ASBK FLASHBACK
CONTINUED
In 2016, Australia’s best came out guns blazing in what was an enthralling year. The title was a battle between team-mates, Allerton and Maxwell on Yamaha, and Troy Herfoss (Honda). But, there was a Wild Card at Wakefield when Anthony West, sharing a pit box with Herfoss came out to play and finished second in both races. In the washup Herfoss eventually claimed his maiden title with a round to spare but he was assisted as major rival and great mate, Maxwell crashed out of the opening race at Winton allowing Allerton to leap-frog into second place overall.
He won the title by a massive 68 points from Jamie Stauffer and Troy Herfoss with Maxwell 4th. 2012: If it was good enough for Allerton to win a second title, Waters thought the same as he wrapped up his in the same time frame as Allerton after a three-year gap. The title again went to the wire with Maxwell taking another second overall to score three top three finishes in four seasons. Jamie Stauffer was third, the last time he was to finish in the top three in his stellar career.
2017: What a year with four different title leaders over the seven rounds. Daniel Falzon (Yamaha) led for three rounds before Herfoss (Honda) overhauled him in Darwin, although, after a mediocre start to his return season in Australia, Josh Waters (Suzuki) gained momentum with two victories as Maxwell DNF’d race 2. In the next round at Morgan Park, Herfoss uncharacteristically crashed out as Maxwell (Yamaha) took over at the top, as the title lead continued to see-saw. With two rounds remaining, there was a 24-point spread from leader, Maxwell to Waters in fifth place.
2013: It was Maxwell who, after going so close on past occasions, finally broke through for his maiden Superbike title, riding a Suzuki. Allerton was second from Maxwell’s team-mate Robbie Bugden who finished third, for the second time. In 2014, Allerton was making a habit of winning a title every three years taking out his third title with Linden Magee, nephew of Kevin, claiming a 1-2 for BMW with Ben Nicholson third. 2015 was a fight between two new up and coming Superbike riders who had won championships in the lower grades. Mike Jones (Kawasaki) and Daniel Falzon (Yamaha) set up a fierce on-track rivalry in their ambitions for a maiden ASBK title. It all unraveled in the first race, at the second last round at Symmons Plains when in close proximity dueling, Falzon crashed out and the championship was lost. Jones went to the final round at Phillip Island with the title in the tool box. Kawasaki won the manufacturer’s title for the first time this century.
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Mike Jones & Troy Herfoss
That changed at SMSP as Waters took two wins, Herfoss was consistent with 2-3 finishes and Maxwell crashed in the second leg to drop to third and hand Herfoss the title lead with Waters leap-frogging into second, the trio split by 15 points.