Image: Russell Colvin.

It was Cru Halliday who topped the opening practice session on Thursday at Phillip Island’s first round of the 2020 Mi-Bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK).

The Yamaha Racing Team rider set a 1m32.500s in the closing stages of the session, edging out Boost Mobile Racing’s Wayne Maxwell, who set a 1m32.610s aboard his Ducati Panigale V4 R.

Josh Waters, who’s making his debut under his own JW Racing team, was third fastest, recording a best-lap of 1m32.973s. The top five was rounded out by Aiden Wagner (Yamaha Racing Team) and Glenn Allerton (Maxima BMW), the pair setting 1m33.563s and 1m33.806s times respectively.

Yamaha-mounted privateer Daniel Falzon was sixth, followed by Matt Walters (Kawasaki Connection), Troy Herfoss (Penrite Honda Racing), reigning champion Mike Jones (DesmoSport Ducati) and Bryan Staring (Kawasaki BCperformance).

In the Supersport category, reigning champion Tom Toparis was fastest on Kawasaki machinery, lodging a 1m36.609s to top Cube Racing’s Oli Bayliss, who’s performing double duties this weekend by contesting WorldSSP. His best-lap was 1m36.967s.

Jack Passfield (Yamaha) was third with a lap of 1m37.775s, while the top five was concluded by Jack Hyde (Yamaha) and Nic Liminton (Yamaha). Harry Khouri (Yamaha) went fastest in Supersport 300 ahead of Luke Power (Kawasaki) and Luke Jhonston (Kawasaki).

The Oceania Junior Cup saw Angus Grenfell (Yamaha) emerge fastest in the combined times over Cameron Dunker (Yamaha) amd Marianos Nikolis.

Detailed results