Factory Honda rider joins line-up at New Zealand event.
Image: Supplied.
New Zealand’s Cody Cooper will return to supercross racing at the 2019 Monster Energy S-X Open Auckland, marking the opening round of the S-X Open International FIM Oceania Supercross Championship and round four of the Australian Supercross Championship.
Cooper, a seven-time premier class champion in New Zealand motocross, has made a number of privateer stints in the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship over recent years, however his last full supercross campaign was in the 2017 New Zealand supercross series.
“Going last year, I got to see first hand how good of an event it is for supercross and motocross in New Zealand, so when I was asked this year I just had to be a part of it,” Cooper explained.
“To be racing supercross in front of 20,000 plus New Zealanders, yelling and screaming inside a stadium like Mt Smart, it’s going to be nuts, and to be given the opportunity to ride an event like this against the world’s best, you just have to take it while you still can.
“It would be awesome to get a result in New Zealand, I always seem to ride better when I’m at home, I have better peace of mind, I dig deep, but I know it’s not going to be easy with the level of competition that is competing this year.
“There are a lot of good riders coming, with a lot more experience, but I like being the dark horse so I’ll watch what they are doing, learn from them early, and then hopefully get in a good flow and be able to make something of it at the end.”
The S-X Open Auckland, scheduled for 16 November, is set to boast an international line-up consisting of Jason Anderson (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing), Chad Reed (Honda), Joey Savatgy, and three-time Australian supercross champion Justin Brayton (Penrite Honda Racing).
After 34 races, 12 rounds, visits to ten countries across five continents, inspiring comebacks, shattered records, very public rivalries, controversy, the occasional inclement weather, laughs, tears and, most importantly, some phenomenal racing, we have arrived at the final destination. The Motul FIM Superbike World Championship lands in Qatar where fireworks are sure to fly once again between the top contenders, as they have done non-stop for the past eight months.
Alvaro Bautista muscles in on Jonathan Rea
The fierce back-and-forth between Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) and Álvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) promises to continue for several years to come, but for now this will be the final time they face off in their current colours. Bautista will serve the new HRC squad from 2020 onwards, closing a brief yet intense and somewhat confusing chapter in red.
Alvaro Bautista
While pure dominance led Rea to at least three of his previous four world titles, this one has undoubtedly been marked by his consistency, even in defeat. Yet the Northern Irishman still has a chance to match his total number of victories from 2018 – albeit in 37 races rather than 25 – and trump his nemesis in the process. Rea has won 14 races, Bautista 16: the rest is self-explanatory.
Jonathan Rea
“I can’t believe it’s the end of another season. While we were able to achieve the target we set at the beginning of the year at the Magny Cours round, there is still a lot to play for going into this weekend. We are trying to bring home the manufacturers’ title for Kawasaki. It is nice to have these targets going into the weekend at a circuit that I really, really love. I love everything about the race. Riding under the lights is something really special because you feel at one with the bike as there are no external distractions in your line of sight. After an amazing weekend in Argentina, where I felt really competitive with the bike and we worked really well as a team in the limited practice time, that will be the same target in Qatar. To work really well together to maximise the potential of the Ninja ZX-10RR. Our goal is simple – to go out and win some races and end the season on a high. It has been a real dream season and I am really looking forward to the Losail race weekend. Can’t wait to get there.”
Jonathan Rea 2019 World Superbike Champion
It remains to be seen which bike takes best to the Losail International Circuit. 5.360km-long and with a kilometre-plus start-finish straight, one would think it would suit the Borgo Panigale rocket and therefore Bautista; but Rea, let’s not forget, is undefeated here since 2017.
Jonathan Rea
Their respective teammates will also be looking to end the season on a high. Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) will be sat on the V4 R next year and seems to be coming to terms with the package – what better way to solidify your claim as a title contender for next year than to win the closing races? It wouldn’t be the first time the Welshman sits atop of the Losail podium; nor would it be for Leon Haslam (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), who ended his previous full-time stint in WorldSBK with a victory in Qatar. Instrumental to KRT retaining the Teams Championship, a first win in green would be a fine finale to his Kawasaki comeback.
Leon Haslam
“I managed to do a wildcard race here a few years ago with the Pedercini Kawasaki team and I had a top five result. That was quite nice, especially with the level we arrived there at. Last time I was here in the full-time WorldSBK championship was in 2015, and I won the last race. So good memories! I think the long straight is going to be a little bit of a factor with a few of the bikes but I really enjoy the layout – and it is always nice racing at night. I am looking to finish the season strongly.”
Leon Haslam has not fired as hard as he had hoped in 2019
Honour is always on the line in the final showdown of the year, but for many riders the stakes are much, much higher than that. Just six points separate three riders in the battle for bronze: current Pata Yamaha duo Alex Lowes and Michael van der Mark, and future Pata Yamaha star Toprak Razgatlioglu (Turkish Puccetti Racing). Two of them have won races this season; the other remains ahead in the standings. The two men in blue hold 15 podium finishes between them; Razgatlioglu has claimed 13 alone yet still trails them on points. It’s been a standout season for all three – but there’s only room for one on the highlight reel.
Toprak Razgatlioglu is off to Pata Yamaha next year
Early 2019 saw the birth of several new projects in WorldSBK; Round 13, accordingly, will be the moment to evaluate where they stand one year on. For Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), his first year after trading the green and black leathers for white ones can only be deemed a success. A win under the floodlights would cap off this first season quite nicely.
Shaun Muir – Team Principal BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team
“After a quite frustrating weekend at Argentina we now come to our final round of the season and we want to finish on a high. Overall, we had some good gains in straight-line speed at the last round in Argentina. We hope to carry that into the Qatar round where we know that we will need speed on the long straight. Equally, we feel the BMW S 1000 RR will be very strong on other parts of the circuit, with the fast and flowing aspects giving us some definite advantages over the competition. I think there’s an outside chance we can challenge for the podium. It would be a sweet finish to our first year in this partnership. The whole team has worked extremely hard and deserves a final bit of success before we focus on 2020.”
A win before season end would pump Team BMW up ahead of the off-season and next year
This has also been the first year of the triple-pronged Moriwaki-Althea-Honda project. A season somewhat marred by injuries and disappointing results has taken a slight up0turn in the last couple of rounds thanks to Leon Camier, who has managed to close the gap with the leading machines. Nonetheless Camier will leave Honda after the season finale and will join Barni Ducati, which will mark the sixth different brand the Briton has raced with in World Superbike.
Leon Camier and Honda’s season has been almost completely without a highlight….
Qatar is also synonymous with chapters closing and new doors opening; the list of those who will be moving on in the New Year includes Eugene Laverty (Team Goeleven), Sandro Cortese (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK) or Markus Reiterberger (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team). But for one man the story itself is coming to an end. Marco Melandri (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK) will write the final lines of his career as an active competitor at the Losail International Circuit. A World Champion and multiple race winner with a memorable personality, his presence in the paddock will be sorely missed. From Monday onwards, that is – on Friday and Saturday the diminutive Italian will be out to win, as he has done in every race for the past three decades.
Marco Melandri
“Qatar will be my last race weekend before retirement, which means I head there with mixed emotions. On one hand I’m a little sad because racing has been such a huge part of my life and I had hoped to bow out on a higher note, as the results this season don’t reflect my potential and are not how I want to be remembered. Conversely, I’m also happy to have made the decision to stop, especially after such a difficult season. I’m proud of what I’ve achieved in my racing career, but now it’s time to turn the page and start a new chapter in my life. Qatar is a beautiful place to race, especially under the floodlights, and I’ll have many friends around me this weekend as I race for the last time. The goal is to finish as I started, by giving it my all and pushing for the best result possible.”
Marco Melandri is set to sign off on a long and fortuitous career
World Superbike Standings
Pos.
Rider
Points
1
Jonathan Rea
601
2
Alvaro Bautista
460
3
Alex Lowes
305
4
Michael Van Der Mark
304
5
Toprak Razgatlioglu
299
6
Leon Haslam
257
7
Chaz Davies
249
8
Tom Sykes
219
9
Marco Melandri
173
10
Jordi Torres
132
11
Sandro Cortese
126
12
Loris Baz
118
13
Michael Ruben Rinaldi
118
14
Leandro Mercado
75
15
Markus Reiterberger
73
16
Eugene Laverty
63
17
Leon Camier
45
18
Alessandro Delbianco
28
19
Ryuichi Kiyonari
22
20
Lorenzo Zanetti
21
21
Peter Hickman
14
22
Thomas Bridewell
12
23
Yuki Takahashi
11
24
Michele Pirro
10
25
Samuele Cavalieri
6
26
Sylvain Barrier
3
27
Hector Barbera
3
28
Takumi Takahashi
1
WorldSSP: Three riders. One Champion The final round of 2019 awaits WorldSSP!
After the rollercoaster season that has gripped the FIM Supersport World Championship in 2019, it goes down to the wire yet again. For a third consecutive year, the WorldSSP title fight will be sorted out under the floodlights of the Losail International Circuit and Qatar. In what is the only visit to the Middle East, World Supersport has seen some of the closest finishes in its history occur in the ever-developing oil-rich country, and 2019 is going to be no exception.
Randy Krummenacher
He’s led the Championship since Australia but Randy Krummenacher (BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team) has seen his lead slashed from over 20 points to just eight. Mistakes in recent rounds have put the title celebrations on ice for the Swiss star and he’s not in the greatest of form either. Coming from his two worst weekends in 2019, Krummenacher knows that if there’s one race he needs to recapture form for, it’s this one. A win for his teammate Federico Caricasulo and a third place for Krummenacher swings the title to the Italian. After fraught comments following a disappointing Argentina, it is now or never for Krummenacher.
Federico Caricasulo is off to the GRT Yamaha World Superbike Team next season
Having chased Krummenacher hard all year, Federico Caricasulo (BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team) is the Swiss’ nearest rival in the standings. Eight points separate the two and with 25 up for grabs, this is a crucial round. Caricasulo has failed to take more than seven points out of Krummenacher in one go, something that he will need to fix during the last round. Three wins from 11 races and six other podiums, Caricasulo knows that he has a chance of victory this weekend; if he wins then Krummenacher must be second, but if Caricasulo is second, then Krummenacher must be somewhere else in the top four. It’s that simple.
Jules Cluzel
Against the odds, Jules Cluzel comes into the Motul Qatar Round with an outside hope of the title. 22 points back of Krummenacher, Cluzel must win to even stand a chance. Should he win, then Krummenacher must be 14th or lower and Federico Caricasulo outside the top four in the race. It’s unlikely, but just two rounds ago, both BARDAHL Yamaha riders crashed out. Cluzel hasn’t taken back-to-back wins in the class since Assen and Imola in 2018 and besides his title rivals, five other riders have outshone Cluzel on their day in 2019. He can still win however, and that is what counts. Expect the unexpected.
Lucas Mahias – Jerez WorldSBK 2019
Out of the top three and with no mathematical chance of the Championship, Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) heads to Losail with a new contract in his pocket for 2020; Remaining with the Puccetti outfit for 2020. Out of all the riders on the grid, Mahias has scored more points than anyone in the last six races and has been on the podium in the last five – the first time in his career that he’s achieved five consecutive podiums. A winner in Qatar in the last two seasons, Mahias could be the spoiler in the title race in 2019.
Hikari Okubo
Mahias’ teammate Hikari Okubo has been one of just three riders to score points in every race this year, but he was somewhat out of position in Argentina. The 26-year-old Japanese star was down in 12th in the race, only his second finish outside the top ten all year. Heading to Losail, Okubo reaches a circuit that he’s failed to finish at in the last two seasons. But don’t count him out; Okubo needs a strong performance in the final race of the season to secure a 2020 ride. Could that elusive podium finally come his way?
Completing the top six in the standings is Raffaele De Rosa (MV AGUSTA Reparto Corse), who is still without a WorldSSP win. He featured strongly at the end of the race in Argentina to finish in sixth place, meaning he is now just five points behind Okubo in the standings. Yet to feature inside the top ten at Losail, De Rosa knows that a strong result over Okubo could give him a best end-of-season finish – fifth overall. Can the 32-year-old Italian deliver?
Raffaele De Rosa
Outside of the top six, there’s plenty of riders to keep an eye on. Recent rounds has seen Isaac Viñales (Kallio Racing) on the podium and looking strong, whilst pole-sitter in Argentina Corentin Perolari (GMT94 YAMAHA) will be eager to achieve his first rostrum of his WorldSSP career. Thomas Gradinger (Kallio Racing) is eager to recapture his early season form, with Ayrton Badovini (Team Pedercini Racing) seeking the continuation of his top ten streak. Just behind him overall is the best Honda of Peter Sebestyen (CIA Landlord Insurance Honda), who could beat Badovini to the top ten overall.
World Supersport Standings
Pos
Rider
Points
1
Randy Krummenacher
202
2
Federico Caricasulo
194
3
Jules Cluzel
180
4
Lucas Mahias
143
5
Hikari Okubo
97
6
Raffaele De Rosa
92
7
Thomas Gradinger
86
8
Isaac Vinales
81
9
Corentin Perolari
81
10
Ayrton Badovini
59
11
Peter Sebestyen
54
12
Loris Cresson
41
13
Jules Danilo
36
14
Hannes Soomer
34
15
Kyle Smith
24
16
Hector Barbera
22
17
Federico Fuligni
13
18
Lorenzo Gabellini
10
19
Jack Kennedy
9
20
Glenn Van Straalen
9
21
Rob Hartog
9
22
Jaimie Van Sikkelerus
9
23
Kevin Manfredi
8
24
Brad Jones
7
25
Miquel Pons
6
26
Massimo Roccoli
6
27
Tom Toparis
5
28
Christian Stange
5
29
Maria Herrera
5
30
Gabriele Ruiu
4
31
Luca Ottaviani
4
32
Daniel Valle
3
33
Xavier Navand
1
34
Mattia Casadei
1
WorldSSP300
Losail to light-up remaining battles in WorldSSP300
The season finale of the World Supersport 300 Championship is approaching, as the class takes on its first visit outside of Europe to the Motul Qatar Round. The Losail International Circuit should lend itself perfectly to the WorldSSP300 field, with fast and flowing corners and a 1068m front straight. The Champion has already been crowned with Manuel Gonzalez (Kawasaki ParkinGO Team) taking WorldSSP300 honours, but the battle behind him for second place is raging, with three riders in mathematic contention for runner-up spot in 2019.
Manuel González
It has been a stunning season for Manuel Gonzalez, having romped clear at the head of the field and wrapped the Championship up with a round to spare, making him the youngest ever FIM Road Racing World Champion. Like most of the WorldSSP300 class, it is the first visit to Losail for Gonzalez, and he will be out to reinforce the fact that he is Champion for a reason. He could be the first WorldSSP300 rider in history to achieve four race wins in one year.
Manuel Gonzalez
The battle for second is the focus point and former Moto3 stars Ana Carrasco (Kawasaki Provec WorldSSP300) and Scott Deroue (Kawasaki MOTOPORT) have an advantage over Andy Verdoïa (BCD Yamaha MS Racing), having been to the circuit before. However, back then, neither were able to score points, so it is more of a level playing field than it could’ve been. With both Deroue and Carrasco winning at Portimao and Magny-Cours respectively, the pressure is certainly on Verdoïa, who hasn’t been on the podium since Donington Park in July.
Scott Deroue
Mathematically, fourth is still possible for Victor Steeman (Freudenberg KTM Junior Team) but he is 20 points away. Moreover, he is leading the battle for the final position inside the top five in the standings. The Dutch rider’s consistency has seen him finish in the points in every single race this year, although his nearest rival is right behind him. Marc Garcia (DS Junior Team) is just one point behind Steeman, whilst seven points further back is Steeman’s teammate, Jan-Ole Jahnig, who was last on the podium at Assen.
There is then a six-point gap which sees Galang Hendra Pratama (Semakin Di Depan Biblion Motoxracing) occupy eighth place, just 14 points from Steeman in fifth. He will be joined in the team this weekend by fellow Indonesian rider, Muhammad Faerozi. Hugo De Cancellis (Team Trasimeno Yamaha) is in the battle for fifth overall too, although he is 22 points behind Steeman. He is joint on points with an in-form Nick Kalinin (Nutec – RT Motorsports by SKM – Kawasaki), with the Ukrainian rider completing the top ten. Fifth to tenth have a mathematical chance of the top five, but all eyes are on Steeman, Garcia and Jahnig.
Nick Kalinin
Other riders who are going to be eager to fight their way into the top ten overall include Kevin Sabatucci (Team Trasimeno Yamaha), who was victorious in dramatic fashion at Donington Park. The top Italian in the Championship lies 11th overall and with a strong result in Qatar, could break into the top ten placings. Fellow countryman Bruno Ieraci (Kawasaki GP Project) is still in search of his first podium and having been inside the top ten until Donington Park, he will be eager to make it back into those positions.
Making his debut in Qatar, as well as Muhammad Faerozi, will be Dallas Daniels, who is one of the next stars coming from the United States. At just 16, he has been a race winner in the Liqui Moly Junior Cup in MotoAmerica, on his way to finishing third. There is one other rider swap and that is Oliver König (Freudenberg KTM WorldSSP Team), who replaces Koen Meuffels – the former race winner parted ways with the team ahead of Portimao.
Tom Edwards is the sole Australian entrant at the event across all categories, and will be hoping to make his mark and sign off season 2019 with a good result.
We were able to use the Ram Quick-Grip mount on a recent tire test and found it to work quite well, keeping the phone secure even off-road.
Begin Press Release:
RAM Quick-GripTM XL Universal Phone Holder for Large Phones
This version of the spring-loaded RAM® Quick-GripTM XL holder provides a secure fit for a variety of large phones and other devices. Users can insert and remove their phone with one hand, and adjustable side support arms keep devices firmly in place. A set of two nuts and bolts is included to attach the holder to any RAM® B or C size diamond base containing the universal AMPS hole pattern.
Features:
• 2-hole AMPS mounting pattern compatible with RAM® B and C size diamond bases
• Adjustable side support arms keep device secure in rugged environments
• Easily remove and dock phone with one hand
• Backed by a lifetime warranty
Indian claims to have raised the bar for American motorcycles overnight with the announcement of its most powerful engine to date, the PowerPlus.
The all-new 1769 cc (108 ci), liquid-cooled V-twin delivers a class-leading 121 horsepower (90.1 kW) and 178 Nm of torque and Indian claims that it establishes a dramatically new standard for American V-twin performance.
Indian PowerPlus
Indian PowerPlus Engine Specifications
• Engine Displacement: 1769 cc (108 ci) • Power: 120.6 hp / 90.1 kW at 5,500 RPM • Torque: 178 Nm / 131.3 ft-lbs at 3,800 RPM • Maximum Engine Speed: 6,500 RPM • Architecture: 60-degree V-twin, liquid-cooled powerplant • Crankcase: Unit design featuring a high capacity semi-dry sump oil system • Timing System: Overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder • Fuel System: Electronic fuel injection. 52mm dual bore throttle bodies • Compression Ratio: 11:1 • Transmission: Six-speed with true overdrive, constant mesh • Clutch: Assist clutch
Indian PowerPlus
The PowerPlus will serve as the heart of the new Indian Challenger, an all-new, fixed-fairing bagger that utilises Indian Motorcycle’s state-of-the-art technology to become what Indian claims will be the highest-performing American V-twin ever developed.
The new engine’s name is a nod to Indian Motorcycle’s iconic history, paying homage to the Indian PowerPlus motorcycle produced from 1916 to 1924.
Indian PowerPlus
PowerPlus adopts several design and performance features from the liquid-cooled 1133 cc Indian Scout engine, including an overhead camshaft design utilising four valves per cylinder. But Indian claim that comparisons end there and that PowerPlus was developed with a big-piston, big-torque mindset with an end game of maximum power delivery across the entire curve.
The all-new powertrain features a six-speed transmission with true overdrive, assist clutch to reduce clutch effort, and three ride modes that allow riders to tailor throttle mapping to their riding preferences. Advanced technology also includes hydraulic valve lash adjusters and hydraulic camshaft chain tensioners for ease of maintenance and reliability.
PowerPlus was tested, refined and proven by one of the industry’s most rigorous development and testing programs, accumulating over one million miles of simulated testing, including state-of-the-art dyno testing, and more than 250,000 on-road miles.
Indian PowerPlus
John Callahan – Indian Motorcycle Vice President – Engineering
“You simply cannot deliver the ultimate bagger without an engine that stands head and shoulders above anything else in its class, and that was the motivation behind the PowerPlus. We developed the most sophisticated V-twin powerplant in the industry, and then we spent month after month, hour upon hour, putting it through the most intense paces to ensure it could take whatever we threw at it. The end result is something truly special.”
Duffy learned from Blose in maiden supercross main event
Section: Competition
SX2 rookie claims sixth in first-ever AUS Supercross main.
Image: Foremost Media.
Regan Duffy says he tagged onto the back of Chris Blose (Penrite Honda Racing) during his maiden main event at Port Adelaide’s second round of the Australian Supercross Championship, allowing him to learn from the experienced American.
Duffy rode strongly in just his second-ever round of supercross, finishing fourth in his heat to transfer directly to the main for the first time, putting on an excellent display of riding in the 15-lap outing before crossing the line in P6.
The Raceline KTM Thor rider entered the series with minimal time on a supercross track, having been called in to represent Australia at the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations (MXoN) last month in the Netherlands.
“I’m really happy with sixth place tonight,” said Duffy. “After getting boxed out in the first turn I put my head down and kept charging.
“When Chris Blose came by me I used it as an opportunity to learn from him and we worked our way to the front of the field. I’m enjoying the process of learning supercross, I’ll be going home now to work on a few things and can’t wait for round three at Wollongong in a few weeks’ time.”
The Western Australian is ranked 11th in the championship standings as the series heads to Wollongong in New South Wales on 9 November.
Italian contender charges from the third row at the 16th round.
Image: Supplied.
Starting from the third row, Andrea Dovizioso put on an incredible charge at Motegi’s 16th round of the MotoGP World Championship to land on the podium.
The Ducati Team ace positioned himself inside the top five in the opening stages before going onto make his way inside the top three, hunting down runner-up Fabio Quartararo (Petronas SRT Yamaha) in the closing laps, however ultimately falling shy of the number two position.
“At the end of the race my feeling with the bike was really excellent, so much so that we did our fastest lap on the penultimate lap,” Dovizioso explained. ‘Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to pass Quartararo, who I saw was in a bit of difficulty in the final stages, but I think I could have overtaken him if there had been one more lap.
“I’m quite disappointed with my first part of the race however, because despite having good grip we were unable to be fast enough. We’ll now have to analyze the situation in detail to understand what the problem was and be ready for the race at Phillip Island.”
The Italian has a firm grip on second in the championship standings as the series heads to Phillip Island this weekend for the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix.
The provisional calendar for the 2020 Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup has been announced, mapping out another awesome year of competition for the Road to MotoGP initiative. As ever, the season begins with the now-traditional season opener alongside MotoGP in Qatar before taking to Buriram, Sepang and Motegi, but there’s also an exciting addition for 2020: Australia.
The IATC is a one-make series featuring Honda NSF250R motorcycles and is contested by riders from 12 to 21 years old from Asia and Oceania.
Next season, the IATC will take on the spectacular Bend Motorsport Park, a state-of-the-art new circuit in Tailem Bend near Adelaide that opened its doors in 2018.
Sam Shahin – The Bend Motorsport Park
“The vision for The Bend Motorsport Park is to be a world class facility which hosts international standard events of the highest calibre. The Idemitsu Asian Talent Cup is an exciting series that will challenge its riders at The Bend. We look forward to welcoming them along with Dorna, the first-class organisation behind the series.”
The Bend International Circuit detailed in orange
Peter Doyle, CEO of Motorcycling Australia
“Motorcycling Australia and the Australian Superbike Championship are thrilled to welcome the Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup to Australia in 2020. The International Motofest has quickly become a standout event on the Australian motorcycle calendar and the addition of IATC is a perfect fit. This provides a great opportunity for the fastest young talent within the Asia Pacific region to compete together and to start their journey on the Road to MotoGP. Young Australian riders have already succeeded on this pathway and we hope that the Australian Superbikes Championship continues to play a pivotal role in also developing great racing Down Under. I am sure the IATC racing will be action-packed alongside Australia’s best rider in action and this makes the event a race weekend not to be missed.’’
The Asian Road Racing Championship has visited The Bend but 2020 will be the first time the Asia Talent Cup has visited our shores
As the Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup aims to discover talent from across Asia and Oceania, this round Down Under is an important addition to the calendar and between that and Australian Billy Van Eerde having taken the 2018 Cup, the future is looking ever brighter for young riders in the region.
Billy Van Eerde – 2018 Asia Talent Cup Champion
This announcement also comes at a fitting time as MotoGP gears up for the Australian Grand Prix this weekend; an event sure to show off the country’s incredible passion for the sport once again.
Carmelo Ezpeleta – CEO of Dorna Sports
“The Asia Talent Cup is one of the most important projects in our Road to MotoGP program and it’s an unrivalled opportunity for young riders in the region to begin their path to the top. We are excited to be heading to The Bend Motorsport Park in South Australia, as it adds a new track to the Cup, which is always good for competition. Australia is an important country for Grand Prix racing, with MotoGP having race there since 1989 and multiple World Champions hailing from the nation, and is therefore also a pivotal presence in our Road to MotoGP program.”
2019 Asia Talent Cup – Round 2 – Chang International Circuit
2020 IATC Calendar
Pre-season test. 11-12 February – Sepang, Malaysia
The Bend to host round of Asia Talent Cup series in 2020
Section: Competition
MotoGP development program to feature alongside ASBK in South Australia.
Image: Supplied.
The Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup will travel to Australia in 2020 when it joins the Australian Superbike Championship at The Bend Motorsport Park in South Australia between 8-10 May.
Won by Australian talent Billy Van Eerde last year, the single-make Asia Talent Cup is part of Dorna’s Road to MotoGP program utilising Honda NSF250R machinery.
“Motorcycling Australia and the Australian Superbike Championship are thrilled to welcome the Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup to Australia in 2020,” Motorcycling Australia CEO Peter Doyle commented.
“The International Motofest has quickly become a standout event on the Australian motorcycle calendar and the addition of ATC is a perfect fit. This provides a great opportunity for the fastest young talent within the Asia Pacific region to compete together and to start their journey on the Road to MotoGP.
“I am sure the IATC racing will be action-packed alongside Australia’s best riders in action and this makes the event a race weekend not to be missed.”
Dorna Sports CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta also threw his support behind the event: “The Asia Talent Cup is one of the most important projects in our Road to MotoGP program and it’s an unrivalled opportunity for young riders in the region to begin their path to the top.
“We are excited to be heading to The Bend Motorsport Park in South Australia, as it adds a new track to the Cup, which is always good for competition. Australia is an important country for grand prix racing, with MotoGP having race there since 1989 and multiple world champions hailing from the nation.”
This year, Harrison Voight, Jacob Roulstone and Luke Power have represented Australia in the Asia Talent Cup series, which also features events in Qatar, Thailand, Malaysia and Japan through six rounds.
Yamaha New Zealand forms new road racing structure
Yamaha Motor New Zealand (YMNZ) has a breadth of experience in its 2020 New Zealand Super Bike (NZSBK) racing team structure.
With a commitment to fostering the talent of younger racers in the entry capacity categories, through to supporting its top-tier riders in their desire to claim the Superbike title, YMNZ has covered all bases.
The Yamaha Racing Team (YRT) will consist of Christchurch’s Alastair Hoogenboezem and Jake Lewis, of Rangiora. These two seasoned high-flyers will be on-board their 1000cc YZF-R1 race machines in the Superbike class and they will be managed by engine and suspension tuning guru Dave Cole and experienced team manger Peter Fenton.
Alastair Hoogenboezem pictured here in 2015
At 27-years-old Hoogenboezem is the team’s most ‘senior’ rider and enters his fifth Superbike season. Although the thrill of hurtling down a straight at 290kmh is second nature now “it still definitely puts a smile on my face,” he says.
He has national 125cc and 600cc class titles to his name and is looking to add a third championship to his trophy cabinet this season. His team-mate Lewis (24) has the same ambition and no doubt the two Yamaha riders will spur each other on to great things on their Yamaha YZF-R1 motorcycles this season. Lewis returned from a five-year stint racing overseas in 2018, winning the New Zealand 600 Supersport title that year.
Like Hoogenboezem, he joined the YMNZ team last year and his goals are to be consistently on the podium and “represent the Yamaha brand the best I can,” Lewis says.
Jake Lewis raced in MotoAmerica, pictured here in 2017 at Road Atlanta – Image by Brian J Nelson
For the 2020 season, YMNZ has developed a satellite squad, the Yamaha Racing Development Team (YRDT) managed by Steve Lloyd. It forms the pathway for the up-and-coming younger riders to progress into the YRT when they have built up the necessary skills and speed. Wellington’s Rogan Chandler (22) will compete in the Supersport 600 class onboard his Yamaha YZF-R6 for his third year in this class. YMNZ also welcomes Timaru’s Harry Parker to the team and the 19-year-old will contest the Supersport 300 class, on his YZF-R3.
Lloyd says that since he sold his motorcycle business in 2012, he has been involved with the Off-limits Trust, which organises and runs events such as the Tussock Buster and Boundary Buster. The trust also develops young riding talent in New Zealand.
“We are excited to be able to do this now through the establishment of the Yamaha Racing Development Team. We are operating alongside the Yamaha Racing Team with the shared goal to provide an environment that allows riders to develop skills not just on the track but off the track as well. We hope that success on a national level will allow our riders to progress to being picked up by Yamaha Racing in Australia, or Asia, and even further afield internationally,” Lloyd says.
With a rule change by Motorcycling New Zealand from a single manufacturer 150cc class, to now open to all manufacturers within the Supersport 150 class, Yamaha is extending support to 13-year-old Southlander Cormac Buchanan – supported by his home-town dealership Rogers Motorcycles in Invercargill – who will be leading the charge in this class on a YZF-R15. Despite his young age, Buchanan has a packed international schedule leading into the NZSBK’s first round in January. He has been racing in Australia in the Oceania Junior Cup; was nominated to attend the prestigious Red Bull Rookies Cup in Spain last weekend; and has been selected to ride in the Asia Talent Cup in Malaysia later this month.
“I’m absolutely stoked to be part of the bLU cRU and have the chance to learn from riders the calibre of Jake, Al, Rogan and Harry. As I’m just starting my road racing career, having positive and talented role models willing to mentor me within the Yamaha teams was a massive drawcard,” Cormac says.
Young Kiwi Cormac Buchanan pictured in ASBK Oceania Junior Cup gear
Former international motocross star and more recently, successful team manager Josh Coppins has taken on a new management role at the helm of Yamaha’s racing programme, which will span across all disciplines.
“I’m looking forward to the season ahead. We have a great group of riders and have been able to provide them with a clear pathway and structure which we believe will help the sport, the Yamaha brand and will ultimately help the riders to get the championships they deserve,” Coppins says.
The road racing season kicks off with the Tri-Series starting on December 7 and 8 at Bruce McLaren Motorsport Park in Taupo.
The YZF-R15 v3 will be available to dealers late October and Yamaha is looking forward to seeing the support of the brand within this class. Yamaha will be offering a limited number of R15 fairing kits for racers and also have a race-ready apparel package available through Ficeda. These will be available directly via YMNZ.
2020 NZSBK Championship Dates
NZSBK Round One – 11th & 12 January 2020 (Ruapuna, Christchurch)
NZSBK Round Two – 18th & 19th January 2020 (Levels, Timaru)
NZSBK Round Three – 7th & 8th March (Hampton Downs, Waikato)
NZSBK Round Four – 28th & 29th March 2020 (Manfeild, Palmerston North)
NZSBK Round Five – 4th & 5th April 2020 (Bruce McLaren Park, Taupo)
Yamaha Motor New Zealand 2020 New Zealand Super Bike racing team.
SAG Racing ace crashes out at the Twin Ring Motegi.
Image: Supplied.
Australian Remy Gardner has admitted the error that saw him crash out of the Japanese grand prix on Sunday was his own doing.
The SAG Racing contender was caught up in an earlier incident, and admittedly pushed too hard while attempting to make up time on the main group of riders, going down in the process.
“When the race started, I dropped back but didn’t panic,” Gardner commented. “It wasn’t perfect but I felt comfortable and then I got caught up in the Vierge/Lecuona incident and lost a bunch of time to the group.
“I went down because I was pushing too hard, it’s as simple as that. The next race is my home GP at Phillip Island and I will give it everything to get a result that we deserve there.”
Gardner is ranked 12th in the Moto2 World Championship following a string of difficult rounds, as the series heads to Phillip Island this weekend for the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix.
