Image: Russell Colvin.

A dramatic and red-flag filled penultimate round of the 2018 Yamaha Motor Finance Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) has seen Troy Herfoss (Penrite Honda Racing) emerge as champion of the premier class, collecting yet another round victory in the process.

A frantic opening 16-lap Superbike encounter saw all kinds of action take place, however in the end it was once again Herfoss who reigned supreme with the win.

A crash in turn one from Bryan Staring (Kawasaki BCperformance) in the initial start was enough to cause a brief stoppage, but once they got away again it was Wayne Maxwell (Yamaha Racing Team) who took charge from the front and set a new lap record of 1m20.437s on lap four.

That was until he crashed out into the first corner on lap eight, handing Josh Waters (Team Suzuki Ecstar) the lead before Herfoss struck on lap 11. Another red flag was waved on lap 13 due to a fiery mechanical involving Adam Senior (Yamaha), prompting race officials to revert to lap 12 and declare the race altogether. Herfoss was the victor, as despite a late fall Waters salvaged second, with Troy Bayliss (DesmoSport Ducati) third.

An admirable performance from Arthur Sissis (Honda) saw him cross the line fourth, followed by Daniel Falzon (Yamaha Racing Team), Mark Chiodo (Team Suzuki Ecstar), Ted Collins (Next Gen Motorsports BMW), Matt Walters (Swann Insurance Kawasaki), Jamie Stauffer (McMartin Racing Ducati) and Kyle Buckley (Kawasaki BCperformance).

Following two red flags, the second Superbike race finally got underway this afternoon, in which Herfoss managed to clinch his second-career ASBK premier class championship.

Herfoss rode a calculated race to fifth position despite encountering difficulties with his traction control, enough to extend a 61.5-point advantage in the series and deliver the ER Motorsport-operated team an elusive title in its first year. It was Maxwell who won race two however, comfortably riding to a 2.253s victory ahead of a rejuvenated Waters and Bayliss.

Fifth came Herfoss, directly ahead of Falzon, as best of the rookies Sissis, Buckley, Rees and Scott rounded out the top 10. Overall for the weekend it was Herfoss who sealed his fifth win in a row, joined on the podium by Waters and Bayliss.

The standings now see Herfoss unbeatable at the top of the charts, with Maxwell now second, just seven points ahead of Bayliss in the battle for second to be decided at Phillip Island’s finals.

Detailed results