Mike Jones remains on top as Friday action concludes in Darwin

ASBK 2022 – Round Four
Hidden Valley – FP3

Mike Jones (YRT) had set the pace in FP2 with a string of 65s laps that could not be matched by either Wayne Maxwell (Boost Mobile Ducati) or Bryan Staring (DesmoSport Ducati).  Both Ducati riders were also in the 65s but neither did a run of four in succession like Jones, and were also a couple of tenths off his fastest 65.506.

The track temperature for that FP2 session was around 45-degrees but the celsius had risen to 53-degrees by the time riders rolled out of pit-lane for FP3.  The track also now had a lot of rubber put down from the V8 Supercars, which is generally more of a hindrance than a help, particularly all the shredded strips and marbles of rubber shed by the heavy cars.

Anthony West fell early on in the session and took a fair tumble but managed to ride the MotoGO Yamaha back to the pits. Josh Waters also went down shortly after West, as did local rider Luke MacDonald. That V8 rubber clearly not helping matters…

Bryan Staring was the first into the 65s in the final session of the day but his 65.935 was gazumped by Wayne Maxwell moments later when he put in a 65.865.

Mike Jones got his head down on his second exit and was testing the limits of adhesion, the Yamaha have a big slide out of the tight back right-hander that saw him have to get completely out of the throttle. He got straight back down to business on the next lap though to join the Ducati duo in the 65s, splitting the two of them with a 65.919 on his 11th lap of the session. Jones then backed that up with a 65.827 followed by a 65.612, then a 65.819 before returning to the pits.

Glenn Allerton then clicked another gear, dropping into the 65s for the first time today with a 65.812 on the Maxima Oils BMW M 1000 RR with 15-minutes remaining in the session before heading back to the pits.

Bryan Staring went back out on track to record a 65.849 followed by a 65.968.

Wayne Maxwell then also joined the circuit and immediately improved to 65.699 then backed that up with a 65.591 to top the timing screens. The next lap was a 65.605 to make for a very impressive run of three laps.

Cru Halliday then also joined the 65 club, a 65.866 on his 16th lap of the session but that was only good enough for fifth quickest in this company.

Mike Jones then went back out on track and put in a 65.975 before then negotiating some traffic and cruising for a couple of laps before dropping in a string of low 66s.

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Wayne Maxwell exited pit lane with seconds remaining but failed to get around in time for a chance to put in a final flyer. That meant that despite topping the FP3 session Wayne did not end the day fastest, Mike’s 65.506 from FP2 the Friday benchmark.

On today’s form there is a clear top three; Jones, Maxwell and Staring all registered plenty of 65s throughout the day and could do them in succession.

Allerton did a single 65, as did Halliday. Both will have to find more speed if they are to threaten for a podium tomorrow.

A lot of the riders further down the order made marginal improvements. Herfoss inching closer to the front, likewise Lachlan Epis and Daniel Falzon also making progress in each session.

Sissis was quicker in both FP1 and FP2 than he managed in FP3, a knee-slider dislodging perhaps rattling him a little and upsetting his progress.

It seemed to be somewhat of a lost session for Josh Waters after his early fall.

Qualifying will be held early on Saturday morning before the opening 16-lap contest gets underway on Saturday afternoon.

Where we include the speed trap times as registered through the timing beams at the circuit, we assure you that the speeds are actually much higher, with terminal velocities of 300 km/h being hit by the bikes.

FP3 Results

Friday Combined Times

ASBK On-Track Schedule Darwin
Add half an hour to times for eastern seaboard AEST

Saturday
Qualifying 1: 9:10am (20 min)
Qualifying 2:9:35am (15 min)
Race 1: 1:10pm (16 laps)

Sunday
Race 2: 10:00am (16 laps)
Race 3: 1:55pm (16 laps)

Hidden Valley ASBK TV Schedule

In 2022, Fox Sports Australia will broadcast live nearly every on-track session plus all races.

As has occured in previous years, Channel 7 will broadcast races one and three live-to-air alongside the regular Supercars TV coverage.

Post event, ASBK TV will work with TV production partners AVE to create a special edition replay of ASBK Round 4 – Darwin. This special edition will be broadcast on SBS – Sunday 3rd July 1300 – 1500 AEST.

ASBK Live Broadcast information

Fox Sports Australia
Friday – Free Practice 2 and Free Practice 3
Saturday – Qualifying 1 & Qualifying 2, plus Race 1
Sunday – Race 2 (Exclusively Live on Fox) & Race 3

Channel 7
Saturday – Race 1
Sunday – Race 3

SBS
Sunday 3rd July 1pm- The ASBK Darwin Show

Check the Event Schedule and your local guides for exact times

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