Image: Keith Muir.

Departing Mallala’s second round of the Swann Insurance Australasian Superbike Championship with the series lead is high on the agenda for Team Honda Racing’s Jamie Stauffer, who stands his best chance yet at winning a national title since 2007.

The dual Australian Superbike Champion has been enjoying an upswing of form aboard the 2014 Honda CBR1000RR SP this year to date, and victory at Wakefield Park’s season-opening round despite little development time served as a severe warning shot to his rivals.

Stauffer continued that form by topping the recent Mallala test from teammate and current Australian Superbike Champion Wayne Maxwell, but remains well aware that the championship challenge is only just beginning to rise in the series’ early stages.

“With Josh [Hook] back on the bike and Troy [Herfoss] having joined the team it will definitely make the racing exciting to watch,” Stauffer said. “I was happy with the test we had at Mallala and my lap times were good. I feel so comfortable on the Honda CBR1000RR SP and with our current bike set-up going into the weekend I am confident I will be strong.

“I like the Mallala track; it suits me, so we’ll see how the event unfolds. Having taken the overall win at round one I would be very happy to retain the lead in the championship after round two for sure.”

Stauffer currently holds a two-point advantage entering the Mallala weekend, clear of fellow ASBK title winners Glenn Allerton on the Next Gen Motorsports BMW and teammate Maxwell.