2020 ASBK Calendar
The 2020 mi-bike Australian Superbike Championship did get underway in late February at Phillip Island just before the COVID-19 lock-down put a stop to motorcycle racing all around the world.
Boost Mobile Ducati’s Wayne Maxwell dominated that opening round of the series from Yamaha Racing Team’s Cru Halliday.
ASBK
The series was then expected to head north to Wakefield Park a few weeks later for round two but ultimately Motorcycling Australia had to postpone that round and the 2020 ASBK calendar has been a constantly shifting work in progress ever since due to various cross-border restrictions put in place by parochial premiers cheered on by sectarian wing nuts.
Motorcycling Australia today though have bit the bullet and released a new look 2020 calendar that will see ASBK competitors reconvene at Phillip Island on the weekend of July 25-26 for a quick-fire two-day race weekend to get the COVID-19 interrupted season underway once again. Woohoo. Might be cold but I don’t care as it is Phillip Island, the most awesome motorcycle circuit in the known universe, and I will be dry and warm in the press room… The thinking behind the two-day schedule is to help cut costs and at this stage spectators will not be permitted to attend the Phillip Island event due to social distancing requirements.
Round three will also be in Victoria and will be staged over the weekend of September 13 at Winton. One of the not quite so awesome tracks in the known universe. And, brrrrr… Hopefully we are on top of the plague by then and spectators will be permitted.
The first round to be staged outside Victoria will be at Wakefield Park in NSW on the weekend of October 18. Hopefully I don’t get another fine under New South Wales’s poxy lock-out laws, it was Bomber’s fault by the way…
Round Five is still listed as ‘To Be Confirmed’. Presumably that round might depend on whether Queensland has successfully sawed their state from the mainland and declared themselves the Redneck Republic of Pauline, Clive and Katter or something along those lines…
“ASBK Management continues to review options as COVID-19 restrictions and social distancing requirements make some venues difficult to achieve under some state government regulations. ASBK will continue to monitor developments and further details will be announced to confirm Round 5.”
Then we go completely around The Bend when ASBK heads down to the windswept desert, but with accommodation pricing reminiscent of Monaco, that is The Bend. The South Australian venue will host the ASBK finale on the weekend of November 22. The ASBK Night of Champions dinner is to be held that same night.
After being part of the original calendar Western Australians will be disappointed to miss out this time around but hopefully Wanneroo will be back on the schedule for 2021. Western Australia will probably still not be letting eastern staters in by then anyway…
2020 mi-bike ASBK Calendar
- Round One – Phillip Island, VIC – March 1
- Round Two – Phillip Island, VIC – July 25-26 (Two Days)
- Round Three – Winton, VIC – September 11-13
- Round Four – Wakefield Park, NSW – October 16-18
- Round Five – TBC
- Round Six – The Bend, SA – November 20-22
Motorcycling Australia Statement
The mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul (ASBK) and Motorcycling Australia (MA) are very pleased to announce the restart of the 2020 ASBK Championship.
After a cracking season opener held at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit back in February, ASBK can now confirm the restart of the championship, which will run over a further five rounds, resuming in July.
Round 2 of ASBK will be held at the world-famous Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit on the 25 – 26 July. The event is now scheduled as a two-day event in an effort to help reduce the costs and the amount of time teams and riders will be on the road.
Simon Maas – ASBK Sporting Director
“We are thrilled to be finally heading back to the track and can’t wait to get going. We chose to restart at Phillip Island because the riders of ASBK know the track well, as it was the last circuit we visited, so they can get up to pace quickly with the reduced schedule. In addition, Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit is a world class track – home to MotoGP and WorldSBK, and it makes the implementation of the new COVID-safe protocols more manageable. Like all major sporting codes, ASBK and MA has developed a comprehensive ASBK COVID-Safe Championship Plan based on our Roadmap back to ASBK. We extend our thanks and acknowledgement to the Victorian Government – Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions who are supporting Creative, Tourism, Sport and Major Events in Victoria and have assisted in our ASBK COVID-Safe Championship Plan which has made our return to the track possible.”
Due to the current COVID-19 regulations ASBK fans will not be able to attend in July but can still catch all the action via ASBK TV and Live Streaming. The COVID-19 restriction will also require a limitation of the number of personnel at the circuit, so teams and riders will be limited in size. More information on these new requirements will be announced to ASBK teams and riders next week.
ASBK then heads to Northeast Victoria where the iconic Winton Motor Raceway will host Round 3 on 11 – 13 September. ASBK hopes to be able to welcome ASBK fans back to the track to catch all the action, whilst this will be subject to continual easing of COVID-19 restrictions.
Next on the ASBK schedule, the championship visits the nation’s spectator track – Wakefield Park Raceway on 16 – 18 October, where close battles and tight racing are always assured. Again, ASBK remains hopeful that ASBK fans will be trackside to witness all the thrills and spills.
Round 5 details at this stage remain To Be Confirmed, as ASBK Management continues to review options as COVID-19 restrictions and social distancing requirements make some venues difficult to achieve under some state government regulations. ASBK will continue to monitor developments and further details will be announced to confirm Round 5.
The 2020 mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship, presented by Motul will come to a spectacular conclusion at the Grand Final round to be located at The Bend Motorsport Park in South Australia, at the 2020 International Motofest.
ASBK is also pleased to announce that all ASBK national championship classes will race at The Bend in 2020, and will also include the bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup and YMF R3 Cup support classes.
MA CEO Peter Doyle
“It’s been huge challenge for the ASBK Management Team to rebuild the calendar with different restrictions in each state, and the large amount of new requirements to stage a major event like an ASBK round. However we have done our very best to get back up and running to finish the season with as many rounds as possible. We are very pleased to get the championship back into action in July and to see the riders back on track.”
ASBK TV on SBS HD will provide Free To Air broadcast and race coverage in HD. Whilst Pay TV viewers in Australia and Asia do not miss any of the action by tuning in to ASBK TV on Fox Sports Australia and Fox Sports Asia for each Sunday race day.
2020 mi-bike Australian Superbike Championship Points
- Wayne Maxwell 76
- Cru Halliday 60
- Josh Waters 51
- Bryan Staring 49
- Troy Herfoss 48
- Daniel Falzon 41
- Arthur Sissis 37
- Mike Jones 35
- Jed Metcher 33
- Glenn Allerton 31
- Linden Magee 25
- Matt Walters 24
- Max Croker 23
- Aiden Wagner 22
- Sloan Frost 21
- Beau Beaton 17
- Glenn Scott 16
- Brendan McIntyre 14
- Josh Hayes 11
- Matthew Tooley 5
Source: MCNews.com.au