Dunlop Supersport 300 Championship

from 2022 Official Program - Rnd 4 ASBK - Hidden Valley, NT

ASBK Official Series Sponsors

Please note - this championship is not part of the Merlin Darwin Triple Crown. Your next opportunity to see the Dunlop Supersport 300 Championship in action will be at Morgan Park Raceway, Queensland, 5-7 August 2022.

The Dunlop Supersport 300cc class is open to all brands of single or twin cylinder, four-stroke machines with a capacity limit of 500cc. At present, the class pits the Kawasaki 400cc Ninja against the Yamaha R3 as in recent seasons the KTM single cylinder 390cc bike has fallen out of favour.

For a level playing field, different performance parameters have been incorporated for parity given the Kawasaki is 400cc and the Yamaha is 320cc – both twin cylinder units.

Riders must be 13 or over with no older age limit for participation, so it is a great class for older riders that may not have the budget or experience to enter the larger capacity classes and want to enjoy their racing aboard pretty even machinery.

The Supersport 300 and R3 Cup classes are terrific preparatory classes for a number of career moves. This year is a classic example as nine out of the top 11 riders from last year’s SSP300 class have moved onwards and upwards. Seven youngsters head to prestigious championships such as the CEV, Red Bull Rookies, the Asia Talent Cup, European Talent Cup and MotoAmerica, while locally, Ben Baker (who, last year was the first rider to claim both titles) and Tom Drane have moved to the ASBK 600cc Supersport class. When you add in those that have graduated from the Oceania Junior Cup to those that remain in the class, the battle for honours is an open slather.

Cameron Dunker and Glenn Nelson are the two (of the top 11) that remain. Dunker finished third in the R3 Cup and fourth in the SS300, while Glenn was runner-up in the R3 Cup and eighth in the SSP300, so both will be full of confidence to start the year.

Nelson broke through for his first wins in both classes at the final round last year, while Dunker is knocking on the door of greeting the chequered flag - there’s a very good chance that will come to fruition in the first round.

Sure to be a major threat, Glenn’s father Kevin has been in his corner since the very beginning of dirt track and his progress through the GP Juniors. Dunker is in a similar position but due to their long association, Jamie Stauffer will offer guidance.

OJC Champion, Cameron Swain, is making the move and at the recent test he was the fastest in the SSP300 class but he has a sweet dilemma. It will be interesting to see how he goes, as Cameron is also a member of the Asia Talent Cup squad for 2022 and will miss a few rounds with date clashes. At just 13 he has a very promising career in front of him.

As for others in contention, just keep checking the entry lists at each round as there will be many we haven’t mentioned that will come to the fore during 2022 but one thing will remain the same; it will be another exciting freight train of action as the leading bunch will swap places and paint at every corner.