MotoGP superstar Miller welcomed at The Bend for ASBK homecoming

The Australian Superbike Championship arrives in South Australia and The Bend Motorsport Park this weekend for the seventh and final round of 2022. This weekend's round follows an exciting and at times bruising penultimate round last weekend at Phillip Island.

Jack Miller returns home for the final round of the Australian Superbike Championship this weekend at The Bend Motorsport Park. Credit Karl Phillipson/ASBK Credit: Karl Phillipson/Karl Phillipson/ASBK

The title is still very much up for grabs between defending and three-time champion, Wayne Maxwell and former champions Bryan Staring and Mike Jones.

The other major focus this weekend will be the influx of expatriate Australian riders returning home to take on the establishment for the final hurrah of the domestic season, headlined by MotoGP superstar, Jack Miller.

The 27-year old Townsville born rider made waves this time last year, when he returned home for a one-off appearance aboard a Ducati Panigale, prepared by Desmosport Ducati, and was taking it to the front runners from the get go. So popular was his outing, he gave strong hints post meeting that he would consider coming back for another tilt.

Miller returned home for a one-off tilt in the final round of the 2021 Championship.

True to his word, he has come back home to not only take on the ASBK field and provide an unnecessary distraction to the championship protagonists, but to say thanks to the fans after a tough year in MotoGP. This weekend will also mark his final appearance aboard Ducati machinery, before he joins KTM as a factory rider for their 2023 MotoGP campaign.

Miller isn’t the only expat Aussie returning home. He headlines a three bike foray with his newly formed Thriller Motorsport outfit, which includes recently crowned FIM Endurance World Champion, Josh Hook and German Moto2 rider Marcel Shroetter.

Shroetter is making his Superbike debut this weekend before switching to the World Superbike Championship. Completing the overseas-based Australian lineup is Darwin’s Joel Kelso, who has been making waves in Moto3 this season and is set for another year in the highly competitive class.

One week ago at Phillip Island, the title fight in the main class was tipped on its head as Maxwell crashed twice across the three races, which severely dented his chances in securing a fourth Australian title. He did manage to salvage a race win in race two, contributing to a Ducati whitewash that included wins by Staring and Josh Waters.

The dramas have helped solidify the chances of a third championship title for Jones, who has a 38-point lead over Staring and will only need to finish the opening race to clinch his second title in three years and the first for Yamaha since Jamie Stauffer in 2007.

Yamaha's Mike Jones is on the box seat to win his third Australian Superbike Championship this weekend.

The Superbike title is not the only championship up for grabs, with champions to be crowned in Supersport, Supersport 300 and the Oceania Junior Cup.

You can catch all the action from the final round of Australian Superbike Championship on SBS VICELAND and SBS On Demand from 1pm AEDT this Sunday. And don’t forget to catch up on all previous rounds from this year, all on SBS On Demand.