ASBK FLASHBACK By ASBK Trackside Commentator Mark Bracks In the year 2021, as we progress through the third decade of the 21st century, lets time-travel over the past 21 seasons of the ASBK Championship - with a bit of added history from last century. During the 1970s, Australia pioneered production motorcycle racing, most notably the iconic Castrol 6-Hour at the now defunct Amaroo Park and Oran Park circuits, on the outskirts of Sydney.
1987. Since then, many riders have etched their name on the trophy; Robbie Phillis, Malcolm Campbell, Troy Corser, the late Kirk McCarthy, Anthony Gobert, Marty Craggill, current MA President, Peter Goddard, and ASBK commentator Steve Martin are just some that were crowned Australian Superbike Champions.
In 1970, visionary promoter, Vince Tesoriero and his fellow Willoughby MMC club members, dreamed up the first Castrol 6-Hour, and the annual event soon developed into THE production race in the world. Then instead of endurance races, what about sprint races for modified machines with the top riders of the day like Warren Willing, Len Atlee and Garry Thomas involved. The catch cry on one of the poster was “Super heroes on Super bikes”. It’s often attributed that “Superbike” racing commenced in the USA, but believe it or not, “Superbike” racing commenced, here, in Australia on February 18, February 1973, at Amaroo Park and the rules were pretty open for what was allowed to be improved on the machines.
Shaun Giles
THE 21ST CENTURY In the past 21 seasons, we have witnessed 11 riders raise the silverware to the skies at season’s end, and in the 15 championships contested since 2006 there have been seven race winners. Astoundingly, the six riders that have shared the championship title since 2008 are all still competing this year and any one
The four-round series was called the “Chesterfield 5000” - the “5000” signifying the prize money that was up for grabs in the first year. That’s over $50,000 in today’s rates. The concept only lasted three years. After a hiatus, Victorian clubs commenced their own competitions for modified big-bore, four-stroke machines and the southern state soon became the home, and powerhouse of Australian Superbike racing. The racing was hard, fast and spectacular and riders like Robbie Phillis, Malcolm “Wally” Campbell and the late Andrew “AJ” Johnson became household names. From those embryonic events, the Australian Superbike Championship evolved. The first Australian Superbike Championship was in Craig Coxhell
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There are also some notable ASBK Championship riders that were able to launch into overseas careers including Darryl Beattie, Rob Phillis, Josh Brookes and current ASBK riders Bryan Staring, Josh Waters, Tom Bramich, Tom Edwards, and this year 2020 Supersport 300 Champion Harry Khouri in the WorldSBK Supersport 300 class.
