This weekend at the second round of the Yamaha Motor Finance Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) presented by Motul Pirelli will mark thirteen years since Western Australian rider Bryan Staring has raced at Goulburn’s Wakefield Park circuit.
While the Crankt Protein Team Honda Racing pilot’s knowledge of the 2.2km circuit may not be up to the same level as some of his rivals, who of course have done many more laps around Wakefield Park in the past years than he has, Staring has a fantastic outlook heading into this weekend. That is – trying not to over complicate anything.
“I just want to go there and score good points in each race,” Staring told AMCN.
“There is not too much to be concerned about. I just want to fight for as many points as I can each time out.
It’s really nothing more than another strip of bitumen and another race,” said the 2010 Australian Superbike champion.
Staring and teammate, Troy Herfoss, were also quite strong at the test last week, which Staring regards as a “positive” feeling.
The opening round of the ASBK series at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit was the first time Staring had raced in the Aussie domestic series. After finishing third in the opening race at the ‘Island’, Staring said in a post-race interview via the ASBK telecast that he felt “nervous” at the start of the race.
So what were the nerves like towards the end of the weekend on that last weekend of February?
“It was just another normal race day by the end of the weekend,” explained the 29-year-old.
“It’s pretty much the same feeling as when I was racing in WSBK and MotoGP. The first race you are so nervous and full of anticipation. Then Come round two, you are trying to scrape together the energy to have any of those feelings.
Once you know what to expect it takes away a lot of the question marks from the racing, as there is just less to be nervous about.”
Those pre-race nerves are not only for the riders, but for the mechanics as well.
Staring, who has started eighteen races in both MotoGP and WSBK knows those feelings all too well and explained that everyone is more relaxed for the second race once the first race is out of the way.
“At the first round everyone wants to see where they stand which creates that intense atmosphere environment. Once the first race is over for the year, everyone seems to be more relaxed.”
Staring is one of five Australian Superbike champions in this year’s category (Wayne Maxwell, Glenn Allerton, Troy Herfoss and Josh Waters). He has returned to the series which is full of amazing talented riders who could win on any given day, and in regards to picking a championship winner, well, you will have to be pretty dam confident to pick one just yet.
Staring, who sits in seventh place in the championship fight with 36-points to his name, one point behind ATR Yamaha rider Mitch Levy and one point ahead of Yamaha Racing Team’s Glenn Allerton, has really embraced the level of competition this year.
“The more stronger riders on the grid, the better,” beamed Staring.
“It will just feel better to actually win, as it will have more credit because of the level of competition. I’m used to racing in championships which has high amount of riders who are able to win. I’m really happy to see the ASBK series doing so well here now, as it will be so good for both riders, teams, sponsors and the fans. The stronger and harder the races, the better,” concluded Staring.
Words & Images: Russell Colvin