Magic Mike
THE THIRD ROUND of the mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship came alive at Wakefield Park, with Yamaha Factory Team rider Mike Jones clinching the round win with a stunning victory in Race 1 and second place in Race 2.
After Friday practice, it was Wayne Maxwell (Boost Mobile with K-Tech Ducati) that had everybody talking, obliterating his lap time from last year and leading the field by almost half a second. On Saturday it was a different story – where Jones found pace, Maxwell lost it and the tension was beginning to show. Jones seized pole while problems with his Ducati V4 R left Maxwell third on the grid.
More worryingly for Maxwell, Jones had completed a blistering race simulation and his teammate Cru Halliday was looking quietly confident in second.
As the lights went out to start race one, Maxwell surged to the lead with Jones in close pursuit. An improved start from Halliday saw him sneak in behind and he was the first rider to lap in the sub-57sec bracket. Behind him Troy Herfoss (Penrite Honda Racing) had started well after qualifying fifth. Incredibly, Herfoss had won nine of the previous 14 races held at Wakefield Park (Maxwell had won the other five).
By lap six the order was unchanged. Behind Herfoss the Desmosport Ducati of Bryan Staring
