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The Australian Superbike Championship welcomes another competitive manufacturer to the 2017 Superbike class with BMW Motorrad Australia joining forces with NextGen Motorsports and renowned team owner and manager Wayne Hepburn. To make the announcement that much more exciting, reigning Australian Supersport Champion Troy Guenther has announced that he will be joining the NextGen BMW team, making the step up to the premier Australian Superbike category mounted on a BMW S1000RR. Guenther will join NextGen regular and Supersport competitor Ted Collins. “It’s taken a while, and it’s with great pleasure that we can announce NextGen Motorsports & BMW Motorrad Australia will be working together again on board the S 1000RR,” explained Hepburn. “We will be competing in the rejuvenated Australian Superbike Championship for 2017. Our partnership in the past has had a lot of great success with two Australian Superbike Championships and one Australian Prostock Championship. “Even more exciting is our new rider; current Australian Supersport Champion Troy Guenther. Troy recently tested NextGen’s previous model BMW HP4 at Winton Raceway and has impressed all with his professionalism and how quickly he adapted to the huge horsepower increase from a Supersport bike, as well as the general change in characteristics. For sure Troy must do his “apprenticeship”, however the early signs and the first time on a Superbike has given us the confidence he will progress well. We have set achievable and realistic goals for Troy for the 2017 season. “Continuing in 2017 in the NextGen camp will also be Ted Collins competing in his second year of the Australian Supersport Championship. The 2016 season saw Ted finish in a very respectable 5th place overall in his first year aboard the 600 at a national level. The goal we have set for Ted is to become the 2017 Australian Supersport Champion and then join Troy on a BMW Superbike for the 2018 Championship. “We’re excited to have two very young riders that will give us all a chance to grow and develop together. Now that we have confirmed our rider line up we can begin the search for sponsors to help achieve common goals,” he concluded. Guenther shared his excitement in stepping up to the premier road racing category in Australia. “I’m very excited to be stepping up to the Superbike category with the NextGen Motorsports team on the BMW RR. After winning the Supersport title last season, I feel it is the natural and best step to take to further my racing career. With Wayne and the NextGen team having extensive experience in running BMW machinery, it really gives me confidence that I will have a solid data base to help learn and develop in my rookie Superbike season. I’m also looking forward to having Ted as a teammate and together I believe we can achieve some good results for the team.” Collins is excited by another opportunity to be aligned with the NextGen Motorsports team as he shared; “After my rookie Superport year in 2016 I am really looking forward to pushing for the title in 2017. I’m excited to work with the very professional NextGen Motorsports team and work alongside Troy to form a strong team in both categories for the 2017 season.” For both Guenther and Collins, the season will begin at Phillip Island Grand Prix circuit, alongside the World Superbike Championship, for the first round of the ASBK on February 23rd-26th, 2017. For more information and announcements leading in to the commencement of the 2017 season, stay tuned to the ASBK website, like the ASBK Facebook page and follow @asbk on Instagram. The 2017 ASBK calendar:
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