With a second and win in the sixth round of the mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship, presented by Motul at Phillip Island, Josh Waters shares the lead with a round to go.
The McMartin Racing with K-Tech Ducati V4R rider is on equal points after the penultimate round with Troy Herfoss (Penrite Honda Racing CBR1000RR-R) who could only manage a seventh and a fourth.
Waters shared the Round 6 honours with Cru Halliday (Yamaha Racing YZF-R1) who also finished with a first and second.
Broc Pearson has fired a great qualifying run on his Ducati P-gale V4R to take pole ahead of Waters, Mike Jones (Yamaha), Halliday, Max Stauffer (Yamaha) and Herfoss.
The first 12-lap race was won by Halliday, his first in six years. He held off early leader Waters in a very tight 0.077s victory. Stauffer finished third, his first top three finish. Herfoss ran off at Turn 1 on Lap 4 and before Jones crashed out of the lead at Turn 4 on six laps later.
Allerton finished fourth just in front of Bryan Staring (Yamaha) and Pearson who had been slow off the start. Herfoss recovered to be next in front of Ted Collins (BMW M 1000 RR), Anthony West (Yamaha) and Arthur Sissis (Yamaha).
“I’m delighted to get the win,” said Halliday. “It was a bit of strange race, and the track has thrown us a bit of a curve ball by being so green.
“It’s really a matter of who can do what on an old tyre, slide it the most and bring it home.”
Despite troubled by injuries (wrist, shoulder and humerus) sustained in the Suzuka 8 Hours in July, Waters led throughout the second race. He was shadowed all the way by Halliday and Jones.
“The conditions were tough in Race 2 with the wind, and we’ve had no grip all weekend, but everyone has been in the same boat,” said Waters.
Herfoss moved his way through to fourth with Stauffer fifth from Pearson, Staring, Allerton, West and Collins.
Waters was the round winner on a countback over Halliday with the better finish in Race 2 with Stauffer third overall.
