Max Stauffer steps to Superbike in 2022

After taking out third place in the ASBK Supersport Championship Max Stauffer and his GTR MotoStars Team will step up into the Superbike class in 2022.

Stauffer cut his teeth in the minor classes over recent years with plenty of success and was in the Supersport Championship title fight at the final round of the ASBK Championship at The Bend Motorsports Park, South Australia, over the weekend.

Stauffer’s move into the Superbike class will add some much-needed new young talent to the 2022 Superbike Championship, which sees Desmosport Ducati’s Oli Bayliss move on after one season in the class to the new look World Supersport Championship with Barni Ducati.

Stauffer – the son of former Supersport and Superbike Champion and legend of the sport Jamie Stauffer, has successfully mastered his GTR MotoStars Yamaha R6 under the guidance of his father, former FX Pro Twins Champion and ASBK stalwart Heath Griffin and MotoStars founder and former MotoGP racer Damian Cudlin over the last two COVID interrupted years.

Max is stoked at the opportunity to step up into the Superbike class.

“Yes I will be with the GTR MotoStars team next year on a Superbike,” Stauffer said.

“To have Dad and Heath, they are so clever with what they do I am happy to stick with those guys and for them to help me get up to speed with the Superbike.”

Griffin, who has been instrumental in the GTR MotoStars Team’s success is very excited about Stauffer’s move into the Superbike category in 2022.

GTR Motostars team as well as their satellite teams have already proven their success in developing not only Max, but riders in the Oceania Junior Cup, Supersport 300 and Yamaha R3 Cup classes, including Carter Thompson, Archie McDonald, Angus Grenfell, Cameron Dunker and Tom Drane.

“My whole purpose in setting up the GTR Motostars team was to give young kids help to maximise their potential in ASBK and to end up overseas and we are seeing that with Carter, Angus, Archie and Tom, and hopefully with Max,” he said.

While admitting complications with getting approval for electronics and getting the bike sorted for Stauffer to be able to test in the coming weeks may be difficult, he is hopeful that the team will be able to have a hit-out before Christmas on the Superbike.

“I’m very confident in Max’s ability to ride it and I’m very confident in our team’s ability to put together a competitive bike.

“I think it will take us a few rounds to get going as we haven’t had any testing time, and Max has still never ridden a Superbike.

I’m expecting we will be competitive at some point next year, even if it takes a few rounds.

“Jamie has a million years of experience in bike set-up, but we work together as a team and come to a consensus to get the right outcome.”

Griffin said the competition would be tough with the high bar set this year by Wayne Maxwell, as well as the competitive Yamaha Factory Team, Penrite Honda, BMW and other independent teams.

“The team works perfectly together and for us we just want to make sure Max is competitive.

“We will fully focus on Max in 2022 in the Superbikes, he has done such a good job this year and Jamie obviously has a great reputation in building bikes.”

As the GTR MotoStars prepares for 2022, they, like many in the paddock will be looking for sponsors who want to capitalise and support one of Australia’s brightest future talents.

“We are always looking for sponsors, and we do have some great support through Link International and my company (RS+C Precision CNC), Jamie’s company Dr Mac Engines, Racers Edge Fairings, and K-Tech, but sponsors are always to find in this sport.

“We hope in the next year or two to get Max into a World Supersport wild card as well, so that requires a fair bit of money to fund that.”

Griffin is adamant that his team will only use quality race proven technology to ensure Max has the best opportunity entering the class next year.

“We don’t take shortcuts, and we don’t take freebies that don’t make the bike faster, and we won’t be on a bike that is not competitive. 

“We will put everything on the bike that we possible can to make sure it can be is competitive.

“I remember Ben Henry (Desmosport Ducati) telling me a few years ago, about putting some component on a bike and he said to me if it ain’t fast it ain’t on the bike, and that as stuck with me.

“We are lucky because we have support from Link International, that is competitive top-quality stuff, and they have been great to us and a good supporter, so it’s nice to have backing with good quality products.

“Yamaha are by far the best brand in the sport for supporting privateers, and we are getting support through the YRD program, and we do get support through K-Tech and Jamie has a lot of experience with it and we understand it as a team and it works.

“Pirelli are easily the best tyre out there and that was an easy decision there and as we want consistency, Max is familiar with them, and we are too.

“We only use products that are going to help us win.”

The GTR MotoStars Team is supported by Yamaha Australia, YRD, RS+C Precision CNC, Doctor Mak Engines, Bikebiz, Motul Oils, RK Chains, Pirelli Tyres, Racers Edge and Ricondi Leathers

Source: MCNews.com.au