FX Summer Series grows to include new televised Australasian MX Championship
Anyone who has been around the sport for a number of years or reads the history books knows the most successful road racing series in this countries racing history was the three round Swann Insurance Summer Race Series. The Swann Series dwarfed all other road racing series before and since and has gone on to become a feature of Australia’s modern motorcycling folklore. The format of racing on three consecutive weekends in December was one of the main reasons for its great success. ARTRP has decided that the time is ripe for Australia’s very own great summer series to return with a day/night twist.
Australian Road & Track Rider Promotions is pleased to announce the launch of the inaugural AASA sanctioned televised three-round 2010 Australasian FX Superbike Championship Summer Series (AFXSBK) and the one-round 2010 Australasian FX Motocross Championship (AMXC). The AASA after reviewing the plans for the upcoming series and championships has awarded both the AFXSBK and the Senior and Junior AMXC Australasian Championship status.
The three round day/night Summer Series will receive two one-hour shows on SBS Speedweek and FOX Sports for each round. The same coverage is also available for the Australasian FX Motocross Championship putting Australian Motocross back on national free-to-air TV for the first time in many years allowing motocross racers to showcase their skills and sponsors to both free-to-air and subscription television audiences. The two hours of motocross coverage on SBS Speedweek and Fox Sports will be split into two one-hour programs.
The AFXSBK Series will be run on three consecutive weekends. Saturday, December 4 at Eastern Creek Raceway will be the series opener followed by the only Saturday / Sunday day meeting at Wakefield Park Raceway on December 11-12. The series finale incorporating the one-round Australasian FX Motocross Championship will take place on the weekend of December 18-19 at Winton International Raceway in northern Victoria.
Saturday of the AFXSBK series finale at Winton will also host the inaugural Junior Australasian Motocross Championship. The Sunday of the AFXSBK will see Winton host the Senior Australasian FX Motocross Championship. Both the Senior and Junior AMXC events will have qualifying in the morning with at least three races per class on the day.
A combined total of sixteen hours of national TV coverage across the Championship classes will bring televised motorcycle racing to the masses at a time of year when motorcycle racing generally has no televised presence.
ARTRP believes it is very important to broaden the spectator and TV viewer opportunities for all motorcycle sport by hosting racing in the summer months. Families can even come and enjoy racing on a Saturday evening in the cooler hours of the day on the one evening of the week when most families can find the free time to do things together and go and see sporting events.
The Winton finale for the AFXSBK and the AMXC will be a motorcycle racing extravaganza of the likes that has not been seen in Australia for many years. This will include camping at the Winton Motorsport complex’s own large camp ground and investigations are continuing on how to bring back the carnival style atmosphere to motorcycle racing.
ARTRP is also pleased to announce that it has struck an arrangement with well-known high profile motorcycle websites MCNEWS.com.au and FullNoise.com.au to act as both series media partners in this exciting new project.
Terry O’Neill the General Manager of ARTRP said; “Times are changing fast and we estimate from research we have done that over 90% of active motorcycle race fans and most interested motorcyclists in general get their news from electronic media sources first. So it makes sense to partner with two extremely popular and successful websites to get the news out there and let spectators and competitors know about both summer series and also give them the opportunity to discuss the two series through website forums.”
Trevor Hedge from MCNEWS.COM.AU said: “Australian motorcyclists are crying out for something like this and I look forward to working with ARTRP to help promote this inaugural year for this exciting new series. The Winton finale is a thrilling opportunity to build an event that has the potential to become a yearly must-do on every motorcycle enthusiast’s calendar.”
Garry Morrow from Fullnoise.com.au commented; “The concept of an Australasian Championship featuring both Juniors and Seniors aimed at not only the top end of the sport but also the grass roots is something that we at Fullnoise look forward to supporting and promoting,” said Garry Morrow, publisher of Fullnoise. “With most racing winding down in the Summer, the series and the one day championship have the potential to become a must do event’s for many families. The concept of making it an “Event” with emphasis on a weekends entertainment is also something we are looking forward too.”
There will be more news in the coming days about both series on all three websites including the classes to be invited in both championships. For competitors who have never competed in AASA sanctioned events previously the AASA sanctioning body accepts MA competition licenses.
Supplementary Regulations and entry forms for the AFXSBK and both the Junior and Senior AMXC will be available on the aus-superbikes.com.au website and partner sites soon. Competitors and other interested parties can also contact Terry O’Neill direct during business hours on 02 4823 5711.
