Coming off the news that Troy Herfoss (Penrite Honda Racing) will contest Phillip Island’s opening round of the FIM Motul Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) as wildcard, it’s now been confirmed Tom Toparis has been granted a wildcard opportunity in the WorldSSP division.

Toparis made a wildcard entry at Phillip Island’s WorldSBK last year, charging to 15th while on debut in the world championship with Cube Racing, however this year the youthful talent will pilot a Landbridge Transport-backed Yamaha YZF-R6.

“I’ve done WorldSSP before, so I know what to expect now and I think it’s not so much of a shock anymore,” said Toparis. “I’ve been given a great opportunity to try and do well at my home round – the first round of WorldSBK – I’m so keen to get out with those guys again.

“Last year it was my favourite weekend of the year because I won all the Australian Supersport races and I scored a point in WorldSSP, so let’s hope I can do a little bit better this year and score a couple of points to reward the team for all the effort they’ve been putting in.”

Scheduled to take place on 22-24 February, the Yamaha Motor Finance-backed round will also feature the opening round of the Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK).

Reigning Australian Superbike champion Troy Herfoss has been granted a wildcard to contest the opening round of the 2019 FIM Motul Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) at Phillip Island on 22-24 February, which is also set to feature round one of the Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK).

Herfoss scored a wildcard for the Yamaha Motor Finance-backed event in 2018, however with Penrite Honda Racing then in its infant stages and a WorldSBK-spec CBR1000RR SP2 prepared at the last minute, the Gold Coast-based rider was prevented from showcasing his full potential on the world stage.

With the added experience and an ASBK championship-winning season behind himself and the team, Herfoss has lifted expectations for his campaign this year with an improved performance in sight.

“We’ve been lucky enough to be accepted for the wildcard spot for the second running, so the team’s been working really hard over the christmas break to put together a bike in hope that we’d get the chance,” Herfoss explained to CycleOnline.com.au.

“I expect a lot more out of myself this year – I wasn’t happy with how I went last year, but that wasn’t anyone’s fault really. We were a new team and we tried to build a bike in a short amount of time.

“This year I know how things work in WorldSBK based off last year, so I expect more out of myself, but also, Deon and the team expect a lot more out of me this year because they’ve put in a hell of a lot of effort in over the off-season. The bike is going to be a lot more competitive, so there’s an expectation to be a lot better.”

Despite the WorldSBK transferring to a three-race format in 2019, Herfoss believes the additional track time will only benefit his cause in the ASBK, where he’ll also challenge in three 12-lap encounters across the weekend.

“It’s clean advantage,” he added. “The extra bike time can only help. It’s early in the season – we don’t get to do a lot of pre-season testing in Australia, so extra time on the bike is going to help. Obviously the bikes are a lot different, but I believe it will be an advantage for me.”

Herfoss was joined by Wayne Maxwell and Daniel Falzon as wildcards in the WorldSBK opener last year, however no additional opportunities have surfaced for the 2019 edition.

Performance development will be the key focus for reigning champion Jonathan Rea at this week’s FIM Motul Superbike World Championsip (WorldSBK) test in Jerez, Spain.

The Kawasaki Racing Team ace is looking to pick up where he left off during post-season testing in 2018, where he was able to sample a number of components on his ZX-10RR.

Two days in Spain will allow the number one to compile the parts tested late last year, as he builds the base for his attempt at an incredible fifth-consecutive WorldSBK crown.

“I am excited to see my team and all the guys,” said Rea. “I had a training camp last week in Barcelona and I saw quite a few of them but this will be the first time we will get together as a group. Hopefully we can pick up where we left off at the last test.

“It has been a long, long winter but I arrive feeling refreshed and recharged after a lot of time at home. We expect some new material in preparation to build our base package at the start of the year.

“The tests at the end of last year were all about trying out different items and now we can put them all together and begin performance testing. I am excited because we were fast in Jerez in November, so I hope we can have some good weather this time.”

The Jerez test marks the first of three pre-season outings, as the WorldSBK contingent heads to Portimao on the 27-28 January, before one final test at Phillip Island on 18-19 February, one week prior to the season-opener.

Jason Anderson’s Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship defence has come to an end just three rounds into the 2019 series after suffering multiple injuries while training this week.

The number one plate holder is scheduled to undergo surgery today to repair two breaks in his left arm, while he also sustained a fractured rib in the fall.

“I am really bummed to have to say that I am out for an injury.” Anderson stated. “I was struggling to find my groove but had high hopes of pushing forward to the podium in all of the upcoming rounds. I will be back stronger. Thank you for the support.”

The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider is anticipating an eight-week recovery, however his return to racing will be determined as his injuries heal. It’s unclear if the factory Husqvarna outfit will draft in a fill-in rider, as both premier class contenders now sit on the sidelines after Zach Osborne suffered a collarbone injury at the beginning of the year.

Anderson’s title defence drew a mixed start, finishing a dismal 14th at the season-opener before featuring on the podium at Glendale, while his campaign at A2’s Triple Crown on Saturday saw him wind up ninth overall. He currently sits seventh in the championship standings.