Image: Foremost Media.

Penrite Honda Racing’s Troy Herfoss completed a Queensland Raceway Mi-Bike Australian Superbike Championship sweep with two race victories today at the third round of the 2023 season.

A hard-fought Superbike race one saw Herfoss emerge victorious, edging Mike Jones (Yamaha Racing Team) and Cru Halliday in what evolved into a three-way battle for the lead.

Jones took to the front early, with he and Herfoss breaking away from the field as Glenn Allerton (GT Racing Team BMW) made a good start and kept Josh Waters (McMartin Racing Gotzinger Ducati) and Halliday at bay.

Allerton held third keeping Halliday and Waters at bay until lap seven, when he ran wide at turn three which let Halliday through. Waters made his move past Allerton into turn six later that lap.

Herfoss had his first go to take the lead from Jones with six laps remaining, making a move up the inside of the reigning champion at turn three but he ran wide allowing Jones to retake P1 on corner exit. A lap later Herfoss tried again at turn four, Jones again able to counter on the inside entering turn five.

The pair continued to battle, bringing the hard-charging Halliday into contention, and with two laps to go the leading trio were separated by three-tenths. Ultimately it was Herfoss who converted his pole-position to victory, doing the switchback on Jones who dived up the inside in a last-corner attempt for victory. Jones just out-dragged teammate Halliday to the line for P2, the top three separated by less than two-tenths at race-end.

Championship leader Waters finished fourth, 3.462s from the lead, as Allerton completed the top five. Featuring inside the top 10 were Max Stauffer (GTR MotoStars Yamaha), Ted Collins (Livson Racing BMW), Broc Pearson (DesmoSport Ducati), Anthony West (Addicted to Track) and Matt Walters (Aprilia). Notably, Bryan Staring (MotoGo Yamaha) suffered a fall at turn three with 13 laps to go, he was able to remount and was classified P13.

A clinical race-two victory from Herfoss saw him complete a Queensland Raceway sweep for round three of the 2023 ASBK Championship. It was Jones who moved the front in the opening stages, but Herfoss was later able to retake P1.

What started as a five-rider leading group of Herfoss, Jones, Waters, Halliday and Allerton became four as the number 14 started to drop away, with Herfoss and Jones ultimately edging away from Waters and Halliday.

With three laps to go Jones made a move on Herfoss for the lead at turn six, with the number 17 making a move stick into turn four the following lap to retake the lead, as Halliday moved past Waters for third.

A near call avoiding a backmarker for Herfoss into turn one set Jones up to make a move on the last lap into turn two, but Herfoss again responded later in the lap at turn five. In a last-corner effort Jones attempted to take the lead up the inside, with Herfoss able to cut back underneath to drive to victory.

Halliday finished third, securing third overall for the round behind Herfoss and Jones. Waters finished race two in fourth, as Allerton completed the top five, ahead of Stauffer, Staring, Collins, West and Walters who rounded out the top 10.

Pearson fell at turn three at ultimately retired from the race, as Halliday suffered a fall at turn one after the chequered flag.

In terms of the championship standings, Waters leads on 160 ahead of Herfoss on 142 and Halliday with 115, as the next round of the championship takes place at Hidden Valley Raceway between 16-18 June.

Detailed results