Image: Foremost Media.

Defending Australian Superbike champion Wayne Maxwell has set the pace on Friday at Wakefield Park, going beneath the current qualifying and race lap records during free practice.

Maxwell rode his Boost Mobile with K-Tech Ducati ti a 56.694s lap-time in this afternoon’s third and final session, 0.383s quicker than Cru Halliday (Yamaha Racing Team) in P2.

While Maxwell was the lone rider in the 56s during the second and third sessions this afternoon, Halliday too got gradually faster and was marginally ahead of teammate Mike Jones – less than a tenth of a second in arrears.

Fourth was Troy Herfoss (Penrite Honda Racing) in his best showing of 2022 so far, closely trailed by Bryan Staring (DesmoSport Ducati), as well as Maxima BMW duo Josh Waters and Glenn Allerton all in the 57.5s bracket as the final riders within a second of Maxwell.

The top 10 on combined times was filled by Arthur Sissis (Unitech Racing Yamaha), Lachlan Epis (BMW Alliance Racing) and Mark Chiodo (Yamaha).

Image: Foremost Media.

A familiar face was on top of the Supersport time-sheets, but one that we haven’t seen at this level for some time as Sean Condon – filling in for Tom Edwards while he’s at Assen in World Supersport – proved quickest.

Former national front-runner Condon returned to competition and his 59.713s set in session two to lead round two winner John Lytras (Yamaha) and Ty Lynch (Yamaha). Fourth and fifth were Tom Bramich and Olly Simpson, also R6-mounted.

Both the Supersport 300 and R3 Cup categories were led by Cameron Dunker (Yamaha). He was ahead of Hayden Nelson (Yamaha) and Jonathan Nahlous (Kawasaki) in SSP300, as Glenn Nelson and Hayden Nelson were second and third in the R3 Cup.

Topping the time-sheets in the Oceania Junior Cup today was Hudson Thompson, followed by Marcus Hamod and Alexander Codey inside the top three.

Detailed results