Rob Phillis confirms Historic Champs entry
Rob Phillis, is among the first of many high-profile entrants for what is shaping up to be one the biggest motorcycle events ever held in South Australia as the Historic Motor Cycle Racing Register of SA hosts the Australian Historic Motorcycle Road Racing Championships, from October 8-11 at Mallala Motorsport Park, just outside Adelaide. Nearly 200 entries have been received.
Daryl Beattie, motorcycle Grand Prix winner and Network Ten motorsport commentator, will be attending the meeting in between his MotoGP commentating commitments, in his role as ambassador for this year’s Australian Historic Motorcycle Road Racing Championships
“To have Rob Phillis commit to come here so early, along with his sponsor Roger Arnold and his XR69 Suzuki Superbike, means this meeting is on the right track.
“Isle of Man TT racer Cameron Donald has also entered and will race in several classes, including against Robbie on another XR69.” commented Daryl Beattie, ambassador for this year’s Australian Historic Motorcycle Road Racing Championships.
“I’m getting pretty excited about this event,” he says. “This will be the first time that Robbie has raced in South Australia since those great days of the early 1990s when he went head-to-head in Team Kawasaki Australia against Honda and Suzuki,” says Daryl. “And to make the commitment to attend when he is involved with his son Alex in the World Superbike Championship speaks volumes for where historic racing is at in Australia.
“These days he races a Suzuki XR69 and a Yamaha TZ350 rather than Kawasakis, and that’s fine with me,” says Daryl, a former GP winner on Suzukis.
“Robbie’s XR69 is one of the dream bikes of the early 1980s now back on the track. It’s like watching a re-run of the good old days and the people involved are still racing for national championships.”
Rob Phillis won six Australian Superbike titles and finished third twice in the World Superbike Championship.
South Australia has a huge love of motorsport whether it’s two or four wheels. This meeting is building on that tradition. The racing classes covers periods from 1920 to 1990 so there is something for everyone.
“The organisers have hit the right balance,” says Daryl. “There will be 50-plus races, meaning non-stop track action for both spectators and the competitors who have travelled across Australia to get there. As well as that there will be off-track displays involving engine start-ups of unusual machinery.”
