Experienced youngsters can qualify to race Supersport 600
Motorcycling Australia has announced that the entry age for the Supersport 600 Class has been amended for those who qualify for a new endorsement; permitting riders who meet a certain criterion to compete at the age of 15 years and over.
This will enable experienced and skilled young riders such as current high-performing Supersport 300 competitors to step up to the 600cc Supersport ranks earlier than previously allowed.
This makes great sense as while the 300 Supersport racing is fast and frenetic, the lap-times and speeds achieved are a country mile away from what 15-year-old riders once recorded on the two-stroke 125cc machines that were raced at championship level until a few years ago.
The current Supersport 300 lap record at Phillip Island is seven-seconds slower than domestic competitors lapped on 125cc machines some 15 years ago, and 12-seconds slower than international 125cc competitors lapped Phillip Island.
Similar to the endorsement for 13-year-olds to step into the Supersport 300 class, the new ruling has been passed to allow endorsements to be made available for those competitors whom warrant being permitted to step up from the Supersport 300 class into the Supersport 600 class.
For each application certain requirements will need to be met and considered on its own merit, which are outlined in the 2019 Manual of Motorcycle Sport, effective 1st of January 2019. See attached bulletin for more detail (Link).
The strategy is to encourage a sustainable and more accessible progression plan, junior competitors to develop their skills at an early age through the respective classes available before contesting a club, state or national championship on a Superbike.
The Supersport class has been one of the most successful feeder categories into the Superbike class since the late 1990s. With rules similar to those of the Superbikes, the Supersport 600 class is open to 600cc four-cylinders, 675cc three-cylinder and 750cc two-cylinder production-based machines.
The category sits neatly between the Supersport 300s and the Superbike class, developing skills in relation to throttle control and suspension setup, critical skills for the premier class.
