National motorcycle racing at junior level will receive a massive boost in 2015 with the introduction of a unique new category in the SuperGP Champions Trophy in the form of “KTM SuperJunior”.
Announcing this exciting development in only the second year of the new-look stand-alone national motorcycle championship tour promoted and managed by GAS Sports, Stephen Watson said that KTM South Africa had been the successful tenderer in a process that invited the country’s motorcycle importers and distributors to submit proposals for a brand new national long circuit racing category for young, up-and-coming riders aged between 13 and 16.
Watson, an executive director of GAS Sports, explained that the purpose of the new one-make category, which would feature KTM’s new 4-stroke 43 hp RC390 machine, was to bridge the gap between short circuit and regional racing and the existing Super600 national championship category. It would also provide a platform for promising young talent to develop their skills on long circuits in a national challenge series over eight rounds.
“KTM’s was the best proposal we received and we’re grateful to the motorcycle importers and distributors for their interest and support of the new category.”
The announcement comes towards the end of a first, successful year of the new national motorcycle racing tour, which has seen national championship motorcycle racing presented in its own, stand-alone, format with a two-day race weekend consisting of qualifying on Saturday and racing on Sunday along the lines of the Superbike World Championship.
“We said the new format would be a ‘work in progress’ when we launched at the beginning of the season and that we would consult with the other stake holders and role players during the year. We have done this and the birth of a new category aimed at junior riders is a direct result of this consultation. We have other changes and improvements that we hope will make season two in 2015 an even better one than this year’s and will be announcing these in due course.”
“KTM South Africa is over the moon to have been awarded the 2015 Super Juniors contract,” said Vaughan Swanepoel, marketing manager of KTM South Africa. “Racing is a huge part of KTM’s heritage and daily business, from competitions to R&D and more. Our Moto3 World Championship track record speaks for itself when we say we are the leaders in small capacity road racers and what we have learnt in Moto3 over the last few years has found its way into the mass production of our small capacity street bike range and most recently, the RC390.
“The ADAC Championship that is running successfully in Europe uses the same bike we will make available for the SuperJunior category in South Africa. KTM realises that the future of any sport is the youth and this is why KTM involves itself in activities like Red Bull Rookies Cup. The SuperJunior Challenge will be just that: KTM SA investing in the youth and future of circuit racing in our country.
“KTM SA has committed to supply the motorcycles as well as the power parts and original parts for the motorcycles at a subsidised rate for the competitor. We will also offer a sort of starter pack that will include things like riding equipment and consumables for the season, all for under R100 000. Should a rider however just want the bike, then the cost would be in the region of R85 000 race-ready. Included will be all the approved race parts to be compliant with the rules of the new class.
“Our approach was to make this as affordable for the competitor as possible and as soon as we can communicate our support partners, we will be in a position to share exact prices and subsidies and prizes per round,” Swanepoel concluded..
Tickets for the penultimate round of the Monster Energy SuperGP Champions Trophy, the second Free State SuperGP at Phakisa Freeway on October 19, can be obtained by visiting the website, www.supergp.co.za. The SuperGP feature race can be viewed live on SABC3 between 15h00 and 16h00 on race Sunday.
