SBK stars leather up for Historic at Phillip Island this weekend
Three of the world’s leading riders will exchange their 200-horsepower, 300km/h Superbikes for something with half the engine capacity and one quarter the number of cylinders when they contest the 2010 Shannons Australian Historic Championships at Victoria’s Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit this weekend.
Reigning New Zealand Superbike Champion Andrew Stroud, Isle of Man TT hero Cameron Donald and 2008 World Superstock 1000 Champion Brendan Roberts are just three of a record 335 entries that will contest the 3-5 September event.
With both the high-profile Forgotten Era (Period 5) Unlimited, and 500 Classic (Period 3) oversubscribed, this year’s national championship, sponsored by Shannons Insurance, has the makings of one of the most closely contested in the history of the event.
“I’m really looking forward to it,” said Donald. “I raced a Classic bike for the first time at the Island Classic earlier this year, and couldn’t believe how difficult it was to get down to a competitive time. The lap times those guys do on those old bikes is amazing.”
Donald, Stroud and Roberts are entered in the 500 Classic category aboard Manx Nortons, where they will be up against New Zealander Dave Cole on his 1961 McIntyre Matchless G50. Cole, a multiple Australian 500cc Classic Champion, holds the lap record for the category at the 4.45km circuit at 1:49.030, a record he claimed from 1987 World 500GP Champion Wayne Gardner in 2008 after some crowd-pleasing handlebar-banging races. Prior to that the 500 Classic lap record was held by two-time world 500GP champion Barry Sheene.
Other high-profile entries in the 500 Classic class for pre-1963 machinery include South Australian Levi Day on a 1962 Honda 500 and New South Welshman Glen Kelleher on a Norton Special. Day was a wildcard in last year’s Australian 125 Grand Prix, while Kelleher is an ex-Australian 250cc Production Champion, the same class that kick-started the careers of Mick Doohan, Mat Mladin, Troy Corser and Anthony West.
Current New Zealand Supersport Champion Nick Cole (Norton ES2 500) and fellow Kiwi Terry Martin (Norton 500) are also potential race winners.
Many of Australia’s best-known riders have entered the meeting, among them past Australian Superbike champions Robbie Phillis and Malcolm Campbell.
Phillis, who twice finished third in the Superbike World Championship, will contest the Unlimited Forgotten Era Championship on a Suzuki Katana 1100 while Campbell will race a Suzuki RG500 grand prix machine.
Both Campbell and Phillis will have plenty of competition in their quest for another national title in what is the fastest and most powerful category in Australian Historic racing. Reigning Australian Unlimited Period 5 Champion Laurie Fyffe (1980 Suzuki GSX1100), current Australian number three Michael Dibb (1980 Honda CB1100R), Queensland number one Leo Cash (1980 Suzuki GSX1100) and the Yamaha TZ750 two-strokes of Adam Senior and Craig Ditchburn, the latter the son of ex-factory Kawasaki rider Barry, are all potential race winners.
A packed schedule of events across the three days will include races for Vintage, Veteran, Classic, Post-Classic and Forgotten Era motorcycles and sidecars. For further details go to www.phillipislandcircuit.com.au, or call the circuit Hotline on (03) 5952 2710.