New Aussie road racing classes for 2009

November 26, 2008

Motorcycling Australia (MA) has announced three new official classes to contest the 2009 Australian Superbike Championship. They are:

-- Superstock 600 for C and D-grade;
-- Superstock 1000 for B, C and D-grade; and
-- GP 250cc Mono.

The Superstock 600 class first began in 2002, but has only enjoyed national title, not championship status, until this juncture. Meanwhile, Superstock 1000 and GP 250cc Mono will be fresh additions to the scene.

For full details on all the classes, please click here.

The new classes have created animated discussion, with many people lamenting the fact that C and D-graders can now become bona-fide Australian champions, which is incongrous to what a premier class of racing should be all about.

Understandably, MA has put a positive spin on it, with the chair of its Road Race Commission, Phil Tainton, who also manages the official Suzuki race team, praising the new structure as a great way of allowing people to compete at a national level in affordable classes.
 
"The addition of these new classes will give riders even more incentive from entry level right through to the two premier classes to become involved in the Australian Superbike Championship," Tainton said. "The GP 250cc Mono class will be a great entry-level class that will limit the amount of modifications that riders can make to their bikes, making it more economical for those starting out in an Australian championship."

The 2009 Australian Superbike Championship will be promoted by the Frontline Media Group. For more information, click here.