Image: Russell Colvin.

Crankt Protein Honda Racing’s Troy Herfoss has claimed his first-career Yamaha Motor Finance Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) presented by Motul Pirelli at Winton’s final round of the 2016 season.

A nail-biting second Superbike race saw Herfoss clinch his first-career Australian Superbike Championship, leaping away at the front on the opening lap and racing to a 0.729s victory at the conclusion of 17 laps.

It was a phenomenal end to a hard-fought season for Herfoss, winning the overall and claiming the title as a result. The crown was near cemented for Herfoss when previous points leader Wayne Maxwell (Yamaha Racing Team) crashed out on lap 12, but by that point it had already become Herfoss’ to lose – ultimately adding it to the Australasian championship he won last year.

In the race it was Yamaha’s Glenn Allerton who was the major improver to finish second, while rookie Brayden Elliott (Knobby Underwear Suzuki) had a strong ride for third, making his way past Josh Waters (Apex Motorsport Yamaha) in the closing laps.

Race one winner Cru Halliday (Yamaha Racing Team) and Jamie Stauffer (Crankt Protein Honda Racing) were fifth and sixth, while Daniel Falzon (JD Racing Yamaha) and Beau Beaton (Racer’s Edge Performance/Craig McMartin Racing Ducati) rebounded from crashes in race one for seventh and eighth, trailed directly by outgoing champion Mike Jones (DesmoSport Ducati) as he went off-track in the early stages.

Image: Russell Colvin.

The round win went to Herfoss ahead of Halliday and Waters, while in the standings Herfoss is the 2016 champion 17 points ahead of Allerton and a further five in front of Maxwell. The privateer Brembo Superbike Challenge trophy went to Falzon in the standings.

The opening race of the Supersport round saw newly-crowned champion Troy Guenther (Yamaha) take victory and take over the championship lead in the process.

Much of the race, which was initially restarted due to a multi-bike incident at turn one, was led by pole-setter Callum Spriggs (Cube Racing), however he dropped pace in the closing laps, allowing Guenther and Luke Mitchell (Yamaha) to make their way past.

The 25 points for Guenther saw him stand one point ahead of Sam Clarke (Kawasaki) in the standings with one race to go in the season, as Nic Liminton (Yamaha) was fourth and Clarke fifth.

Race two of the Supersports saw the race for the title taken all the way down to the final corner or the last lap, but it was Guenther who clinched the championship with second across the line.

The race was effectively dominated by Spriggs with a 1.499s buffer, however all eyes were on the Guenther/Clarke challenge for the title in the final laps.

Eventually Guenther got the nod, putting himself in front when it counted, while Clarke crashed out of contention in the final sector of the last lap and remounted to eighth.

Image: Russell Colvin.

That handed third in the race to Mitchell, ahead of Ted Collins (Next Gen Motorsports Suzuki) and Liminton. The round overall belonged to Guenther over Spriggs and Mitchell, while in the standings Guenther won ahead of Clarke and Mitchell.

The Up to 300cc Production went to Tom Toparis (Cube Racing Kawasaki) from Sam Condon (Kawasaki) and Drew Sells (Kawasaki), but it was Sells who clinched the title over Toparis and Condon.

In the Over 300cc Production Callum Alderson (Yamaha) won the round over Brandon Demmery (Yamaha) and Jack Dawes (Yamaha), while in the championship it was Demmery from Alderson and Aidan Hayes (Yamaha).

Brian Houghton (Honda) used consistency to clinch the Moto3 round win, ahead of races two and three winner Dylan Whiteside (Honda) and Locky Taylor (Honda). In the points Houghton was crowned over Taylor and Tayla Relph (Honda).

The final championship race of the round was the YMF R3 Cup, where Zac Levy (Yamaha) won to clinch the maiden championship. The round was won by Hunter Ford (Yamaha) ahead of Levy and Aidan Hayes (Yamaha), while in the standings Levy was crowned over Ford and Alderson.