Thursday, August 11, 2022
MCNews
  • NEWSLatest
  • REVIEWS
  • LATEST BIKES
  • RACING
  • FEATURES
  • TOURING
  • PRODUCTS
  • MEDIA
    • GALLERY
  • MORE
    • POPULAR ARTICLES
    • MCNEWS COMMENTS
    • MAIN FORUM
    • CONTACT US
    • ABOUT US
No Result
View All Result
MCNews
  • NEWSLatest
  • REVIEWS
  • LATEST BIKES
  • RACING
  • FEATURES
  • TOURING
  • PRODUCTS
  • MEDIA
    • GALLERY
  • MORE
    • POPULAR ARTICLES
    • MCNEWS COMMENTS
    • MAIN FORUM
    • CONTACT US
    • ABOUT US
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result
MCNews

Friday Swann Superbike Report | Mallala

Trev by Trev
May 27, 2016
in Formula Xtreme, Motorcycle News, Motorcycle Racing
A A
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare

Friday Swann Superbike Report from Mallala

Wet and wild Mallala Swann Superbike practice offers no indication of race pace

By Trevor Hedge – Images by Keith Muir

Competitors were greeted by a very wet Mallala Motorsports Park this morning, before the track cleaned up with somewhat of a dry line for the second session before the overcast skies turned angry a little before lunchtime and dumped their considerable contents over the 2.61km layout. Late this afternoon the track did again clean up a little but there was still some standing water and riders that bothered to go out later today did it just to get a feel for the Mallala surface in wet conditions.

Mallala Motorsports Park
Mallala Motorsports Park

Luckily, a large contingent of competitors participated in a two-day test session at the South Australian venue last week, in near perfect conditions.

Those riders will have a significant advantage tomorrow morning when the grid will be decided for the 3×10 lap Superbike races that will be staged across both Saturday and Sunday here this weekend.

Qualifying was originally scheduled for this afternoon but the inclement weather saw organisers push that back to tomorrow, when forecasts are for clear and fine conditions across the remainder of the event, which marks the third round of the 2016 Swann Superbike Championship.

The seemingly ever burgeoning BCperformance / SA Kawasaki squad were at the test session in full force, which served as not only a great shakedown for all their riders that participate in the various classes, but also somewhat of a team bonding session. And a couple of the younger members of the team were rewarded with a chance to sample some big-bore machinery for the first time.

Kyle Buckley
Kyle Buckley

Supersport competitor Kyle Buckley is a leading light of the Supersport category after making the step up from the FX Ninja 300 Cup to join the 600cc ranks for season 2016. Buckley got down to competitive 68.8-second lap times on his ZX-6R Supersport machine during testing last week, and was then let loose on the latest specification ZX-10R Superbike of teammate Ben Burke. Buckley enjoyed the experience immensely and managed to get down to mid 68s in no time, BCperformance are grooming the 21-year-old to make the step up to Superbike in season 2017.

Kyle Buckley
Kyle Buckley

Lead Superbike riders in the BCperformance / SA Kawasaki team Robbie Bugden and Ben Burke both circulated in the low 67s during that test last week, but simply just got a feel for the damp circuit here today. There is very little to be read into today’s times but, for what it’s worth, Bugden proved quickest with a 69.67-second lap, 1.40-seconds quicker than Matt Walters. SA Kawasaki dealer principal Evan Byles may also manage to spring some surprises here this weekend on his home turf.

Robbie Bugden
Robbie Bugden

Another rider on home soil, but at somewhat the opposite end of the competitor age spectrum, is young Liam Wilkinson. Son of long time competitor Richard Wilkinson, who is this weekend racing an FZ1 in the Pro Twin category, young Liam is campaigning a new YZF-R1. He will need to find a fair bit of time here this weekend to try and sneak onto the podium, but if things go his way Liam may manage to break into the top five.

Liam Wilkinson
Liam Wilkinson

Other locals include Suzuki GSX-R1000 rider Jason Ivkovic and Kawasaki hopeful William Strugnell, who got the better of Byles at the Easter Cup meeting held at Mac Park earlier this year. Adam Christie is another local hopeful that is capable of carding some decent results. 

RelatedPosts

ASBK TBG JanTest PI Matt Walters TBG

Twisted ASBK Interviews | Matt Walters

May 19, 2020
Suzuka Hour Finish

Strong Aussie line-up for 2019 Suzuka 8 Hours

July 25, 2019

Beau Beaton is the sole Ducati Superbike rider here this weekend and was left ruing the lack of dry track time today. Beaton had a disastrous weekend here last year, with two crashes making a mess of the delectable Irving Vincent, the team went home early without finishing a race.

Beaton and the Irving Vincent are back with a vengeance this year, however, with both Irving Vincent’s readying to set a new lap record in Pro Twins, that marker currently held by Craig McMartin at 68.713, on a 1098 Ducati way back in 2007.

Beau Beaton
Beau Beaton

In Superbike, however, Beaton will be on the delectable Panigale R. The excellent braking characteristics and drive off the turns of the Ducati should be a great asset to the 29-year-old, but his relative lack of experience with the ten-turn Mallala layout may hold him back a little. Before the troubled Formula OZ outing last year, Beaton had only ridden the circuit way back in 2009 on an 1198. Still, come Sunday Beaton is almost certain to be in the mix and challenging for podium contention.

The sole Honda entrant in the Superbike category is Irish ex-pat Paul Byrne. The Inglis Plumbing backed LTR squad struggled with some teething problems on their newly acquired ex Team Honda Fireblade SP in the earlier rounds this season, but a recent visit to Wangaratta and the dyno of Geoff Winzer has the team confident that they will be on the pace here this weekend.

Paul Byrne
Paul Byrne

Matt Harding is more than capable of challenging for top five finishes if he can get on the pace here tomorrow and could even upset some of the established front runners if the Maitland (NSW) 29-year-old nails the set-up of his ZX-10R.

Matt Harding
Matt Harding

Earlier today we published interviews with two of the primary leading young talents of the Superbike category, Matt Walters and Michael Blair. Click their names in that sentence to open their respective yarns in new browser windows.

As for times from today, feel free to check out Computime, but as mentioned earlier, they are not in any way indicative of potential race tomorrow, and thus can largely be ignored.

All tomorrow’s action will be broadcast live from the circuit via the live-stream service right here on MCNews.com.au. Broadcast times are from 0945 each day local SA time, or from 1015 EST. Traditionally only the Sunday has been broadcast live, but from this round forward the Swann Superbike Championship will feature live-streaming of both the Saturday and Sunday competitions.

Tags: Adam ChristieBeau BeatonBen BurkeBrad SwallowDaniel McCarthyDominic DeLeonEvan BylesFormula XtremeFXJack BakerJason IvkovicJosh McFarlaneLiam WilkinsonMallalaMatt HardingMatt WaltersMichael BlairPaul ByrneRobbie BugdenStuart FrippSwann SuperbikesWilliam Strugnell
Trev

Trev

Motojourno - Founder of MCNews.com.au - Australia's leading resource for motorcycle news, reviews and race coverage for over 20 years.

Related Articles

DesmoSport Ducati cogitate on successful Morgan Park round

Morgan Park bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup wrap/results/points

August 11, 2022
Maxwell had the hammer down early on - Image RbMotoLens

Third batch of images from Morgan Park ASBK | Gallery C

August 11, 2022
Comprehensive ProMX MX1 round up from Coffs Harbour

QMP welcomes ProMX this weekend for penultimate showdown

August 11, 2022
Yamaha Racing Heritage Club Celebrates British History at Donington Park

Yamaha pull covers of all-new 2023 YZ450F

August 11, 2022
Load More

SOCIALS

  • 7.2k Followers

SUPPORT OUR SUPPORTERS

INCASE YOU MISSED

Wayne Maxwell - Morgan Park 2022 - Image RBMotoLens

Morgan Park double for Maxwell to pull 11-points back on Jones

August 7, 2022
Guintoli ruled out of Suzuka 8 Hour after practice crash

HRC top Friday at Suzuka 8 Hours ahead of Saturday Top Ten shootout

August 5, 2022
Held Rainblock Zip waterproof over-pant arrive in Australia

Held Rainblock Zip waterproof over-pant arrive in Australia

August 10, 2022

GET LATEST NEWS IN YOUR INBOX

MCNews

MCNEWS.COM.AU is a specialist on-line resource that provides motorcycle news for motorcyclists. MCNews covers all areas of interest for the motorcycling public including news, reviews and comprehensive racing coverage.

© 2022 MCNews

No Result
View All Result
  • NEWS
    • ALL NEWS
    • ALL NEWS CONDENSED
    • POPULAR ARTICLES
    • BMW News
    • Honda News
    • Husqvarna News
    • KTM News
    • Suzuki News
    • Yamaha News
    • Triumph News
    • CFMOTO News
    • Ducati News
    • Moto Guzzi News
    • Royal Enfield News
    • Kawasaki News
    • Aprilia News
    • Harley News
    • Indian News
    • MV Agusta News
    • Benelli News
    • GASGAS News
    • BETA News
    • Norton News
    • Victory News
    • EBR News
    • Rieju News
    • E-Bike News
    • Scooter News
    • LAMS News
    • ATV / SSV News
  • REVIEWS
    • All Bike Reviews
    • LAMS Reviews
    • KTM Reviews
    • Honda Reviews
    • Yamaha Reviews
    • Triumph Reviews
    • BMW Reviews
    • Suzuki Reviews
    • CFMOTO Reviews
    • Ducati Reviews
    • Kawasaki Reviews
    • Husqvarna Reviews
    • Aprilia Reviews
    • Benelli Reviews
    • BETA Reviews
    • E-Bike Reviews
    • EBR Reviews
    • GAS GAS Reviews
    • Harley Reviews
    • Indian Reviews
    • Kymco Reviews
    • Moto Guzzi Reviews
    • MV Agusta Reviews
    • Norton Reviews
    • Royal Enfield Reviews
    • Scooter Reviews
    • Sherco Reviews
    • Victory Reviews
    • Rieju Reviews
  • NEW PRODUCTS
  • LATEST BIKES
    • ALL LATEST BIKES NEWS
    • BMW
    • Honda
    • Husqvarna
    • KTM
    • Suzuki
    • Yamaha
    • Triumph
    • CFMOTO
    • Ducati
    • Moto Guzzi
    • Royal Enfield
    • Kawasaki
    • Aprilia
    • Harley
    • Indian
    • MV Agusta
    • Benelli
    • GAS GAS
    • BETA
    • Norton
    • Victory
    • E-Bike
    • Scooters
    • LAMS
    • Rieju
  • RACING
    • ALL RACING
    • ROAD
      • MotoGP
      • WSBK
      • ASBK
      • BSB
      • Real Road / TT
      • Historic Road Racing
      • Japan / Asian Road Racing
      • Endurance Road Racing
      • American Road Racing
      • NZ Road Racing
      • Supermoto
      • FIM Junior GP & MiniGP
    • DIRT
      • Supercross
      • AMA MX
      • Australian MX
      • MXGP
      • Enduro / Rally
      • Dirt / Flat Track
      • Speedway
  • FEATURES
  • TOURING
  • GALLERY
  • LATEST COMMENTS
  • CONTACT
  • ABOUT US
  • COMMUNITY FORUM

© 2022 MCNews