Image: Keith Muir.

Crankt Protein Honda Racing’s Troy Herfoss is fastest overall following Friday’s opening three practice sessions of the 2017 Yamaha Motor Finance Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) presented by Motul Pirelli at Wakefield Park.

With mixed conditions experienced in the first session, the weather gradually improved to enable Goulburn’s own defending national champion Herfoss to post a 57.917s lap-time in FP3.

Herfoss has proven a master of the technical 2.2-kilometre circuit and carried that form into Friday, marginally leading fastest of FP2, Wayne Maxwell (Yamaha Racing Team), by 0.004s in a Pirelli 1-2 following YRT’s transfer from Dunlop.

Top of the Dunlop riders was Cru Halliday (IPONE/YMF/YMI/Yamaha) in third, 0.385s from the front on his privateer YZF-R1M, while Josh Waters (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and Bryan Staring (Crankt Protein Honda Racing) completed the top five.

Sixth in the order came title-leader Daniel Falzon (Caterpillar JD Racing Yamaha), from Robbie Bugden (Kawasaki BCperformance) after he topped FP1, as Bridgestone-equipped Beau Beaton (Racer’s Edge Performance/McMartin Racing Ducati), rookie Kyle Buckley (Kawasaki BCperformance) and Glenn Allerton (Yamaha Racing Team) filled the top 10.

It was a disastrous day for three-time ASBK champion Allerton however, high-siding in the second session and suffering a suspected arm fracture in the incident. He had been as high as second following the opening practice.

The 11th-hour return of Josh Hook (Kawasaki) saw him complete today’s sessions in 16th position, just over two seconds from the pace of Herfoss at the top of the charts.

In Supersport it was Cambridge Olivier (Yamaha) who led the way with a 1m01.110s in the final session, topping Chris Quinn (Yamaha), New Zealander Damon Rees (Honda), local Tom Toparis (Cube Racing) and Mark Chiodo (Triumph).

Championship leader Mason Coote (Yamaha) made his first appearance with AARK Racing after winning Phillip Island, winding up 12th on combined times at the conclusion of day one.

Other riders to lead today’s times included Jack Mahaffy (Yamaha, Supersport Over 300), who also topped the R3 Cup, as well as Drew Sells (Kawasaki, Supersport Up To 300) and Tommy Edwards (GP Juniors Cup).