Anthony West’s rich vein of form in the 2025 mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul (ASBK) has continued at The Bend, with the Queenslander setting the fastest time in Friday practice at the season finale.
After being near the top of the timesheets all day, West cranked up his Addicted to Track Yamaha in the final SW-Motech Superbike session to set a best lap of 1:50.518, marginally under the current lap record of 1:50.529 held by Troy Herfoss.
With a strong wind providing both a help and hindrance to many riders – top speeds were certainly impressive with the 300km/h mark regularly eclipsed down the man straight – less than a second covered the top six riders at the end of Friday, with Cru Halliday (Stop and Seal Ducati) second from Josh Waters (McMartin Racing Ducati), Mike Jones (Yamaha Racing Team), Broc Pearson (DesmoSport Ducati) and Jonathan Nahlous (Omega Racing Team Honda).
Waters takes a 50pt lead into this weekend’s final round over Jones, and can wrap up the championship as early as Saturday afternoon if he secures pole position.
Meanwhile, Archie McDonald (Stop and Seal Yamaha) just got the better of teammate and visiting international Kyle Ryde in Kawasaki Supersport practice.
The Supersport battle is shaping as a beauty, as are the other ASBK Championship classes: Race and Road Supersport 300, ShopYamaha R3 Cup, BLU CRU Oceania Junior Cup and Superbike Masters. Only Supersport 300 has already crowned a champion, so the stakes are high.
There will be on-track action from 8am ACST on both Saturday and Sunday, as well as stunt shows and pillion rides at lunchtime, the ASBK Trade Alley and the Minimoto ‘come and try it’ sessions for the kids.
ASBK FRIDAY RESULTS
- SW-Motech Superbike
West’s purple patch was again on full display as he took the day one honours in the 20-rider SW-Motech Superbike field.
After a superb year, West is assured of finishing at least third in the championship, but with only 19pts separating him from Jones there’s still a final round carrot dangling in front of him.
Cameron Dunker (MotoGO Yamaha), Troy Herfoss (Yamaha Racing Team), Max Stauffer (Yamaha) and Ty Lynch (Yamaha) completed the top 10 on Friday, ahead of one more practice session tomorrow morning and then qualifying in the afternoon.
- Kawasaki Supersport and Supersport Next Gen
Although feeling a little off colour, McDonald did enough to finish on top in Kawasaki Supersport ahead of Ryde, who showed why he is a two-time British Superbike champion with a consummate day one performance.
Ryde adapted to a new bike and a new track with clinical efficiency, while Olly Simpson (BCperformance Kawasaki) was third from Hayden Nelson (BCperformance Kawasaki), Jake Farnsworth (Yamaha) and championship leader Jack Mahaffy (Stop and Seal Yamaha).
Tom Toparis (Stop and Seal Ducati) was the pacesetter in Supersport Next Gen (and fourth overall), ahead of teammate Beau Beaton.
Qualifying is tomorrow morning followed by two nine-lap races on Sunday.
- Race and Road Supersport 300/ShopYamaha R3 Cup
Riley Nauta (Champions Ride Days Kawasaki) upped the ante in every session, and was over a second ahead of 2025 champion Scott Nicholson (Kawasaki) by the end of the day.
Yamaha trio Hudson Thompson, Mitch Simpson and Jordy Simpson saw out the top five, and in the ShopYamaha R3 Cup Thompson was the pacesetter from Oscar Lewis and Mitch Simpson.
- BLU CRU Oceania Junior Cup
Chaz Williams put the hammer down in BLU CRU Oceania Junior Cup practice and finished well ahead of Hunter Charlett, followed by Ghage Plowman, Rossi McAdam and Xavier Curmi.
Connor Lewis, who is 3pts ahead of Williams as the title race goes down to the wire, was sixth.
- Superbike Masters
Qualifying officially kicked off at The Bend with the Superbike Masters brigade, as Beaton (Ducati) put on another clinic on his way to pole position. Ben Burke (Honda) and Michael Berti Mendez (Ducati) saw out the top three.
Beaton’s 1:59.977 was also a new qualifying benchmark for Superbike Masters.
For more information on the 2025 mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul: