Image: Russell Colvin.

Queensland international Anthony West made a high profile first appearance in the 2016 YMF Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul Pirelli today at Wakefield Park, settling into the CBR1000RR SP.

West, 34, is standing in for injured team regular Jamie Stauffer at round two of the ASBK this weekend as part of the official Crankt Protein Honda Racing team.

Despite the opening session being rained out this morning, West completed two sessions on the bike in Goulburn this afternoon for seventh overall at 58.813s. Teammate Troy Herfoss was fastest with a circuit best of 57.594s.

“I knew it was going to be hard, but I didn’t think this track was so bumpy and tight,” West told CycleOnline.com.au this afternoon after debriefing with the Australasian champion squad.

“If it was on a track I knew and one that was more flowing, I think I’d find it a lot easier, but this is so strange and definitely not what I’m used to [after racing in Europe].

“I’ve never ridden the Honda before either, so I need to keep getting used to that. It was obviously difficult missing one of the three sessions because of the rain, but still, we’re not too far off. We need to find about another half second, a second or so.”

West said he was facing a race against time to get up to speed with the factory-backed CBR1000RR SP, however remains confident that further changes and assessments overnight could boost him up the order for Saturday’s qualifying sessions.

“The guys had tested here, they went fast straight away and they’re really on it,” he added. “But the team’s good, everything looks good and the environment is really good to be in. I just need to set up the bike to suit me, because Jamie’s settings felt really hard, I couldn’t load the front properly and we’ve had to completely change the bike.

“That final session today was already heaps better, so we will take another step in that direction for the qualifying tomorrow. It would’ve been nice to get that first session in, but we will try it in qualifying and if that works we should be on pace for the race.”

A full report from Friday’s proceedings at Wakefield Park’s second round of the 2016 Australian Superbike Championship can be found by clicking this link.