, 56.340
4. Robert BUGDEN (QLD) / Team Mack Trucks Suzuki, Suzuki GSX-R, 56.515
5. Ben HENRY (WA) / Cube Racing / Australian Outdoor Living, Suzuki GSX-R, 56.519
6. Ben ATTARD (QLD) / The i-Style Natural Aprilia Team, Aprilia RSV4, 56.755
7. Daniel STAUFFER (NSW) / DGS Ducati, Ducati 1198, 57.002
8. Troy HERFOSS (NSW) / Team Suzuki, Suzuki GSX-R, 57.007
9. Craig COXHELL (VIC) / GAS Honda, Honda CBR RR, 57.057
10. Cole ODENDAAL (QLD) / NSW Compensation Lawyers / GAS Honda Racing, Honda CBR RR, 57.687

Visit www.computime.com.au for a full listing of results

We here at Motourage have been following Australian Superbike racer Jordan (AKA Jordy) Burgess for a few years now, first as a Superstock and Superbike racer in the Australian Superbike Championship and now as a rider with Team ADR Fly Racing Suzuki in the AMA Superbike series.

Although Jordy has only four years as a pro racer under his belt, he’s doing a great job marketing himself. His blog is constantly updated, he posts regularly on his Facebook and Twitter pages and he often shares videos like this one, taken this morning at Laguna Seca. Other racers would benefit by following his example.

Keep an eye out for this 25-year-old up and comer.

A battle royale raged between two former Australian Superbike champions at Hidden Valley today, with Procon Maxima BMW rider Glenn Allerton claiming race 2 and Team Suzuki’s Josh Waters getting the nod, by a single point, for the round win.

2008 champion Allerton finished second to 2009 champion Waters in the opening 17-lap battle, and knew he would need to win the second race to have a shot at his fourth round victory in succession.

Glenn Allerton, Josh Waters and Ben Attard

The BMW S 1000 RR rider withstood Hidden Valley’s intense heat to take his race win tally to four for the year, but it was Waters who prevailed for back-to-back round wins in the Northern Territory.

“It’s been a real battle with Glenn this weekend and a lot of fun,” said Waters. “To take back-to-back wins at Hidden Valley really is all we could have hoped for. It was hard work in the heat but we hung in there and the pole position point ended up giving us the edge today. Suzuki have done an amazing job with the GSX-R1000 and I can’t thank the crew enough for their dedication.”

Waters is quickly making up the points deficit after missing the opening round while making his World Superbike debut. He entered the weekend in 10th and leaves in 5th on 88 points.

Allerton extended his lead to 37 points today and acknowledged Hepburn Motorsports’ quick thinking between races to give him a better bike this afternoon.

“The boys made a setup change which made the bike a lot easier to ride in the second race,” said Allerton. “It was a lot better rolling into the turns and coming out of them and was strong from start to finish. It’s a great result for us and the BMW just keeps getting better. We’ve added a few points to our lead and are really looking forward to seeing how the bike does in Perth.”

Ben Attard and his Aprilia outfit had another exemplary showing today, with the experienced Queenslander scoring his second race and round podium for the year aboard the RSV-4. The iStyle Natural Aprilia Racing Team rider led the opening lap of race 1, and showed pace again this afternoon. Attard had the measure of Waters at mid-race distance but consolidated for third place after his pace faded slightly.

“After a season of development the team has really come on strong with the Aprilia, it’s still early days but these results are really promising,” he said. “It’s really good to be up here racing in the top three and showing what the bike can do.”

Consistent finishes in each round to date have Attard placed third in the championship, just a point off Team Suzuki’s Troy Herfoss. Herfoss held onto second place with two top five finishes today as he continues to come to grips with the GSX-R1000 in his rookie season.

Craig Coxhell took over the top Honda placing in the championship with two fifth places today for the Demolition Plus GAS Honda outfit.

The factory Honda Superbikes struggled in the Darwin heat, with Jamie Stauffer and Wayne Maxwell both failing to finish.

Kevin Curtain took the QBE Australian Supersport Championship round victory with another a strong ride today. The Yamaha Racing Team rider won race 2, holding off teammate Rick Olson who had an improved showing in second.

Polesitter Mitchell Carr looked set to challenge the factory Yamaha team following his maiden Supersport race win this morning but didn’t have the pace to stay in touch.

The experienced Curtain said he had hoped to make a break early after falling back in the first race.

“The plan was to get out there and get as much as a gap as I could,” said the YZF-R6 mounted rider. “I knew there would be nothing in it, Rick caught me in the closing stages and I wore the tire down trying to stay in front. It’s a good result for my own championship and for Yamaha this weekend.”

He may have narrowly missed the round victory but Carr accumulated enough points to overtake fellow Triumph rider Christian Casella in the title chase.

“It’s been a breakthrough weekend, everyone’s really chipped in and we’ve taken the Triumph to another level,” said Carr.

After three rounds he holds a two-point lead over Casella, with Curtain a further three points in arrears.

Team Suzuki’s Brodie Waters went from second to fourth on the standings after a problematic weekend which included a crash in this afternoon’s race.

Today’s support classes provided close and entertaining racing for the Darwin crowd.

The Honda Prostock spoils went to Cru Halliday, Mike Jones extended his Suzuki Superstock lead with another clean sweep, and Josh Hook did the same in Motul Superlites.

Shane Soutar and Jeff Rowe put on a show in the Superside class, taking two race wins from three and the overall.

The Viking Group Australian Superbike Championships heads to Western Australia as part of the Perth Trading Post Challenge from April 29 – May 1 where Superbike and Prostock classes will race as a combined field.

Viking Group Australian Superbike Round 3 Overall
1. Joshua WATERS (VIC) Team Suzuki, Suzuki GSXR, 46
2. Glenn ALLERTON (VIC) Procon Maxima BMW / Dynomotive / Zoom Recruit. BMW S 1000 RR, 45
3. Ben ATTARD (QLD)     The i-Style Natural Aprilia Team Aprilia RSV4, 35
4. Craig COXHELL (VIC) Demolition Plus GAS Honda, Honda CBR RR, 32
5. Troy HERFOSS (VIC) Team Suzuki, Suzuki GSXR, 31
6. Cole ODENDAAL (NSW) GAS Honda Racing / NSW Compensation Lawyers, Honda CBR RR, 30
7. Kris McLAREN (VIC) McLaren Motorsport / Kirk McCarthy Memorial Award, Honda CBR RR, 27
8. Jamie STAUFFER (NSW) Team Honda Racing / Oleon Oils / Motologic, Honda CBR RR, 18
9. Ben HENRY (QLD) Cube Racing / Australian Outdoor Living / Weld West, Suzuki GSXR, 13

QBE Australian Supersport Championship Standings
1. Glenn ALLERTON (VIC) 138
2. Troy HERFOSS (VIC) 101
3. Ben ATTARD (QLD)     100
4. Craig COXHELL (VIC) 90
5. Joshua WATERS (VIC) 88
6. Jamie STAUFFER (NSW) 84
7. Cole ODENDAAL (NSW) 75
8. Wayne MAXWELL (VIC) 60
9. Ben HENRY (QLD) 58
10. Robert BUGDEN (QLD) 57

QBE Australian Supersport Round 3 Overall
1. Kevin CURTAIN (VIC) Yamaha Racing Team Yamaha, YZF-R6, 45
2. Mitchell CARR (NSW) Carr Bros M-sport / Triumph / Peter Stevens M-cycles Triumph Daytona, 43
3. Rick OLSON (VIC) Yamaha Racing Team Yamaha, YZF-R6 38
4. Nicholas WATERS (VIC) Arai Helmets, Suzuki GSXR, 34
5. Christan CASELLA (VIC) Aark Electrics / Triumph Aust. / Alpinestars / AGV Triumph Daytona, 31
6. Aaron GOBERT (NSW) Yamaha / Graves / Hot Bodies Yamaha, YZF-R6, 28
7. Dylan MAVIN (QLD) Champion’s Ride Days / Honda / Palfinger Cranes Honda, CBR RR, 28
8. Brodie WATERS (VIC) Team Suzuki, Suzuki GSXR, 27
9. Andy LAWSON (QLD) Avweld Pty Ltd / Trucks Australia, Yamaha YZF-R6, 23
10. Jackson LEIGH-SMITH (QLD) Champion’s Ride Days / Honda / Palfinger Cranes, Honda CBR RR, 23

QBE Australian Supersport Championship Standings
1. Mitchell CARR (NSW), 110
2. Christan CASELLA (VIC), 108
3. Kevin CURTAIN (VIC), 105
4. Brodie WATERS (VIC), 103
5. Aaron GOBERT (NSW), 99
6. Rick OLSON (VIC), 89
7. Andy LAWSON (QLD), 69
8. Nicholas WATERS (VIC), 66
9. Glenn SCOTT (NSW), 62
10. Ryan TAYLOR (VIC), 58

Team Suzuki’s Josh Waters is making a habit of breaking lap records in 2011. He has only contested two of the three rounds of the Viking Group Australian Superbike Championship to date – he missed the season opener with World Superbike duties – but this has hardly stifled his speed. The 24-year-old set a race lap record at Tasmania’s Symmons Plains in March, and today wrote his name into the record books again by breaking his own previous best qualifying mark at Darwin’s Hidden Valley Raceway. The GSX-R1000 rider lowered the qualifying record twice in the afternoon’s session, settling on a stunning 1:07.385s lap of the 14-turn, 2.87km circuit.

Josh Waters

Waters carried this speed into a thrilling QBE Superpole session, edging out Team Honda’s Jamie Stauffer by .004 to snare the top spot. The Mildura-based rider heaped praise on his Suzuki squad following the feat.

“All credit has to go to Suzuki today,” said Waters. “The bike was fast early on and they managed to make it even better to ride in the second qualifying session. It’s comfortable over a single lap and I think it will be just as strong over race distance tomorrow. I’d love to win back-to-back, but there’s a lot of work to be done yet and lots of guys who will be a factor.”

Jamie Stauffer’s early benchmark looked set to stand before 2010 round winner Waters found the margin he needed. The Team Honda pilot said a few mistakes during the lap let him down.

“I didn’t feel like I got the best out of the lap and there were a few small mistakes in there that probably cost us pole,” said Stauffer. “It’s a good place to start from so we’ll put our heads together and come up with some good settings for tomorrow’s races.”

He fared much better than teammate Wayne Maxwell, who didn’t even make it to the end of the front straight on his flying lap, parking his bike and storming back to the pits. Mechanical problems thwarted any chance of the Victorian maintaining his perfect pole record in 2011.

The iStyle Natural Aprilia Racing Team’s Ben Attard has shown a dramatic improvement this weekend and was rewarded with third place in Superpole, just ahead of Procon Maxima BMW’s Glenn Allerton who rounds out the front row of the grid.

Cube Racing’s Ben Henry and McLaren Motorsport’s Kris McLaren both met with misfortune during the second qualifying session, crashing out in separate incidents.

Just one of the top-four riders in the QBE Supersport points standings advanced to the Motul Superpole session this afternoon. Triumph rider Mitchell Carr is looking to make up ground in the closely-contested championship this weekend and did himself no harm by scoring his first-ever Supersport pole position.
Read more…

Wayne Maxwell

Extreme conditions saw riders contending with sapping humidity and soaking rain on the opening day of competition at Darwin’s Hidden Valley, host of round three of the Viking Group Australian Superbike Championships. Each class managed a dry session before the heavens opened, and it was Team Honda’s Wayne Maxwell who set the early Superbike benchmark.

The Victorian reeled off a trademark last-lap flyer on his CBR1000RR, the 1:07.843s effort less than a tenth shy of the record set by Josh Waters in 2010. Maxwell managed a productive 19 laps in the dry session before sighting the track for just two laps in this afternoon’s wet conditions.

He was positive that he had the qualifying speed, and more importantly, race pace, to reverse a lean run of results.

“We’re pretty pleased with today but it’s only Friday, there’s lots more to be done tomorrow in terms of making the bike good for qualifying and then settling on a setup that will work in the races,” said Maxwell. “The bike keeps evolving, the more track time we get the more we learn how it is responding to new parts and changes. I’m really focused on race results this weekend; I need good points to stay in this fight.”

2010 Hidden Valley victor, Team Suzuki’s Waters went second quickest for the day, two-tenths off the pace of Maxwell. Waters said there was more to come from the GSX-R1000 and rued the lack of a second dry session to further the bike’s setup for the 14-corner, 2.87km circuit.

“I really like coming to Hidden Valley and I’m happy with what we were able to do today,” said Waters. “It would have been good to get in the extra session of dry track time but we’ll work with what we’ve got and focus on qualifying.”

Championship leader Glenn Allerton was also in the mix, posting the day’s third quickest time on his Procon Maxima BMW S 1000 R.

Team Suzuki’s Troy Herfoss set the morning’s fifth-fastest time before a sudden downpour caught him out in the tight complex of turns running towards the front straight. He was sent sliding, and was followed in by Cube Racing’s Ben Henry, with both riders able to walk away unscathed.

Just five bikes took to the track for the second Superbike practice session where the iStyle Natural Aprilia Team’s Ben Attard best managed the torrid conditions. Attard was the pioneer, banking 12 laps for a best time of 1:22.196 on his Aprilia RSV-4.

Kirk McCarthy Memorial Award recipient Kris McLaren was a further 3.147s off Attard’s pace, with Jamie Stauffer, the only of the championship’s top three to venture out, 0.938s back in third.

A Triumph topped the QBE Australian Supersport Championship timesheets, but this time it was Carr Bros Motorsport’s Mitchell Carr setting the pace. The Daytona-mounted rider held off wily Yamaha racer Kevin Curtain by 0.116s, who was followed by teammate Rick Olson.

Team Suzuki’s Brodie Waters was fourth fastest, ahead of Yamaha rider Aaron Gobert and Sunstate Racing’s Nicholas Waters.

10 of the 18 entered Supersport riders contested the wet second session of the day, with WNR Kawasaki rider Glenn Scott proving tough to top.

QBE Supersport points leader Christian Casella was third in the wet but a puzzling 11th fastest in dry conditions, with a new bike proving tough to tame.

All classes will contest two qualifying sessions tomorrow, with the top eight and top four in Superbike and Supersport respectively advancing to Superpole.

Viking Group Superbikes, Hidden Valley Practice
1. Wayne MAXWELL (NSW) / Team Honda Racing / Oleon Oils / Motologic, Honda CBR RR, 1:07.843
2. Joshua WATERS (VIC) / Team Suzuki, Suzuki GSXR, 1:08.044
3. Glenn ALLERTON (NSW) / Procon Maxima BMW / Dynomotive / Zoom Recruit, BMW S 1000 RR, 1:08.065
4. Jamie STAUFFER (NSW) / Team Honda Racing / Oleon Oils / Motologic, Honda CBR RR, 1:08.287
5. Troy HERFOSS (VIC) / Team Suzuki, Suzuki GSXR, 1:08.353
6. Craig COXHELL (VIC) / Demolition Plus GAS Honda, Honda CBR RR, 1:08.568
7. Robert BUGDEN (QLD) / Team Suzuki, Suzuki GSXR, 1:08.702
8. Ben ATTARD (QLD) / The i-Style Natural Aprilia Team, Aprilia RSV4, 1:08.724
9. Cole ODENDAAL (QLD) / GAS Honda Racing / NSW Compensation Lawyers, Honda CBR RR, 1:08.981
10. Kris McLAREN (VIC) / McLaren Motorsport / Kirk McCarthy Memorial Award, Honda CBR RR, 1:09.117

QBE Australian Supersport, Hidden Valley Practice
1. Mitchell CARR (NSW) / Carr Bros M-sport / Triumph / Peter Stevens M-cycles, Triumph Daytona, 1:10.946
2. Kevin CURTAIN (NSW) / Yamaha Racing Team, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:11.062
3. Rick OLSON (NSW) / Yamaha Racing Team, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:11.14
4. Brodie WATERS (VIC) / Team Suzuki, Suzuki GSXR, 1:11.427
5. Aaron GOBERT (NSW) / Yamaha / Graves / Hot Bodies, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:11.557
6. Nicholas WATERS (VIC) / Arai Helmets, Suzuki GSXR, 1:11.813
7. Dylan MAVIN (QLD) / Champion’s Ride Days / Honda / Palfinger Cranes, Honda CBR RR, 1:12.192
8. Andy LAWSON Jnr (QLD) / Avweld Pty Ltd / Trucks Australia, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:12.391
9. Glenn SCOTT (NSW) / WNR Kawasaki / Insure My Ride / Stahlwille Tools, Kawasaki ZX6R, 1:12.415
10. Chris QUINN (NSW) / Coopers Pale Ale / The Channon Store, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:12.532

Visit www.computime.com.au for detailed session results from all classes.

QBE Australian Supersport Championship points leader Christian Casella has predicted a “bar-bashing” battle for class honors to continue at Darwin’s Hidden Valley this weekend. The Ballarat-based rider has made a strong start to 2011 aboard his Triumph Daytona 675, standing atop the podium at the most recent round. Casella enters the weekend brimming with confidence following a series of successful tests aboard the new 675 R, and is hoping to improve on his third-place finish at the series’ inaugural visit to the “Top End” in 2010.

Christian Casella

“The new bike is feeling fantastic, and I can honestly say I am entering this round as confident as I have ever felt,” said Casella. “That said I am not getting too far ahead of myself. The Supersport class is very competitive this year and any number of riders are capable of winning. The racing was intense at Symmons Plains and I don’t see anything changing up here – the bar-bashing is definitely going to continue.”

Casella said the heat wouldn’t be a factor in his quest for back-to-back round wins this weekend.

“I train at 100% intensity and love the conditions in Darwin. It’s sure to be a great event, wet or dry.”

Seasoned Supersport campaigner Kevin Curtain is the only current racer to have competed at Hidden Valley prior to last year’s successful standalone event. The Yamaha Racing Team rider was also mounted aboard a blue bike when he last raced in the Superbike Production series in 1998, and said he was looking forward to getting back on track.

“I don’t think Hidden Valley has changed much since 1998 so I’m really keen to get back out there and get up to speed,” said Curtain. “This is the team’s first look at the track as we didn’t race here last year, but I don’t think we’ll have too many problems finding a good setup. I was on for a good finish in the last race at Symmons Plains but that came undone,” said Curtain, referring to the controversial final-corner pass put on him by Suzuki young gun Nick Waters.  We’ll see how it goes this weekend, my plan is to get clear of those kinds of battles and really challenge for the win.”

He is currently placed fifth in the closely-contested class, with the top 5 riders separated by just 17 points.

Team Suzuki’s Brodie Waters sits a point shy of Christian Casella in second, with Yamaha’s Aaron Gobert a further 5 points back. Triumph rider Mitchell Carr is also in the mix, sitting in fourth place.

The QBE Supersport class will contest two 17-lap races on Sunday following initial sessions for practice and qualifying. The top 4 riders at the conclusion of qualifying will progress to the newly-introduced Superpole session – a no-holds-barred flying lap to decide the front row of the grid.

A host of Viking Group Australian Superbike Championship support categories will make for a packed and entertaining race meeting.
Read more…

Viking Group Australian Superbike Championship frontrunners have Glenn Allerton in their sights as the points leader guns for his fourth round win in succession at Darwin’s Hidden Valley Raceway this weekend.

The Sydney native has taken the series by storm on his Procon Maxima BMW, managing the transition to a vastly-different bike with relative ease over the off-season. Allerton recorded the final round victory of 2010, and has notched up two more round wins from two starts at Phillip Island and Symmons Plains. Allerton enjoys a 23-point advantage at the lead of the Superbike field after two rounds.

The 2.87km Hidden Valley circuit’s front straight will demonstrate the blistering speed of the BMW S 1000 R, an advantage that Allerton hopes will keep him ahead of the field.

“The bike is coming along in leaps and bounds,” said Allerton. “We’ve tried a few new settings with forks and brakes which we feel will make it a complete package. It comes off the corners well and will really come into its own down the long front straight.”

The series’ second visit to the “Top End” will be crucial to the championship chances of a number of riders; none more so than Wayne Maxwell who is desperate to convert pace to points. The Team Honda rider has headed both QBE Superpole sessions so far, but a race win has eluded him.

“We’ve been working hard on bridging the gap to Glenn (Allerton),” said the fifth-placed rider.  “It’s time to start winning races if we’re going to reel him in and the team has been working hard on developing some new parts to give us the best chance.

One of the championship’s fittest riders, Maxwell has approached the challenge of the Territory’s taxing heat with a strategy.

“The key is to train hard in the lead-up and keep something in reserve for the races – you don’t want to be spent by the time the weekend comes around.”

iStyle The Natural Aprilia Racing’s Ben Attard is another rider who has put in the hard yards prior to Hidden Valley. Attard impressed with a second place during the wet Phillip Island opener and hoped there was more to come from the powerful Italian machine.

“I think we’ll be strong whether it’s wet or dry,” said Attard. “We’ve got some new fork kits for the bike this round and the development as a whole has come on strong since Phillip Island. I’d consider myself a pretty fit racer and I’ve been competing in a few running races between rounds to keep that competitive edge.”

The Queensland-based rider sits fourth on the Superbike standings on 65 points.

2010 Australian Supersport Championship victor Troy Herfoss heads to Hidden Valley with few expectations, pointing out the vast differences between the Team Suzuki Supersport machine he won on last year and his current ride, the GSXR-1000.

“My goal this year has been to finish every race, and so far I’m on track,” said Herfoss.  “I haven’t ridden on a 1000cc bike at Hidden Valley and it’s going to be very different to last year. All I can do is hope to be competitive and improve on my results from Tasmania.”

A two-wheel enthusiast, Herfoss has kept himself busy on other forms of cycle to keep his eye in.

“I’ve been doing as much as I can, my training is primarily bike-related, so I’ve been on my mountain bike, my dirt bike and road bike at every opportunity.”

Herfoss’ strong season start has him placed second on 70 points after two rounds.

2010 Hidden Valley victor, Team Suzuki’s Josh Waters will be another one to watch this weekend. Waters won the opening race in Tasmania with lap record pace, and is showing no signs of slowing.

Riders will get two practice sessions on Friday to find a suitable setup ahead of Saturday’s qualifying sessions. QBE Superpole will follow to determine the top 8 places for Sunday’s grid. Sunday’s race will consist of two 17-lap races.

The bumper event also features action from the QBE Supersport, Honda Prostock, Suzuki Superstock and Motul Superlites classes plus the new sidecar class, Superside.
Read more…

In 2011, Viking Group Australian Superbike Championships (ASBK) will be broadcast to the largest Australian audience in the sport’s history as part of a comprehensive and wide-ranging television package. The successful live broadcast of the final two rounds of 2010 has prompted championship promoter International Entertainment Group (IEG) to increase its commitment to ensure more homes than ever before are seeing Australia’s best road racers do battle. The recent launch of SPEED TV Australia has created the perfect platform for the increasingly-popular motorsport discipline.

ASBK's Troy Herfoss at the Phillip Island season opener

The ASBK opening round, held at Phillip Island, will screen on SPEED TV Australia from 5:30-7:30pm Sunday, March 20. Following Sunday’s broadcast, the remaining seven rounds will receive a comprehensive two-hour package covering all of the action from the premier class. In addition, a one-hour program package from each round will be broadcast, bringing a significant boost for all other ASBK classes on the sought-after SPEED channel.

In 2010, over 1 million viewers tuned in to watch Superbike racing in conjunction with Channel 7’s V8 Supercar telecast. This reach is certain to rise with ASBK now teaming up with the world’s most competitive touring car series for a total of three rounds – all featuring live Superbike/Prostock action.

Viking Group ASBK Managing Director Yarrive Konsky said television coverage was integral to the championship’s continued growth.
“Australia continues to foster and produce talented motorcycle riders that have the skill and racecraft to match it with the best in the world, and the Viking Group ASBK is where they do battle. The racing is evenly-matched and intense, and television captures this action incredibly well. Each round of the championship will receive at least three hours of quality coverage on the SPEED channel, ensuring every class shares the spotlight. In line with the move to race three ‘2+4’ meetings, we’re also increasing our commitment to live television to cover these events. Comprehensive coverage such as this will also allow us to show viewers the faces beneath the helmets and raise rider and team profile which will be of benefit to all.”

2011 Viking Group ASBK Television Overview
1. 25-27 February, Phillip Island VIC (World SBK) – SPEED TV
2. 4-6 March, Symmons Plains TAS – SPEED TV
3. 14-17 April, Hidden Valley NT – SPEED TV
4. 29 April-May 1, Barbagallo Raceway WA – Channel 7 Live and SPEED TV
5. 3-5 June, Queensland Raceway QLD – SPEED TV
6. 19-21 August, Queensland Raceway QLD (V8 Supercars) – Channel 7 Live and SPEED TV
7. 11-13 November, Symmons Plains TAS (V8 Supercars) – Channel 7 Live and SPEED TV
8. 18-20 November, Phillip Island VIC – SPEED TV

Procon Maxima BMW rider Glenn Allerton extended his Viking Group Australian Superbike Championship points lead with a dominant race win at Symmons Plains on Sunday. Hindered by a brake problem in the morning’s race, the 2008 Australian Superbike Champion bounced back in style in the second 20-lap battle, winning by a 1.444-second margin over Team Honda Racing’s Wayne Maxwell.

Procon Maxima BMW's Glenn Allerton dominated in Tasmania

Maxwell took the lead from pole and controlled the race until mid-distance when Allerton pounced, the power of the BMW S 1000 RR only too apparent on the back straight sweeper, the fastest corner in Australian motorsport at more than 270km/h.

Sunday’s result also marks Allerton’s third round win in a row. He won in Tasmania in November last year before switching manufacturers and dominating last week’s Phillip Island opener. The Sydneysider said he was determined to make amends for the morning’s race where he felt a win went begging.

“I felt really comfortable on the bike today,” said Allerton. “The problem with the front brake in race 1 cost me a chance to attack and I knew I had to make it up this afternoon. We pulled together as a team and got it done, thanks to everyone involved for a huge effort this weekend. We’ll look to Darwin now and try a few more things to develop the bike further. There’s more progress to be made and I can’t wait to get to Hidden Valley and try to work on building my championship lead further.”

Allerton leads the championship on 93 points, 23 ahead of Team Suzuki’s Troy Herfoss who finished fifth overall this weekend.

Second place for the round went to race 1 winner, Team Suzuki’s Josh Waters. Waters was unable to match the pace of Allerton and the Team Honda duo in the afternoon’s race and has already set his sights on Hidden Valley, a track he dominated at last year.

“I was really happy with the race 1 result but today I didn’t quite have enough for the leaders in race 2,” said Waters. “It’s good to get a win on the board. Hopefully I can add a few more when we go back to Darwin in a few weeks.”

Wayne Maxwell finished third, adding a valuable 41 points to his tally. The top three were separated by a point each at the conclusion of a thrilling day of racing.

Spectators were treated to a second incredible QBE Supersport race Sunday afternoon, with Team Suzuki’s Brodie Waters emerging the victor, a result that could have gone to any one of the five lead riders. Eager to make amends after the morning’s mishap, Sunstate Racing’s Nick Waters took the early advantage but soon found himself under fire from four more evenly-matched machines.  The lead changed almost every lap as riders dared to dive further and further under brakes in the final complex of corners.

AARK Racing pole sitter Christian Casella and the Yamaha Racing Team’s Kevin Curtain had their time at the front, but Brodie Waters prevailed with an advantage of just 0.059 seconds. Waters, who limped to ninth after crashing into brother Nick in the opening 20-lap dash, praised his team for providing such a competitive race bike.

“I knew I had to make up for this morning’s mistake and the team put everything they had behind me,” said Waters. “It’s a good end to the day and a good way to thank them for their effort.”

It was a triumphant weekend for Casella, who won the opening race, the round, and takes a 1-point lead in the championship.

“It was a pretty hectic race,” said Casella. “There’s some big braking areas around this track and everyone was having a big go, it was a bit like the Superbike race, a real flip of the coin as to who’s going to get there in the end. To be honest I’m pretty happy to be still sitting on the bike after that one, it was pretty crazy! Thanks to AARK Racing, they’ve given me a good bike to ride in the Triumph and we’ve really turned around our championship this weekend.”

Cru Halliday rode his Yamaha R1 to two Prostock race victories, and, combined with his pole position and race 1 win yesterday, leaves Symmons Plains with maximum points.
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Viking Group Australian Superbike Championship riders will resume battle at Tasmania’s Symmons Plains Raceway this weekend, just days after a thrilling season opener at Phillip Island. 83 racers from the Superbike, Supersport, Prostock, Superstock and Superlites classes will face off, each aiming to tame the 2.4km circuit’s technical turns and heavy braking zones that connect two high-speed straights.

Glenn Allerton leads Troy Herfoss at Phillip Island

The talent pool in the Superbike class deepens for the second round with the return of Team Suzuki’s Josh Waters, fresh from his World Superbike debut last week. The 2009 Australian Superbike Champion showed incredible speed and racecraft on the sport’s biggest stage, and is looking to carry this form into the Tasmanian event.

“The experience of racing against the best in the world was amazing,” said Waters. “There was a lot to learn and I took it in as best I could. Team Suzuki has been behind me the whole way and I am looking forward to getting back onto my regular race bike and re-focusing on the Australian Superbike Championship at Symmons Plains. I love the racetrack. It’s a quick lap but very challenging, and you need to be confident under brakes and steady at high speed.”

Waters predicted that a number of riders would factor in the results across the weekend’s two races.

“Glenn Allerton is looking quick after Phillip Island and he’s great at Symmons Plains so he’ll be a favorite for sure. My teammate, Troy Herfoss, had a great debut ride on the Superbike last weekend, and there are a handful of other riders also capable of winning.”

Allerton, who rode his Hepburn Motorsport BMW S 1000 RR to a clean sweep last weekend, returned the favor and felt Waters woul,d be one of the frontrunners.

“Josh (Waters) rode the wheels off the bike last weekend, it would have been a tough experience coming to terms with World Superbikes in such a short space of time and I’m certain he will be pumped up,” said Allerton.

The overall winner at Symmons Plains in 2010, Allerton was looking forward to getting back on his BMW after a perfect debut.

“Winning at Phillip Island was a dream come true, but back-to-back rounds means we’re already focused on changing up the bike to suit the track at Tassie which is very different. I feel really comfortable riding here and I love the track, so I hope the weather holds out for us this weekend and we have a big crowd along to watch.”

Allerton will look to add to a 13-point lead over Troy Herfoss following the Suzuki Superbike rider’s successful debut.

Ben Attard rounds out the top three on his iStyle The Natural Aprilia Racing RSV-4 after an impressive Superbike debut with the Gold Coast-based Trinder Brothers Racing team.

Team Honda riders Jamie Stauffer and Wayne Maxwell will look to re-assert themselves in the championship chase after a tough showing at Phillip Island. Stauffer is placed fifth and Maxwell is tenth, and both can make in-roads if their pre-season pace continues.

The Australian Supersport Championship ranks received a shake-up when privateer rider Aaron Gobert rode away with the round victory last weekend, showing speed and superior control in slippery conditions. The win was a first for the 2004 AMA Superstock titleholder since returning to Australia in 2010, and he is hoping there is more to come.

“Winning the championship is what I hope to do even if we aren’t on a factory bike,” said Gobert, who has a two-point lead over Yamaha Racing Team veteran Kevin Curtain. “[Phillip Island] is kind of my bogey track on the calendar so it’s great to win there and hopefully we keep getting stronger from here.”
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