Defending Bennetts British Superbike champions Paul Bird Motorsport (PBM) got their season off Josh Brookes & Christian Iddon to a high-flying start when they launched their 2020 livery from the plush and world-famous surroundings of The View from The Shard in London earlier this week.
VisionTrack Ducati Launched In London with Brookes and Iddon
In keeping with their reputation as Britain’s most successful BSB team, who have now won a total of seven BSB titles and over 100 races, they chose Britain’s tallest building to unveil the factory-supported VisionTrack Ducatis to be ridden by Josh Brookes and Christian Iddon this season.
VisionTrack Ducati Panigale V4 R of Josh Brookes
In front of a select number of celebrity and VIP guests and with the bright lights of London in the background, as well as the open-air Skydeck some 244m (800ft) above the capital’s streets, team owner Paul Bird welcomed sponsors both new and old to the exclusive event, the first of its kind to be held in the 95-storey skyscraper, designed by the Italian architect Renzo Piano.
Josh Brookes
An ultra-successful season in 2019 saw the Penrith, Cumbria-based team win their seventh BSB title with rookie Scott Redding being crowned champion just five points ahead of Brookes, who between them won 21 of the 27 races to end up 1-2 in the standings.
Brookes subsequently became the third most successful rider in BSB history with a total of 49 wins, just one behind Ryuichi Kiyonari, with the Australian from Bringelly in New South Wales having accumulated 251 starts and an additional 83 podiums since his debut in 2009.
Josh Brookes is the third most successful rider in BSB history
As well as his domination en route to the 2015 BSB title, Josh has now been runner-up four times in his BSB tenure as well as winning the 2005 Australian Superbike Championship. He also has two World Supersport Championship victories to his name.
Iddon from Stockport, but now based in Newcastle Upon Tyne secured the 2019 BSB Rider’s Cup with a great performance late in the season having suffered a broken leg earlier in the year and although he didn’t miss any races, it hindered his chances of the title. Still to win a race in BSB, he has secured 12 podiums from his 135 starts since his debut in 2010.
Christian Iddon
Prior to embarking on a successful road racing career, ‘Iddo’ was a multiple British Supermoto champion who has experience in World Superbikes and World Supersport, including a third place at Magny Cours in 2013. His best result in BSB is seventh in both the 2017 and 2019 seasons.
Both riders will have at their disposal a pair of brand-new factory-backed VisionTrack Ducati V4 Rs in the 12 round series which kicks off at Silverstone on April 10/12th.
Ahead of the 2020 season-opening Yamaha Finance round of the Motul FIM Superbike World Championship at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit next weekend (February 28-March 1), the paddock has united to stage a charity auction to help out the victims of the recent Australian bushfires.
Five-time world champion Jonathan Rea has donated gloves and boots for the auction, with all funds raised going to BlazeAid, a volunteer-based organisation which works alongside rural families and individuals impacted by fires and floods.
Jonathan Rea in Melbourne today
Rea spoke about the bushfires at a media conference in Melbourne today, after the disaster struck a very personal note for the Kawasaki factory rider.
The family of Rea and his Australian wife, Tatia, owns a house just out of Bright in the heart of north-east Victoria, and for three weeks they watched from afar as the fires threatened their home, evacuations took place, and they saw farms and communities surrounding Bright ravaged.
Rea and his Australian wife, Tatia
“During the height of the fire, it got to within 5km of the house and Tatia’s parents were told to leave,” said Rea. “We were at home and keeping a constant eye on the emergency apps, and in the end we were very fortunate.
“It’s great the WorldSBK paddock is doing something, as it’d be easy to come here and then move on. Everyone has been sensational with their support.”
Rea is now the most successful WorldSBK rider of all time, topping all the key metrics: titles won (five), number of race wins (88), podiums (168) and fastest laps (67).
His dominance over the last five years has been profound, and the hard-nosed 33-year-old will now strive for six titles in a row against a manufacturer, machinery and rider base (both factory and privateer) that’s the strongest it has been during his reign at the top.
Jonathan Rea
Competition for Rea will come from all quarters, including Spaniard Alvaro Bautista (Honda) who won the first 11 races in 2019 before Rea came home with a wet sail; Briton’s former MotoGP rider Scott Redding making his debut in the production series on a factory Ducati; his new teammate Alex Lowes; his old teammate Leon Haslam (Honda); Yamaha guns Toprak Razgatlioglu and Michael van der Mark; Chaz Davies (Ducati) and BMW duo Tom Sykes and Eugene Laverty.
Haslam, Bautista and Laverty are all past WorldSBK winners at Phillip Island (Bautista doing the double in 2019), so the anticipation ahead of round one is palpable.
“Phillip Island is the closest thing to a home round for me, so I always enjoy racing there,” said Rea. “There’s always expectation and nervous energy ahead of a new season, but I’m trying to take a more mature approach in 2020.
“Last year, I was super excited at the start of the season, but the wind was then knocked out of my sails a little bit in those first four races,” continued Rea, referring to Bautista’s early season dominance.
“Of course I’d love to leave Phillip Island with three race wins, but it’s a 39-race championship and it’s more important that I leave Australia healthy and with a platform for the rest of the year.
“More than ever, consistency is going to a vital asset in 2020. I’ll just continue to focus on myself, and after the first 4-5 rounds everyone will eventually find their place.
“I had to come from behind to win the 2019 championship, and that was a valuable lesson in just focussing on my own form and not worrying about everyone else.”
Rea showed them a clean pair of heels at the Jerez test in November
Final pre-season testing will be held at Phillip Island on February 24-25, and then the paddock reconvenes three days later for the real business of racing.
Rea heads into the test after strong testing form in Europe
“I’m going to focus on polishing the package during the test,” said Rea. “The last two years I haven’t nailed setup at Phillip Island, and the goal will be to finish up with a bike that turns naturally – which places less stress on the tyres.”
2020 Kawasaki Racing Team WSBK livery
There will be three WorldSBK races at Phillip Island: two 22-lappers at 3:00pm on Saturday and Sunday, and a 10-lap Sprint at midday on Sunday.
Add in World Supersport competition and round one of the 2020 mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship featuring four classes – Superbike, Supersport, Supersport 300 and the Oceania Junior Cup – and there will be a total of 15 races.
Buy your ticket and save
If you’re ready for fab adventure of the high-horsepower kind, book now for a weekend getaway at the World Superbikes next February 28-March 1 at Australia’s sensational Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit for the Yamaha Finance round. Book at https://tickets.worldsbk.com.au/
· Purchase a three-day General Admission ticket with Free Paddock Access just $125* Add on-circuit camping for $110* per adult for four-nights making a three day entry/four night camping ticket $235*
· Kids 15 and under, accompanied by a full-paying adult, are free for entry and to camp
· Want to upgrade to grandstand access and under-cover viewing? Opt for a Bar SBK ticket – three days for $265* giving access to three under-cover viewing areas at the circuit’s most thrilling corners – Doohan Corner, Siberia & Lukey Heights. Bar SBK ticket holders also get access to the exclusive grandstand at Doohan Corner, along with parking at Siberia & Lukey Heights and prime Superscreen viewing from each facility
*All ticket prices quoted are advance (more expensive at gate) and subject to Ticketek charges
** Kids 15 and under free to enter and camp, accompanied by a full-paying adult
Three weeks ahead of the start of the Supersport World Championship, MV Agusta Reparto Corse has unveiled its 2020 livery. The new racing colours were presented in Schiranna, the historic headquarters of the Italian company.
2020 MV Agusta Reparto Corse WSSP livery – Timur Sardarov, Ratmir Sardarov, Federico Fuligni, Raffaele De Rosa
The colour scheme features MV Agusta’s signature red and grey and the F3 675 will also be proudly sporting world champion Randy Krummenacher’s number 1 on its fairing. The Swiss rider will be joined by De Rosa and Fulgini in Andrea Quadranti’s team for the 2020 quest for the world Supersport title.
2020 MV Agusta Reparto Corse WSSP livery
Andrea Quadranti
“The long preparation to the championship is now behind us, and we are ready to face the first round of the World Championship at the end of this month in Phillip Island. During the two-day tests at the beginning of the weekend we will be able to refine the set-up work done in the Jerez tests and our riders will take care of the rest. Krummenacher is determined to reconfirm his title, but De Rosa won’t certainly give up the opportunity to fight for it either. Fuligni expects to make a qualitative leap that will keep him in the top rankings. We are all eager to confront our opponents and are determined to play a leading role in the 2020 season.”
2020 MV Agusta Reparto Corse WSSP – Fuligni & De Rosa
The 2020 Supersport World Championship is about to begin, with the bikes now boxed-up and sent to Australia.
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Toni Bou claims fifth win at Bilbao X-Trial
Repsol Honda Team rider Toni Bou has taken his fifth victory of the FIM X-Trial season in Bilbao, increasing his leadership in the series, in a dominant performance ahead of Adam Raga and Benoit Bincaz.
Toni Bou – 2020 X-Trial Round 5 Bilbao
This is the second occasion that Bilbao has hosted a race of the FIM X-Trial World Championship and the crowds saw Toni Bou make a hesitant start collecting, eight penalties – four more than his arch-rival Adam Raga. Even so, he successfully qualified for the second phase.
Bou made the second round count with better precision, making 12 points in the five zones which demanded highly technical level of riding. With this result, and being the best of his group, Bou moved on to the final where he faced off with Adam Raga.
In a great final that saw very tight racing, Toni Bou won the victory with precision through the very demanding areas, with the Montesa Cota 4RT rider finishing with nine penalties against the 12 of Raga.
Toni Bou – 2020 X-Trial Round 5 Bilbao
The triumph leaves the Repsol Honda Team rider as the leader of the World Championship, with a growing 35-point advantage.
The sixth race of the X-Trial World Championship will be held on March 21 at Wiener Neustadt, in Austria.
Toni Bou
“It was a really demanding X-Trial right to the end and that makes this fifth victory of the season even sweeter. In the Final I probably took too many risks in some sections so I ended up suffering more than I needed to. But this season has been really competitive; Adam is riding really well, so this victory is really important as it leaves me in a great position to fight for the title.”
Toni Bou – 2020 X-Trial Round 5 Bilbao
X-Trial Bilbao 2020 Results
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Team
Points
1
BOU, Toni
SPA
Repsol Honda Team
20
2
RAGA, Adam
SPA
TRRS Factory Team
15
3
BINCAZ, Benoit
FRA
Beta Factory Racing
12
4
FAJARDO, Jeroni
SPA
Sherco Factory Team
9
5
MARCELLI, Gabriel
SPA
RG Team
6
6
CASALES, Jorge
SPA
Gas Gas Factory Team
4
7
GELABERT, Miquel
SPA
Vertigo Factory Team
2
8
MARTYN, Toby
GBR
TRRS Factory Team
1
Adam Raga, Toni Bou, Benoit Bincaz – 2020 X-Trial Round 5 Bilbao
2020 X-Trial Standings
Pos.
Rider
Points
1
BOU, Toni
100
2
RAGA, Adam
75
3
FAJARDO, Jeroni
34
4
BINCAZ, Benoit
28
5
BUSTO, Jaime
28
6
CASALES, Jorge
28
7
MARCELLI, Gabriel
25
8
GELABERT, Miquel
24
9
MARTYN, Toby
2
10
TOULY, Kieran
1
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Beaton leads Husqvarna results at Mastercross Lacapelle Marival
Bringing their pre-season racing schedule to a positive close, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Jed Beaton, Kay de Wolf and Pauls Jonass have all successfully completed their final warm-up race ahead of the start of the 2020 MXGP Championship.
Jed Beaton – 2020 Mastercross Lacapelle Marival
Competing in the Mastercross Lacapelle Marival event in France, Beaton secured the overall runner-up position in the MX2 class, with Pauls Jonass returning to competition following illness to finish fifth overall in the MX1 class.
With the recent Hawkstone International largely an exercise in survival due to the hugely challenging weather and track conditions in England last weekend, the Mastercross Lacapelle Marival delivered near-perfect track conditions and close racing across all classes.
Pauls Jonass – 2020 Mastercross Lacapelle Marival
Securing Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s best result in the MX2 class, Jed Beaton enjoyed two positive outings to claim a deserved overall runner-up result. Placing comfortably inside the top 10 off the start in each of the two MX2 motos, Jed spent much of the opening race in fourth before moving ahead of Jago Geerts with two laps to go.
Jed Beaton – 2020 Mastercross Lacapelle Marival
Race two saw Jed start well, completing the first lap in fourth. Taking some time to find his rhythm around the French track, the Australian settled into a strong pace during the second half of the moto to finish just four seconds behind eventual overall winner Tom Vialle. In the combined 450/250 Super Finale, Jed placed 12th, the third-highest MX2 class rider.
Jed Beaton
“Yeah, I’m pretty pleased with the way today went. It’s really nice to get to race a pre-season event that’s not super wet and is in good condition and has good grip. The two motos went well enough for me. In the first race I didn’t get the best of starts, I think I was down in fifth or sixth before getting up to third. I stayed there for quite a few laps, before the top two guys got into the lappers. It got pretty intense there for a while and I was able to close up a lot. Third was a good result. I took a little while to get into a rhythm in the second race although I was in second for most of the time. I felt like I rode a lot better in the second half and to finish second overall is positive ahead of the first GP in a couple of weeks.”
Jed Beaton – 2020 Mastercross Lacapelle Marival
Returning to action following several weeks away from competition due to sickness, Pauls Jonass secured fifth overall in the MX1 class aboard his FC 450 following fifth and fourth place results, before rounding out his participation at the French event with sixth in the Super Finale.
Pauls Jonass
“It’s been good to be back racing after a few weeks off, but I feel like things could have gone a little better today, still a few too many small mistakes. I got a good start in the first race and went too hard too soon, and that cost me mid-race. There were some pretty deep lines on the track and you needed to be smooth – I pushed a bit too hard. Things were better at the end of the race but there was no time left to really improve my result then. I got a great start in the second moto and really tried to be smooth. I made a few small mistakes, but things were better than race one. Overall, the event’s been great – really good conditions and apart from some small mistakes I’m happy. Two weeks before the first GP now so I’ll keep up the work and look forward to Matterley Basin.”
Pauls Jonass – 2020 Mastercross Lacapelle Marival
Next up the team will compete in the opening round of the 2020 FIM Motocross World Championship, the MXGP of Great Britain at Matterley Basin, England.
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Podiums for KRT at Lacapelle Marival Masters
The Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team completed its preparation for the motocross MXGP season in style with podium finishes for both Romain Febvre and Clement Desalle at the Lacapelle Marival Masters, with glorious weather and a stunning track in central France greeting teams for a perfect final shakedown before the start of the World Championship in two week’s time.
Both KRT riders commanded a top five start in the first twenty-five-minute moto, the Belgian moving up the leaderboard from fifth on lap one to claim third place, just over a second from runner-up, at the chequered flag while the Frenchman recovered from a mid-race incident soon after claiming third to cross the line just a few seconds back in sixth.
Regrouping from a first turn incident which left him initially ninth in race two Desalle maintained his composure to advance to sixth at the finish while Febvre showed that he is already in perfect accord with his new mount as he pushed his KX450-SR up the leaderboard to finish second, even closing down the race-long leader mid-moto.
The two MX1 motos gave the KRT riders third and fourth overall before the final outing of the day which combined the leading riders from MX1 and MX2 in the SuperFinal. Desalle again missed a clean run through the first turn but took the opportunity to show his ability to run down the opposition as he advanced from fourteenth first time past the timekeepers to secure a stunning fourth at the close.
Febvre was even more impressive as he advanced rapidly from fourth to second, setting the fastest lap of the race as he chased down the leader and, like his teammate, confirming that he is ready both in terms of physical fitness and bike set-up prior to the opening round of the FIM World MXGP Motocross Championship at Matterley Basin in southern England on March 1st.
Romain Febvre
“It’s a great feeling to have such a strong day with good starts, good lap time and podium results. We have worked a lot with Jacky (Vimond) and I have made a lot of progress since Riola three weeks ago. I love my KX450-SR and we saw today that I got good starts even if this one here is really short to the first turn. I can say that tonight I am reassured; now we’ll go back home and practice on several different tracks to be ready for Matterley Basin.”
“It was a good experience today, even if I didn’t get such good starts. We made some changes on the bike settings – that’s also why we do some pre-season races – and the time schedule was tough with three races but overall the day was OK. I hit my ankle in the first race but it’s nothing serious and I had a good race. This year I want to do a full season so it was not necessary to take risks today; I’m happy with the bike, we are right on schedule with our preparation and we’ll continue to work before the first GP.”
American Motorcyclist Association honour Greg Hancock
AMA Charter Life Member Greg Hancock, from Costa Mesa, California, announced his retirement from professional racing on Feb. 15, having won his most recent Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme Speedway World Championship in 2016.
His other FIM Speedway titles came in 2014, 2011 and 1997. In the United States, he won eight AMA Speedway National Championships. Hancock also won FIM Team and Pairs World Championships, as well as many European domestic league titles during his career.
Greg Hancock
“I want to extend my sincere gratitude to everyone at the AMA and the FIM for providing me the many years of incredible speedway racing, which basically became my life school. Although I am stepping away from competing, I do not plan to exit the scene. I have plans that will keep me close to the sport, and we’ll see where that goes in the weeks ahead.”
Greg Hancock – 2016 Speedway GP Melbourne
The history of American Speedway competition dates to the mid-1920s. One of the sport’s early stars was America’s first world champion, AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Jack Milne, who won the 1937 Individual Speedway Championship in London.
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Murray Bridge confirmed for 2020 AORC Rounds 7 & 8
South Australia’s Murray Bridge has secured Rounds 7 and 8 of the 2020 Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC) presented by MXstore, to be held on August 1 and 2, 2020, with the support of Rural City of Murray Bridge and Velocette Motorcycle Club.
Motorcycling Australia Off-Road Events Manager, Matthew Falvo, said the 2020 Yamaha AORC, presented by MXstore was shaping up to be the best year yet.
Matthew Falvo
“With World champion riders returning for action in 2020, we will have the best riders in the world competing at Murray Bridge. There has been plenty of interest from South Australian riders and we are very pleased with the enthusiasm, excitement and support not only from the riders but also round hosts – the Velocette Motorcycle Club and the Rural City of Murray Bridge. With new exciting venues in the 2020 AORC we are sure to again field upwards of 200 plus riders for each event in every state, we are sure the championship can only grow further.”
This announcement now finalises all venues for the 2020 Championship which will continue to use a double-header format when the Championships kicks off in just 8 days’ time.
2020 AORC Calendar
Revised dates announced for 2020 King of MX
Motorcycling NSW has taken the unavoidable step of rearranging the 2020 King of MX qualifier schedule, swapping the Bathurst and Lakes qualifier events after it became clear that other events in the Bathurst region would make logistics especially difficult for entrants.
Lake Macquarie will now host qualifier 3 on March 14-15, while the Panorama Motorcycle Club will shift to the qualifier 5 dates of April 18-19.
Dave Cooke – Motorcycling CEO
“We were made aware of some regional events in Bathurst that were going to have some impacts on entrants’ ability to find cost-effective accommodation, among other things, and so we began looking at our options. It became clear quite quickly, with some FIM events along with other local date restrictions, that a date change just wasn’t possible. After consulting with our partner clubs, the team at Lakes were able to come to the party, and essentially trade dates with Panorama to allow as little impact as possible to those planning on racing the events. While I agree it’s not ideal to have to change the calendar, I’m grateful to everyone involved who’s helped to find, what is a great solution. I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank all those who travelled to Bega over the weekend for the first qualifier. As all of Australia knows, the far south coast region of NSW was heavily fire affected, and I’m really proud that our sport could play a small role in bringing people back to the area and contribute to rebuilding this beautiful part of the state.”
With the King of MX firmly underway for 2020, all focus now turns to Narrabri, where, in just two weeks’ time, the second qualifier will get underway. There, another 126 Golden Tickets will be on offer, and over $1000 in prizes.
2020 King of MX Calendar
Qualifier 1 – February 15-16, Bega – Top 7 qualify for final **Run & Won**
Qualifier 2 – February 29-1 March, Narrabri – Top 7 qualify for final
Qualifier 3 – March 14-15, Lake Macquarie -Top 7 qualify for final
Qualifier 4 – March 28-29, Wagga Wagga – Top 6 qualify for final
Qualifier 5 -April 18-19, Bathurst – Top 6 qualify for final
Qualifier 6 – May 9-10, Dargle – Top 7 qualify for final
Final – June 6-8, Cessnock
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2020 Championship Calendars
2020 AMA Motocross race schedule
May 17 – Hangtown Motocross Classic – Rancho Cordova, CA
May 24 – Fox Raceway National – Pala, CA
May 31 – Thunder Valley National – Lakewood, CO
June 7 – Florida National – Jacksonville, FL
June 21 – High Point National – Mt. Morris, PA
June 28 – Southwick National – Southwick, MA
July 5 – RedBud National – Buchanan, MI
July 19 – Spring Creek National – Millville, MN
July 26 – Washougal National – Washougal, WA
August 16 – Unadilla National – New Berlin, NY
August 23 – Budds Creek National – Mechanicsville, MD
August 30 – Ironman National – Crawfordsville, IN
2020 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Calendar
Jan. 4 – Angels Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim, Calif.
Jan. 11 – The Dome at America’s Center, St. Louis, Mo.
Jan. 18 – Angels Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim, Calif.
Jan. 25 – State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Ariz.
Feb. 1 – Ringcentral Coliseum, Oakland, Calif.
Feb. 8 – Petco Park, San Diego, Calif.
Feb. 15 – Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Fla.
Feb. 22 – AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Feb. 29 – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Ga.
March 7 – Daytona International Speedway, Daytona, Fla.
March 14 – Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianpolis, Ind.
March 21 – Ford Field, Detroit, Mich.
March 28 – Centurylink Field, Seattle, Wash.
April 4 – Broncos Stadium at Mile High, Denver, Co.
April 18 – Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Mass.
April 25 – Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas, Nev.
May 2 – Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City, Utah
2020 MXGP Calendar
March 1 – Great Britain, Matterley Basin (EMX125, WMX)
March 8 – The Netherlands, Valkenswaard – (EMX250, WMX)
March 22 – Patagonia, Argentina, Neuquen
April 5 – Trentino I, Pietramurata – (EMX250, EMX 2t)
April 19 – Spain, (TBA) – (EMX125, WMX)
April 26 – Portugal, Agueda – (EMX125, EMX250)
May 10 – France, Saint Jean d’Angely – (EMX125, EMX Open)
May 17 – Italy, Maggiora – (EMX Open, WMX)
May 24 – Germany, Teutschenthal – (EMX250, EMX Open)
WSBK supports Australian bushfire relief with charity auction
Ahead of the 2020 season opener at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit next weekend (February 28-March 1), the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship paddock has united to stage a charity auction in aid of the victims of the recent Australian bushfires.
The funds raised will go to BlazeAid, a volunteer-based set-up working alongside rural families and individuals impacted by the fires and floods. Since being founded in 2009, they’ve worked with over 20,000 volunteers in tackling bushfires.
Five-time world superbike champion Jonathan Rea spoke about the WorldSBK Paddock auction today in Melbourne, retelling how he and his Australia wife, Tatia, were tied up in the bushfire catastrophe despite being in the northern hemisphere in January. Their family owns a house just out of Bright, and for three weeks they watched from afar as the fires threatened their home, evacuations took place, and they saw farms and communities surrounding Bright ravaged.
The WorldSBK auction is organised through CharityStars and will see an incredible selection of rider and team merchandise and memorabilia – as well as some awesome fan experiences – go under the hammer. The Championship, riders and teams have come together during the recent tests at Jerez and Portimao to source their own gear, with exclusive helmets, leathers, gloves and various other ‘money-can’t-buy’ team apparel clothing set to get auctioned.
Newcomer Scott Redding (ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati) is one headliner as he offers up his leathers from testing, and they join the likes of teammate Chaz Davies’ helmet and Toprak Razgatlioglu’s (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Official Team) gloves and visor.
Reigning Champion Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) has also donated gloves and boots, with multiple race winner Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Official Team) putting in some knee sliders, a visor and boots. BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team’s mudguard hand-signed by Tom Sykes and teammate Eugene Laverty is another highlight.
There are also some experiences up for grabs as Dorna WSBK Organization offers exclusive pit lounge passes and behind the scenes experiences, perfect for every WorldSBK fan who wants to get up close and personal with the world’s fastest production-based motorcycle racing Championship.
They include two pairs of WorldSBK Pit Lounge Passes to any 2020 round (winning bidder’s choice) and one pair of WorldSBK Behind the Scenes Experience passes, giving the winning bidder a money-can’t-buy weekend from starting grid access to a lap in the Safety Car and plenty more in between.
The auction begins on 17th February at 11am CET (Central European Time) and ends on 3rd March midnight, so get bidding to secure your piece of WorldSBK history – and lend a helping hand to the host country of the 2020 season opener.
Australia has, is and will continue to be close to the World Superbike paddock, with Phillip Island hosting timeless classics – as well as the closest ever WorldSBK finish 10 years ago. Some of the biggest names in the history of the sport including Troy Corser and Troy Bayliss also hail from Down Under, making it a cause close to the heart of the paddock.
Boost Mobile Racing with K-Tech set sights on ASBK
Boost Mobile Racing with K-Tech have announced their team plans and have their sights firmly set on the 2020 mi-bike Insurance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul.
Following the first public test of the Ducati Panigale V4R with star recruit Wayne Maxwell at the helm, McMartin Racing welcomed back Boost Mobile as the team’s naming rights sponsor for 2020 along with K-Tech Suspension who will be providing full factory support to form Boost Mobile Racing with K-Tech.
Wayne Maxwell – Image by Rob Mott
The team’s long associations will continue with Racers Edge Performance, Pirelli, Motul, RK 1Day Wraps, DA Plumbing as well as welcoming on board new sponsors Drummin Security Advisory, Irving Vincent, Strata Remedial Group, MFW Builders, Profile Interiors, SpeedAngle, Banham’s WA and Childs Dream Kindergarten.
Continuity is important for Boost Mobile Racing with K-Tech not only in terms of sponsors and supporters. Over the last few years Craig McMartin has built a highly experienced team that possess the same level of experience and determination as Wayne Maxwell to wrest the ASBK title.
Wayne Maxwell – 2020 Phillip Island ASBK Test – Image by Rob Mott
Craig McMartin will utilise his twenty plus years of experience to build and maintain the Ducati Panigale V4Rs. Long-time team members Greg and Julie Maher bring their wealth of ASBK Team knowledge and experience preparing the bikes for each track session, providing the teams logistical support as well as supplying supreme quality Racers Edge Performance fairings. Dale McMartin will continue to provide valuable support with tyres to enable the rest of the team to focus on the motorcycle.
Craig McMartin – Team Owner
“I am very happy to have Wayne riding my bike this year in the 2020 ASBK. Wayne loved the bike from his first ride at Wakefield Park and did a very good job adapting the new components at the official test. He is great to work with and has put a lot of effort in behind the scenes helping with sponsorship and pit set-up. I am very grateful to have Adrian, Greg, Julie and Dale on the team as I cannot do it without them and the increased support this year from Ken and Barry from Irving Vincent and K-tech is a crucial factor. I am confident that this year as a team we will achieve great results. I would also like to thank each and every one of the sponsors for their faith and the backing that they are providing this year.”
Wayne Maxwell and Craig McMartin
Highly experienced and much sought after Crew Chief Adrian Monti has many years of experience working with top level ASBK riders and will work with Craig and Wayne to fine tune the chassis and K-Tech suspension at each round. James Harpham, Product Development Technician at K-Tech Suspension’s head office in the UK, will also be on hand at selected rounds providing his wealth of knowledge with the K-Tech product.
Engineering and fabrication support will be provided by Ken and Barry Horner, creators of the stunning bespoke Irving Vincent Motorcycles that are a crowd favourite every time they take to the racetrack.
Wayne Maxwell – Image by TBG
Wayne Maxwell is a rider that needs little introduction to Australian racing fans. One of the most highly credentialed and experienced riders in the ASBK paddock, Wayne is a multiple time national champion and is one of the highest profile riders in Australia. The 2013 ASBK Champion and 2014 ASC and AFX-SBK Champion has not finished an ASBK season outside of the top three since 2012 and in 2019 scored an impressive eleven podiums and four wins from the sixteen-race season.
Wayne Maxwell
“Joining Boost Mobile Racing with K-tech has been a dream transition; from the first time I rode the bike at Wakefield Park in November I have just jelled with it. The experience that Craig, Adrian and Greg have when it comes to preparing the bike is second to none, also the belief that they have in me makes me want to push that extra bit. It’s a real team effort with Dale and Julie also. We are extremely privileged to have some great partners from out of industry as well as within the motorcycle industry for this season and I can’t wait for the first round to get underway.”
Wayne Maxwell – 2020 Phillip Island ASBK Test – Image by TBG
Wayne will also be joined at selected rounds in 2020 by Beau Beaton on the North Coast V-Twins Panigale V4R, who will benefit from the same level of support from the Boost Mobile Racing with K-Tech squad.
Earlier this year Boost Mobile Racing with K-Tech attended the official ASBK pre-season test finishing fastest over the two days with the best ever recorded lap time for an ASBK spec machine. The official test was completed in testing livery with Boost Mobile Racing with K-Tech’s spectacular official 2020 livery to be unveiled on the eve of the first round.
The 2020 mi-bike Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul kicks off at the stunning Phillip Island Circuit in conjunction with the first round of the 2020 Motul FIM Superbike World Championship over the weekend of 28 February to 1 March.
Wayne Maxwell – Image by TBG
mi-bike Insurance ASBK Championship presented by Motul Calendar
Round 1 February 28 – March 1, Phillip Island Vic (World SBK)
Round 2 March 27-29 Wakefield Park NSW
Round 3 May 7-10 The Bend Motorsport Park SA (incl ARRC & ATC)
Round 4 May 15-17 Barbagallo Raceway WA (Supercars)
Eli Tomac arrived on the east coast having trimmed Ken Roczen’s championship lead to only a single point. Defending champion Cooper Webb had also recently come in to some better form and was victorious last week in San Diego to land in Florida only nine-points adrift of Roczen.
Eli Tomac’s KX450F adorned with a themed towel
Tomac and Malcolm Stewart both started the opening heat race strongly but it was the Kawasaki man that was quickest on the opening lap to fend off Stewart and streak away to a dominant win.
Starts have been Tomac’s achilles heel all season but he was very quick out of the blocks in that heat race and apart from one significant moment in the whoops was untroubled on his way to victory. Cooper Webb was third in the first heat ahead of Justin Brayton and Dean Wilson. Chad Reed was 12th and would have to go to the LCQ to earn his spot in the Main.
Adam Cianciarulo
Adam Cianciarulo scored the holeshot in the second 450 Heat and had clear air while two incidents on the opening lap caused dramas for many of his opposition. Blake Baggett losing a lot of ground in one of those incidents which meant the #4 KTM had to ride hard in order to fight his way back up the field to earn his transfer spot to the main.
Ken Roczen managed to get within striking distance of Cianciarulo a couple of times and finally managed to sneak past the Kawasaki man after he made a mistake in the sand. Lapped traffic saw Roczen held up a little late in that heat and allowed Cianciarulo to almost steal the win on the run to the flag but the Honda man held on to take victory.
Zach Osborne rounded out the top three ahead of Broc Tickle, the Suzuki rider making his return to competition after serving a two-year suspension for testing positive to stimulants.
Vince Friese scored the holeshot in the Main ahead of Adam Cianciarulo, Eli Tomac and Malcolm Stewart, while Ken Roczen was languishing outside the top ten as the 22-rider field negotiated the first turns of the layout inside the Raymond James Stadium.
Cianciarulo was quickly through to the lead
Cianciarulo was into the lead before turn two and streaking away from Friese. Eli Tomac was the next rider to pass Friese, quickly followed by Malcolm Stewart pushing Friese further back to fourth ahead of Cooper Webb and Ken Roczen. That pair also made short work of Friese.
Eli Tomac steadily pulled back tenth here and there to close on his team-mate before making his move with just over 11-minutes remaining in the Main. It initially looked as though Cianciarulo would have enough speed to stay with and shadow Tomac but it didn’t turn out that way as his more experienced teammate pulled away to a clear lead.
Eli Tomac pulled away from Adam Cianciarulo
Cooper Webb and Malcolm Stewart tussled hard over third place in the middle stages of the race race but eventually it was the KTM man that got the better of that battle. Ken Roczen momentarily also sneaked past Stewart but then went down after losing the front and had to watch Stewart blow by him.
Cooper Webb
Cianciarulo went down after getting crossed-up in the whoops while in a strong second place to really upset the race. Adam was hung up on tough blocks and by the time he get going again he had been relegated all the way back to tenth place.
With five-minutes remaining on the shot clock Tomac had a 13-second lead over Webb while Ken Roczen had managed to move up to third place after getting past Stewart.
Justin Hill then also pushed past Stewart to move the #27 Honda back to sixth place where he immediately came under further attack by Dean Wilson, Justin Brayton and the recovering Adam Cianciarulo.
Eli Tomac backed the pace off in the closing laps and cruised to his third victory of the season. Cooper Webb was a clear second place, well ahead of Ken Roczen.
The 450 podium
Justin Barcia got fourth by a nose over Justin Hill at the flag.Dean Wilson was sixth ahead of Malcolm Stewart who just managed to stave off the advances of a closing Adam Cianciarulo who salvaged eighth place.
Justin Brayton scored ninth while Jason Anderson rounded out the top ten after being penalised two positions for gaining a track advantage.
Chad Reed, the only Australian in the SX field across both classes on the east coast, won the LCQ before finishing 19th in the Main.
Chad Reed
AMA Supercross now heads to Arlington in Texas next week and Eli Tomac will carry a four-point lead over Roczen into that triple-crown round eight of the 17-round 2020 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship.
AMA SX Results 450 Round Seven – Raymond James Stadium
A new team will make its Australian racing debut in 2020, with the newly formed GTR MotoStars Team to be run by former FX Pro Twins Champion and ASBK stalwart Heath Griffin and MotoStars’ founder and former MotoGP racer Damian Cudlin.
The team has formed as a Yamaha backed racing program within the Supersport 300, R3 Cup and Supersport 600 classes in the 2020 Australian Superbike Championships, and will field 13-year-old Archie McDonald on a pair Yamaha R3s, who will be joined in the garage by 16-year-old Max Stauffer on the team’s newly developed Yamaha R6.
Coming from a successful 2019, notching up lap records and race wins in the Supersport 300 and R3 Cup classes, Max Stauffer will make the jump up to the Supersport 600 class aboard the Yamaha R6 under the watchful eye of his Dad, crew chief, and multiple ASBK Champ, Jamie Stauffer.
Max Stauffer
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to race with the GTR MotoStars Team and I want to learn as much as I can in 2020. Working with guys like Heath, Damo, and of course my Dad, Jamie, is a dream come true. I’m really excited to step up to the 600 class and I hope to mix it up at the pointy end as soon as I can.”
Max Stauffer (left) and Archie McDonald (right)
Archie McDonald is a current Australian Junior Dirt Track Champion and turned to road racing just over a year ago – learning the craft at MotoStars training and coaching days. He soon became a regular race winner at MotoStars Nationals and went on to compete in the inaugural Oceania Junior Cup in 2019 – a season that featured race wins and fourth overall in the series.
Archie McDonald
“I’m absolutely thrilled and immensely proud to represent the GTR MotoStars Team in 2020. I come from a humble dirt track background and am still relatively new to road racing. I raced in the OJC last year and always maintained a strong dedication to the MotoStars training and coaching days under the guidance of Damian Cudlin. Having the opportunity to work with him again, Heath Griffin and Jamie Stauffer, while being teamed up with Max Stauffer is every kids dream. I have to thank everyone who’s helped me reach this point and I can’t wait for Round 1.”
Archie McDonald
With two very talented young riders, the aim of the GTR MotoStars Team is to bring through and develop outstanding talent within Australia, forging a pathway starting from MotoStars, to the OJC, onto 300s and eventually into Supersport 600.
Damian Cudlin
“Since the inception of MotoStars, I’ve worked with plenty of talent here in Australia that just need more opportunities to succeed. When Heath came to me with the idea of building a pathway for riders from MotoStars to ASBK, I was keen to be a part of it, and thankfully Yamaha and a host of our sponsors were too. Archie and Max have both been regulars at MotoStars events and have made an impact already within ASBK. I’m excited to see what they can achieve this year with a bit of help and support.”
The GTR MotoStars Team will compete in the R3, SS300 and Supersport classes
Heath Griffin
“I’m extremely excited to be able to offer this opportunity for two exceptionally talented young Australian riders in Max and Archie to progress their road racing careers through our GTR Motorstars Team program for 2020. I believe we have put together a great group of people to be able to support and progress our riders, and help them maximize their potential. In Damian Cudlin we have Australia’s premier junior road racing coach to assist in our rider’s development both on and off the track, as well as providing technical and strategic advice to the team as a whole. Jamie Stauffer is a crew chief that many of Australia’s top Superbike riders would love to have in their corner, and his company Doctor Mak Engines already supplies many ASBK front runners with engine building, dyno mapping and suspension tuning services. Damo and Jamie are also two of the most successful Superbike riders to come out of this country in the past 20 years, and provide a wealth of knowledge and experience to our team. Highly experienced Brian Shields is also on board as our team mechanic. Brian has been a fixture in dirt track and road racing pit garages for several decades, firstly with his son Adam, then Jamie, and now Max and Archie benefitting from his skills, work ethic and strong attention to detail. I feel extremely privileged to be working with such a talented pair of riders, and our skillful and experienced crew in 2020, and I can’t wait to get the season underway at Round 1 of WSBK at Phillip Island”.
The GTR MotoStars Team is supported by Yamaha Australia, YRD, RS+C Precision CNC, Doctor Mak Engines, Bikebiz, Motul Oils, RK Chains, Pirelli Tyres, Racers Edge and Ricondi Leathers.
The remarkable career of John Surtees – one of the greatest names in motorsport – will be celebrated at this year’s Classic TT, as the only man to ever win two and four-wheel World Championships.
A celebration lap will also be run featuring some of the bikes that are inextricably linked with his name, and will be ridden by well-known TT riders and guests connected to John’s motorcycle racing history.
John Surtees
The 2020 event will mark the 60th anniversary of John’s final TT appearance, where he won his sixth and final TT Race claiming the Senior TT title. In total John Surtees won seven motorcycle world championships including consecutive 350 and 500cc doubles in 1958, 1959 and 1960.
The 1960 MV Agusta that John rode to victory in the World Championship and Senior TT will take centre stage for the celebration lap and feature in a one off display in the Classic TT Paddock along with a number of other iconic machines from the Surtees family collection.
Other bikes include the 1949 Vincent Grey Flash that John won his first race on – a machine, which he considered the most important of his life and a Black Lightening Vincent from the same year. John’s time riding Nortons is also reflected with three bikes from the family collection – an F Norton 500cc Experimental Prototype, a 1959 Manx Norton and a 1953 Works Norton.
Riders confirmed to appear in the parade lap on Saturday 29th August include 23 time TT Race winner John McGuinness, Mick Grant who has ridden a number of John’s bikes over the years, Paul Hollywood, who became a firm friend of John’s after filming the BBC Legends documentary, Steve Parrish, Steve Plater and Ian Skinner, John’s team mechanic for over 35 years.
Count Domenico Agusta with John Surtees
John’s record on the Isle of Man included six TT race wins – four of which were in the blue riband Senior TT with a further four podiums from only 15 race starts – and only one DNF – before moving to four wheels and Formula 1 in 1961, clinching the World Championship in 1964 with Ferrari.
The event has been organised with the Surtees family to celebrate John’s life and career and John’s wife Jane and daughter Edwina will be attending. The celebration will also highlight the work of the TT Riders Association of which John was a former president.
Greg Hancock, the four-time world speedway champion, has announced his retirement after a glittering career which marks him out as one of the greats of the sport.
Hancock’s longevity is something to behold. I remember watching this great new young American talent on the speedway circuit when I myself was a kid when the solos would frequent Clarement Speedway back in the day.
FIM Speedway World Championship 2016 Final Standings – Greg Hancock 139 – Tai Woffinden 130 – Bartosz Zmarzlik 128
Greg Hancock
“Over the last 12 months of missing a full racing season, I’ve had much time to reflect on my amazing career. Racing at the highest level, winning four World Championships, Team and Pairs World Championships amongst many domestic league championships, were amongst the most challenging and successful times of my life to date,” Hancock said.
“This last year taking care of my wife and family became life-changing in many ways and put life into a new perspective. I am pleased with my racing achievements and believe it is time to move on to a new chapter. As difficult as it is to make a decision like this, it is the right one.
“Although I am stepping away from the racing part, I do not plan to exit the scene. I have plans that will keep me close to the sport and we’ll see where that goes in the weeks ahead.”
Greg Hancock at the Melbourne Speedway GP in 2016
The announcement follows Hancock’s withdrawal from the FIM Speedway Grand Prix series of 2019. The decision to retire to spend more time with his family means that the Californian will not compete in the FIM Speedway Grand Prix series in 2020.
Hancock, 49, is the only rider who has been part of the SGP line-up every year since the series was launched in 1995. Up until September 2014, he raced in each and every SGP event staged – an unbroken run of 177 appearances.
Greg Hancock 2014 FIM Speedway GP Champ
He has made 218 SGP appearances in total and scored 2,655 points from 1,248 heats – both records. Two more records he holds are the most heat wins at 455 and his 92 SGP final appearances.
Greg Hancock’s pits at the 2016 Melbourne Speedway GP
One of his most notable feats was winning his first world title in 1997 and claiming his second in 2011 – 14 years later. The longest break between title wins was previously seven years. He also won three of his titles after turning 40, making him the oldest champion ever.
Greg Hancock took four world titles
Armando Castagna FIM Track Racing Commission
“Greg Hancock’s retirement is a big shock for the speedway world and he will be missed a lot by everyone. The FIM understands and supports the reasons for his announcement and we are close to him and his family in this hard decision. I’m sure Greg will not leave the speedway world completely and I’m also sure that he will remain involved in track racing. His experience, knowledge, charisma and advice will be welcome, in any position he will take in the future inside the sport. As a personal friend, I wish him all the very best for the future.”
Greg Hancock won’t be disappearing from the sport of speedway altogether Source: MCNews.com.au
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