2021 ASBK Supersport
Lanky young Queenslander Broc Pearson is back in the ring for ASBK season 2021 for another shot at the Australian Supersport Championship.
Broc has suffered some dreadful luck over the years. While he doesn’t seem to crash any more often than most of his rivals, when he has crashed he has been unlucky enough to hit the tarmac hard enough to leave him with significant injuries. Broc had never broken a bone or even been in hospital throughout an extensive dirt track career that saw him collect a swag of national Dirt Track titles across the country, but the switch to tarmac has tested him like never before.
Since taking up road racing the injury list has included a few broken legs and extensive spinal injuries, not once, but twice.
Pearson really got started on the tarmac in the Asia Dream Cup and won a race in the high-profile series. A crash at home in Queensland though while training ahead of season 2017 left Pearson in hospital for more than a month, and off the bike for five-months.
Just when we was back to fitness and looking competitive the youngster had a huge crash in South Australia during the 2018 season that again saw him off the bike for many months with a broken back. This was a tough and scary break that really had Broc pondering his future as to whether he would ever take to the track again.
He did come back though and secured numerous podium results in the Australian 600 Supersport ranks. Pearson was runner-up in the 2019 Australian Supersport Championship and finished season 2020 on a high note by winning the final round of the 2020 Australian Supersport Championship at Wakefield Park three months ago.
He is also in the best shape he has been for the start of a season and is raring to go for the 2021 Australian Superbike Championship to get underway at Winton on the weekend of March 14.
Pearson is testing at Winton this week alongside many other ASBK competitors as they shake down themselves and their machines ahead of the season opener at the same venue.
With regular sparring partner Oli Bayliss moving up to Superbike, and two-time Supersport Champ Tom Toparis out due to surgery, Pearson will likely be going bar to bar with returning international Tom Edwards and a fast learning Max Stauffer for the 2021 Motorsports TV Australian Supersport Championship.
The likes of Aidan Hayes, Jack Passfield, Jack Hyde, Ty Lynch, John Lytras, Luke Mitchell, Scott Nicholson, Luke Power, Dallas Skeer and Tom Bramich will also no doubt star from time to time but, as always, it will come down to who can maintain the consistency throughout the season. Broc Pearson is hoping that this will be his year in the sun.
Broc Pearson
“After finishing up the weekend at Wakefield Park and getting my first win under my belt in ASBK, it pretty much ignited the fire for me straight away and it’s got me in a much better head space for the year. It had been almost four years since I took the flag first and it’s reassured me that I am capable of doing it.
“Winning races use to be like walking but the race win at Wakefield was really special to me, I didn’t think I’d ever get one again at a certain point not long ago.
“There’s been a lot of moments along the way where my injuries concerned me and made me have a lot of doubts but I just kept going. I’ve come a long way and fought off a bunch of my own demons to make it happen.
“This year the goal for me is to take each round at a time, mainly focusing on each race as we go and trying to win as many races as I can. I’ve always been known as a Mr. Consistent but this year, I have a different outlook and I want to have a target on my back. I love the pressure.
“It’ll be nice to go out and be the guy setting the times, that’s my goal this year so we will see how that shapes up. The competition will be tough but realistically, I think it’s a good year for our team to make it happen.
“This year will mark my fourth year in the Supersport 600 class but I’ve only got through one full season to this point. This will be my first year when I can kick off the championship without being fresh off an injury or straight out of surgery to fix up an existing accident.
“I’m just so excited to get racing and get back on track at Winton Raceway, I love the layout there and it suits my style. After what’s been a lot of ups and down in the recent years, this year I feel ready.”
2021 Australian Superbike Championship Calendar
| Round | Circuit | Location | Date |
| R1 | Australian All Wheels Race Fest (SBK, SSP, SSP300, R3, OJC) | Phillip Island, VIC | Postponed |
| R2 | Winton Motor Raceway (SBK, SSP, SSP300, R3, OJC, Sidecar) | Benalla, VIC | Mar 12-14, 2021 |
| R3 | Wakefield Park Raceway (SBK, SSP, SSP300, R3, OJC, Sidecar) | Goulburn, NSW | Apr 16-18, 2021 |
| R4 | Hidden Valley Raceway (SBK Only) | Darwin NT | Jun 18-20, 2021 |
| R5 | Morgan Park Raceway (SBK, SSP, SSP300, R3, OJC) | Warwick QLD | Aug 20-22, 2021 |
| R6 | The Bend Motorsport Park (SBK, SSP, SSP300) | The Bend, SA | Sep 23-26, 2021 |
| R7 | Symmons Plains (SBK, SSP, SSP300, R3, OJC) | Tasmania | Nov 4-7, 2021 |
