Domestic Championships

[Mach24]

I’m after a bit of feedback on the primary domestic circuit racing series around the world.

In Australia the main event is the Australian Superbike Championship. Yamaha, Suzuki, Honda, Kawasaki and MV Augusta are represented with factory support.

Riders vary from 3 time champion Shawn Giles (Suzuki), Jamie Stauffer (Yamaha) current 2 time champion shooting for 3 in a row, Kevin Curtain developing the MV from the ground up, Craig Coxhell (Suzuki) one time champion and BSB/Euro Superstock competitor to young guns, Jason O’Halloran (Honda) and Glenn Allerton (Honda).

On the support card there are classes such as Supersport, Superstock 600, 125cc, Nakebike and Pro Twin with each class having two races. Over recent years the attendance to the 6 to 7 round championship has been steadily dropping, whilst I see the swelling numbers in attendance at BSB (not sure about AMA and elsewhere). There is a TV package but normally short highlight packages a couple of weeks after the event.

The Australian Superbike Championship is going through some great years of factory supported racing with the single damaging affect of one bike and rider dominating the previous two seasons.

Around the world Aussie riders run near or at the front of the field, I will refrain from going through the list but can assure you there of more than you probably think. And the reigning World Motorcycle Champion is an Australian, one would think the sport would be booming.

Sponsorship in Australia is hard to find at anytime but more so in the niche sport that is motorcycling in the country, whilst there are some associate sponsorship from outside the industry mostly it is industry insiders.

There has been talk of lack of promotion, not enough things to do at the track (i.e.: other entertainment). For crying out loud, even diehard fans are turning away and being particularly bitter on forums and the like.

What is it about your domestic championships that make them successful or failures?

[racer69]

The Australian Superbike Series was at it's peak in the early-mid 90s, when the Superbikes also had a second series they would compete during the year, the "Shell Superbike Series" which ran as a support act at the Touring Car races, making the racing very popular.

And during that time if you won the Australian Superbike Championship, you were pretty much guarenteed a top ride overseas the following year.

By the end of the 90s though the arse started to fall out of it all, the "2+4" meetings died away and Australia went to "Production Superbikes", and there was the split in which you had the Australian Superbike Championship race meetings and the "Formula Extreme" race meetings. They merged a few years back, and it is all started to build up again now. Hopefully it can get back to its former glory in some way.

[maxu05]

I think Australia needs to have one big speed week, as a showcase for motorsport in general. Look at Macau, they have an annual speed week, and poeple flock there from all over the world. Cars and bikes have their races, and it is just one week long party. I will be there next year, as it is only 3 hours from my home. I wanted to go this year, but had some work commitments. I think if one of the circuits or Cities in Australia put on a week of speed such as Macau, it would raise the profile of motorsport in general, and may even boost some of the feeder catagories, so that some of the young up and comers would be more recognised and perhaps be able to win contracts OS. I think it would also attract some new sponsors. Just a thought.

[ChrisS]

I think Australia needs to have one big speed week, as a showcase for motorsport in general. Look at Macau, they have an annual speed week, and poeple flock there from all over the world. Cars and bikes have their races, and it is just one week long party. I will be there next year, as it is only 3 hours from my home. I wanted to go this year, but had some work commitments. I think if one of the circuits or Cities in Australia put on a week of speed such as Macau, it would raise the profile of motorsport in general, and may even boost some of the feeder catagories, so that some of the young up and comers would be more recognised and perhaps be able to win contracts OS. I think it would also attract some new sponsors. Just a thought.

There is actually one event in Australia that sort of has that status. The Gold Coast Indy Grand Prix at Surfers Paradise. 4 days of activities with music concerts, airshows, Stunt displays, a V8 Supercar and a Champ Car (now Indycar) race.

According to its website over 314,000 people attended the 4 days event last year. Though the truth is most of them were there for the sun and beer, some for the V8s and only a few for the Champ Car race, even though its headlining.

[maxu05]

No bikes though.

[ChrisS]

The Australian Superbike Series was at it's peak in the early-mid 90s, when the Superbikes also had a second series they would compete during the year, the "Shell Superbike Series" which ran as a support act at the Touring Car races, making the racing very popular.

And during that time if you won the Australian Superbike Championship, you were pretty much guarenteed a top ride overseas the following year.

By the end of the 90s though the arse started to fall out of it all, the "2+4" meetings died away and Australia went to "Production Superbikes", and there was the split in which you had the Australian Superbike Championship race meetings and the "Formula Extreme" race meetings. They merged a few years back, and it is all started to build up again now. Hopefully it can get back to its former glory in some way.

From what I know things are bad this season, there is no prize money because they can't afford it :(


I’m after a bit of feedback on the primary domestic circuit racing series around the world.

What is it about your domestic championships that make them successful or failures?

BSB is a very well managed championship. The manufacturers are involved but the rules promote racing and privateer teams can be competitive. It was promoted by Dorna for the past few years and I believe their experience with MotoGP and their connections with the manufacturers benefited the championship. For a while they tried to built it up as an alternative to the Superbike World Championship but the two championships seem to be getting in alignment now with BSB going to the Pirelli control tyre. MotorSport Vision that owns some of the best circuits in the UK acquired the BSB rights from 2008, I'm not sure of their experience promoting a series though as I don't think they have done it before.

AMA on the other hand is a mismanaged championship. The manufacturers are involved, they all control their class, Suzuki Superbike, Yamaha Superstock, Kawasaki Supersport and Honda FX and the managment does not dare to try to change the rules. AMA Pro Racing was bought by Daytona Motorsports Group (DMG) last month, DMG is led by Roger Edmondson, the president of the Grand-Am and Jim France, of NASCAR, Roger Edmondson has been involved in motorcycle racing for years and knows how to run a motorcycle series and Jim France knows how to promote so hopefully they can better manage the series.

[Mach24]

Because the motorcycle industry is small in Australia a marquee event as Maxu describes is more difficult to achieve. However it currently takes place twice a year for bikes at Phillip Island, WSBK and MotoGP.

Oz Supers are the show piece support event, but as with the WSBK round this year, the Oz Supers got bumped on Sunday due to the carnage prior to race 1. Crazy really, when there was 2 x 1 hour blocks of nothing on track prior to WSBK races.

I think Australia come across some pretty unique issues with drawing the corporate dollar. The industry is predominately driven by import manufacturers who tend to have small import companies bring their product into this country thus not having the mighty corporate dollar to invest.

[racer69]

I think Australia needs to have one big speed week, as a showcase for motorsport in general. Look at Macau, they have an annual speed week, and poeple flock there from all over the world. Cars and bikes have their races, and it is just one week long party. I will be there next year, as it is only 3 hours from my home. I wanted to go this year, but had some work commitments. I think if one of the circuits or Cities in Australia put on a week of speed such as Macau, it would raise the profile of motorsport in general, and may even boost some of the feeder catagories, so that some of the young up and comers would be more recognised and perhaps be able to win contracts OS. I think it would also attract some new sponsors. Just a thought.


They need to get the bikes back to Bathurst (They owned the Easter Weekend there from 1974-1988, then again in 2000), perhaps as a support event for the Bathurst 1000.

There is seemingly no insurance problems from running "2+4" meetings in Australia (which led to them being dropped after 1999, when CAMS were removing all their people from race control during any bike race taking place), as the 600 Supersports supported the A1GP at Eastern Creek.

[maxu05]

Big things are going to happen in the sport very soon, I am sure of that. I think the local scene will get a big shake up in the future. Prediction, well maybe, but it's coming ;)

[Mach24]

I'm not so sure Bathurst is the answer to our prayers.

Bathurst has one special week a year and that is in October for V8 Supercars, anything else is second rate.

That place really isn't safe for genuine circuit racing bikes/riders. It's a short and concreted IoM, ideal for road race specialist.

IMO.

[racer69]

True, but 'back in the day' it didn't scare off the road racing specialists. The likes of Troy Bayliss, Kevin Curtain, Mick Doohan & Kevin Magee have all taken race wins at the mountain.


I agree there is only one special week at Bathurst, hence why a support race at the 1000 would be a great spectacle. Afterall, it was the Superbikes supporting the Touring Cars that led to it popularity in the mid-90s.

[maxu05]

I remember going to Oran Park to watch the touring cars during the early 90's, and the bikes were racing there. It was awesome, and that is the reason I started following the bike racing. Before this, I watched a few races on TV, but wasn't hooked until I saw them live, in the flesh. That is why Australia needs a speed week, to get people to witness the racing up close, then they will be hooked.

[NinjaMaster]

I logged out of my email today whish took me to a mainstream news webpage to find a like to this story on it.
http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=290893
I nearly fell off my seat when I saw a news report on a Aus Superbike Championship round - it's nearly unheard of, especially in the current climate and state the series finds itself in. I'll comment more on that when I feel less stuffed. :)