Features 10 Jul 2014

Q&A: ASC at the halfway point

Discussing the finer points of racing, rivalry, parity and more.

With three rounds down and three still to go, the revamped Swann Series is attracting plenty of interest and promoting discussion within the racing fraternity. CycleOnline.com.au considers a handful of questions regarding the series both on and off the track in this week’s Q&A feature.

Image: Keith Muir.

Image: Keith Muir.

Has there been a clear standout?

In a word, no. There’s been several riders who have really shone this year, however, in different aspects. Consistency has always been a hallmark of Jamie Stauffer and it comes as no real surprise that the veteran rider has been able to win and podium regularly to assume the points lead at the halfway mark. Teammate Wayne Maxwell has been up there in terms of outright winning pace and indeed swept four straight from the end of the Wakefield event right through Mallala. But Queensland wasn’t so great, with the 2013 ASBK champ’s struggles widely publicised. Other riders rate a mention here but Glenn Allerton’s performance can’t be overlooked. He started strongly and rode smart at Mallala when hindered by his injury recovery, returning fire at the last round with two wins. His struggles at the second round gave his rivals a free kick but if current form is anything to go by he’ll be reducing that points gap as the season plays on.

Which team is setting the pace?

Team Honda takes this one, muscling out the opposition not only with their sheer number of riders but also by backing it up with results on paper. Let’s not underestimate the task of preparing a huge stable of race bikes and ensuring they’re performing to the demands of four of the series’ best. We knew Maxwell and Stauffer would be strong but the performances of both Josh Hook and Troy Herfoss have been equally impressive. Hook had the toughest possible start to his season and missed the opener with injury, but has proven at both Mallala and Queensland Raceway that he has what it takes to bang bars with the best. Two second places and a third on Sunday in Ipswich saw him slip under the radar somewhat, securing a deserved round win, his first in the Superbike class. Herfoss too, has held up his end of the bargain, and has challenged regularly for podiums despite having the least recent racing experience of any in his team. Kudos to Paul Free and the crew for their efforts thus far.

Which riders have not lived up to expectations thus far?

There’s certainly no aim to be critical here but many would have expected both Rick Olson and Matt Walters in particular to be up there and challenging for podiums. Olson and indeed Yamaha’s struggles were the talk of the series at round one, but that lacklustre weekend was put down to unavoidable tyre issues on the team’s behalf. He came back for ninth overall at Mallala, well shy of teammates Robbie Bugden and Cru Halliday who tied for third. Queensland was another tough one for Olson, and a lean showing in general for YRT. We became so accustomed to seeing Walters up front last year it felt fair to assume that even with the greater competition he would be up front. Walters has struggled to get the best out of the Kawasaki so far, with a mix of race fitness and a lack of set up direction seeing him well of the pace we would expect. Here’s hoping both of these riders can factor back at the pointy end during the season’s second half.

Which riders have the greatest rivalry?

This one’s easy and we’re bypassing the Superbike class completely and zeroing in on the simmering feud between Daniel Falzon and Aaron Morris in the Supersport ranks. Both riding completely dialled R6s, there is next to nothing separating the pair and they have been fighting for wins for much of the year, a battle that carries over from 2013. Neither rider is shy to speak his mind and we saw this rivalry really rear its head at round three when the pair came together on the last lap of the last race. It was a minor touch but would see Falzon secure the win, his third from as many attempts on the day. Both riders naturally had differing opinions of the incident, offering their accounts during tension-filled podium interviews. At the end of it all, both are professionals and have largely kept their emotions in check. This doesn’t mean this rivalry is in any way resolved, however; expect to see the Yamaha riders back and going head-to-head at Winton next month.

Image: Keith Muir.

Image: Keith Muir.

Is parity really a problem?

There’s a perception that achieving parity is a priority, though again much of this is due to the migration of teams and riders from the ASBK to the ASC. The ASC formula hasn’t changed. With fewer modifications permitted, the individual strengths – horsepower, handling, etc, – of each bike have more influence. The first two rounds were somewhat of a neutral ground. There were no super long straights for the higher horsepower of the BMW and Kawasakis to pull away, and that, in some ways, reflected in the results. As predicted, Queensland favoured these makes with the two longer straights. All things considered, these strengths seem to bring the bikes to an even head overall, with the Honda package in particular proving generally strong in all areas. This is a debate that won’t be settled easily, because, depending on what side of the fence you sit, you will hold a different view. A positive to take from these ongoing discussions is that there’s never been so much focus on domestic racing and as it stands, power is yet to prove king with Honda unbeaten to date.

Where can the series improve?

From the outside, looking in, it’s a fairly well-run operation. Of course Terry O’Neill and his team have many years of experience running national road racing events and that’s to be expected. With the ASBK’s near collapse this season, attention has naturally gravitated to the ASC and with it, a number of comparisons between the series are being placed on the table. But one area that a fair few have suggested improvements in is the safety aspects. A handful of riders have questioned the use of the Wakefield track, mainly due to the nature of the run-off areas. Others have raised concerns regarding response times to incidents, and again, its a tough comparison to make as the ASBK did employ the services of the widely-renowned RACESAFE team. In that same vein comes the consideration of new tracks that could be added. There aren’t a great deal of permanent tracks to consider but a number of riders spoken to enjoy racing in Tassie (also not recognised as the safest of circuits), along with Darwin, Perth and of course Phillip Island. Given the solid participation and interest from our New Zealand neighbours, could a trip over there be an option too? At the end of the day it comes down to logistics and ultimately, the cost of racing at these tracks. Aside from the Island, making Western Australia, Tasmania or the Top End is a huge challenge to make viable for both organisers and competitors.

Is production-based racing the best for the future of the sport?

If the aim is to create a healthy domestic series with reasonable grid sizes, then perhaps it is. The production model, ie. converting a showroom machine to a Superbike with relative ease, is sustainable, but how is it affecting racers’ development? A host of riders have weighed in on this, and a recent conversation I had with an internationally-based Aussie suggested that while it may work in theory, it is having lasting effects in terms of riders attempting to adjust to different domestic series. The differences are vast and the performance gap great, essentially making it tougher for Aussies to turn out results early on. To be fair, though, the ASC has been passed this baton by default, with the ASBK’s higher-spec Superbikes the previous benchmark.

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