Image: Russell Colvin.

Crankt Protein Honda Racing’s Troy Herfoss will lead the Yamaha Motor Finance Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) presented by Motul Pirelli into Superpole at Winton’s decider this afternoon.

After setting the morning pace in the wet, Herfoss led the first dry session of the weekend in qualifying two with a 1m21.798s laptime, well shy of the flying 1m20.4s that he posted in testing.

But it was enough for Herfoss, who enters this round second in the standings and just seven points outside of the lead, to top the session ahead of Josh Waters (Apex Motorsport Yamaha) and Cru Halliday (Yamaha Racing Team).

That trio will be joined in Superpole by Daniel Falzon (JD Racing Yamaha), Mike Jones (DesmoSport Ducati) and Jamie Stauffer (Crankt Protein Honda Racing), completing the top six in regular qualifying.

The major storyline was Yamaha Racing Team’s title contenders Glenn Allerton and Wayne Maxwell finishing seventh and ninth in the session, cementing their places on the grid for tomorrow’s races. They were split by Brayden Elliott (Knobby Underwear Suzuki).

At the session’s conclusion the top nine riders were all within a second of the pole-time, which for Allerton and Maxwell, will make for a more difficult Sunday from row three of the grid after missing out on a Superpole qualification.

The Supersport pole position went to Callum Spriggs (Cube Racing) with a 1m25.940s as the water finally began to clear, topping Luke Mitchell (Yamaha), Nic Liminton (Yamaha), Troy Guenther (Yamaha) and Robbie Menzies (Cube Racing) in the session. Title leader Sam Clarke (Kawasaki) will start sixth.

Other riders to claim pole position this afternoon included Reid Battye (Production), Callum Alderson (R3 Cup), Tayla Relph (Moto3) and Scott Nicholson (GP Juniors).