Image: Keith Muir.

Caterpillar EPSA-backed JD Racing privateer Daniel Falzon is determined to take on the factory team riders in Sunday’s dual YMF Australian Superbike Championship races at Wakefield Park.

With a full year of Superbike experience to his credit, the talented 22-year-old has displayed the speed it will take to finish amongst the official team riders this season.

“Definitely the target is to be the highest placed non-factory rider and further on that, I’d like to knock off maybe one or two factory riders. I don’t think it’s unrealistic,” the dual Australian Supersport Champion said this morning.

“We’ve been up there in pace this weekend, despite a mishap yesterday that put us on the back foot. We’ve made some more changes this morning, but I have to pray for rain today – anything to throw a spanner in the works is good for us.

“Obviously the three guys at the front [Troy Herfoss, Wayne Maxwell and Glenn Allerton] are pushing eachother hard and I’ve pretty much ruled that out, beating them this race, so it’s really about staying with the group of [Ant] West, [Mike] Jones and [Cru] Halliday. We’ll see how it goes.”

The South Australian said the addition of West on the ASBK grid with Crankt Protein Honda Racing this weekend, just weeks after a heroic World Supersport podium at Phillip Island, provides a rare international benchmark locally.

“Having an international presence is not only good for us as a measuring stick, but also good for the ASBK,” Falzon continued. “I think there’s things to learn from Westy, he was quick straight away here and that’s impressive. I look forward to lining up against him… we might be the only two riders on the grid hoping that it’s wet!”

Falzon will start from seventh on the grid, which puts him on the right-hand side of row three for today’s two 16-lap races, so a strong launch off the line will be critical.

“Wakefield’s a bit difficult for take-offs because we all bunch up so quickly into turn two,” he continued. “The initial jump’s going to be the most important part, so hopefully I can beat my row and possibly get some others because passing can be difficult at this place.”