The national circuit motorcycle racing season gets underway when round 1 of the 2018 SuperGP Champions Trophy takes place at Zwartkops Raceway on 23 & 24 February 2018. In addition to the regular national and regional classes that make up the SuperGP series, several additional bike classes will be competing, making a jam-packed couple of days of entertainment for motorcycle racing fans.
In the premier SuperGP class five-time South African champion Clint Seller (King Price Extreme Yamaha R1) will be out to defend the title he won back last year. Michael White (Consortium Shipping Yamaha R1) has ended the past two seasons in the top three in the championship will provide Seller with some stiff competition as he aims for the top spot on the log in 2018. David McFadden (RPM Centre / Stunt SA Kawasaki ZX10) is scheduled to make the trip from Cape Town and is always a contender. Morne Geldenhuis and Dylan Barnard will also be out on their Yamaha R1s, Geldenhuis in the colours of Hi-Tech Elements while Barnard will be sporting the yellow Shop #74 livery.
The Super600 class should provide spectacular action as usual. One thing is for certain is there will be a new champion in 2018 as 2017 winner Steven Odendaal is now competing on the world stage in the Moto2 championship. Blaze Baker has joined the King Price Extreme Yamaha outfit and will be hoping that the R6 will give him the title that just eluded him last season. Adolf Boshoff (Uncle Andy Racing Suzuki), Hayden Jonas (Samurai Racing Yamaha R6) and Byron Bester (Hi-Tech Elements Kawasaki ZX6) are among those who will be challenging him for the top spot. Aiden Liebenberg (Shop#74 Kawasaki ZX6), Gareth Gehlig (Formula Autos Kawasaki ZX6) and Brandon Staffen (AJH Cooling Kawasaki ZX6) are some of the young guns who have shown that they have the skill to mix it at the head of the field in the past.
After a number of years of running as a single make class, the junior class has changed from the start of the 2018 season. It will now be known as Super300 and will run using similar rules to those in place at the world SuperSport 300 championship. Taric van der Merwe (Evolve Nutrition Yamaha R3), the runner-up in the 2017 SuperJunior championship, is one of the early favourites but he will have to fight off the attentions of Dino Iozzo(King Price Extreme Yamaha R3), Kewyn Snyman (The Mag Workshop KTM RC390) and Deegan Claasens (Nine Nine Racing Kawasaki 300). Lady racers Zante Otto (ORT-Online KTM RC390) and Savannah Woodward (Monroe Racing Yamaha R3) will also be challenging for podium positions.
The national categories will be supported by a full program of regional and club classes which include Thunderbikes, BOTTS, Sub-10 Superbikes and Bridgestone Challenge.
As is normally the case, practice sessions will take place on Friday, with qualifying for the national classes scheduled for Friday afternoon. Race day is Saturday, with early morning warm-up sessions happening before racing gets underway shortly after 10h00.
Tickets, at R100.00 each, are available online from Ticketpros.co.za or at the gate.