If Australian Max Stauffer didn’t know what the deep end looked like, he does now.
Stauffer is at Circuit of The Americas this weekend making his MotoAmerica debut in the Superbike class, riding a Yamaha YZF-R1 for the Superbike Unlimited team.
He’s most definitely been thrown in the deep end. Dunlops instead of Pirellis, a track he’s never been to, a Superbike-spec Yamaha when he’s been racing a Superstock-spec R1 n Australia. It all added up to a tough opening day on Friday.
Stauffer ended day one 12th-fastest and some six seconds off the pace of provisional pole man Josh Herrin. But he’s confident that things will get better today as the team ran into some technical difficulties with the bike on Friday.
“It’s not been a great start,” Stauffer said. “Unfortunately, we’ve had a few bike issues and what not, which is preventing us from getting the amount of laps we would have liked. This is a track where I think laps are probably key for a rider that’s come here for the first time.”
The 21-year-old from Mulbring, New South Wales, will get more valuable on-track time on the bike this morning and in the first of the two races later today. He’s also been able to tap into the knowledge of fellow Aussie and Mission King Of The Baggers defending champion Troy Herfoss.
“It’s a little bit difficult to try and get straight to the lap time when you’ve never been here, but thankfully the team is working really hard to get everything rectified for today and I think we can come out swinging and start progressing,” Stauffer said. “Once everything is sorted and I can get some good consistent laps, it will be a lot better. I’ve also had a night to sleep on a few things after yesterday. I was able to do some laps yesterday and familiarize myself a little bit with the track, the bike and the tires – everything that’s all different. I think we can make a big step forward today.”
Stauffer isn’t the only Stauffer to compete in AMA racing as his father Jamie, an Australian Superbike legend, raced in the U.S. in the early 2000s.
As for racing a full-blown Superbike for the first time, Stauffer said, “I was expecting it to be different and I wouldn’t say I’m shocked at how different it is, but I’m surprised at how actually different it is. It’s definitely a different feel, but it’s something I need to adjust to and keep moving forward.”
