Michael Dowson KTM Husaberg WA Supermoto Cup

Michael Dowson is WA's most successful ever road racer and one of the most successful riders ever to compete at Bathurst. He has scored race wins and held lap records across every major class on both two and four-stroke machinery on the mountain. In fact Dowson held the outright motorcycle lap record at Bathurst for six years.

One of his more famous victories came in 1988 when he teamed with Mick Doohan to pilot a Yamaha FZR1000 to victory in the Arai 500.

Two years earlier Dowson had partnered Kevin Magee to second place in the prestigious World Endurance Championship Suzuka 8-Hour race behind Wayne Gardner and Dominique Sarron. Another big name gracing the podium at Suzuka that year was Kevin Schwantz who brought home third place with Satoshi Tsujimoto. Other major long distance wins to Dowson's credit include a trio of wins in the Castrol 6-Hour.

But Dowson was not just a long distance expert, he also has an Australian Superbike Championship under his belt. In fact Dowson was the last West Australian to take out the premier title in Australian road racing.

Dowson now owns and operates a Yamaha and KTM dealership in Bunbury and last year was an inaugural inductee to the South-West Sports Hall of Fame.

Things won’t be easy for Dowson though at the KTM/Husaberg WA Supermoto Cup as the best six Supermoto racers in Australia are coming to WA for the event. Graham Cheney (Husaberg - NSW), Stuart Bennett (KTM - NSW), Shannon Johnson (Yamaha - VIC), Mark Willis (Honda - QLD), Mark Avard (Yamaha - NSW) and Adam Altham (Yamaha - VIC) are all making the trip west for the big event.

Motorex KTM’s Stuart Bennett has Australian Motorcycle Championships to his credit across an incredible three disciplines. Supercross, Supermoto and Enduro are all facets of motorcycling where Bennett has been crowned national champion.

Yamaha’s Shannon Johnson also has multiple Australian Championships under his belt on both tarmac and dirt with the highlights including an Australian Supersport Championship in 2002 and Australian Supermoto Championship in 2004.

Even more talent comes in the shape of Brisbane rider Mark Willis. He also has proven talent across all styles of motorcycle racing with victories in the prestigious Spa 24 Hour and Bol D’Or World Endurance events along with a multitude of titles in dirt track and dozens of starts at the highest level of motorcycle competition, the 500cc GP World Road Racing Championships. Willis also took out the inaugural Australian Supermoto Championship in 2003.

Another rider who is spectacularly sideways at every opportunity is Mark Avard. The Tamworth based rider has returned from a successful season in America where he recorded excellent top ten finishes in the AMA Supermoto Championship. He will be joined by Victorian Supermoto specialist and 2003 runner-up Adam Altham.

Heading up the WA challenge alongside Dowson are a number of local experts from both road and dirt based disciplines. Five Star Yamaha have entered 2004 WA Road Race Champion Russell Nash along with current WA Motocross Champion Ben Hothersall and 25-time WA Champion Matt Battista. The Honda Shop have also got right behind the event and are entering Australian 125cc GP Road Race Champion Bryan Staring. The fight for state honours at the WA Supermoto Cup will be a hard fought affair.

The event is the first of its kind ever staged in Western Australian and will be showcased at Cockburn International Raceway on January 16. The venue is located in Gemma Road, Henderson. Adult entry is $15, children 10-16 $5 and under 10 free. Excellent viewing of the whole track is available from any vantage point and a cooling afternoon breeze comes courtesy of the Fremantle Doctor. Shaded areas and limited seating is available while canteen and bar facilities are provided. More details on the event can be found at www.wasupermoto.com .

Background on Supermoto - Supermoto is a burgeoning sport which now has an extensive Europe based World Championship competition along with national championships now being held in Australia, America, Italy and Britain. The sport features motocross based motorcycles fitted with road based tyres and brakes competing on tight tracks, normally go-kart circuits, that are around 80% bitumen and 20% dirt with a few jumps also thrown in to provide yet another dimension to the challenge.