Maxwell (Ducati V4R) lead the early dry sessions in the premiere Alpinestars Superbike category to the tunes of half a second ahead of Bryan Staring (Ducati V4R), with Aiden Wagner a further three tenths back in the Yamaha YZF-R1. Lachlan Epis (BMW-MRR) would later split Maxwell and Staring in fourth practice despite Maxwell dropping into the 1:31.9’s with a startling one-second advantage over the second place. 

Tom Edwards (YZF-R6) lead the way early in the Michelin Supersport class, edging Harrison Voight (YZF-R6) to the tune of one-tenth, with Senna Agius (Honda CRB RR) just three-hundredths of a second in arears. Oli Bayliss however would trump Edwards in Practice Four to the tune of seven-tenths in the interests of getting a solid hit-out on his Ducati 955 before heading to Europe next week to contest the World Supersport Championship. 

In the Dunlop Supersport 300 / Yamaha Finance R3 Cup/ Moto3 combined session, the Moto3 spec KTM of Harrison Voight topped the table ahead of fellow Moto3 Hondas ridden by Carter Thompson and Angus Grenfell. The first Dunlop SS300 rider was Marianos Nikolis (Yamaha YZF-R3). Second and third in the class results were Liam Waters and Cameron Swain (both Yamaha YZF-R3’s) respectively. 

The bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup was the first opportunity for a number of rookie riders to get to grips with the Yamaha YZF-R15 under the watchful eye of new series coach Garry McCoy. Marcus Hamod was the quickest out of the blocks, shading Harrison Watts by four-tenths of a second, with Levi Russo a further tenth in arrears. In Practice Four, Hamod continued at the, albeit just five-hundredths of a second ahead of Teerin Fleming, who was in turn four-tenth ahead of Ryan Larkin.

Day Two
Day Two of the Official mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul (ASBK) Test began in dry but humid conditions at Phillip Island. In what turned out to be a reverse of Day 1, torrential rain marred the afternoon, eliminating the prospect of any serious times being set late in the day. 

Day one’s front-runner Wayne Maxwell (Ducati V4R) scorched the Phillip Island circuit with a 1:31.848 to head Alpinestars Superbike Practice 5. Last year’s ASBK champion was over a second ahead of Lachlan Epis (BMW MRR), who in-turn enjoyed a one-tenth margin over Cru Halliday (Yamaha YZF-R1). From there it appeared Maxwell had nothing more to prove, preferring to leave his opposition wondering as he sat out the rest of the day. Maxwell was cautiously optimistic about his performance, preferring not to read too much into the test. 

“A lot of people are running different programs and a lot of people have changed teams, so they’re trying to find their way on a new bike,” said Maxwell.  “For us we’ve got a bit more continuity than most. Pirelli have worked really hard to bring us some updated tyres, so it’s really worked out and great to be where we are headed into the 2022 season.” 

In Maxwell’s absence, Halliday topped the timesheets in Practice 6 with a 1:32.232 to go second overall for the day. Lachlan Epis was six-tenths in arrears, with Marcus Chiodo (Yamaha YZF-R1) a further two-tenths behind in third. Amid increasingly wet conditions, only four riders ventured out for Practice 7. Jed Metcher (Yamaha YZF-R1) led the way with a 1:50.178 with Mike Jones only other rider to set a time with a 2:07.063. 

Oli Bayliss topped Michelin Supersport Practice five on his Ducati 955, whilst in the Supersport field, Senna Agius (Honda CBR-RR) led Tom Edwards (Yamaha YZF-R6) and Harrison Voight (Yamaha YZF-R6), who were separated by just over a second.Bayliss lead the field again in Practice 6, with Tom Edwards heading the Supersport field with a 1:35.012 to go second overall for the day ahead of Agius. Oli Bayliss and Senna Agius will be racing overseas in 2022, making Tom Edwards the top Dunlop Supersport competitor at the test. 

Harrison Voight (KTM RC 250) and Carter Thompson (Honda NSF 250) headed the combined Supersport 300/R3 Cup session in Moto3 machinery. Leading the SS300 field was Brandon Demmery and Archie McDonald – both on Yamaha YZF-R3’s. Voight again topped Practice 6, with a 1:42.725. Heading the SS300 field in fifth overall was Cameron Swain with a 1:49.491, followed by Archie McDonald (1:49.897) and Brodie Gawith (1:49.943) on his Yamaha YZF-R3 to complete the top three in SS300. 

The bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup riders were keen to put into practice series coach Garry McCoy’s words of wisdom and set about running old rubber to get to grips with tyre wear simulations. With Practice 5 cut short, Ryan Larkin topped the order with a 2:13.540 – half a second ahead of Levi Russo, who was four-tenths ahead of Teerin Fleming. Practice 6 saw a slight mix-up of the order with Jodie Paige leading the way with a 2:12.961 to top the day overall, just over half a second ahead of Larkin and Harrison Watts a further tenth away to round out the top three.  

Practice 7 was run in the dampest conditions of the day, but riders braved the wet, with Sam Drane leading the way with a 2:21.763 – one-tenth ahead of Bodie Paige and Levi Russo, who was a further second behind.

ASBK Testing Top Times (Full Results Here)

1 Wayne Maxwell (Ducati V4R) – 1:31.848
2 Cru Halliday (Yamaha YZF-R1) – 1:32.232
3 Lachlan Epis (BMW M RR ) – 1:32.825

2022 ASBK Calendar

• Round 1 Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, VIC 25 – 27 February SBK, SSPT, SS300, R3 Cup, OJC, SBK Masters
• Round 2 Queensland Raceway, Ipswich QLD 18 – 20 March SBK, SSPT, SS300, R3 Cup, OJC, Sidecars
• Round 3 Wakefield Park Raceway, Goulburn NSW 22 – 24 April SBK, SSPT, SS300, R3 Cup, OJC, Sidecars
• Round 4 Hidden Valley Raceway, Darwin NT 17 – 19 June * With Supercars – SBK Only
• Round 5 Morgan Park Raceway, Warwick QLD 5 – 7 August SBK, SSPT, SS300, R3 Cup, OJC
• Round 6 Symmons Plains Raceway – Launceston TAS 20 – 23 October SBK, SSPT, SS300, R3 Cup
• Round 7 Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, Cowes VIC TBA – November TBC
• Round 8 The Bend Motorsport Park, Tailem Bend SA 2 – 4 December SBK, SSPT, SS300, R3 Cup, OJC
• ASBK Night of Champions Dinner – The Bend 4 December

The post Offical ASBK 2022 Test Completed At Phillip Island appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

After a hearty breakfast I zipped over to the track to check out how the inclusion of a MotoGP rider affected crowd numbers at the ASBK Grand Finale. The fact that it took 35 minutes to get into the gates should tell the story – reports indicate that this might be the best attendance in ASBK history.

The entire facility and organisation of the event was absolutely top shelf. Kudos to the track owners and event organisers, considering the disjointed and limited nature of the 2021 ASBK season this weekend should provide a beacon of light for years to come.

I witnessed Miller spending time with almost all of the Oceania Junior Cup kids, chatting about various aspects of life as a racer…

On to the action, and early practice saw the usual suspects at the top of the leader board – Maxwell, Falzon, Bayliss – with outright lap records tumbling further and further as the session progressed. Lucky too, as they were pushed hard by the ring-in. And that really goes to the heart of what we are seeing here this weekend – a transfer of knowledge.

To see Jack Miller riding in competition with the ASBK guys is to witness everyone having their skills elevated. Jack was adamant he was going to make this round to finish his year off with a home race, because he knows how much the local fans have missed out these last two years. 

Whether he realises it or not it actually means more than that. The value to the up and coming riders is immeasurable. The lack of the MotoGP media contingent has provided a freedom I am sure that Miller has missed, one that has allowed him to wander the paddock alone and unfettered. I witnessed Miller spending time with almost all of the Oceania Junior Cup kids, chatting about various aspects of life as a racer. For these heroes of tomorrow with stars in their eyes that alone is an opportunity I am sure they would never have dreamed of.

For these heroes of tomorrow with stars in their eyes that alone is an opportunity I am sure they would never have dreamed of…

Back on the track, Miller had a minor off at turn 1 while he was exploring the limits of his Michelin tyres. Anthony West continued to have troubles with his YZF-R1 and Oli Bayliss made it a Ducati 1-2-3 at the top of the timesheets with all three bikes clocking almost 10km/h faster than 4th placed Falzon.

Running a MotoGP-style double qualification format, the top three of West (Yamaha), Wagner (Yamaha), and a still-wounded Troy Herfoss (Honda) progressed through Q1 to ride for pole. The Q2 session ended prematurely for Westy as his R1 called it a day at the back of the track.

Miller almost repeated his earlier mistake but managed to stand the bike up and get away with a wide exit out of T1. Falzon briefly headed the table Maxwell lit the blue touch paper and absolutely operated the 1:50.9 lap record he had set early in the morning – ultimately finishing top with  1:50.5!

The Q2 session ended prematurely for Westy as his R1 called it a day at the back of the track

Arthur Sissis and Falzon both impressed with their incredible efforts all day, and their teams should both be proud of the bikes they have delivered this weekend. But in the end, it was Ducati power that stole the day once again, with Maxwell and Miller delivering when it counted. The front row is completed by Falzon who just held into 3rd after Bayliss could not quite string together a complete lap to kick the Yamaha out of the spot.

A great day’s action at a great venue with a fantastic crowd to provide an awesome atmosphere – what else could a race junkie ask for?! The only blight on the day was the announcement that Adelaide had been declared a COVID hotspot by the Queensland government, meaning this little maniac had to run out for an emergency PCR test to ensure I will be allowed back home… 

A great day’s action at a great venue with a fantastic crowd to provide an awesome atmosphere – what else could a race junkie ask for?

Race One
After all the Saturday action, a quiet race day was never on the cards – and true to form we were all on the edge of our seats from the off. Before Race 1 even began the drama started off track with one International rider being picked up by police, after quarantine rules were changed overnight meaning he had not served enough time in isolation!

Race 1 started in warm conditions with Miller going backwards off the line after he struggled to master the traction control and clutch of his Panigale V4R. All the hard work to get onto the front row was undone by turn 1, with Miller slipping back to 7th place. Up front Maxwell, Sissis, Allerton, Falzon, and Bayliss made the early running until Falzon crashed out and Bayliss made a small error that allowed a recovering Miller to slip by into 3rd. Oli’s day didn’t get any better as a mechanical issue forced him to retire soon after.

Up front Maxwell was still breaking lap records in a display of dominance. No-one could get near the rear wheel of his Ducati…

Up front Maxwell was still breaking lap records in a display of dominance. No-one could get near the rear wheel of his Ducati and he was able to focus on riding the amazing Bend track layout. With Miller having made his way back up to 2nd ahead of Sissis and Allerton the race seemed to settle down until local rider Evan Byles went down in a dangerous area and needed medical attention (we hope you are OK Evan). This forced a red flag and the excitement once again grew.

As the riders made their way back around to re-form the grid we were informed by race control that the restart would be a 3 lap sprint, effectively undoing all Maxwell’s hard work. The 2nd race start of the day again saw Miller struggle with a launch but he manage to stay with the leaders. He then showed why he is a world class rider by outbraking everyone into turn 1 – classy stuff but short-lived as Maxwell grabbed the place back almost immediately along with Allerton. 

Epis also managed to slide by Miller as he saw the leaders pulling away. As Jack struggled with rear grip Wagner saw an opportunity but overcooked his corner entry up the inside of Miller. The result was a very inelegant dismount that took out the MotoGP star and made Wagner the most unpopular guy of the weekend. 

Back at the front Maxwell had again cleared out, with Allerton in hot pursuit. Epis and Halliday engaged in battle, with Halliday coming out on top to secure the final podium spot. The victory was enough for Maxwell to secure the title, his victory lap saw the now traditional gold helmet presented by his team.  

ASBK Grand Finale Race One Podium (Full Results Here)

1 Wayne Maxwell – Boost Mobile Racing with KTech / McMartin Racing Ducati
2 Glenn Allerton –  Maxima Racing Oils BMW (+0.906)
3 Cru Halliday – Yamaha Racing Team (+1.562)

Race 2
Race 1 earlier in the day had exposed some serious tyre degradation issues for many riders. By the time race 2 came around tarmac temps were even hotter at over 50°C, meaning everyone expected most riders to struggle with rear grip. 

The race start saw Miller struggle yet again as he just could not get to grips with the Ducati launch control. But that turned out not to matter as a series of incidents at turns 1 and 3 again brought out the red flag. The first involved Honda rider Hook and Yamaha’s Sissis, with both riders getting up immediately but bike debris littering the track. The 2nd incident was rather more severe however, with Falzon sustaining serious injuries to his back and pelvis, and breaking his femur, and privateer Cooper  knocking his head and having no memory of the incident plus his bike caught fire.

The 4th race start of the day was soon upon us. In another familiar sight, Miller bunny-hopped his Ducati off the line in pursuit of Maxwell, Allerton, and Bayliss. Bayliss showed his skill by passing Maxwell to take the lead, but then ran wide to allow him and Allerton back through.

Oli’s day got worse as he fell victim to Miller and slipped back to 4th. Allerton managed to challenge Maxwell somewhat until the new champion lit the blue touch paper and dropped his Ducati down into the 1:50’s – a time previously unthinkable on a race tyre that showed why he is the best in Australia. 

As the pace started to settle it was clear that Miller was struggling on his tyres. Halliday saw the opportunity and picked up the pace to get within a few tenths of the MotoGP star. It was not quite enough however, with Miller retaining the bottom spot on the podium behind Allerton and Maxwell.

The post-race celebrations saw stand up wheels and burnouts aplenty, with both Miller and Maxwell lighting it up in Parc Ferme. Everyone was on a high as they were finally able to see the guy they had travelled to the middle of nowhere to get a glimpse of. Jack was gracious with his time and open with the crowd. Wayne Maxwell remained cagey about his future and would not be baited on whether he would have another tilt at the title in 2022. 

As the post-race interviews wrapped up Jack was asked if he would be back for another cameo. His reply? “Let’s have a summer series so I can compete right around the country!” Hell yes!

ASBK Grand Finale Race Two Podium (Full Results Here)

1 Wayne Maxwell – Boost Mobile Racing with KTech / McMartin Racing Ducati
2 Glenn Allerton –  Maxima Racing Oils BMW (+3.823)
3 Jack Miller – Ducati / Ducati Corse / Dainese / AVG / Red Bull / Caterpillar / Rival Ink (+5.887)

ASBK 2021 Season Standings (Full Standings Here)

1 Wayne Maxwell – Boost Mobile Racing with KTech / McMartin Racing Ducati Panigale V4R
2 Glenn Allerton –  Maxima Racing Oils BMW
3 Cru Halliday – Yamaha Racing Team

For the full results and reports on all classes of the weekend, click here…

GALLERY BY OPTIKAL PHOTOGRAPHY

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Penrite Honda’s Troy Herfoss led in practice in two sessions today scoring 1:19s, but came unstuck during the final two minutes of practice when he crashed, demolishing his bike on the same lap as Jed Metcher crashed at T2, causing a red flag and ending the session.

Click Here for all the timing results for all classes at ASBK Rd2 Winton on Friday…

Herfoss had been on fire straight out of the garage in the morning, and despite the crash where he was testing a softer tyre, he will be confident heading into qualifying today. Only .310 behind was 2020 Superbike Champion Boost Mobile’s Wayne Maxwell, the only other rider to break into the 1:19s, and he is very confident with his form.

Desmosport Ducati’s Mike Jones who has had success in the past at Winton finished the last session in 3rd, followed by Yamaha Racing Team’s Cru Halliday and Metcher Motorsport’s Jed Metcher.

Sitting just outside the top 5 in the final session was Maxima Racing Oils BMW Glenn Allerton who continues his recent good form and will be hoping to jump on the front row tomorrow. Unitech Racing’s Arthur Sissis managed to jump into 7th, Maxima Racing Oils BMW Lachlan Epis 8th, Kawasaki BC Performance’s Bryan Staring 9th and rounding out the top 10 was Yamaha Racing Team’s Aiden Wagner.

In the Motorsport TV Supersport class City2Surf Locksmith YRD’s Broc Pearson led the field all day and clearly is back to his fighting best having suffered serious injuries in previous years. BikeBiz Tom Edwards was 2nd in the third session with GTR Motostars Max Stauffer in 3rd place for the session.

In the Dunlop Supersport 300 and Yamaha Finances R3 Cup, young Motostars team member Carter Thompson dominated all practice sessions, sending the rest of the field a clear challenge before tomorrow’s qualifying session. In the bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup class Cameron Swain dominated the practice sessions and was followed closely by Nate O’Neill and Hayden Nelson.

The Australian F1 and F2 Sidecars saw brothers Corey and Danyon Turner continue their dominance setting the fastest times while Steve Bayliss and Charles White finished in 2nd and Phillip Underwood and Stephen Ford finished the practice session in 3rd.

Tickets are very limited for this weekend’s Round 2, mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship, presented by Motul, at Winton Motor Raceway, Benalla, and only available online via www.asbk.com.au

If you can’t get track side, ASBK has you covered via our official TV partners SBS Australia, Fox Sports Australia, Fox Sports Asia and through ASBK TV Live Streaming. Coverage begins Sunday on SBS Vicelands or Fox Sports Channel 507 from Midday to 3pm, and the ASBK TV Live Stream coverage runs all day from 9.30am to 4.20pm via www.asbk.com.au

ASBK Championship Calendar
Round 1 Phillip Island, VIC February 18-21 Postponed
Round 2 Winton, VIC March 12-14
Round 3 Wakefield Park, Goulburn, NSW April 16-18
Round 4 Hidden Valley, NT – Supercars 2+4 (Superbikes only) June 18-20
Round 5 Morgan Park, QLD August 20-22
Round 6 The Bend Motorsport Park, SA September 23-26
Round 7 Symmons Plains, TAS November 4-7

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