2026

Halliday comes out swinging as ASBK finale kicks off at QR

By MA Media 0

Cru Halliday has made a huge statement in Friday practice at the fifth and final round of the 2026 Penrite Australian Superbike Championship presented by Pirelli (ASBK) at Queensand Raceway.

Aboard the Stop and Seal Ducati, Halliday came out to play, topping the final two SW-Motech Superbike sessions as he eclipsed the current lap record around the 3.12km circuit.

After such a positive start to the grand finale, Halliday’s resolve to hunt down Cameron Dunker (Blue Marlin Pools Racing Yamaha) for third in the championship – they are separated by just 11pts – is now even more pronounced.

Meanwhile, Glenn Allerton (Superbike Advocates Racing Ducati) was another to slip into fast mode, completing Friday in second, while championship aspirants Josh Waters and Harrison Voight (both McMartin Racing Ducati) were sixth and seventh – but there was very little to separate the top 10 on the timesheets.

All the other ASBK classes – Kawasaki Supersport/Supersport Next Gen, Race and Road Supersport 300, BLU CRU R3 Cup, Superbike Masters and BLU CRU Oceania Junior Cup – were also out in force today in the build-up to an exciting weekend.

SW-Motech Superbike
All 16 SW-Motech Superbike riders upped the tempo in the final session – just before a late afternoon shower swept over the circuit – with Allerton finishing a whisker behind Halliday.

Mike Jones (Yamaha Racing Team), who holds the record for the best lap around Queensland Raceway, was third overall in Friday practice from JJ Nahlous (Yamaha Racing Team), Jack Favelle (Addicted to Track Yamaha), Waters, Voight, Dunker, the returning Anthony West (DesmoSport Ducati) and John Lytras (Caboolture Yamaha).

The gap between Halliday and Lytras was just under one second, so the pecking order could certainly change in the blink of an eye on Saturday – which will commence with the final practice session before the intensity is wound up again for qualifying.

Voight leads the championship on 198pts from Waters (174pts), Dunker (146pts), Halliday (135pts) and Allerton (130pts).

Glenn Allerton cranks up the Superbike Advocates Racing Ducati

Kawasaki Supersport and Supersport Next Gen
Could Olly Simpson (DesmoSport Ducati) be the fly in the ointment between BCperformance Kawasaki teammates Tom Edwards and Hayden Nelson at Queensland Raceway this weekend?

Edwards is just 4pts in front of Nelson in the Kawasaki Supersport Next Gen class with two races remaining, but it’s Simpson who was the fastest in Friday practice as he looks to finish the season on a high after a luckless campaign.

Simpson was the pacesetter from Nelson, Tom Toparis (Stop and Seal Yamaha) and Edwards, while in Kawasaki Supersport Jake Farnsworth (Yamaha) set the benchmark from Thai visitor Anupab Sarmoon (MotoGo Yamaha) and championship leader Valentino Knezovic (Addicted to Track Yamaha).

: Olly Simpson

: Jake Farnsworth

Race and Road Supersport 300/BLU CRU R3 Cup
Riley Nauta (Champions Ride Days Kawasaki) has been the star turn in the Race and Road Supersport 300 class over the last two rounds, and nothing changed today as he put the hammer down in practice.

Nauta may have continued his blistering form, but the pressure’s still on. Second overall was Tyler King (Kawasaki), who is only 4pts behind Nauta in the standings, followed by Tara Morrison (Kawasaki), Krittapat Keankum (TeamBWR Yamaha), Phoenix O’Brien (Blue Marlin Pools Racing Yamaha) and Orlando Peovitis (Champions Ride Days Kawasaki).

Peovitis and Morrison still remain in the championship hunt as well.

In the BLU CRU Yamaha R3 Cup, Matthew Ritter topped Friday practice from Jordy Simpson and Jed Louis.

Both classes have qualifying and their opening races on Saturday.

Riley Nauta’s started the final round in ominous form

Superbike Masters
The Period 6 machines of Jack Passfield (Yamaha FZR10140) and Murray Clark (Suzuki GSX-R1127) went 1-2 in practice, ahead of Ashley Woolford (Suzuki GSX-R750), Brad Phelan (Yamaha YZF-R6) and Matthew Robins (GSX-R750).

Passfield made an early statement of intent in Superbike Masters

BLU CRU Oceania Junior Cup
Thomas Cameron is determined to wrap up the 2026 BLU CRU Oceania Junior Cup at the earliest possible juncture. Already 37pts ahead, he again showed the pack a clean pair of heels in practice, followed by Callum Campbell, Jordan Lazar, Ryder McKenna and Leo Darling.

Campbell is the only rider who can deny Cameron championship success, and the picture will become a lot clearer after the first race for the junior brigade on Saturday afternoon.