A highside in qualifying saw my weekend almost finish before it started
I came in to the 2016 season on a high after winning the Australian Supersport Championship last year, but I knew there was a big challenge ahead by stepping up to a Superbike. It’s been a massive learning curve so far, and the speed and the power of the 1000cc machine definitely caught me by surprise at Round one but I’ve been taking positive steps forward and even managed to finish fourth overall at Round two. I currently sit 8th in the championship and am looking forward to fighting my way towards the podium as the season draws to a close. My goal has always been to race internationally so I was extremely happy when David Anthony from ADR Motorsports provided me with my first international racing opportunity on board a Yamaha R1 at Round three of the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship in New Jersey. With limited preparation and having no idea what to expect we packed our bags made the journey to the USA. The race weekend was whole new challenge for me and really tested my ability to adjust to the new circuit and the new bike, having ever only competed on Suzuki’s before. A highside in qualifying saw my weekend almost finish before it started but with the help of the team we were able to repair the damage over night and line up on the starting grid for the both races on Sunday. Competing in torrential rain – unlike anything I have ever experienced in Australia – along with the lengthened race distance and a completely new track I was happy to have finished the weekend strong in 13th and 14th. The opportunity then presented itself to return to the America and compete in Rounds seven and eight of the MotoAmerica Championship, this time with a Suzuki GSX-R1000.
I was pumped to go back overseas, knowing what to expect, and was extremely thankful when Phil Tainton made the journey with us to give the team the best opportunity to be competitive in this aggressive championship. Round seven at Utah Motorsports campus was by far the longest track I have ridden so far – 5km’s in length with 15 turns to learn in only three practice sessions before qualifying and racing commence. The altitude made bike set up difficult as we lost almost 15 horsepower but I was able to put my best foot forward finishing 15th and 13th, and improved on track with every session despite the extreme heat. A week break between rounds allowed me to recuperate and train in preparation for the the following race at Laguna Seca Raceway. It’s a difficult track to describe – something you have to see in person to believe, and to have the opportunity to race this circuit has always been a dream of mine. Running in conjunction with the World Superbike Championship, Round eight of the Moto America Superbike Championship was set to be exciting. With short practice sessions learning the track as quickly as possible was top priority before competing in two 23-lap races against some of the fastest guys on track.
The tight and technical layout suited my riding style however negotiating the blind turns, and choosing the correct race line proved difficult. Despite some minor set backs to the set up of the bike we continued to improve with more track and bike time to finish the weekend 15th and 13th with a personal best time of 1:27.002.
Overall my experience racing overseas has been amazing and has certainly been an eye opener both on and off the bike. New tracks, tyres, bikes, team and culture has forced me out of my comfort zone but given me opportunities to grow as a rider. I can’t thank the people around me enough who continuously support and encourage me, and allow me to chase my dreams. My family, loyal sponsor Phil Tainton (PTR), and mentor Shawn Giles have been instrumental in helping me to progress and achieve the results we’ve had. Moving forward from here we will continue to look at our options and remain open to new opportunities for 2017 with the intent to keep chasing podium positions and fighting for championships.
Elliott, MotoAmerica SBK Race 1, U.S. WSBK 2016.