Herfoss wins American Supermoto championship

America only has seven official motorcycle racing "championships" -- and Aussies have won two of them in 2008 after Troy Herfoss claimed the Supermoto honours in California on November 15.

Herfoss overcame a last-row starting position in the final round - courtesy of a mechanical failure in his heat - to assiduously work his way back to third, which was more than enough to finish the year No. 1 ahead of HMC KTM teammate Chris Fillmore.

"There was no point during the weekend that I was really struggling, but after the trouble I had this morning I knew I had to ride as hard as I could, and that's great for me," said Herfoss, originally from Goulburn in NSW.  "I do my best when I know I have to ride hard, and this is just great."

After winning three of the five rounds, Herfoss completed the campaign on 137pts, from Fillmore (125) and Californian winner Cassidy Anderson (Honda, 112).

Herfoss's ascension to American champion has been a steady one, after he finished sixth in 2006 and third last year. Previous to that he was the Australian Supermoto champion in 2006 (that was a busy year) and a dual national dirt track champion in 2004.

Chad Reed was the first Aussie to taste American success in 2008 when he wrapped up the supercross championship - which also moonlights as the world title - in May.

With his dirt track background and now supermoto success, Herfoss has the ultimate pedigree for road racing, a discipline which he is considering switching to in 2009.

Postscript: Herfoss now looks set to ride for the factory Suzuki team in the 2009 Australian Supersport Championship, replacing the Superbike-bound Josh Waters. Herfoss recently tested the Suuzki in secret, and immediately impressed.