Features 31 Jul 2013

Cycle Central: 30

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This week is a significant one for the Australian Superbike Championship and domestic road racing in general on a number of levels.

From a broader perspective, it is a relief to see the national championship making its return to Sydney Motorsport Park after a long absence. In terms of demographics, it’s so important for the series to be racing in the Sydney region, and New South Wales, as a whole. Let’s hope there are plenty of fans through the gates.

The double-header element makes this round the most important on the calendar. The potential is there for a rider to come away with a whopping 102 points (the two extra are for a pair of pole positions), which you’ll have to agree is title-defining. Whether or not anyone can put together such a run of results is yet to be seen.

Let’s review the contenders…

From the top, Glenn Allerton is the man leading the pointscore, and a sure-fire favourite. Allerton has truckloads of experience at what is his home track, and lapped convincingly quicker than anyone else at the recent FX-Superbike/YRT test. He’s brimming with confidence at the moment and will surely be in the hunt.

Wayne Maxwell topped the official ASBK test - can he turn this pace into maximum points? Image: Alex Gobert.

Wayne Maxwell topped the official ASBK test – can he turn this pace into maximum points? Image: Keith Muir.

Next up is Wayne Maxwell. Let’s not forget that the Team Suzuki GSX-R1000 pilot was quickest here when the ASBK held its own official test. Maxwell himself admitted he was surprised at his pace, and the nett result is a rider who is more than capable of challenging Allerton at home.

Robbie Bugden scored a breakthrough round win at Queensland Raceway, and he’ll be confident too. He didn’t test with Maxwell and the team, but has a lot of experience here and is enjoying some of the best form of his career this season.

The Team Honda duo sit on the next rungs of the championship ladder, and, fresh from their Suzuka 8 Hour run, should be right in the mix.

Jamie Stauffer had that injury cloud at Queensland Raceway, and we’ve not seen his best this season. He should be back in his regular podium form for this weekend’s races, and it will be good to see him in the mix once more.

His teammate Josh Hook will only have benefited from the Suzuka experience, and will be looking to again challenge for the podium as he did in Ipswich.

Beyond the top five there are a close crop of privateer riders eager to stand up and be counted in Sydney. The huge haul of points on offer will be crucial for the campaigns of riders such as Glenn Scott, Chas Hern, Linden Magee and Ben Henry, who have been evenly-matched so far.

The Supersport class battle will be wide open. Daniel Falzon takes a single-digit lead to Sydney but there are a host of potential race winners in close check, QR victor Michael Blair included.

Michael Blair has been training hard and will be one to beat in the Supersport ranks. Image: Alex Gobert.

Michael Blair has been training hard and will be one to beat in the Supersport ranks. Image: Keith Muir.

Blair trains closely with Allerton and the the two-time ASBK champ says he is astounded by the kid’s strength and fitness – certainly not a bad endorsement coming from the BMW man!

Along with a number of fast Yamaha R6 riders there is also the inclusion of two ZX-6Rs to consider. Troy Herfoss will be back to contest the round on a Warwick Nowland machine, while Aaron Gobert has branched out to prepare his own effort.

Gobert says he expects some white-knuckle racing from the diverse group of young and experience campaigners, and we have to agree!

Along with the regular classes, the MRRDA juniors will be doing battle. It’s a positive move to link the senior and junior series together, and should the weekend go smoothly, hopefully the start of more co-hosted events.

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