Maxwell Clinches Superbike Title After Herfoss Retirement

Wayne Maxwell has secured his second victory mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship, presented by Motul, finishing first and second in the final two Kawaskai Superbike races of the season at Wakefield Park today.

In Race 1, Maxwell slotted into second behind polesitter and runaway race leader Troy Herfoss, while resisting pressure from Glenn Allerton, Mike Jones and Cru Halliday.

However, on the race’s 13th lap, Herfoss’ Honda developed a mechanical problem at Turn 8 and forced him into retirement, ending his championship challenge and elevating Maxwell to the lead; the win for Maxwell was enough for him to seal the title with a race to spare.

For the 2013 Australian Superbike Champion, who had come close to winning his second title on several occasions only to fall short, his 2020 championship victory was an emotional one.

“I didn’t expect to win the title like that – Troy and his team are very good,” Maxwell said.

“But at the end of last year, when I put my hand out and said I needed some support, there were so many people that gave me what I needed and I can’t thank them all enough. We worked pretty hard, everyone gave me what I wanted to make me happy and a happy rider is a fast rider.

“It’s so different to my last championship win. To win the championship by winning the race is brilliant and there’s no better feeling, but Troy has been so good all weekend and I didn’t deserve to win that race, it was his to win.

“I’m stoked; we’ve put ourselves in the position to win the championship and that’s why we’ve won it.”

Allerton continued his strong run of form by finishing second ahead of Mike Jones.

While he may have missed out on the title, Herfoss demonstrated the speed of his Honda with victory in the second race, after another typically entertaining battle with Maxwell. The two riders swapped positions several times in the race’s early stages before Herfoss finally pulled out a race-winning margin in the closing laps.

“Congratulations to Wayne – people forget about the previous rounds but he dominated Round 1, and he did a really good job here this weekend as well,” Herfoss said.

“Man am I happy. I’m lucky to have the package I’ve got with the bike and tyres and I’m so excited for the future.”

While Mike Jones held third for the opening stanza of the race, he fell backwards in the second half allowing Bryan Staring to score the final podium position aboard his Kawasaki.

“It’s a great way to finish the year,” Staring said.

“We’ve had a testing weekend but this couldn’t be better for our Kawasaki team to have a podium here. We’ve been nowhere near the podium at Wakefield Park the last two years, so this is a massive turnaround and I can’t thank my Dunlop Kawasaki BC Performance Team enough.”

The only retirement during the race was Chandler Cooper, who crashed his Honda at Turn 9 on the 13th lap.

The 2021 Australian Superbike Championship action begins with a pre-season test at Phillip Island on 27-28 January, before the season begins on 19-21 February, also at Phillip Island.

Australian Superbike Championship Top 10

1. Wayne Maxwell – 161

2. Cru Halliday – 126

3. Troy Herfoss – 125

4. Bryan Staring – 112

5. Josh Waters – 105

6. Glenn Allerton – 104

7. Mike Jones – 98

8. Arthur Sissis – 87

9. Aiden Wagner – 81

10. Jed Metcher – 76