Image: Keith Muir.

Reigning Australian Superbike Champion Troy Herfoss is doing all he can to secure a prized guest appearance on Dani Pedrosa’s Repsol Honda ahead of this weekend’s Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix at Phillip Island.

It’s understood Honda Australia management has put in a request for the 29-year-old Crankt Protein Honda Racing regular to ride the RC213V this weekend, just weeks after clinching the ASBK title aboard the factory-supported CBR1000RR SP.

Pedrosa was injured last Friday in a free practice crash at Motegi’s Grand Prix of Japan, immediately returning home to Spain for surgery on a broken collarbone. Honda Racing Corporation called in test rider Hiroshi Aoyama for the Japanese round, however wide-spread support has Herfoss in the frame for Phillip Island.

“I’m pretty thankful that I’ve even been considered,” Herfoss told CycleOnline.com.au. “You obviously dream of riding MotoGP bikes all your career, so it’s unfortunate for Dani Pedrosa to be injured, but I am excited about a little bit of talk that there’s a small possibility of me riding the bike.

“It is a long-shot, but I am definitely open to the idea and the guys at Honda Australia are supportive of it as well. It’s just a matter of making it happen, so we will have to sit tight and wait and see.

“I’m not ahead of myself in thinking a career in MotoGP is a possibility, I would just love to tick the box – I grew up watching Mick Doohan win on a Repsol Honda – and it would be a massive privilege to get on the bike.”

The addition of Herfoss to the premier class grand prix grid would be a massive coup for Australian fans and Honda supporters at Phillip Island, with Assen winner Jack Miller already on track for a mighty homecoming this weekend. Last year’s ASBK champion Mike Jones will also be in the field for Avintia Racing Ducati after debuting at Motegi last weekend.

Herfoss has one of the most impressive resumes in Australian racing, winning the ASBK title in 2016, the Australasian Superbike Championship and Australian FX-Superbike Championship in 2015 and also the 2010 Australian Supersport Championship in his second year of road racing.

Prior to that, the former dirt track phenom he was recognised as one of the best supermoto racers in the world, winning the premier class AMA Supermoto Championship in 2008 and transferring directly to Team Suzuki in Australian supersport the following season.